Common Knowledge in Pure Land Teaching
淨土小常識
The Buddha of Infinite Life
This is the meaning of Amitabha, a Sanskrit word that means “infinite”. As said in the Amitabha Sutra, it has a twofold meaning, one being infinite light and the other being infinite life. In this instance we are focusing on infinite life. Thus, Amitabha Buddha is called the Buddha of Infinite Life.
All sentient beings care about their own lives, and their ultimate wish is longevity or even eternal life. With this in mind, in order to enable all
sentient beings take refuge in Amitabha Buddha, “infinite life” is the usual translation of his name.
Nevertheless, the reward bodies of all Buddhas have infinite life. So, why is only Amitabha Buddha called the “Buddha of “Infinite Life”?
Though all Buddhas have infinite life, the infinite life of Amitabha Buddha is different. It has a special meaning because Amitabha Buddha enables all of the people in his land to have the same infinite life. Thus, he is called Amitabha.”
Though all Buddhas have infinite life, they enjoy their own rewards and do not share them with other sentient beings. From the point of view of sentient beings, the Buddhas’ virtue of infinite life is their own property.
However, Amitabha Buddha’s virtue of infinite life is not confined to himself, but is shared with all sentient beings. That is why only Amitabha Buddha is called the Buddha of Infinite Life.
It is like the Chinese who consider rice their major crop. All Chinese people have rice in their homes; however, they are not all rice merchants. Only those who distribute and sell rice are called rice merchants.
(to be continued tomorrow)
120 無量壽佛
即阿彌陀佛。梵語名為阿彌陀,譯為無量。無量者,如《阿彌陀經》所說,有光明無量與壽命無量兩種意涵,此處是摘取其中壽命無量這一意涵,將阿彌陀佛稱為無量壽佛。
一切眾生最為看重的便是自己的壽命,最為究竟的願望便是長生,而為使一切眾生歸依阿彌陀佛,所以才特別標舉出壽命無量,將阿彌陀佛稱為無量壽佛(詳見阿彌陀佛)。
然而諸佛之報身皆壽命無量,皆無有入滅之時,如此看來則諸佛皆可稱為無量壽佛,可是為何只有阿彌陀佛特別以無量壽為其名號呢?
這是因為諸佛雖然也都是無量壽,但極樂淨土阿彌陀佛之無量壽卻超越於諸佛,有其特殊的含義,所以才特別舉出無量壽之德,以此立名。關於阿彌陀佛之無量壽的特殊意義,恰如《阿彌陀經》所言「彼佛壽命及其人民,無量無邊阿僧祇劫,故名阿彌陀」,又如《稱讚淨土經》所言「彼如來及諸有情,壽命無量」。
諸佛雖皆具無量壽之德,但卻只是獨享,並未施予眾生,所以其無量壽之德於眾生來說恰如他人之財寶。但阿彌陀佛不僅自身具足無量壽之德,同時也將此自證之德施予眾生,而正是因為阿彌陀佛能夠使來生極樂淨土之眾生都與其同樣享受無量壽之果報,所以才專門將無量壽作為阿彌陀佛的名號。
這就好像中國人一般都以大米為主食,家家戶戶也都存有大米,但並不是每家每戶都叫米商,只有從事大米經銷工作的才能被稱為米商。
Namo Amituofo!
