Common Knowledge in Pure Land Teaching
淨土小常識
105 Amitabha-Recitation with Repentance and Joy
“Sincerely and joyfully entrust” as said in the 18th Vow, refers to deliverance by Amitabha Buddha. Because I will leave the cycle of birth-and-death, and ultimately become a Buddha, I can’t help but be joyful! This is why it is called “joyfully entrusting”.
Master Shandao taught that a person who “sincerely and joyfully entrusts” has a kind of state of mind that includes repentance with every single name-recitation. This is because, on the one hand, he knows he is a mortal ordinary being who commits offenses life after life, and owes many people a great deal, that he has no way to escape from reincarnation through his own power. Only Amitabha Buddha forgives us, unconditionally loves us, does not argue with us, and unconditionally bestows the merit and virtues of the Land of Bliss upon us.
If we understand this principle, our state of mind will change. Once changed, we have a mind of repentance that is gentle and soft. We feel ashamed, because we know what we should do; but, we fail to do so. So, each time we recite the Buddha’s name, it includes a thought of repentance. Therefore, it is called “always repenting with every single name-recitation”.
(to be continued tomorrow)
105 懺喜念佛
第十八願講「至心信樂」,這是說有阿彌陀佛的救度,我的生死可脫,成佛可期,所以我很歡喜,這就叫做信樂。
有至心信樂的人,他會有一種心境,就是善導大師說的「念念稱名常懺悔」。因為他一方面知道自己是生死凡夫,造業造罪,生生世世以來,欠別人很多,沒有辦法以自己的力量脫離生死輪迴,只有阿彌陀佛包容我們,沒有嫌棄我們,不和我們計較,甚至於把極樂世界成佛的功德,沒有條件、平白地全都送給我們。
若了解這個道理,心境就會轉;心境如果轉了,就會有一種懺悔的心,就會更加柔軟,覺得自己很卑賤──明知應該要如何做,但偏偏卻做不到。所以,在念佛稱名當中,就都有懺悔的念頭在裡面,這就是「念念稱名常懺悔」。
Namo Amituofo!
