Common Knowledge in Pure Land Teaching
淨土小常識
Namo Amituofo - the Six-Character Name (continued)
From the point of view of Amitabha’s splendid merit and virtues, the six-character name (“Namo Amitabha Buddha”) should be regarded as most correct and complete. This is because faith in Amitabha and taking refuge in him (Namo) are not initiated by sentient beings. They completely come from Amitabha Buddha, who enters the minds of sentient beings to enable their deliverance. In other words, our minds of taking refuge are completely in Amitabha Buddha’s hands. It is just like flipping a template with words designed to be printed on the left side onto the right. In this way the words on the template appear on the right side of the paper.
Amitabha’s name appears in sentient beings’ minds like a print, and creates their faith in taking refuge. In this way, it is necessary to put the prefix “Namo” before the name of “Amitabha Buddha.” If not, Amitabha’s absolute deliverance cannot be established. As the prefix ‘Namo” must be put before “Amitabha Buddha”, the full name should be “Namo Amitabha Buddha.”
Thus, Amitabha Buddha’s name is different from all other Buddhas. The Name, “Namo Amitabha Buddha,” connects the “aptitudes [of sentient beings] with the Infinite Light and Life [of Amitabha Buddha]. The full name of Amitabha Buddha should be “Namo Amitabha Buddha”, and Amitabha Buddha is only a shortened version.
(to be continued tomorrow)
119 南無阿彌陀佛- 六字名號 (續)
但是,如果從阿彌陀佛功德超勝這一角度來看,那麼便必須以南無阿彌陀佛六字作為佛的名號。這是因為眾生南無歸命之信心本來並非眾生自己所發,而是阿彌陀佛的救度徹入眾生心髓的產物,即眾生的南無之心完全是阿彌陀佛的展現。這就好像將印刷刻板上左邊的文字壓在紙面上,在紙面上便自然會顯現為右邊的文字。
阿彌陀佛四字名號印現於眾生心中,便成為歸命之信心,所以才需要在阿彌陀佛之前冠以南無二字。如果不在阿彌陀佛之前冠以南無,阿彌陀佛的絕對他力救度便無法成立。既然已在阿彌陀佛之前冠以南無,則此南無便展開為南無阿彌陀佛六字,所以應當以六字為阿彌陀佛之名號。
這是阿彌陀佛名號與諸佛名號最大的不同,所以此南無阿彌陀佛名號也被稱為機法一體之名號。可見,阿彌陀佛名號的全稱應該是南無阿彌陀佛六字,而阿彌陀佛四字名號只是略稱。
Namo Amituofo!
