Wonderful Metaphors in Pure Land School
淨土宗妙喻
The Metaphor of Sunshine Brightening a Dark Room
The rebirth of ordinary beings in Amitabha’s Land of bliss is Amitabha’s doing, not ours. Why? Because ordinary beings are defiled and iniquitous and have no power to rescue themselves. For instance, a room that has been kept dark for a thousand years can be brightly lit by sunlight. It must rely on the sunlight. The room cannot illuminate itself as its nature is darkness.
The nature of ordinary beings is also darkness. Because of this we must rely on Amitabha’s infinite light, as well as the power of his great vow, to eliminate our darkness and gain rebirth in his Pure Land.
5A. 暗屋陽光喻
往生報土,不論凡夫,只論彌陀。為什麼不論凡夫呢?因為凡夫下劣不可論。比如要想讓千年暗室一片通明,必須靠陽光照耀。房間體性黑暗,不能發出光明。我們凡夫體性黑暗,必須靠阿彌陀佛的無量光明照破黑暗,必須靠阿彌陀佛的弘誓願力往生淨土。
Namo Amituofo!
