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 Q14 - 2/3)
Q14: How can we put the theories and concepts of the Pure Land teaching into practice in our daily lives?
2. Having experience. Some people think they have grasped the Buddha’s teachings through simply reading the texts. They immediately feel they are like buddhas and bodhisattvas. Because they haven’t personally experienced or encountered suffering, after reading the teachings they think, “very interesting; but, they don’t apply to me!”
When those who have experienced more suffering read the Buddha’s teachings, they more easily relate to the concepts of impermanence, suffering, the hypocrisy of humankind, the clumsiness of our bodies, the weakness of human nature, etc.
Their experience helps them to identify with the Buddha’s teachings, because the Buddha speaks of the reality of life. If you haven’t had these experiences, you will probably lose interest when reading the Buddha’s teachings.
3. Always recite Buddha’s name and pray - As a Pure Land practitioner you need to recite the Buddha’s name often. This Name has the deeply acting functional capacity to awaken our minds and strengthen our awareness. It helps us better understand the teachings, by clearing our karmic obstructions and increasing our wisdom.
At the same time, we can ask Amitabha Buddha, “please help me to have a more correct understanding of life, and have more faith in the Buddha’s teachings?” It is very helpful to do this, because it gives us hope with every name-recitation.
◎ 第二,要有閲歷。
僅僅看書面的文字,有些人消化不了,看得很好,覺得自己就是佛菩薩;看到苦也不能有深切的體會,“這是說別人呢,我自己還挺好的,有住的,身體也挺好,掙錢也不少,生活也美好”。
如果有些閲歷,對人生的無常、人生的苦難、人情的多偽、自身的拙劣、人性的軟弱,還有罪性,你觀察得多了,再看佛經就不一樣,句句打動心頭。所以,閲歷也能增長我們對佛法的體悟。因為佛法講的都是那麼現實,如果沒有閲歷,就會輕飄飄的,一看而過。
◎ 第三,多念佛祈願。
我們多念南無阿彌陀佛,這句佛號自自然然在我們心中就有調化、加持,有秘密的作用和功能,消除業障,增長福慧,這樣也會開解。
同時,我們可以向阿彌陀佛祈願:“阿彌陀佛,你幫助我,讓我對人生有正確認識,讓我在佛法當中信心更加具足。”念念稱名,念念有這樣的願望,這會有幫助的。
Namo Amituofo!
