Common Knowledge in Pure Land Teaching
淨土小常識
Settled Mind (continued)
• We can be reborn in one of the Pure Lands of the ten directions, or the Western Pure Land. We rest our minds on the Western Pure Land;
• Among the practices toward rebirth, there are the myriad virtuous practices and there is recitation of Amitabha Buddha’s Name. We set our minds on Amitabha-recitation;
• In Amitabha-recitation, there is the kind that relies on the power of Amitabha Buddha’s Fundamental Vow and the sort that depends on the power of self-cultivation. We settle our minds in reliance on the power of Amitabha’s Fundamental Vow.
To sum up, we rest our minds on the deliverance of Amitabha Buddha according to his Fundamental Vow, consistently reciting his Name and aspiring to rebirth in his Pure Land. In other words we “have faith in, and accept Amitabha’s deliverance; recite Amitabha’s Name single-mindedly; and aspire to rebirth in Amitabha’s Pure Land.” This settles the minds of Pure Land practitioners, putting them at ease.
安心 (續)
往生淨土中有十方,有西方,而安心於西方;
往生西方行法中,有諸行,有念佛,而安心於念佛;
念佛中,有仗佛本願力,有仗自修持力,而安心於仗佛本願力。
要之,心住彌陀本願救度,一向稱名願往生,亦即「信受彌陀救度,專稱彌陀
佛名,願生彌陀淨土」,此為淨土宗行人之安心。
Namo Amituofo!
