Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teaching about Classification of Teachings – the Two Practices - Primary and Miscellaneous
正雜二行判
The Five Kinds of Miscellaneous Practices and the Six Paramitas are the practices used in the cultivation of Buddhist teachings to accumulate a myriad of virtues. With respect to the teaching of practices, the miscellaneous, Difficult, and Self-power practices belong to the Sacred Path. They lead practitioners to become sacred beings in this world. The Primary, Easy, and Other-power practices assure rebirth in the Pure Land. They belong to the Pure Land Path.
These two paths are different in nature and benefits. The Master divided and classified their practices, and listed their specific benefits and deficiencies, in order to promote and establish the Pure Land Path. That is to say, to praise the Primary Practices and to urge people to discard the Miscellaneous Practices.
The Master does not intend to denigrate the Miscellaneous Practices. From the point of view of the Sacred Path, one cannot become a Buddha without the MIscellaneous Practices. However, with respect to the Pure Land Path, the main cause of rebirth is name-recitation. Therefore, if one chooses the Pure Land Path, he should discard the Miscellaneous Practices and exclusively focus on the Primary Practice.
五種雜行也好,六度萬行也好,都是佛教中的修行,大師稱為「諸善」;只是從行業的性質來講,「雜行」是屬於「聖道門、難行道、自力」,亦即是於此土入聖的行業;而「正行」是屬於「淨土門、易行道、他力」,亦即是於彼土得證的行業。
此二者的性質、利益完全不同,大師為了詳細區分之,故作此二行之判,並舉出二行得失,有褒貶廢立之意,亦即褒正行貶雜行,而勸導實踐正行、捨棄雜行。
簡而言之,雜行並不是不好,在聖道門來講,沒有雜行是不能成佛的;可是來到了淨土門, 淨土門往生的正因就是稱名,其他不是。所以就要捨雜行的觀念而進入正行。
Namo Amituofo!
