Voice of Master Jingzong - Q and A about the Purpose of Life
淨宗之聲 - 人生目的問答
(continuation of Q7 - 5/6)
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From the point of view of the Pure Land School, we aspire to be reborn in the Western Land of Bliss through Amitabha-recitation. Once reborn in the Pure Land and ultimately becoming a Buddha, our loneliness will be thoroughly eliminated.
Though we are still living in the mundane world, we can understand that the Buddha and ordinary beings are really one entity. Thus, the shadow of loneliness will vanish.
Appreciation of the fortunes of life, the quality of life, the integrity and value of life, can be found in an exclusive Amitabha-reciter. Though he cannot explain it or write it down beautifully, he enjoys a rich and fulfilling life. He delightedly says farewell to the suffering of loneliness and separation experienced during life in this world.
This is because, by taking refuge in Amitabha, the Buddha of Infinite light and life, our lonely, painful, seemingly separate, and wandering lives will have deeper meaning. Our faith in Amitabha gives us spiritual comfort, and the understanding that, at the end of this life, we will be returning home to reunite with the Buddha-nature of infinite light and life.
(to be continued tomorrow)
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而以淨土宗來說,我們念佛願生西方極樂世界,一旦到達淨土,就究竟成佛,這當然就徹底免除孤獨。
雖然還在這個世間,但也能體會到佛凡一體。雖然是凡夫,但是跟阿彌陀佛一體,這樣心中也就掃除了孤獨的陰影。
人生的幸福、人生的品質、人生的尊嚴和價值,在專修念佛人那裡,他雖然講不出來,也寫不出漂亮的文章,但是他的生命是豐富圓滿的,是喜樂的,告別了生命分離的孤獨所帶來的痛苦。
因為歸命南無阿彌陀佛這尊無量光壽的佛,我們孤獨、痛苦、分離、飄零的生命有了一種回歸無量光壽佛性生命的回家感覺、精神安慰。
Namo Amituofo!
