Master Yinguang’s Short Teaching about “Entirely the Buddha’s Power” (using the analogy of sailing on a ship across the sea)
印光大師法語「全是佛力」之文(坐船過海之喻)
In Buddhist teachings, there are immeasurable paths, whether they are the Great Vehicle and the Small Vehicle, or the Expedient Teaching and the Real Teaching. In all of these teachings, a practitioner is required to eliminate greed, hatred, and delusion through abiding by the precepts, practicing meditation, and gaining wisdom. In this way, they are completely purified without any residue, in order that they can be liberated from the cycle of birth-and-death.
However, this is as difficult as ascending to heaven, and is beyond the abilities of mundane people like us. However, if we truly believe, earnestly aspire, and recite Amitabha’s Name for rebirth in the West, we can be reborn wholly with recourse to Amitabha’s compassionate power, despite our limited capacities and lack of meritorious virtues.
(to be continued tomorrow)
佛法法門無量,無論大小權實,一切法門,均須以戒定慧,斷貪瞋癡,令其淨盡無餘,方可了生脫死。
此則難如登天,非吾輩具縛凡夫所能希冀。
若以真信切願、念佛求生西方,則無論功夫深淺、功德大小,皆可仗佛慈力,往生西方。
Namo Amituofo!
