Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teaching about Classification of Teachings – the Two Practices (Primary and Miscellaneous)
正雜二行判
Believing that accumulating various virtues through a myriad of perfectly accomplished practices can assure one’s rebirth in the Land of Bliss is relying on “the mind of self-power”. To perform all of these various virtues with the mind of self-power places them in the category of “miscellaneous practices”.
The practices are, of course, virtuous, and one should strive to practice them. However, the mind of self-power is not adequate to guarantee one’s rebirth in Amitabha’s Pure Land. That is why Master Shandao placed them in the category of miscellaneous practices, and asked people to discard that point of view. However, this doesn’t mean one should not try to live in a virtuous manner! Virtues should not be discarded; but, the mind of self-power should. When the mind of
self-power is discarded, all of the virtues of the so-called “miscellaneous practices” should be viewed as the practice of repaying the grace of all Buddhas.
「諸善萬行」(六度萬行),以勤修此等諸善,以為但有此善必能救度自己,必能往生極樂,仰仗修善之力,這種心態便是自力之心;以這種自力心所作的諸善便是「雜行」。
當然行為是善的,應該眾善奉行,但自力心是不好的,大師貶之,嫌為雜行,要人捨棄。這絕非捨棄行善,善不可捨,所應捨的乃是自力之心。當自力心捨掉之時,則一切所謂的雜行之諸善便完全轉變為報謝廣大佛恩之行。
Namo Amituofo!
