Jul 19, 2020
Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teachings about the Amitabha Sutra
《佛說阿彌陀經》
(continued)
Furthermore, let’s read a passage from the Chapter on Easy Practice written by Nagarjuna Bodhisattva. He writes, “If a person wishes to quickly reach the State of Non-retrogression, he should hold fast to the Name with a reverent mind.” “Holding fast to the Name” is explained in the Passage on Advice in the Contemplation Sutra, and the core passage of the Amitabha Sutra (the passage about the direct cause of rebirth).
The following phrases can be used interchangeably with “holding fast to the Name”: “reciting without forsaking”, “uninterrupted recitation for the rest of this life”, “Amitabha-recitation in this entire life,” and “just ten times or even once” (for those near the end-of-life).
再來看龍樹菩薩的《易行品》,龍樹菩薩也說:「若人欲疾至,不退轉地者, 應以恭敬心,執持稱名號」。
所以「執持稱名號」這五個字也是在解釋《觀經》的「付囑文」以及《阿彌陀經》的核心之文,也就是往生正因之文,同時也正是這一句「執持名號」。
而「執持名號」如果再進一步解釋的話就是「念念不捨」,也就是善導大師所講的「念念相續,畢命為期」,亦即「平生之機,上盡一形;臨終之機,下至十聲,乃至一聲、一念」的念佛。
Namo Amituofo!
