Master Yinguang’s Short Teaching about urging the slow-witted people so as to embrace the sharp-rooted people
印光大師法語「舉下攝上」之文(勸自卑者)
In the world, there are slow-witted, narrow minded people who misbehave. They say to themselves: our skill in practice is very basic, and our karmic offenses are deep and heavy, so how can we be reborn in this lifetime?
They do not know that their innate mind-nature is the same as the Buddha’s. Even though they commit the Five Gravest Transgressions and the Ten Unwholesome Deeds, and are on the verge of falling into hell; if they come across a good advisor near their end-of-life, who teaches them to recite Amitabha’s Name, just ten or even a few times, they can be reborn when their life ends.
This is clearly stated in the Contemplation Sutra. How can we not believe this teaching? If even such a slow-witted person is able to attain rebirth, why not me? We might have committed offenses as well as being unskillful in our practice; however, when compared to those who have committed the Five Gravest Transgressions and the Ten Unwholesome Deeds, we who practice Amitabha-recitation are much better off. In this respect, how can we give up [the practice of Amitabha-recitation] and lose the unsurpassed benefit [of rebirth]?
世有愚人,知見狹劣,謂己功夫淺薄、業力深厚,何能即生?
不知眾生心性,與佛無二,五逆十惡,將墮地獄,遇善知識,教以念佛,或滿十聲,或止數聲,隨即命終,尚得往生。
《觀經》所說,何可不信?彼尚往生,況吾人雖有罪業,雖少功夫, 較彼五逆十惡,十聲數聲,當復高超多多矣!何可自暴自棄,以致失此無上利益也。
Namo Amituofo!
