Common Knowledge in the Pure Land Teaching
淨土小常識
114 The Concluding Sutra of Shakyamuni’s Era
The Amitabha Sutra is the final Sutra given by Shakyamuni Buddha in his era. “In his era” means all of the teachings given by Shakyamuni Buddha during his entire life. The Concluding Sutra means the Sutra that was his final teaching.
The Pure Land School categorizes all of the sutras spoken by Shakyamuni Buddha in his era into three sections: the Preface Section, the Main Section and the Dissemination Section.
All of the sutras about the self-powered teachings of Sacred Path belong to the Preface Section. The Great Larger Sutra and the Contemplation Sutra comprise the Main Section. The Amitabha Sutra is in the Dissemination Section. In this respect, it is given the most prestigious status among those of the other-powered Pure Land Path and all of Buddhism.
All of the sutras of the Sacred Path spoken by the Buddha, before the following text in the Infinite Life Sutra, are considered to comprise the Preface Section - “As the Tathagata, I regard beings of the three worlds with boundless great compassion. The reason for my appearance in the world is to reveal teachings of the Way, and save multitudes of beings by endowing them with true benefits.”
This text indicates that the Buddha’s purpose for appearing in the world is to take pity on all beings in the burning house of the Three Domains and the sea of suffering within the Six Realms. Though he spoke a variety of teachings during his life , they all ultimately guide us to return to the teaching of Amitabha-recitation in accordance with Amitabha’s Fundamental Vow.
The “true benefit” means the sole teaching of Amitabha-recitation. If he hadn’t given that teaching , all ordinary beings would be incapable of escaping from the suffering in the burning house of the Three Domains. In other words, Shakyamuni Buddha appeared in the world and shared his Dharma to deliver sentient beings. His basic intent is to expound the teaching of other-powered Amitabha-recitation of the Pure Land Path. The difficult-to-practice teachings of the Sacred Path are not Shakyamuni’s original intent.
In the few decades after his Enlightenment, Shakyamuni noted that the time for expounding the teaching based on his original intent was not ripe. Thus, on one hand, he spoke all of his other expedient teachings - the difficult-to-practice teachings of the Sacred Path for achieving Buddhahood through self-powered practices; but, he hoped that they understood how difficult it is to exit the cycle of birth-and-death by transforming from delusion to enlightenment. On the other hand, he waited until the time was exactly right to share the easy-to-practice teaching of the Pure Land Path.
(to be continued tomorrow)
114 一代結經
《阿彌陀經》為釋尊一代說教中的最後之結經。「一代」是一代教的略稱,指釋尊一生之間所說的所有教法。「結經」指作為總結而宣說的經典。
淨土宗將釋尊一代所說之所有經典,配屬於序分、正宗分、流通分之三科段,以聖道門自力教之諸經都是序分,以《大經》《觀經》為正宗分,以《阿彌陀經》為流通分,藉此顯示淨土門他力教在佛教全體中最高最尊的地位。
以聖道門諸經為序分是依據《無量壽經‧發起序》所說之「如來以無盡大悲,矜哀三界,所以出興於世,光闡道教,欲拯濟群萌,惠以真實之利」。
此文謂諸佛如來之所以示現世間,其目的在於憐愍三界火宅、六道苦海之群萌(凡夫眾生),雖廣說一代諸教(光闡道教),然,最後導歸彌陀本願之念佛法門(惠以真實之利)。真實之利即是念佛一法,若非念佛一法,群萌無能脫離三界火宅之苦。
詳細來說,釋尊之所以出現於世、說法度眾,其根本目的在於宣說淨土門他力念佛之教,以普救萬機。故聖道門難修難行之諸教並非釋尊之本意,但自釋尊成道以後數十年間,宣說其本意的時機尚未成熟,所以釋尊才一邊權說難修難行之聖道門的自力成佛之法,以期聽眾覺悟到出離生死、轉迷開悟絕非易事,一邊等待宣說易修易行之淨土教門的到來。
Namo Amituofo!
