Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teachings about the Patriarchal Lineage of the Pure Land School – Nagarjuna Bodhisattva
《淨宗傳承之龍樹菩薩》
(continued)
The core fundamental teaching in the Chapter on the Easy Path, written by Nagarjuna Bodhisattva, is Amitabha’s deliverance through his Fundamental Vow. It says, “Amitabha’s Fundamental Vow is as follows: If anyone thinks of me, recites my name, and takes refuge in me, he will instantly enter the state of assurance [non-retrogression], and subsequently attain the highest perfect enlightenment. For that reason, you should always be mindful of him.”
The Fundamental Vow mentioned here also refers to the 18th Vow, and not the other vows. It clearly affirms “If anyone thinks of me, recites my name, and takes refuge in me”; only the 18th Vow talks about it, not the 19th Vow nor the 20th Vow. Hence, Nagarjuna Bodhisattva directly calls the 18th Vow the Fundamental Vow.
龍樹菩薩《易行品》的根本核心主要講的就是阿彌陀佛的本願救度,而說:「阿彌陀佛,本願如是,若人念我,稱名自歸,即入必定,得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提,是故常應憶念。」
在這裡所講的本願也是指第十八願,不是指其他的願,而且很明確的點出「若人念我,稱名自歸」,「若人念我,稱名自歸」是只有第十八願才這麼講,第十九願、二十願並沒有這麼講,所以龍樹菩薩也是直接把第十八願直稱「本願」。
Namo Amituofo!
