Common Knowledge in Pure Land Teaching
淨土小常識
110 The Practice of Amitabha’s Fundamental Vow
In his great Fundamental Vow, Amitabha Buddha only selects the practice of name-recitation. Amitabha-recitation is the splendid, transcendent, other-powered practice of the Easy Path established in Amitabha’s Fundamental Vow. If it did not contain these attributes that enable us to attain rebirth, it could not be called the Easy Path.
Amitabha Buddha set forth in his fundamental vow - “If you exclusively recite my Name and cannot be born in my Pure Land, I will not become a Buddha.” However, since Amitabha is now a Buddha, his vow has been fulfilled. Therefore, when we recite Amitabha’s Name, it complies with the law of cause and effect, and matches the Buddha’s aspiration; so, we are naturally born in Amitabha’s Pure Land.
110 彌陀本願之行
阿彌陀佛在其根本大願第十八願裡,只選擇「稱名念佛」一行作為本願,所以,「念佛」是彌陀本願之行。念佛之所以殊勝、超越,之所以叫做他力,之所以叫做易行道,根本的原因就在於它是彌陀的本願;如果不是彌陀本願,就沒有資格稱為易行道,也沒有資格稱為殊勝超越,更沒有資格叫做他力,那麼我們凡夫就不能往生了。
所以,阿彌陀佛本來發了這樣的願:「你念我的名號,若不能往生,我不成佛!」他現在已經成佛,願力兌現了,那我們念佛,自然就因果相符,與佛的願心相應,自然就往生了。
Namo Amituofo!
