Jan 18, 2020
Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teachings about Faith in Pure Land Buddhism
淨土信仰
Though a person practices Amitabha-recitation, he may not understand this Name correctly and thoroughly. For instance, he may think: though Amitabha can deliver, I cannot be reborn easily if I cannot reach a certain level in this practice, or cannot accumulate certain merits and virtues.
In this way he knows, on one side this Name exceeds all other merits and virtues; but, on the other side, he believes the benefit of this Name is based upon reaching a certain level or accumulating merits. That means he does not fully trust Amitabha Buddha, as he relies on this and that mantra, and practices this and that teaching. He views Amitabha-recitation as just one of the many practices. This is known as performing “self-power miscellaneous practices,” as he takes this Name to be the same as other teachings.
雖然也念佛,但對這句名號了解不夠正確、徹底,以為要往生,雖然有彌陀的救度,可是如果自己念佛沒有達到某種工夫,或者是累積某種的功德,恐怕往生就不容易了。
因此雖然他曉得這句名號超越其他的功德,但是另一方面他卻把這句名號,當作在累積自己的工夫,沒有完全信靠阿彌陀佛。念佛之外,同時又另依靠這個咒、那個咒,修習這個法、那個法,這稱做「萬行隨一」的法門,也就是把這句名號當成跟其他法門是一樣的,這是屬於自力的雜行」。
Namo Amituofo!
