Common Knowledge in Pure Land Teaching
淨土小常識
Rebirth in the Reward Land for Ordinary Beings
According to the general concept of severing delusion and realizing truth through self-powered practices, only those “above-ground” bodhisattvas can be reborn in the buddha’s reward land. Those of the Two Vehicles and “below-ground” bodhisattvas cannot. How can ordinary beings be reborn in the reward land? All masters on the sacred paths affirm, because it is a reward land, ordinary beings cannot be reborn there. Ordinary beings can only be reborn in a manifestation land. To conclude, ordinary beings are not allowed to be reborn in the reward land.
Only Master Shandao, from the standpoint of Amitabha Buddha’s Fundamental Vow of “other-power”, affirms that Amitabha is a Reward Buddha and the pure Land of Bliss is a reward land. He also affirms that the nine levels of people are ordinary beings. He shows that ordinary beings can be reborn in the reward land. Ordinary beings can recite Amitaba’s name for rebirth in his Reward Land of Bliss.
(to be continued tomorrow)
凡夫入報
若依通途自力斷證,唯地上菩薩方能往生諸佛報土,二乘聖人、地前菩薩尚且不能往生,何況凡夫?故聖道門諸師判極樂世界,或是報土,而凡夫不能往生;或凡夫能往生,但只能到化土。總之,不許凡夫得生報土。
唯有善導大師站在阿彌陀佛他力本願的立場上,定判阿彌陀佛為報佛,極樂淨土為報土,又判《觀經》九品皆是凡夫,顯明「凡夫入報」—— 凡夫念佛往生阿彌陀佛極樂報土。
Namo Amituofo!
