Common Knowledge in Pure Land Teaching
淨土小常識
(continued)
The Three Meritorious Deeds
2. Blessing of taking precepts
Taking the three refuges, keeping the various precepts, and refraining from breaking the rules of conduct. Taking refuge in the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha are known as the Three Refuges. From not believing to believing in Buddha means renouncing the heterodox and returning to the orthodox; so, it is called turning around the heterodox and accepting the three refuges. Thereafter, one may receive the Three Pure Bodhisattva Precepts, the Ten Heavy and Forty-Eight Light Bodhisattva Precepts in Mahayana Buddhism; or, the Five Precepts, the Eight Precepts, the Ten Precepts and the Replete Precepts in Hinayana Buddhism.
Fully abiding by both the Mahayana and Hinayana precepts is called “being replete in all of the precepts.” In addition to these, one must carefully follow all kinds of lesser practices without breaking even one. These include - the 84,000 Mahayana and the 3,000 Hinayana rules of conduct.
三福
2.戒福
「受持三歸,具足眾戒,不犯威儀」,歸依佛法僧三寶,稱為三歸。始從不信佛轉入信佛,捨邪歸正,稱為翻邪三歸。此後受大乘三聚淨戒、十重四十八輕戒,或小乘五戒、八戒、十戒、具足戒,為受戒而更歸三寶,稱為受戒三歸。
總受持大小乘戒律,為具足眾戒。於持戒之上,慎護種種微細之行,如大乘八萬四千威儀,小乘三千威儀,而不毀犯,即是不犯威儀。
Namo Amituofo!
