Common Knowledge in Pure Land Teaching
淨土小常識
Rebirth through Other-Power
The meaning of other-powered dedication is to further explain the connotations of Amitabha’s deliverance.
The phrase rebirth through other-power is used to explain that sentient beings can attain rebirth in the Land of Bliss through Amitabha’s deliverance (other-powered dedication).
There are two kinds of rebirths through other-power, one being relative other-power and the other being absolute other-power.
Generally, many people regard rebirth through other-power in two ways: (1) other-power is major and self-power is minor, (2) other-power is strong and self-power is weak. Though they use the term rebirth through other-power, they really don’t believe that other-power is thorough and complete. Because of this these Pure Land aspirants think they need to accumulate more merit and virtues through Amitabha-recitation, or practice various other virtues which are also considered to be causes of rebirth.
This thinking can be regarded as belief in “relative other-power”. It is a totally different concept of rebirth by other-power than that expounded by the Pristine Pure Land School. Our school believes that rebirth in the Pure Land can be accomplished with total reliance on Amitabha's vow-power, without any further reliance on our self-power. We need not accumulate any extra merit and virtues other than those we gain through Amitabha-recitation. By simply believing in and accepting Amitabha’s deliverance, and exclusively reciting Amitabha’s Name, we entrust ourselves to Amitabha in the great matter of rebirth.
(to be continued tomorrow)
127 他力往生
他力迴向之意,在於開顯阿彌陀佛救度之內涵。
他力往生之意,在於說明眾生蒙彌陀之救度(他力迴向)而往生極樂。
他力往生有二種:相對他力與絕對他力。
一般認為所謂他力往生,一是因為他力多而自力少,二是因為他力強而自力弱,所以雖然說是他力往生,但卻並不意味著完全徹底的他力。因此求願往生之人,或者累積念佛之功,或者兼修諸善,作為往生之因。這種主張也可說是他力往生,但卻未達他力往生之極致,是屬於相對的他力。
而淨土宗所闡揚的他力往生則與這種說法天差地別,淨土宗認為我輩不需憑自力之分毫,只需完全依憑彌陀之願力便可往生淨土。同時,我輩亦不需為往生而積累念佛之功,亦不憑積累諸善之功,但信受彌陀救度,憶念彌陀佛名,將我等之往生大事完全交託與佛即可。
Namo Amituofo!
