Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teachings about Faith in Pure Land Buddhism
淨土信仰
Normally, it only takes about Three Great Asamkhyakalpas to achieve Buddhahood, through cultivating blessings and wisdom, and attaining the marks and splendors in a hundred kalpas. However Amitabha Buddha took 5 kalpas to make his vows, and took countless eons to cultivate and accumulate the infinite bodhisattva virtues before he achieved Buddhahood.
Three Great Asamkhyakalpas is not comparable to countless eons. Why did Amitabha Buddha need such a long time to accumulate abundant merit and virtues?
It is because he wanted to deliver sentient beings in the ten directions, not only liberate them from reincarnation within the Six Realms; but, also enable them to be reborn in the Pure Land and become buddhas expediently.
Sentient beings in the ten directions include those alive at present, those approaching death, those who are in Bardo form after their last breath, and those who have fallen into the Three Wretched Realms. Above all, all sentient beings within the nine Dharma realms are included in Amitabha’s deliverance.
成佛原本只要三大阿僧祇劫就可以,所謂「三祇修福慧,百劫種相好」,可是阿彌陀佛卻經過五劫的時間發願,經過兆載永劫積植菩薩無量德行之後才成佛。
三大阿僧祇劫的時間跟兆載永劫根本不能比啊!為什麼要經過這麼長久的時間,累積那麼多的功德呢?因為要救度十方眾生;不但要將十方眾生救離六道輪迴,而且使他們往生淨土就快速成佛。
所謂十方眾生,包括現在還活著的人,即將臨終的人,也包括已經斷氣在中陰身的人,及已經墮落到三惡道的人,總之九法界的眾生通通包括在內。
Namo Amituofo!
