Wonderful Metaphors in the Pure Land School
淨土宗妙喻
5H The Metaphor of Carrying a Heavy Rock Across the Sea
A grain of sand is light; yet, when placed in water, it sinks straight to the bottom. A piece of rock is heavy ; but, when it is put on a ship, it can be carried across the sea.
A grain of sand and a heavy rock will both sink if dropped into the sea. However, they can both reach the other shore. Their weight plays no part. It is not because the light grain of sand will float, or the heavy rock will necessarily go down to the bottom. If carried by boat, they can equally cross the sea and reach the other side.
By the same token, whether we can be reborn in the Western Land of Bliss has nothing to do with the seriousness of our karmic offenses. Even if our karmic affliction is as fine as a strand of hair, unless we board the ship of Amitabha’s great vow, we are doomed to sink to the bottom of the sea of birth-and-death. On the other hand, even if the karmic obstacles we are shouldering are as burdensome as a giant rock weighing ten thousand pounds, there is still a way for us to avoid the wretched realms. By reciting the six-character name (“Namo Amitabha Buddha”), our rebirth in the Land of Bliss is assured.
No matter how light a grain of sand is, it cannot stay on top of the sea unless it is being carried by a boat. This is like a person who practices without relying on Amitabha Buddha. He cannot eradicate all of his karmic afflictions and find a way to liberate himself from the cycle of reincarnation on his own. He can only do so if he is rescued by Amitabha Buddha.
However heavy a rock may be, when put on a ship it is destined to reach the other shore. The same law applies to ordinary beings who suffer from heavy karmic obstacles. Once you board the ship of Amitabha’s vow power by reciting “Namo Amitabha Buddha”, you are certain to avoid falling into the three wretched realms. You will ultimately achieve Buddhahood through rebirth in the Western Land of Pure Bliss.
5H. 不論凡夫,只論彌陀妙喻之 - 重石過海喻
一粒沙子雖然輕,如果把它放到水裏,它會直沉水底;一塊石頭雖然重,如果把它放在船上,就可以到達彼岸。沙子、石頭是沉水,還是到彼岸,不是因為它們重量輕就可以漂起來;也不因為它們重量重就一定會沉到水底。如果乘船,大石頭和小沙子同樣可以到達彼岸。
我們能否往生西方極樂世界也一樣,和我們的業力大小、罪障深淺沒有關係。哪怕只有頭髮絲那麼大一點點的業障,若不靠阿彌陀佛的大願船,也會沉到生死海底;但即使業障有大石頭那樣大,有千萬斤巨石那樣重,也不能說就一定墮落,稱念南無阿彌陀佛,就可以到極樂世界。
沙子雖輕,如果不乘船,不能自己浮起來。這比喻一個人雖然有修行,如果沒有業盡情空,不靠阿彌陀佛,就不能了生脫死。石頭雖重,如果乘船,可以到彼岸,代表凡夫雖然業障重,如果念南無阿彌陀佛,乘上彌陀願船,就不會墮落三惡道,就可以往生西方極樂淨土成佛。
Namo Amituofo!
