Voice of Master Jingzong - Q and A about the Purpose of Life
淨宗之聲 - 人生目的問答
(Continuation of the answer to Q3)
Master Shandao explains, “ Amitabha-reciters are: good people, wonderful people, supreme people, rare people, the most splendid people of all.”
Taking their wisdom, knowledge, conduct, and virtues into account, Amitabha-reciters may be inferior to one who does not recite Amitabha’s name, because they have no money to donate and no house to offer people to live in.
However, their goals and the benefits of Amitabha-recitation are totally different from those of more worldly good people. That is why Shakyamuni Buddha praises them as Pundarikas (White Lotuses) among all people.
An Amitabha-recitation practitioner and a good person are like a white swan and a short-legged duck, which are not comparable. One can fly and the other must remain on earth. They are two different species. Amitabha-recitation is like a Buddha’s seed, which will certainly produce the fruit of Buddhahood.
善導大師解釋說，是“人中好人，人中妙好人，人中上上人，人中稀有人，人中最勝人”。
若論他自己的智慧、學問、品行、善德，說不定還比不上一個沒有念佛的人——也許他沒有更多的錢做佈施，也許他也沒有房子送給別人住。
但是因為他的目標和利益完全不是世間一般的好人可以比擬的，所以釋迦牟尼佛才讚歎他是“人中芬陀利華”。
一個念佛修行人和一個世間好人，就如同白天鵝和短腳鴨一樣，不可為比，一個在天上，一個在地下，而且種不一樣。念佛是佛種，必定成佛。
Namo Amituofo!
