Common Knowledge in the Pure Land Teaching
淨土小常識
Two Kinds of Dedications
Master Tanluan says in the Commentary on the Treatise on Rebirth, “All births in the Pure Land and all the acts of Bodhisattvas, as well as the celestial and human beings there, result from the power of Amitabha Buddha’s Fundamental Vow.” He then quoted the 18th Vow, the 11th Vow and the 22nd Vows to illustrate that it is accomplished, whether for going out or returning with dedication, with recourse to the power of Amitabha’s Fundamental Vow.
“Going to that Pure Land” is an example of going, and “all of the acts of Bodhisattvas as well as the celestial and human beings there” are examples of returning. Both of them are examples that fully rely upon Amitabha Buddha’s power, in order to reveal the important meaning of rebirth through his pristine “Other-Power.”
The two kinds of dedications are powered by Amitabha’s “Other-Power”, which is the way that Amitabha delivers sentient beings. “The dedication for returning” refers to bestowing the merit and virtues necessary for the rebirth of sentient beings in Amitabha’s Pure Land, and for becoming a Buddha after rebirth. “The dedication for going” refers to the capacity to guide and teach sentient beings in the land of Saha to be reborn in the Pure Land. Once they are reborn there, they will ultimately become Buddhas. All of these accomplishments are fully dependent on Amitabha’s Other-Power.
To conclude, the one who dedicates is Amitabha Buddha, and those whom Amitabha dedicates to are sentient beings, as said in the text. However, how does Amitabha Buddha dedicate merit and virtues to sentient beings, and how do those sentient beings receive Amitabha’s merit and virtues?
(to be continued tomorrow)
123 二種迴向(一)
曇鸞大師也在《往生論註》卷下之末做出核求其本釋,指出「凡是生彼淨土及彼菩薩、人天所起諸行,皆緣阿彌陀如來本願力故」,接著又引用第十八願、第十一願和第二十二願,論證若往若還,皆緣阿彌陀佛之本願力。
在這一段釋文中,「生彼淨土」即是往相,「彼菩薩、人天所起諸行」即是還相。
曇鸞大師的往相、還相皆緣佛之願力,指出二種迴向皆為佛所迴向,藉此以顯明純他力往生之要義。
二種迴向在說明阿彌陀佛的他力迴向,阿彌陀佛救度眾生的方法。其中的往相迴向是在說明佛施予眾生往生極樂淨土所必須之功德和往生後成佛所必須之功德,還相迴向則是在說明眾生往生淨土、成就佛果後,還來娑婆之穢土,引導、教化眾生往生淨土之能力,亦是由佛所迴向施予的。
這便可以得出結論,亦即二種迴向說中,能迴向的是阿彌陀佛,而接受迴向的則是眾生。如言「往還迴向由他力」「彌陀成就所迴向,有往相還相兩種」,都是在說明這個道理。可是,阿彌陀佛是通過何種方法將此往還二相迴向施予眾生的,眾生又是如何領受佛之迴向的呢?
Namo Amituofo!
