Nov 27

Nov 27, 2017
慧淨上人法語
專稱彌陀佛名

(continued)

It’s difficult to be reborn there by practicing assorted virtues attained according to worldly circumstances: In order to be reborn in such a realm, one must fulfill the cause of rebirth in nirvana, and then gain access to it. Assorted virtues attained according to worldly circumstances are not aligned with the reward of nirvana. The so-called “assorted virtues attained according to worldly circumstances” refer to those various kinds of practices that performed in accordance with one’s karmic circumstance, or one’s preference. If we dedicate those assorted virtues for rebirth, there is no way for us to enter the unconditioned reward land of nirvana, which is Amitabha Buddha’s reward land.

The Tathagata selects the key method: So, Shakyamuni Buddha and Amitabha Buddha screen and select the one and only one cause of entering the realm of unconditioned nirvana for us–reciting Amitabha’s name. Moreover, reciting Amitabha’s name is the proper cause of rebirth. Apart from this, there is no second cause. It is unique. Hence, it is called “two-fold exclusivity”.

「隨緣雜善恐難生」，要往生到這樣一個境界，必須是符應涅槃的「因」才能進入，隨緣雜善與涅槃的果是不相符應的。所謂「隨緣雜善」就是指眾生隨著每個人自己所接觸到的，或是所喜好的，而去修的種種萬行。如果以這些來作為迴向，是沒有辦法進入阿彌陀佛無為涅槃的報土的。

「故使如來選要法」，因此阿彌陀佛、釋迦如來為我們篩選進入無為涅槃的唯一因──念彌陀名號。而且唯有念彌陀名號是往生的正因，此外沒有第二個正因，是獨一無二的，所以說「專復專」。

Namo Amitabha!