Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teaching about Faith in Pure Land Buddhism
淨土信仰
(continued)
Nevertheless, if we want to know what the Heart Sutra talks about, or what the Chapter of Universal Doors talks about, or what the Earth Store Sutra talks about, we can read them and try to understand. However, we can only know and understand a little. We cannot practice those teachings successfully. Because of this, they do not help us very much in resolving the matter of reincarnation within the cycle of birth-and-death. Isn’t that so?
Sutra-recitation has its own merit and virtues, because all matters are governed by the Law of Cause and Effect. However, if we devote time to sutra recitation, we won’t have enough time to sufficiently recite Amitabha’s name.
So, in terms of rebirth in the Land of Bliss, exclusive recitation of Namo Amituofo is more than enough, and recitation of sutras is not necessary. Similarly, fortranscendental deliverance of our ancestors, to be reborn in the Land of Bliss, exclusive Amitabha-recitation is all that is necessary. Recitation of other sutras is not. We can talk about the teachings on rebirth and recite the Amitabha Sutra, to become more clear about the concepts that define the Pure Land path.
當然,我們若要了解《心經》是在講什麼?《普門品》是在講什麼?《地藏經》在講什麼?我們就去看、去了解,了解就好了。因為,了解歸了解,我們也做不來,既然做不來,就等於對我們的生死輪迴沒有多大幫助,對不對?
當然誦經有誦經的功德,任何事都有它的因果嘛!不過你都沒有時間念佛了,哪有時間誦那些經! 所以,為自己的往生極樂世界,專念「南無阿彌陀佛」就可以了,不用再去誦其他的經。要超度祖先往生極樂世界,也是專念佛,不用另誦其他的經,最多只是開示往生極樂世界的道理,或是誦《阿彌陀經》,對以上所說的這個道理我們要分別清楚。
Namo Amituofo!
