Common Knowledge in Pure Land Teaching
淨土小常識
119 Namo Amituofo (continued)
What kind of a Buddha is Amitabha Buddha? Amitabha Buddha is a Buddha who is replete with two virtues (infinite light and infinite life.) When analyzing these two virtues from the point of view of self-benefiting, infinite light refers to infinite wisdom. Amitabha Buddha has realized boundless perfect wisdom and is enlightened to the ultimate truth. In addition, he has also realized the eternal Buddha body, which forever transcends birth, aging, illness, and death.
From the point of view of benefiting others, Amitabha’s Infinite Light is able to benefit all sentient beings by shining in all of the worlds in the ten directions. Amitabha’s Infinite Life allows him to deliver all sentient beings in all three periods in terms of time. (past, present and future)
In the Pure Land School, we study the meaning of Amitabha Buddha with respect to benefiting others. In the Rites of Rebirth, it says, “he embraces all Amitabha-reciters and never forsakes them.” That is why he is called Amitabha. Hence, sentient beings who take refuge in Amitabha through exclusively reciting his Name are received and delivered by him. This is the meaning of “Amitabha Buddha”.
119 南無阿彌陀佛(續)
那麼,阿彌陀佛是怎樣的一尊佛呢?阿彌陀佛是圓滿具備光明無量與壽命無量這兩種功德的佛。此光壽二種無量,如果從自利的層面來說,那麼光明無量便是無限之智慧,即證得無限之正智、覺悟究竟之真理;壽命無量便是證得常住不變之佛身,永遠超脫於老病死苦。
如果從利他這一層面來說,光明無量指在空間上照十方世界,利益一切眾生;壽命無量指在時間上盡未來際救度一切眾生,無有止時。
淨土宗主要是在利他這一層面上來探討阿彌陀佛的意義。《往生禮讚》說:「唯觀念佛眾生攝取不捨,故名阿彌陀。」所謂「觀十方微塵世界,一切念佛之眾生,光明攝取而不捨,故名為阿彌陀佛」,「阿彌陀佛四字之意者,謂一心歸命彌陀之眾生,皆可蒙彌陀救度,此即阿彌陀佛四字之意也。」
Namo Amituofo!
