Discussion on Excerpts from the Scriptures of the Pure Land School
淨土宗精要法語討論
The 18th Vow in the Infinite Life Sutra (continued)
5. Question: The 18th Vow states, “Excluded, however, are those who commit the five gravest offenses and abuse the right Dharma”. Is it true that those who commit the five gravest offenses are not rescued and delivered? No, they too are rescued and delivered! According to Master Shandao’s explanation, that portion of the vow is intended "to caution us and inhibit us from committing those offenses and also to embrace, rescue, and deliver us if we have already committed them”.
Answer: “To commit the five gravest offenses and abuse the right Dharma” are very serious offenses that lead us directly to hell; so, it is better to warn us in advance. However, if sentient beings have already committed those offenses, the Buddha will still deliver them with his great compassion.
Master Yinguang said, “If we have abused the Dharma in the past, and now we repent and correct our behaviors, we can still be reborn.” It is like a patient who has recovered and is healthy, or a soldier who surrenders and becomes a private citizen. For a person who has abused the Dharma cannot be reborn based on his own power even if he repents. The benchmark of practicing and holding the Buddhist teachings is totally lost.
《無量壽經》第十八願 (續)
5 問:第十八願說「唯除五逆、誹謗正法」,五逆謗法之人真的不救嗎?
答:還是要救。依善導大師的解釋,「未造抑止,已造攝取」,逆謗罪極重,將見直入地獄,所以預先警告;如果眾生已造,還要勸其迴心,大悲救度。印光大師《文鈔三編》:「若先曾謗法,後知改悔,則得往生。譬如病癒即是好人、歸降即是順民也。若謂謗法之人,後縱改悔亦不得往生,便完全失卻修持準繩。」
Namo Amituofo!
