Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teachings about Faith in the Pure Land
淨土信仰
The Commentary on the Ten Doubts concerning the Pure Land quotes the Commentary on the Great Wisdom of Deliverance and says, “It is impossible for ordinary beings who are completely entangled, to attempt to deliver iniquitous sentient beings in this wretched world with the mind of great compassion. It is similar to a baby that cannot survive without its parents, or to a weak bird that can only be fed.”
In the Commentary, it also says, “A beginner on the Bodhisattva path who has not attained the perseverance of no-birth should always be accompanied by the Buddha.”
This means that a new bodhisattva who has not reached the stage of non-retrogression should always follow the Buddha. Therefore, he must be reborn in the Land of Bliss first, so that he can follow Amitabha Buddha, avoid setbacks, and progress in the bodhisattva practices.
《淨土十疑論》裏引《大智度論》的內容說:「具縛凡夫,有大悲心,願生惡世,救苦眾生,無有是處。譬如嬰兒,不得離父母;又如弱羽,只可傳枝。」
此《論》中又說:「初心菩薩,未得無生忍,要須常不離佛。」意思是說,初發心的菩薩還沒得到無生法忍,必須經常跟在佛的身邊,要先往生極樂世界跟隨阿彌陀佛,這樣不但不會退失,而且會上進。
Namo Amituofo!
