Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teachings about the Patriarchal Lineage of the Pure Land School – the 18th Vow
淨宗傳承之第十八願
All of the vows of Amitabha Buddha are aimed at rebirth in the Pure Land (where they will become Buddhas) for sentient beings of the ten directions. The 18th Vow is the vow of rebirth through Amitabha-recitation. Through the 18th Vow sentient beings can be reborn by Amitabha-recitation; without the 18th Vow sentient beings cannot be reborn by Amitabha-recitation. In this respect, all of the other vows are meaningless.
So, at this point, the 18th Vow is truly a source-of-origin vow – the Fundamental Vow.
阿彌陀佛的種種願,都是為了十方眾生的往生成佛。第十八願是念佛往生之願,有此願,眾生就能念佛往生,沒有此願,眾生就不能念佛往生;不能念佛往生,其他的願就沒有存在的意義。
所以,就這一點來講,這第十八願才是真正的本願── 根本之願。
Namo Amituofo!
