Dec 25, 2019
Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teachings about Faith in Pure Land Buddhism
淨土信仰
Why is the Pure Land teaching easy-to-practice? Because recitation is simple and easy. That is why it is called “easy-to-practice”.
Why is it difficult-to-believe? Any sentient being is assured of attaining rebirth in the Land of Bliss by mere Amitabha-recitation. Thereafter, he will not reincarnate any more, and expedite his achievement of Buddhahood. The method is extremely easy; but, the reward in merits and virtues is extremely large. As it is not logical in proportion, it does not make any sense to people and they may be doubtful.
Therefore, it is called “difficult-to-believe”. In order to arouse sentient beings’ unsurpassed faith, when Shakyamuni Buddha expounded “assured rebirth in the Land of Bliss through Amitabha-recitation”, all buddhas in the six directions pro-actively, joyfully, and unanimously came and affirmed that what the Buddha said is true. They did that in order to urge and persuade sentient beings to believe in assured rebirth through Amitabha-recitation”.
Though it is difficult-to-believe, it is easy-to-practice. Wise people should know how to deal with belief and doubt. That sentient beings are assured of birth through Amitabha-recitation is evidenced in fact, as well as in principle, in the passage on “rebirth for those in the lowest level in the low tier” [in the Contemplation Sutra].
淨土法門何以「易行」?只要念佛, 簡單容易,故名易行。何以「難信」?任何眾生, 只要念佛,必生極樂,既永不再輪迴, 且速證涅槃; 方法極易,功德極高,似乎不合凡情之比例原則,不免令人起疑,故言「難信」。
為了發起眾生無上信心,當釋尊在《阿彌陀經》開示「念佛必生極樂」之時, 立即六方諸佛主動地、歡喜地、異口同聲地為釋尊證明,所說不虛,藉茲勸眾生生信,念佛必生。
雖然難信,但是易行;有智之人應知:信疑如何且置,「眾生稱念,必得往生」,「下品下生」既是理證,也是事證。
Namo Amituofo!
