Common Knowledge in Pure Land Teaching
淨土小常識
Dedication of Other-Power (continued)
Amitabha Buddha further reiterated his 18th Vow in “the Verse of Heavy Vows.”
“If I should not become a great benefactor,
In lives to come for immeasurable kalpas,
To save the poor and the afflicted everywhere,
May I not attain perfect Enlightenment. “
“Immeasurable kalpas’ refers to infinite future eons after he becomes a Buddha.
“The poor and the afflicted” refer to ignorant sentient beings who cannot accumulate adequate wisdom and blessings to cease reincarnating within the Six Realms, and suffer unceasingly on the dangerous paths of birth-and-death.
Master Yongming said, “Poverty refers to all sentient beings who lack the wealth of the Dharma.” So, from a Buddhist perspective, poverty means lacking the capacity to become a Buddha.
Thus, Amitabha Buddha who made great vows while in his causal ground, wished to become a great benefactor after becoming a Buddha, so that he can relieve and deliver “poor” sentient beings. He aims to deliver those who are drowning in the sea of birth-and-death and entangled in afflictions, because they have insufficient Dharma wealth to become Buddhas. Amitabha Buddha shares his wealth with them, so that they can leave the deep sea of suffering, and attain rebirth in the Pure Land of infinite peace and joy.
125 他力迴向
阿彌陀佛又進一步在第十八願的重誓偈中明確這一點,言「我於無量劫,不為大施主,普濟諸貧苦,誓不成等覺」。
「無量劫」指成佛以後、盡未來際無量劫之時間。「諸貧苦」者,《法華經》卷一「方便品」言「六道眾生,貧窮無福慧,入生死險道,相續苦不斷」。
永明大師《宗鏡錄》卷九十五解釋《觀佛三昧經》之「貧窮薄福」言「一切眾生以無法財名為貧窮」。結合這些引文可以看出,佛教所說的貧窮是指那些不具足成佛資材的人。
如此看來,阿彌陀佛於因位時誓言要在成佛後的無量劫間成為濟度諸貧苦的大施主,是為了救度那些於無始以來因不具足成佛之法財而常沉淪與生死界中、為苦惱所纏縛的眾生;阿彌陀佛施予其法財,使此等眾生得脫苦惱之深淵,往生涅槃常樂之淨土。
Namo Amituofo!
