Common Knowledge in Pure Land Teaching
淨土小常識
Giving them Great Peace
The infinite Life Sutra says, “I vow that, when I have become a Buddha, I shall carry out this promise everywhere; and to all fear-ridden beings, I shall give great peace. “
“I” refers to Amitabha Buddha in his causal ground, who was then named Dharmakara Bodhisattva. He vowed to become a Buddha who would be capable of clearing all kinds of fears from all sentient beings, and giving them deep peace. To give all frightened sentient beings the deepest peace is Amitabha Buddha’s aim in becoming a Buddha.
為作大安
《無量壽經》言:吾誓得佛,普行此願; 一切恐懼,為作大安。
「吾」是指阿彌陀佛於因地、身為法藏菩薩時的自我稱呼。他發誓要成為能使一切眾生去除恐懼、得大安穩的佛。使恐懼的眾生得到大安穩,就是阿彌陀佛發願成佛的目的。
Namo Amituofo!
