May 27

May 27, 2017
慧淨上人法語
凡夫入報

A [bodhisattva] practitioner must take one eon (one great Asaṃkhyeyakalpa) to reach the state of the tenth dedication-transference, and then take another eon to proceed from the first ground to the seventh ground [of bodhisattva]. To continue, he has to take one more eon to reach to the tenth ground [of bodhisattva]. So, it takes “three great Asaṃkhyeyakalpa” in total. This is the process of general practice.

However, achievement of perfect Enlightenment in the Land of Bliss that constructed by Amitabha Buddha is different. It allows us to directly transcend various grounds of the ordinary path, and to practice the virtues of universal worthiness immediately upon rebirth in the Land of Bliss.

Practicing the virtues of universal worthiness means going out to the worlds in ten directions for deliverance of sentient beings. That is to say, upon rebirth in the Land of Bliss, we have directly transcended bodhisattva of the tenth ground and above, and become the bodhisattva of Equal Enlightenment, which is a state of Buddhahood.

Because there is only one Buddha in one world, we are not called buddhas but “bodhisattvas”.

行者必須要經過一大阿僧祇劫才到十迴向，再經過一大阿僧祇劫由初地到七地，接着另再經過一大阿僧祇劫由八地到十地，所以說「三大阿僧祇劫」，這是一般修習的過程。

但是阿彌陀佛建設的極樂世界所完成的正覺是不一樣的，是讓我們一到極樂世界就直接「超出常倫諸地」，而且當下就能「修習普賢之德」。

「修習普賢之德」就是到十方世界去救度眾生。也就是說，到極樂世界我們直接超越十地以上，進入等覺菩薩，就是佛的果位。但是因為一個淨土只有一尊佛，所以就不稱為佛，而稱為菩薩。

Namo Amitabha!