Wonderful Metaphors in the Pure Land School
淨土宗妙喻
Two Rivers and A White Path
The meaning of this parable is explained as follows:
“East bank” refers to the Saha World in which we live. It is a wretched and dangerous place, like a burning house. “West bank” refers to the Western Land of Bliss. It is a pristine pure land adorned with precious jewels and treasures.
“A horde of vicious ruffians and wild beasts, pretending to be friendly and kind (to the traveler),” refers to the six senses, the six kinds of consciousness, the six kinds of objects desired by our senses, the five aggregates and the four elements of sentient beings.
“Pretending” here means cheating, being hypocritical. Those “who pretend to be friendly and kind” refers to people who show goodwill in a pretentiously caring and considerate manner; but, who really want to cause harm to others.
“A wasteland where there is no one to be found” refers to the traveler wandering in the wilderness alone, only attracting evil beings who are disguised as good companions. The traveler lacks the good fortune to meet virtuous advisors.
What do the “two rivers - of water and fire” represent? Water stands for our cravings based on greed; and fire, our afflictions caused by anger and hatred. “A white path (about four or five inches wide) between the water and fire” contrasts our weak abilities to realize the mind which aspires to be reborn in the Pure Land. Our strong attachments and hatred are unfathomably deep and boundless, just like the two rivers stretching without end to the north and south.
Our kindness and aspiration to be reborn in the Pure Land come from our fleeting and faint glimpses of the pure mind. On the rare occasions when it is revealed, it cannot rival the colossal magnitude of our greed, anger, and hatred. That is why the white path is described as very narrow - only four or five inches wide.
Analogous to surging waves that splash against one side of the white path, our cravings are constantly present, and they contaminate and ruin our compassion. Therefore, despite the good deeds we try to practice, our virtues are constantly poisoned. Similarly, like blazing flames that relentlessly scorch the other side of the white path, our hatred and anger can easily destroy the Dharma storehouse of our merits and virtues.
二河白道喻 (續)
合喻的意思是:
東岸就是指我們娑婆世界,娑婆火宅。西岸就是指西方極樂世界,清淨莊嚴寶國。
“群賊、惡獸詐親”比喻眾生六根、六識、六塵、五陰、四大也。“詐”就是欺詐、虛偽。“詐親”就是假裝友好親善,其實想害你。
“無人空迥澤”比喻一個人孤孤單單地待在空空蕩蕩的原野當中,經常遇到惡友,遇不到真的善知識。
水火二河代表什麼呢?水,代表我們的貪愛;火,代表我們的瞋恨。
中間這條只有四五寸的白道,代表我們眾生在貪瞋煩惱當中,能夠生起清淨的願往生心。因為凡夫眾生的貪心、瞋恨心很強盛,所以用南北不見邊、其深無有底的水火二河來形容。
而善心、願生淨土的心若隱若現,即使偶爾顯露出來,跟貪瞋心也不能比。善心很微弱,所以用四五寸白道來形容。
水河的波浪起來,經常把白道打濕,比喻我們的貪愛心經常現起,染污我們的善心。雖修善法,但被貪心所染,成為雜毒之善。火焰常燒這條白道,代表我們的瞋恨心、嫌噁心能夠燒損功德法財。
Namo Amituofo!
