Common Knowledge in Pure Land Teaching
淨土小常識
All family members walk their own Individual paths
The Ksitigarbha Sutra says, “Fathers and sons have the closest relationship even if they walk on different paths. Though they may encounter each other, they are reluctant to replace each
other.
The filial piety between a father and son is instinctual. In the human world, they love each other with grace and benevolence. However, if they meet in hell after death, they will follow different paths. This is because each person has his own threefold karma. It doesn’t matter if they are couples, mothers and daughters, or fathers and sons; they all have different karma. Thus, they
receive different karmic retribution after death. Though they may meet accidentally, they are reluctant to take on each other’s suffering. Why?
The suffering in hell is truly intolerable. We cannot tolerate our own suffering, how can we possibly take on the suffering of others?
至親路各別
《地藏經》言:
父子至親,歧路各別; 縱然相逢,無肯代受。
父子的親情是天性,在人世間,自然會互相恩義,父慈子孝,可是一旦死了,到了地獄之後,就各走各的路。因為每個人今生三業行為各不一樣,即使夫妻、母女、父子,也各有不同的業,所以死的時候,就隨各自的業去受果報,不能夠相逢的;即使偶然相逢了,也「無肯代受」。為什麼?
地獄的痛苦實在難以忍受,而且,自己的痛苦都忍受不了了,怎麼有能力為人代受?想要代受也絕不可能的。
Namo Amituofo!
