Aug. 21, 2024
A Wonderful Parable of the Pure Land School
淨土宗妙喻
9.1 Exposition of the Parable of the Impoverished Son
The rich elder symbolizes Amitabha Buddha, and the beggar (son) represents sentient beings. For countless eons , we have lost touch with our true nature and have been wandering in samsara, far from Amitabha’s “ City of Nirvana.”
Amitabha, upon seeing our suffering, vowed to bestow upon us all of his merits and virtues in the form of his six-character Name. He constantly implores each of us, “Oh sentient being, my only son, I entrust to you my entire Land of Bliss. Please, come straight here for rebirth in my Pure Land?!”
Unfortunately, we iniquitous ordinary beings don’t believe we are worthy, despite hearing the Buddha’s call. Doubting how we could ever be qualified for rebirth in such a wonderful realm as the Land of Bliss, we simply ran away from Amitabha.
At such times, Amitabha Buddha uses skillful means to teach us other Dharma paths that are more suitable to transform our minds. These teachings all aim to help us dedicate our merits and virtues to rebirth in the Western Land of Bliss. In short, undertaking the laborious work of toilet cleaning is analogous to an attempt to get rid of the filth and soil in our minds.
The impoverished son didn’t dare to even stay in the rich elder’s manor until he could work there as a toilet cleaner. Likewise, sentient beings whose aptitudes are not yet ready (to practice Amitabha-recitation) can only rely on the practices of various other Dharma paths and dedicate the merits of such practices for rebirth in the Pure Land.
Seeing us dedicating the merits of our assorted practices and relying on self-power for rebirth in the Land of Bliss, Amitabha Buddha skillfully nurtures us to broaden our minds. He says, “that is a good first step my child , that you dedicate the merits of your assorted practices to rebirth in my land. However, an Easy Path would be to simply recite my Name!” Amitabha’s Name is the store house for all of his treasures of merits and virtues. He implores us to simply recite his Name because he wants to give us all of his merits and virtues. However, he knows that we are not yet ready to accept his gifts.
What Amitabha does is similar to what the rich elder did. The old man treated the down and out beggar as his own son, and let him take charge of financial matters and be involved in the family business. In substance, he already resolved to grant his entire fortune to his son. He was simply waiting for the right moment to reveal his decision. The son, however, was oblivious to this.
Similarly, Amitabha’s Name is like a Dharma storehouse containing all of his merits and virtues. By teaching us to recite his Name, the Buddha meant to give us all the treasures he stored within it. It is just that it wasn’t the right time to make his intent known to us.
(to be continued tomorrow)
9.1 釋窮子喻 (續)
大富長者就是阿彌陀佛；乞丐就是我們。我們無始劫來迷失本性，流浪在阿彌陀佛的涅槃城之外。阿彌陀佛看到就要把六字名號功德布施給我們，說：「眾生啊！我的獨子，我把整個極樂世界送給你，你就這樣來！往生我的淨土！」
我們嚇壞了，認為哪有資格到極樂世界啊？所以，我們逃跑，逃離阿彌陀佛。這時候，阿彌陀佛就用其他法門來調化我們，讓我們修行，迴向以求往生。
就是自力勞作，幹除糞的活；除糞，就是除去我們心中的污垢。窮子要靠除糞的活才敢進大富長者的莊園；根機還沒有成熟的眾生，就要靠種種法門修持迴向，才敢求生淨土。
阿彌陀佛看見我們已經在自力修行迴向求生了，又要用方法來調化我們，「你種種功德修行迴向，很不錯，但可以念我的名號啊！」名號就是阿彌陀佛所有功德法財的寶庫。讓我們稱名念佛，就是要把所有的功德布施給我們，但這時還不敢明講。就好像大富長者認窮子為義子，讓他負責庫藏的出納管理，其實心裏邊整個庫藏財寶都交給他了，但因為時機沒到，不便明說，窮子也不知道。
Namo Amituofo!
