Wonderful Metaphors in the Pure Land School
淨土宗妙喻
A Bridge from the Saha World to the Land of Bliss (continued)
The simplest and easiest way to liberation in all the dharma realms of the universe is Amitabha-recitation, which ensures our rebirth to the Western Land of Bliss. Imagine there is a big torrential river. Residents on the east bank are poor, while those on the west bank are rich. Without a bridge, the poor who aspire to go to the other shore will drown. A benevolent rich man funded the building of a big bridge. Well thought out and designed, the bridge enables everyone to cross the river, whether old or young, and even the handicapped. Vehicles of all types can
also drive across without any problem. It is inconceivable that the engineer of the bridge would want to build any barricades, such as a high fence, to block traffic at either end or right in the middle.
The six-character name is just like a bridge from the Saha World to the Land of Bliss. Amitabha Buddha is the engineer who designed the bridge, whileShakyamuni Buddha is the guide who stands on the bridge exhorting us to go across. All we need to do is follow the Buddhas’ calling and walk across it, without the need to bring anything with us.
(to be continued tomorrow)
15. 搭橋喻: 從娑婆世界到達極樂世界的橋 (續)
宇宙法界之內最簡單、最容易的方法就是:口稱南無阿彌陀佛,得生西方極樂世界。
比如說,這裡有一條河,很寬。河東窮,河西富。河東的人想到河西去,但沒有橋,水又急,下水過河的人個個都被淹死。有一個人發了慈悲心,建一座大橋,方便人員車輛暢通無阻。他既然是從慈悲心出發,所以考慮的都很周全,任何老人、小孩,甚至殘疾人都可以很方便地上橋,任何車輛都可以很自然
地開上橋,很順利地過去。不可能在橋頭弄得很難上來,更不可能在橋中間又設一道高牆,攔腰隔斷。
六字名號就是從娑婆世界到達極樂世界的橋樑。阿彌陀佛就是建橋的人,釋迦牟尼佛就是站在橋頭喊我們上來的人。我們只要空著手走過來,順腳步就踏得上去,很簡單、很容易。
Namo Amituofo!
