Jan 28

Jan 28, 2018
慧淨上人法語
念佛利益

The Infinite Life Sutra says, “If there are people who hear the Name of that Buddha, rejoice so greatly as to dance, and remember him even once, then you should know that they have gained great benefit by receiving the unsurpassed virtue.”

It means that when we hear this name – Namo Amituofo, we will have boundless, immeasurable, and inconceivable merits and virtues. By reciting this name, reincarnation within the Six Realms resulted by our karmic offenses can be eliminated. It also enables us to attain rebirth and expedite the achievement of Buddhahood in the Land of Bliss. So, we must be joyful and devoted in exclusive practice of Amitabha-recitation. In every single recitation, we are embraced by the unsurpassed merits and virtues with great benefits.

So, in the course of studying Buddhism, we have to clear karmic obstruction on one side, and to increase merits and virtues on the other. For achievement in both of these two areas, we have to exclusively recite Namo Amituofo. Nothing is easier or more splendor than reciting Namo Amituofo.

《無量壽經》說：「其有得聞，彼佛名號，歡喜踊躍，乃至一念；當知此人，為得大利，則是具足，無上功德。」

意思是說，當我們聽到這句「南無阿彌陀佛」的名號，有無量無邊不可思議的功德，念這句名號能 夠消除我們六道輪迴生死的罪業，能夠令我們往生極樂世界快速成佛，我們就歡喜地、虔誠地專一稱念，念念當中，都在擁有這句名號的大利無上功德。

所以，我們學佛一方面要消業障，一方面要增長功德，無論消業障也好，增長功德也好，都要專念南無阿彌陀佛，都沒有比專念南無阿彌陀佛來得既容易又殊勝的。

Namo Amitabha!