Common Knowledge in Pure Land Teaching
淨土小常識
A Text Quoted by Taking its Meaning Only
When a patriarch quotes the scriptures, he may not copy it word for word without any addition or omission, because he intends to make it concise and more easily understood. He does this so that the profound meaning of the scriptures can be simply and clearly expressed.
For example, many Pure Land patriarchs quote the 18th Vow by focusing on its meaning, because the meaning of the 18th Vow, if quoted word for word, may not be correctly understood. Through explaining its meaning, people can more clearly understand the scripture. In this case, though people cannot read and understand the scripture, the teaching of the scripture still exists in the present. So, it is the intention of the patriarchs to quote by focusing on the meaning.
取意文
所謂「取意文」,就是祖師在引用經文的時候,不一定是每字每句、不增不減地引用,而往往是簡潔扼要、深入淺出地把經文解釋出來。
譬如淨土宗祖師有很多對第十八願的取意文。一般人單單依照經文文字,未必看得懂它的意思。而通過善知識的取意、解說,才看得懂經典;這樣即使經典看不見、看不懂,甚至不存在了,可是真正的法還是留存著。這是祖師取意文的用心所在。
Namo Amituofo!
