The Patriarchal Lineage of the Pure Land School - Master Shandao
善導大師
Amitabha’s 18th Vow requires us to “sincerely and joyfully entrust”. In which teaching do we “joyfully entrust”? What is the meaning of “joyfully entrust”? It is not to believe other explanations, or the content of our feelings, emotions, or grace. So, what do we believe and entrust in?
We believe that, any person who recites Amitabha’s name and aspires to be reborn in the Land of Bliss is assured of rebirth. It doesn’t matter whether he is a sacred or ordinary being, good or evil being, or whether he hears the teaching in the present life or near the end-of-life, in the Bardo state, or in the Three Wretched Realms.
“Assured” means 100% sure! There is no question about whether we “may be able”, or “may be unable”. This is because it is 100%, not 60% or 99%. In which teaching do we “joyfully entrust”? Master Shandao clearly says, “ the recitation of Amitabha’s Name”!
So, when we “recite Amitabha’s Name” we are already “sincerely and joyfully entrusting”, which is also the aim of what we believe in. Master Shandao explained it in this simple way, so that we can easily understand it and easily do it.
第十八願所說的「至心信樂」,信樂是信什麼法?什麼內容呢?不是信其他的法門,不是信其他的解釋,更不是以心中的感覺、感受、感動、感激作為所信的內容;那信什麼呢?
信不管任何人,聖人凡夫、善人惡人,平生臨終,甚至中陰身,乃至三惡道的眾生,只要念佛 ,願生極樂世界,就必定往生極樂世界。百分之百的,不可能有「或者能夠」往生、「或者不能夠」往生,因為「必」就是必然的,不是 或然的,是百分之百的,不是六十分,也不是九十九分。所以「至心信樂」到底是信什麼?善導大師明明白白、清清楚楚的說:「稱我名號」。
所以「稱我名號」就是「至心信樂」的內容,就是「至心信樂」所信的對象。善導大師這樣的解 釋非常的簡單,讓人一看就明瞭,而且容易做得到。
Namo Amituofo!
