Wonderful Metphors in the Pure Land School
淨土宗妙喻
Amitabha-Recitation and False Thoughts
2. Analogy of Pedestrians on the Street
Amitabha-reciters shouldn’t allow themselves to be bothered by their scattered thoughts. What is meant by “don’t be bothered”? Some people say, “these thoughts come by themselves.” OK, let them come if they come. Don’t worry about them. The more you are bothered by them, the more they come. Don’t try to stop them from coming. Just let them come and let them go. This is what is meant by “don’t bother”.
This is similar to seeing many people walking along a street. Do they bother you? They are of different ages, genders, wealth, personalities, and aptitudes. Is it necessary for you to give up your work in order to watch them? Do you pay too much attention to others, and totally forget what you have to do? When you are reminded of this incident, you feel annoyed, and say, “these people are always walking here and there along the street. Because of them I cannot concentrate ”. Does that make sense?
It’s similar to reciting Amitabha’s Name. While we are doing it, many random thoughts pop up in our minds. They simply mind their own business and have nothing to do with us? Amitabha-recitation is the karma of assurance (the host) and random thoughts are like the pedestrians (guests). We don’t need to watch them or be bothered by them.
Once we are mindful of reciting Amitabha’s Name, hundreds and thousands of random thoughts can be totally ignored. It is just like being in a room and focused on our work. We can ignore the people outside, who then seem to be non-existent.
So, there is one effective way to deal with false thoughts - focus on reciting Amitabha’s Name and ignore them.
2.念佛與妄想 - 大街行人喻
念佛人應該把所有的妄念抖下來,丟掉,不要管它。
什麼叫不要管呢?有人說:「我不管它,可是它自己來了。」來了就來了,來了就不管它。你管它,它才來。你不管它,並不是叫它不要來。來就來了,去就去了 —— 這叫不要管它。
大街上那麼多人來來去去,與你有什麼關係呢?男女老少,貧富貴賤,善惡賢愚,應有盡有,有必要放下自己的正事,倚在窗戶上盯住看嗎?富貴的生羡慕,貧賤的看不起,論醜說美,評東道西,把自己的正事忘得一乾二淨。
叫你不要管外面的行人,只管做自己的事,你反而起煩惱,說,你不想管他們,但他們老是在那走來走去,讓你的心靜不下來。這就叫不講理了。
念佛也一樣。心中妄念紛飛,自是它的事,與你何干?妄念自妄念,念佛自念佛。念佛是正業(主),妄念是街客(賓),不要盯住妄念的街客看,不要隨著它走,更不要說它耽誤你念佛。念佛的正念一提起,就是有千千萬萬妄念,也好像沒有一樣。這就好像一個人在房間裏一心做自己的事,大街上人來人往,千千萬萬,都與他無關,好像不存在。
所以,對付妄念,就一條絕招:只管念佛,不要管它!
Namo Amituofo!
