Common Knowledge in Pure Land Teaching
淨土小常識
113 Teachings in An Era Prior to the Preface (continued)
“Preface prior to the teaching” means the explanation of what happened before the teaching of the Contemplation Sutra was given. The Sutra was spoken to Queen Vaidehi in the palace of Magadha in central India, not on the Vulture Peak in Rajagriha.
At that site, there were not twelve hundred and fifty monks and thirty-two thousand bodhisattvas present when the Contemplation Sutra was given. It happened before that.
According to the ‘Meaning of One Thought and Many Thoughts', it says, “All 84,000 teachings are expedient and virtuous. The Path of Importance is
considered an “Unreal Teaching”. It refers to the meditative virtues of the 13 contemplations, the non-meditative virtues of the Three Meritorious Acts, and the Nine Levels of Rebirth. The transcendent teachings of the Pure Land School, which guide and urge all sentient beings to the One Vehicle of the Fundamental Vow.
They are perfect and complete, without any obstructions, the great ocean of real merit and virtues. Thus, all virtuous karma, accumulated through self-powered practices, are considered expedient teachings.
113 一代化前 (續)
所謂「化前序」,就是舉出《觀經》教化以前的事作為序文之意。《觀經》是在中印度摩竭陀國王的宮中對韋提希夫人所說的,並非在耆闍崛山的說法。
又當場並沒有千二百五十的比丘眾和三萬二千的菩薩眾,然而,經文之中所說的「一時,佛在王舍城耆闍崛山中,與大比丘眾,千二百五十人俱;菩薩三萬二千」,並非在說《觀經》之時,亦非在說《觀經》之事,是舉出《觀經》以前的
事,因此名為「化前序」。
《一念多念文意》:凡八萬四千法門,皆是淨土方便之善也,此謂「要門」,此名「假門」。此要門、假門者,即《觀無量壽經》所說之定善、散善是也。「定善」者:
十三觀也;「散善」者,三福、九品之諸善也。此皆淨土方便之要門也,亦謂假門。從此要門、假門,勸誘一切眾生,教導引入本願一乘、圓融無礙、真實功德大寶海故,所有自力之善業者,謂之「方便之門」也。
Namo Amituofo!
