Wonderful Metaphors in Pure Land School
淨土宗妙喻
Metaphor 3A. Reciting Amitabha’s Name is Like Ringing a Bell
A large bell can produce a loud resonant sound; but, it won’t ring unless someone strikes it. Amitabha has vowed to deliver all sentient beings from their sufferings in the six realms; but, they cannot be saved unless they entrust themselves to him by reciting his name. Just as a bell resonates once it is struck, sentient beings are sure to be reborn in Amitabha’s Pure Land once they recite the Buddha’s name.
“A large bell can produce a loud, resonant sound; but, it won’t ring unless someone strikes it.” The way in which a person strikes the bell determines what sound is produced: a hard strike creates a loud sound, a soft strike creates a soft sound; the bell rings as soon as it is struck, and is silent if it is not struck. These are the natural characteristics of a bell, just as flames rise upward and water flows downward naturally.
“Amitabha has vowed to deliver all sentient beings from their sufferings in the six realms; but, they cannot be saved unless they entrust themselves to him by reciting his name.” What this implies is that all sentient beings, whether good or evil, are assured of being reborn in the Land of Bliss, if they entrust themselves to the Buddha and practice Amitabha-recitation.
In other words, those who recite Amitabha’s name are certain to be delivered while those who don’t are not. This reflects the automatic nature of Amitabha’s Fundamental Vow. It is just like flames rising upward and water flowing downward.
With boundless compassion and kindness, Amitabha Buddha is omniscient, his light illuminates all worlds and permeates the past, present and future without obstruction.
We only need to recite his name and Amitabha Buddha answers our call instantly ― just like the ringing of a bell.
3A. 佛無條件救度 - 叩鐘喻
洪鐘雖響,不叩不鳴;彌陀雖度,不歸不救。洪鐘叩之則鳴,彌陀念之則生。
「洪鐘雖響,不叩不鳴」:所謂大叩大鳴,小叩小鳴;一叩即鳴,不叩不鳴。叩即鳴,是鐘天性自然,不假造作的,如火往上,如水流下。
「彌陀雖度,不歸不救」:善歸善生,惡歸惡生,一歸則生,不歸不生。因為歸則生,是彌陀天性自然, 不假造作的,如火往上,如水流下。
阿彌陀佛無時不在,無處不在,無限慈愛,無有不知,無有障礙。我們只要念佛,彌陀應聲即現,猶如叩鐘,一叩即鳴。
Namo Amituofo!
