Dec 15, 2019
Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teachings about the Contemplation Sutra
《佛說觀無量壽經》
What kinds of sentient beings belong in the low tier? It refers to those who commit all evil offenses without any virtuous karma. The other two tiers, the high and the middle, are those with more virtuous karma and less evil karma. For example, those at the lowest level of the middle tier and those at the middle level in the middle tier dedicate their mundane virtues, and the Buddhist virtues, respectively for rebirth.
However, those in the low tier have only evil karma, it is impossible for them to dedicate any merit and virtue through their self-powered practices for rebirth. Therefore, they must rely on Amitabha-recitation at the end, in order to acquire Amitabha’s deliverance, to be exempted from jeopardy in hell, to leave the Three Domains and the Six Realms, and even to be reborn to achieve Buddhahood. This is also the reason Amitabha-recitation is mentioned in the lowest three levels among the nine levels of rebirth.
(to be continued)
「下品生」是哪一類的眾生呢?,是指「純惡無善」的眾生。而「上品」或「中品」的眾生則都是「善多惡少」者,譬如中品下生是世間的善,中品中生以上都是以佛法的善來迴向的。
可是「下品」根機是純粹惡,不可能、也沒有能力靠自己任何修行功德來迴向,最後才靠「念佛」來獲得彌陀的救度,不但免除地獄之難,而且脫離三界、六道,甚至往生成佛。因為這樣, 所以「念佛」才在九品的下三品才談。
Namo Amituofo!
