General Confusion and Misunderstandings in regard to Rebirth by Amitabha-Reciters - By Master Jingzong
淨宗法師談念佛人的糊塗認識
#6 - Meditation based Buddhist schools believe that Amitabha and the Pure Land are comprised of the Buddha - Nature within our minds. Since our minds already contain our Buddha - Nature, why do we need to constantly recite Amitabha’s Name? They say, “Pure mind, pure land”. Why is it necessary to pursue the so-called Pure Land in the West? Are these beliefs true?
Comment:
This is a kind of “attachment to a law and an abandonment of phenomena” – attaching to the law produced by one’s own mind, and abandoning aspiration for rebirth through Amitabha-recitation. It entirely relies on self-power. It is easy to talk about becoming a Buddha by self-power; but, quite another to actually be able to accomplish it. Our lives pass all too quickly without achieving Buddhahood. We should recite Amitabha’s Name and fully rely upon him.
On October 17, 1936, Master Yinguang returned to Lingyan Temple from Shanghai. He specifically responded to this question in his discourse. The original text is as follows:
Chan practitioners say, “The Buddha - Nature of all individuals is pure and natural without any “dust” (phenomena) attached, that is the pure land. Buddha - Nature has no-birth and no-death, and is permanent without any change. Therefore, its life is infinite. Buddha - Nature is replete, with wisdom and light shining everywhere in the universe. This is infinite light. If a person already has this innate Buddha - Nature, and still seeks a pure land for rebirth, or perceiving Amitabha Buddha, it is redundant and meaningless.” Moreover, they see it as the “dual practice of Chan and Pure Land”, which is also incorrect. This view is entirely biased in favor of the Chan School and is not applicable to the Pure Land School.
(to be continued tomorrow)
淨宗法師 - 念佛人的糊塗認識
其六:“自性彌陀,唯心淨土。自性本來就是佛,何必再念阿彌陀佛;心淨則土淨,還求生什麼西方淨土。” 是嗎?
答:
這叫“執理廢事”:執著自心之理,廢棄念佛求生之事。這就完全靠自力了。靠自力成佛談何容易,今生今世又虛過了,所以我們不能只談“口頭禪”而不念佛。
當年(民國二十五年十月十七),印光大師在由上海回至靈岩的開示中,專門針對這個問題進行了解答,原文如下。
又有人說:“我們各人的自性,本來是一塵不染,清淨湛然,就是淨土。自性本來不生不滅,亙古亙今,不遷不變,就是無量壽。自性本來具有大智慧光明,照天照地,就是無量光。如果離了這個本有的自性,另外要有個淨土可生,阿彌陀佛可見,那就是頭上安頭,無有是處。”
並且認為這就是“禪淨雙修”的道理,亦是錯的。因為這樣的話,完全是偏於禪宗,對淨宗是完全不適用的。
(再續)
Namo Amituofo!
