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
The guiding principle of our teaching is rebirth in the Land of Bliss through Amitabha-recitation. Therefore, we need to accept the 18th Vow as fundamental. If we don’t accept the 18th Vow, and do not follow the explanation of the Shandao lineage, it is not the pristine Pure Land teaching.
We say this because there are many methods for attaining rebirth: Buddha-invocation by Real Mark. Buddha-invocation by contemplation, Buddha-invocation by perceiving Buddha’s image, and Buddha-invocation by name-recitation. Moreover, there are different interpretations and connotations of name-recitation.
Only the interpretation of the Shandao lineage follows the lifeline teaching of Nagarjuna, Vasubandhu, Tanluan, and Daochuo, and completely matches the 18th Vow.
我們這個法門的宗旨是念佛往生極樂世界,就要掌握第十八願這個根本,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,還有稱名念佛,而稱名念佛的內涵也各有不同的說法。
唯有善導流的說法──也就是龍樹、天親、曇鸞、道綽、善導這個法脈的教理思想才能完全跟第十八願完全地相符應。
Namo Amituofo!
