Jun 7, 2019
Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teachings about Faith in Pure Land
淨土信仰
If sentient beings cannot be reborn through recitation of Amitabha’s name, Dharmakara could not have become Amitabha Buddha. That is to say, his accomplishment of Buddhahood relies on our attainment of his merit and virtues, for rebirth through Amitabha-recitation. Our rebirth also relies on Dharmakara’s accomplishment of the function of his Vow – “If they fail to be reborn, I will not attain perfect Enlightenment”.
So, Amitabha’s 18th Vow unites him with sentient beings. He makes his vows in consideration of forming a unity with us. Our failure in rebirth is equivalent to his failure in achieving Buddhahood, and vice versa.
若十方眾生稱念彌陀佛名而不能往生的話,阿彌陀佛就不成佛,可以這樣說:他的成佛,是依靠我們念佛而能往生的功德之上;而我們的往生,也依靠阿彌陀佛「若不生者,不取正覺」這個功能成就之上。
所以阿彌陀佛發第十八願,是把我們眾生跟祂結合在一起,綁在一起發願的,我們不能往生,祂不能成佛,祂不能成佛,我們就不能往生。
Namo Amituofo!
