Q and A about Practicing Amitabha-Recitation
Part Two - Rebirth through Amitabha-Recitation
第二部分 有關念佛往生
Question:
Why do I feel pure without any false thoughts while not reciting Buddha’s name, but have lots of false thoughts while reciting?
Answer:
If a person doesn’t recite the Buddha’s name, he will follow his habitual behaviors and afflictions in daily life. Because this mental state has become his “norm” he doesn’t realize how scattered his mind “normally”is. However, because reciting the Buddha’s name and false thoughts go in opposite directions, it is normal to feel a lot of false thoughts. It is just like people in line going forward toward a ticket-checking point, and you don’t notice how many people are on the line.
However, when you turn around and move against the flow of the line, you feel the number of people and how difficult it is to walk against their flow. (even though the number of people is the same)
22問:為什麼我不念佛的時候反而覺得清淨沒什麼妄念,一念佛反而妄念很多呢?
答:不念佛,整個人隨著煩惱習氣在走,與妄念是同一方向,也就不覺得有妄念;念佛與妄念是逆反的方向,所以一念佛就覺得妄念特別多。
比如在火車站隨著人流通過檢票口往裏湧,即使人再多,也不怎麼覺得,因為方向一致;如果反過來,人流都往裏湧,只有自己一個往外出,立即就會覺得人太多了,簡直人山人海。其實人還是那麼多。
念佛,逆生死流,生極樂國,正是如此。初念佛的人,發覺妄念多,那是很正常的,不僅不必擔擾,反而值得恭喜呢。
Namo Amituofo!
