Q and A about Practicing Amitabha-Recitation
Part Two - Rebirth through Amitabha-Recitation
第二部分 有關念佛往生
23. Question: I experienced many false thoughts during my recitation of Amitabha’s Name. Am I not on the right track with my Amitabha-recitation?
Answer: Once you become aware of the influx of false thoughts, you need only return to your recitation of Amitabha’s Name. Your scattered thoughts are a reminder of why we must completely rely on the Buddha’s power.
It is similar to a checkpoint, where thousands of people go through. However, if you decide to leave the line and go in the opposite direction, it is almost impossible. On the other hand, if a powerful and prestigious person, like a king, wants to leave the checkpoint, thousands of people will yield the way and let the king go. If we follow behind the king , we can also leave the crowd easily.
Reciting the Name ( Namo Amituofo) is like a gift from a king. Amitabha Buddha comes to save and rescue us from our karmic flow towards the Three Wretched Realms (which is exemplified by our scattered thoughts), and transport us to his Pure Land.
When we recite the Name, all of our scattered thoughts will give way. The reason we even notice our false thoughts is that we are traveling in the opposite direction of them. Actually, even if there is no change in the amount of false thoughts, we should still realize they cannot obstruct Amitabha’s deliverance.
23問：念佛的時候妄念很多，是不是念佛不得力呢？
答：妄念這麼多、這麼洶湧，還能念出佛來，也能覺察到妄念，這正是得了佛的力量。
如同在檢票口，萬人皆往裏湧，自己一人想往外出，那是不可能出來的。但是如果有一個大力的人、有威勢的人，比如國王，他要出站，則萬人都要讓路迴避，我們也就可以跟在後面，順勢出來了。
一句阿彌陀佛，就如同國王一樣，阿彌陀佛來解救我們，是把我們從直奔三塗的業力妄念之流中解救出來，與無始劫來的妄念方向完全相反。我們只要跟在佛號後面就能順利安然地出來。
心中佛號一舉，一切妄念自然迴避，也是一樣。至於我們覺得妄念很多，那是方向逆反的緣故，實際上它既沒有變得更多，也不能阻礙阿彌陀佛的救度。
Namo Amituofo!
