Basic Knowledge in the Pure Land Teaching
淨土小常識
132. The Most Honored Name of Ultimate Perfection and Harmonious Virtue (continued)
The following are quotations from the Buddhas and Pure Land patriarchs as evidence:
“His light shines universally upon the lands of the ten quarters, embracing and not forsaking those who are mindful of Amitabha Buddha.”
“All who are mindful of Amitabha Buddha are like white lotus-flowers among humankind.”
“Shakyamuni Buddha further said to Ananda, bear these words well in mind. To bear these words well in mind means to hold fast to the Name of the Buddha Amitayus."
“Though [preceding passages] spoke of the merits of the meditative and non-meditative virtues, Shakyamuni Buddha’s underlying wish is that sentient beings will always recite Amitabha’s Name exclusively.”
“The Name is of immeasurable, boundless, inconceivable merits and virtues.”
“If a person wishes to reach the state of non-retrogression quickly, He should reverently uphold the recitation of Amitabha’s Name.”
(to be continued tomorrow)
132 圓融至德嘉號 (續)
引證佛言祖語如下:
•光明遍照十方世界,念佛眾生攝取不捨。
•若念佛者,當知此人,則是人中芬陀利華。
•佛告阿難:「汝好持是語,持是語者,即是持無量壽佛名。」
──《觀經》
•上來雖說定散兩門之益,望佛本願,意在眾生一向專稱彌陀佛名。
──《觀經疏》
•無量壽佛,無量無邊不可思議功德名號。
──《小經》
•若人欲疾至,不退轉地者,應以恭敬心,執持稱名號。
──《易行品》
Namo Amituofo!
