Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teachings about the Patriarchal Lineage of the Pure Land Path
《淨宗傳承之總顯其義》
It is said in our school that we recite Amitabha’s Name to attain rebirth in the Land of Bliss. In order to understand this we have to grasp the 18th Vow. If we do not grasp this when trying to explain it in accordance with the Shandao tradition, it will not be the pristine Pure Land teaching. It may be confused with other methods of attaining rebirth such as: Real Mark Amitabha-Invocation, Contemplating Amitabha-Invocation, Image-Observing Amitabha-Invocation and Oral Amitabha-Recitation. Moreover, there are different definitions of Oral Amitabha-Recitation.
Among all, the Shandao tradition, (which follows the patriarchal lineage from Nagarjuna, Vasubandhu, Tanluan, Daochuo, and Shandao) totally matches the 18th Vow. That is why, in order to understand the Pure Land teaching, it is fundamental to grasp the 18th Vow. To grasp the 18th Vow, we should base it upon the lineage of the Shandao tradition.
我們這個法門說要念佛往生極樂世界,就要掌握第十八願,淨土法門如果不掌握第十八願同時不依循善導流來解釋,恐怕就不是純正的淨土法門,因為往生的方法有講實相念佛、觀想念佛、觀像念佛,以及稱名念佛,而且稱名念佛的內涵也各有不同的說法。
其中,只有善導流的說法,也就是龍樹、天親、曇鸞、道綽、善導這個法脈的教理思想才能跟第十八願完全地相符應。所以淨土法門掌握根本就要掌握第十八願,掌握第十八願就要掌握善導流這個法脈。
Namo Amituofo!
