Jun 8, 2019
Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teachings about Right View on Buddhist teachings
佛法知見
Fundamental Vow is a Sanskrit translation of the word “Parva-Pranidhana”, which also means the original or primal vow, the vow made in the causal ground in the past. It means a vow that a Buddha or Bodhisattva initiated, during his practice to deliver sentient beings in the past. If the vow includes delivering all sentient beings, it is called an“oath.” If his vow does not include delivering all sentient beings, it is only a vow, not an oath.
Among a Bodhisattva’s vows, those vows that are fundamental and common to all bodhisattvas are called “general vows”, or “common vows”. However, for the sake of achieving a particular purpose, a bodhisattva may make a special oath, which is known as a ‘”particular vow”, and is different from those of all other buddhas and bodhisattvas.
本願」是梵語Parva-Pranidhana之譯,亦謂「本來之願」、「因位誓願」、「宿願」,是佛或菩薩在過去世修行時所發起救度眾生之願,是立誓救度一切眾生之願,故亦名「誓願」;因為,若不包含救度眾生之誓的願望,只能說是發願而不說是誓願。
此菩薩誓願之中,只要是菩薩則都必須發起的基本、普遍的誓願謂之「總願」,亦名「通願」,通於諸佛菩薩。而菩薩本身為了達成特別之目的所發起的特殊誓願謂之「別願」,有別於諸佛菩薩之誓願。
Namo Amituofo!
