Wonderful Metaphors in the Pure Land School
淨土宗妙喻
13. Metaphor of a House – Amitabha’s Name Houses Myriad Merits
For example, the term “house” implies something made of pillars, rafters, and other structures, and is considered complete with the necessary furniture inside.
Conversely, the words pillars and rafters cannot be thought of as a house. We should understand the difference.
The word ‘house’ is a general term denoting a structure that comprises many parts: the beams, poles, rafters, columns, doors, windows etc., and contains furniture such as wardrobes and cabinets.
Amitabha’s Name, like a house, possesses everything we need - countless merits and virtues. It is complete and whole - perfect in itself. Apart from Amitabha-recitation, all other practices only contain part of the myriad virtuous and meritorious deeds. They are not complete and perfect in themselves. Hence, the metaphors of rafters and poles etc.
We learn from this approach that the merits and virtues of Amitabha-recitation surpass those of all other Dharma paths. Therefore, we should recite the name of Amitabha exclusively and continuously and forgo other practices.
13、屋舍喻:名號總攝萬德 (續)
譬如世間屋舍名字之中,攝棟樑椽柱等一切傢具;而棟樑等一一名字中,不能攝一切。以是應知。
房子是總名,房子裏面的棟、樑、椽、柱,或是衣櫥、櫃子、門、窗等等,都只是房屋裏面的一部分。而名號就像房子的總稱一樣,具足萬善、萬德,是屬於整體的,是絕對性的、圓滿的。除了名號之外的所有行門,是萬善、萬德的一部分,是相對的,不是絕對的,所以譬喻為棟、樑、椽、柱。
從這些道理來看,阿彌陀佛的六字名號的功德,勝過所有一切法門的功德,所以念佛人應當捨劣取勝,專一念佛。
Namo Amituofo!
