Oct 7, 2019
Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teachings on the Contemplation Sutra
《佛說觀無量壽經》
For the sake of guiding all practitioners of other Buddhist teachings, the Contemplation Sutra comprehensively speaks of the thirteen kinds of meditative and non-meditative virtues, the Three Meritorious Deeds, and the Nine Levels in the beginning. However, in the Chapter on Dissemination, it discards all of these as the Buddha tells Ananda, “Bear these words well in mind. To bear these words in mind means to hold fast to the Name of the Buddha Amitayus.”
So, in the Chapter on Dissemination, the teaching to be disseminated is “holding the Name”, not contemplating the Buddha, nor the Three Meritorious Deeds and Nine Levels. Thus, Master Shandao says, “Though preceding passages spoke of the merits of the meditative and non-meditative virtues, the Buddha’s underlying wish is that sentient beings recite Amitabha’s name single-mindedly.” That is “Name-recitation in accord with the Fundamental Vow”.
《觀經》是為了先引導其他法門的根機,所以廣說「十三種定善」和「三福九品的散善」這些諸行道理,可是到了〈流通分〉就完全捨棄這些,佛就告訴阿難說:「汝好持是語,持是語者,即是持無量壽佛名。」
所以,〈流通分〉是流通「持名」,不是流通「觀佛」以及「三福九品」。因此善導大師就說「上來雖說定散兩門之益」,可是「望佛本願,意在眾生,一向專稱彌陀佛名」,這就是「本願稱名」。
Namo Amituofo!
