Apr 21, 2024
Common Knowledge in Pure Land Teaching
淨土小常識
Namo Amituofo - the Six-Character Name (continued)
The reason Amitabha Buddha puts all of his merit, virtues, and absolute value within his Name is to facilitate his deliverance of ignorant confused sentient beings. Amitabha is like a doctor prescribing medication to cure patients’ diseases. Without the appropriate medication even a great doctor is unable to rescue patients.
Amitabha Buddha cannot deliver sentient beings without his Name. The Name can deal with false and miscellaneous thoughts, and release the ties of karmic offenses. It is the only prescription to deliver those who are incapable of cultivating for the sake of leaving the cycle of birth-and-death.
Master Yuanzhao said, “ Amitabha delivers sentient beings through his Name.” So, when people hear or recite his Name, they can receive all sacred virtues within their mind consciousness, and plant the Buddha-seed that can immediately clear heavy karmic offenses for countless eons, and realize unsurpassed Enlightenment.
How can Amitabha Buddha deliver sentient beings through his Name? Amitabha Buddha equally shares his Name with all sentient beings. He is just like a doctor who must give medicines to patients rather than keeping the medicines locked away.
Amitabha Buddha delivers sentient beings in the same way. He unconditionally gives his Name of inconceivably awesome merits and virtues to sentient beings, and asks them to recite it. The Name is Amitabha’s priceless gift to all sentient beings. A person who receives this gift is assured of rebirth at the moment he receives it. Thus, he can be reborn in the Pure Land and enter the realm of emancipation when his life ends.
119 南無阿彌陀佛 - 名號之迴向 (續)
阿彌陀佛之所以要將其全部功德顯現為具備絕對價值的名號,是為了更容易地救度罪惡之眾生、亂想之凡夫。以佛的名號救度罪惡眾生、亂想凡夫,這就好像醫生需要通過藥品對患者進行救治,可即使再是名醫,如果沒有藥品也無法救治病人。
佛如果不通過名號也無法救度凡夫,而名號便是救度沉沒於妄想雜念、為罪惡所繫縛、無法依靠自己的修行出離生死之人的唯一妙藥。
如元照律師《彌陀經疏》說:「況我彌陀,以名攝物,是以耳聞口誦,無邊聖德,攬入識心,永為佛種,頓除億劫重罪,獲證無上菩提(攝物即是救度眾生)。」
那麼,阿彌陀佛又是如何通過名號來救度眾生的呢?阿彌陀佛以名號救度眾生的方法,便是將這句名號平等地施予一切眾生。這就好像雖是功效卓著之良藥,若只是置於醫生之藥箱中也無法救治病人,所以醫生才需要將藥品給予病人,令其服用。
阿彌陀佛救度眾生也是如此,威神功德不可思議之名號,如果阿彌陀佛不將其施予眾生,眾生也得不到救度;所以阿彌陀佛才要將這句名號無條件地施予眾生,令眾生稱念,此謂之名號之迴向。領受此迴向之人,在領受的當下其往生之業便已決定,命終之時剎那往生淨土,入於解脫之境界(見名號)。
Namo Amituofo!
