Basic Knowledge in the Pure Land Teaching
淨土小常識
138. A World with No Desires
The Land of Bliss is called the Pure Land, which is the opposite of the Defiled Land. The Defiled Land is the human world where we presently live. Why is this world called the Defiled Land? It is because all people pursue the satisfaction of all kinds of desires; but, they are always unsatisfied, and thus annoyed. This annoyance and dissatisfaction are known as afflictions in Buddhism.
In ancient times, people were not frustrated by their lack of money and they had no desire to own a TV set. If we lived in a less modern society, we could more easily be satisfied by just meeting the basic needs of daily lives and have fewer desires. However, in our modern world, we are endlessly enticed by advertisements and shows that convince us that the key to happiness is an endless supply of material possessions. Unfortunately, the more we accumulate the more we crave, and our afflictions are never diminished.
Thus, the Pure Land is a world without any desires or any things such as: plants, flowers, jewels, palaces, delicious food, or fresh fragrances. Hence, there are NO OBJECTS OF DESIRE! Then why are these materials mentioned in the Sutras? The reason is simple. It is said to attract afflicted people such as us. Otherwise, we would not be interested in going to live there.
(to be continued tomorrow)
138 無欲的世界
稱為「極樂」或「極樂國」的世界,別名淨土,是穢土的相對語,而穢土就是我們現在所住的人間世界。
那麼,為何稱這世界是穢土?那是因為人們處處以滿足私欲為追求對象,但不能經常使欲望得到飽足,便產生苦惱,而這些苦惱或欲望,在佛教中稱之為煩惱。
想想在沒有使用貨幣的古代,人們不會因金錢感到困惑;沒有發明電視以前,也不會有人希望擁有一部電視機。假設現在我們生存的社會,一切文明的產物都沒有,那麼人只要活下去,有最低限度的食衣住,就和欲望扯不上關係。但是隨著文化的發達,生活雖更加便利,人的欲望也不斷增大,煩惱的原因也因著逐漸增加。
因此所謂淨土,就是一個完全沒有欲望對象的世界,當然也不應該有美麗的花朵鳥兒、寶石建造的宮殿和美味的食物及芬芳的香味,那些全都是欲望的對象。那麼,為什麼在經典中反倒描繪出那種世界?
理由很簡單,因為經典描繪的那種東西,是給有煩惱的人──若在淨土中,沒有一點世上所有的東西,就沒有一個人願意前往並生活在那個世界了。
Namo Amituofo!
