Jul 31, 2020
Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teachings about Faith in Pure Land Buddhism
淨土信仰
Perhaps some people are puzzled about whether Amitabha-recitation is the mental karma of contemplating the Buddha, or a verbal karma of reciting the Buddha’s Name? Comparing and contrasting the texts in the Contemplation Sutra, we should know the answer is the latter. Why?
The Contemplation Sutra says, “In this way, he sincerely maintains his recitation of Namo Amituofo and includes the “even ten times” referred to in the 18th Vow of the Longer Sutra. Thus, the meaning of “ten times” is obviously reciting by mouth rather than mental contemplation.
或許有人會有這樣的困惑,念佛到底是意業上的觀想念佛呢?還是口業上的稱名念佛呢?這方面如果我們對照《觀無量壽經》,就可以曉得是「稱名」念佛。為什麼?
《觀無量壽經》言:「如是至心,令聲不絕,具足十念,稱南無阿彌陀佛」,這裡所講的「具足十念」就是第十八願所講的「乃至十念」。
「乃至十念」的「十念」是什麼意思呢?接下來就說「稱南無阿彌陀佛」。所以這個「念」是稱名的念佛,意義很顯明。
Namo Amituofo!
