Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teachings of the Patriarchal Lineage of the Pure Land School – the 18th Vow
淨宗傳承之第十八願
Why did Amitabha make his 48 vows? Undoubtedly, every single vow is solely for the sake of delivering sentient beings, even though one is the fundamental vow and the others are secondary vows.
The secondary vows are the other 47 vows, also known as the vows of admiration. Their purpose is to facilitate sentient beings in the ten directions to admire the pure adornments of the Land of Bliss, aspire to be born there, and practice exclusive recitation of Amitabha’s Name. (per the 18th Vow)
If there were no secondary vows, we would not know that the Land of Bliss is the foremost among all pure lands in the ten directions. If there were no sudden deliverance that transcends the Ten Grounds of Bodhisattvas, and expedites the achievement of Buddhahood, the magnificence of the Land of Bliss would not attract sentient beings in the ten directions to aspire to be reborn there.
(to be continued tomorrow)
阿彌陀佛發四十八大願的目的是為了什麼?每一願每一願都是為救度眾生,是無可懷疑的,只是有根本願、有枝末願。
枝末願就是其他的四十七願,也叫欣慕願,目的就是要讓十方眾生嚮往極樂世界的清淨莊嚴,而歸入第十八願的專稱彌陀佛名,如果沒有其他的願就不能顯現出極樂世界是十方世界第一的淨土,如果沒有往生就能頓超十地快速成佛,就不能顯現出極樂世界的殊勝,也就不能引起十方眾生的欣慕嚮往求生。
Namo Amituofo!
