Apr 13, 2019
Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teachings about the Infinite Life Sutra
《佛說無量壽經》
Referring to the text on “leaving this sutra in circulation for an additional hundred years” in the Dissemination Part of the Infinite Life Sutra. Upon first reading this passage, the literal meaning seems to be just a hundred years.
However, if we compare it with another version of the Infinite Life Sutra ( the Sutra of Assembly of the Infinite Life Tathagata), we know that it means it lasts forever without extinction. In the Sutra of Assembly of the Infinite Life Tathagata, it says, “Now, I advise you all that I will enable this teaching to stay here forever, and you should diligently cultivate in accordance with its teachings. So, we know “a hundred” means forever/everlasting, which is full number.
Moreover, in the Infinite Life Sutra in the Sanskrit version, it clearly says, “Again, Ajita, I will enable this teaching to never become extinct, and to become a great gift forever.” So, we know this Sutra is a real Sutra that lasts forever and is kept in the world without extinction.
無量壽經〈流通分〉之「特留此經，止住百歲」。此「百歲」若僅由文面來看 ，是只有一百年；但若對照同本異譯之《無量壽如來會》之經文，便知是「永 遠不滅之經」。
《如來會》言：我今為大囑累，「當令是法，久住不滅」，應勤修行，隨順我教。故知此「百歲」之「百」是表示「永遠」、「永久」之意，亦即「滿數」 之詞。
又此《無量壽經》之「梵文本」亦明確地說：又阿逸多，令此教法，不使消滅 ，永作偉大贈物。可知此經是「永遠不滅」、「永久留存」的「真實之經」。
Namo Amituofo
