Wonderful Metaphors in the Pure Land School
淨土宗妙喻
A Bridge from the Saha World to the Land of Bliss
The Pure Land teaching is known as the Easy Path. Why is it called that? Because the path is based on the great power of Amitabha Buddha’s Fundamental Vow. This power assures the rebirth in the Pure Land of all those who recite Amitabha Buddha’s name. Therefore, the practice of Amitabha-recitation must be easy and doable for sentient beings of all aptitudes. In the Amitabha Sutra, there is a phrase which says, “hold fast to Amitabha’s name single-mindedly and without deviation”. If one insists on interpreting this as meaning to achieve deep meditative concentration without delusion, the practice of Amitabha- recitation would indeed be difficult.
When Amitabha designed a method for our rebirth in the Pure Land, do you think the Buddha would go for an easy one or a difficult one? Surely the former!
Only when the method is easy can our rebirth be assured and we can feel joy and
peace. If it is too difficult to practice, we will be troubled. Amitabha knows us well. With his great compassion, the Buddha suffers when we suffer and rejoices when we rejoice. As is stated in one scripture: as you suffer, so do I [Amitabha]; as you feel peace and joy, I do too.
Amitabha knows us well. We are iniquitous and lazy. He would not deliberately devise a cultivation method which is so difficult that it would bring us to our knees in order to be liberated from samsara.
On the contrary, the Buddha would first assess our abilities before devising the means for our salvation. He says to us, “I understand. As sentient beings suffering in this evil world of the five corruptions, you are ignorant and guilty of grave offenses. You are also unable to cultivate for your liberation due to your indolence and slackness. Not to worry. Let me show you a very easy way.
(to be continued tomorrow)
15. 搭橋喻: 從娑婆世界到達極樂世界的橋
淨土法門是「易行道」,容易在哪裡呢?就容易在有阿彌陀佛的大誓願力可以依憑。阿彌陀佛的大願力正是這一條「念佛往生願」的願力。所以念佛一定是容易的,每一個人都 可以做得到的。如果《阿彌陀經》裡 「執持名號,一心不亂」一定要解釋為如何深入禪定不起妄念的話,那也就自然不容易。
阿彌陀佛為我們設定的往生方法,是難的好呢,還是容易的好?那肯定是容易的好!
容易我們才能做得到,才會有安樂;如果難的話,我們做不到,就苦惱了。阿彌陀佛瞭解我們的心思,他是同體大悲,以我們的苦惱為苦惱,以我們的安樂為安樂。經中說「眾生苦惱我苦惱,眾生安樂我安樂」。他不會因為眾生罪業重,又很懈怠,就要故意弄一個艱難的方法來治治他,讓他修得死去活來,然後才度他。
反而會事先瞭解我們的狀況,預先為我們準備,說:「五濁惡世眾生,愚癡無明,罪惡深重,懈怠放逸,完全不能修行,我要用一個最簡單的方法,很容易地把你們度起來。」
Namo Amituofo!
