Wonderful Metaphors in the Pure Land School
淨土宗妙喻
The Metaphor of the High and Long Jump
Another reason why ordinary beings must rely on the power of Amitabha’s vow in order to be reborn in the Land of Bliss is because this is something way beyond our ability to achieve by ourselves. The most we can do is to practice the five precepts and the ten virtuous deeds, which can lead to the good karmic rewards of rebirth in the human and celestial realms. However, as Master Daochuo remarked, “Even if practicing the five precepts and the ten virtuous deeds can lead to the good rewards of rebirth in the human and celestial realms, very few of us can do it.” Since ordinary beings are imperfect by nature, it is difficult for us to gain these two rewards.
However, rebirth in the celestial and human realms is inferior compared to the liberation from the three domains of existence (i.e. the domains of desire, form, and formlessness). It follows that ultimate enlightenment through rebirth in Amitabha’s land of reward is totally beyond the reach of ordinary beings acting on their own.
For example, when faced with a barrier one foot high, we can jump over it. However, if the barrier is ten times higher, we will not dare to try. Anything that is inconceivably high, such as the moon, can only be reached by a spaceship. It is impossible for us to get there by jumping. A barrier on the road and the moon are totally different worlds. No champion high jumper, who may be able to jump more than two meters, could ever jump high enough to reach the moon.Reaching the moon can never be accomplished by high jumping. Likewise, crossing a vast ocean is not something that can be achieved by long jumping.
As ordinary beings, our capacity for cultivating virtues is extremely limited, like a high jumper’s ability to jump a mere one to two meters. Aspiring to be reborn in Amitabha’s land of rewards is like aiming for the moon. Trying to do that by relying on our own ability is completely out of the question.
The merits we cultivate by our own power can only enable us to jump over a ditch no more than a few meters wide. There is no way they can help us to cross the boundless sea of life and death. Therefore, for the purpose of rebirth in the Buddha’s Land of Bliss, we must fully recognize that ordinary beings are incapable of it through their own power.
5B. 不論凡夫,只論彌陀妙喻之 - 跳高跳遠喻
同時,也是因為我們所要去的目標太高遠 —— 目標高遠不可論。因為以凡夫來講,如果論的話,頂多可以論我們修行五戒十善,將來感得人天果報。道綽大師說:「縱有人天果報,皆為五戒十善能招此報,然持得者甚稀。」所以,要論我們凡夫的本性,是墮落的,能夠得到人天果報就不容易了。
然而,人天果報很低劣,相對於出三界,那就差得太遠;相對於到彌陀的報土,那就更加遙不可及了。
比如路遇障礙,一尺高,可以考慮邁步跨過去;如果一丈高,就不敢論跨過去了;更高的目標,如到月亮上去,那必須靠太空船才可以,不可能論大家跳高,看誰能跳到月亮上去。因為這不是同一種境界,跳得再高,頂多一米兩米;對於登月,則是目標太高,不能論我們跳高。如果渡海,大海茫茫無邊際,我們無法越過,所以不論跳遠。
作為凡夫,我們的修行力量, 最多也是跳高,一米兩米而已;如果想到彌陀報土,就像到月亮上一樣,那根本不可以討論。如果論我們的修行,頂多是過一丈兩丈的小溝;如果要廣渡生死大海,依我們的修持力量,完全不夠。所以,一切不從凡夫這邊論,目標高遠,不可以來討論。
Namo Amituofo!
