Wonderful Metaphors in the Pure Land Teachings
淨土宗妙喻
Metaphor 2D: Giving Help Where Help is Most Needed
As it applies to relief of the poor, the general practice is to relieve the poor who are in danger first. A person loses everything in a natural disaster such as flooding. When a rich elder comes to give victims food, he should first help those who suffer most. A victim will not reject the food because he is poor.
The Land of Saha is a world that contains great suffering. Many people suffer and cannot find peace. Compared with rich people in other worlds, the Land of Saha is the hardest hit by afflictions. So, Amitabha Buddha made a vow: "If I cannot be a great donor during countless eons, and comprehensively relieve sentient beings, may I not attain perfect Enlightenment.”
He has now attained perfect Enlightenment and become the greatest donor. He has accumulated infinite merit and virtues. Those, in the Land of Saha, who exclusively recite his great six-syllable name are always saved. Sentient beings can receive infinite treasures, merit and virtues by merely reciting his name. We are the people who urgently need to be rescued by Amitabha’s Infinite Compassion. We should make every effort to receive it.
2D. 彌陀大悲，急救苦者- 先濟窮苦喻
世間扶危濟貧，愈窮苦之處，則當最先救濟。如遇天災，大水無情， 一人家中，一無所有，有大富長者來佈施，欲發救濟糧，此人自當最先受濟，更顯救濟之善行。世間常人，未有因一貧如洗而不敢受救者。
娑婆五濁惡世，眾苦煎迫，凡夫無有安時。他方世界，國泰民安， 四季豐收。娑婆世界實乃重災區！煩惱重重，沙石遍地。故阿彌陀佛，因中願言「我於無量劫，不為大施主，普濟諸貧苦，誓不成等覺！」
現以成等覺，成為大施主，攜帶功德法糧—— 六字名號，常在娑婆，救度娑婆眾生，只要稱念名號，則有無量寶，無量功德法糧。我們正是急需救濟之人，應當爭先而去，何須退讓。
Namo Amituofo!
