Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teaching about the Classification of Teachings – the Difficult and the Easy Paths
淨宗判教 – 難易二道判
Some scholars give talks about the Pure Land teaching. Usually, they mix the Easy Path and the Difficult Paths together. In that way, they make the requirements for rebirth very difficult to achieve. Thus, Amitabha-reciters become disillusioned about their potential to reach the Pure Land. This self-powered approach very much misses the original intent of Amitabha Buddha’s vows and misleads sentient beings about the causal conditions necessary to attain rebirth.
Actually, what enables even the most powerless and hopeless person to be delivered is Amitabha-recitation, which contains Amitabha’s Infinite Other Power. (just as it says in the section of the Contemplation Sutra’s passage regarding those on “ the lowest level in the low tier”) By simply relying on Amitabha-recitation alone, they can finally depart from the village of reincarnation and return to the realm of Nirvana. This refers to the original intent of Amitabha Buddha, who made his vows to save All sentient beings. It is also the essence and the true spirit of the Easy Path.
有學者演講淨土法門,往往將易行道與難行道,混為一談,把往生的條件,講得很高、很難,使念佛人望洋興嘆,半途而退;不免上違彌陀發願的本懷,下誤眾生得救的機緣。
其實,能使無力之人往生,絕望之人獲救,如下品下生的根機,只靠念佛,亦能遠離輪轉之鄉,還歸涅槃之界,才是彌陀佛為眾發願的本懷,也是易行道真正精神之所在。
Namo Amituofo!
