Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teachings about Faith in Pure Land Buddhism
淨土信仰
There are two kinds of relationships between the name and the teaching. One says “the name is the teaching”, and the other says “the name is not the teaching”. This means that, if the name has its own substance within it, we say “the name is the teaching”. If it does not, we say that “the name is not the teaching”.
If we call the name of a person, however, he and his name are separate. Thus, if he is not present, he will not know, no matter how loudly we call his name, and he will not show up. This is known as “the name is not the teaching”.
However, Namo Amitabha is the Name of the Tathagata of Unimpeded Light. It is infinite in the ten directions and consists of Amitabha Buddha himself. In this way, the Name and Amitabha Buddha are always together. This Name equally possesses Amitabha’s wisdom and compassion in full, as well as his marks, goodness, light, vow-power, paranormal powers, merit, and virtues. All of these treasures are contained within it.
(to be continued tomorrow)
名與法的關係分「有名即法」、「有名非法」兩種,也就是說,名稱跟祂的本體是在一起的,就是「名即法」;如果名稱跟本體不在一起,那就是「名非法」。
譬如說我們念某某人,但他的名子跟他的本身是各自分開的,他如果不在現場,你再怎麼樣的喊破喉嚨,他也不曉得,因此,不會聞聲即來,應聲而現,這個就是「有名非法」。
可是這句南無阿彌陀佛,這句盡十方無礙光如來的名號,跟阿彌陀佛本身是在一起的,所以這一句彌陀名號同樣有阿彌陀佛本身所具足的慈悲智慧,還有相好光明與願力、神通、道行在裡面。
Namo Amituofo!
