Basic Knowledge in the Pure Land Teaching
淨土小常識
136. The real form of the Pure Land of Bliss (continued)
The Pure Land of Bliss is the glorious adorned world where the reward body of Amitabha Buddha resides. Actually, it is a realm of great Nirvana with respect to the Buddha’s infinite light and life. For Amitabha Buddha, it is a place where sentient beings are delivered and are reborn. For sentient beings, it is a place to be reborn, and enjoy its unsurpassed rewards.
The Buddha’s body is the Dharma substance that cannot be compared, fully described, or fully conceived. The Pure Land is the wonderful inconceivable realm where Amitabha resides. Thus, the Great Sutra says, “Seeing the adorned Pure Land, subtle and difficult-to-conceive. That Buddha-land is pure and safe, wonderful and joyful, consisting of unconditioned Nirvana. The Buddha-land is pure and adorned, surpassing all other worlds in the ten directions.
The Treatise on Rebirth says, “ The splendors of the Land of the Buddha of Infinite Life are wondrous manifestations according to the “First-Principle Truth. Ultimately [the Pure Land] is like a void, immense and boundless.” One should know that the real form of the Pure Land of Bliss is so splendid that it exceeds our narrow and deluded imaginations, and limited knowledge.
However, the Three Pure Land Sutras say, “In the Pure Land of Bliss, there are seven rows of balustrades, seven rows of decorative nets, and seven rows of trees. There are seven-jeweled ponds filled with water of the eight excellent qualities. Lotus flowers in blue, green, red and white bloom, fragrant and clear. Palaces and pagodas are magnificent and beautifully decorated with seven jewels. The ground is gold and the terrains are level, without mountains, rivers, or seas.The sounds of music permeate the sky. Birds of different colors sing a variety of melodies.
All kinds of tasty foods naturally appear as one wishes. Everyone is extremely happy. Are all these forms depictions of the reality of the Pure Land of Bliss?
(to be continued tomorrow)
136極樂淨土之真相 (續)
二、極樂淨土之真相
極樂淨土是報身阿彌陀佛所居住清淨莊嚴之世界,其實質是相應於光壽二無量之佛身的大涅槃界。對阿彌陀佛而言,是使眾生往生之處,是救度眾生之處;對我等眾生而言,是我等眾生往生之處,享受無上大果之處。
佛身是不可稱、不可說、不可思議之法體,故彌陀所居住之淨土,亦非吾人之知識範圍所能思議之妙境,故《大經》說:「見彼嚴淨土,微妙難思議。彼佛國土,清淨安穩,微妙快樂,次於無為泥洹之道。其佛國土,清淨莊嚴,超踰十方一切世界。」
《往生論》說:「無量壽佛國土莊嚴,第一義諦妙境界相。究竟如虛空,廣大無邊際。」可知,極樂淨土之真相,非以吾人有限狹小迷暗的思想知識所能思量想像的勝妙相。
然而淨土三經說,極樂淨土有七重欄楯,七重羅網,七重行樹;有七寶池,八功德水,青黃赤白蓮花鮮開,清香普薰;有七寶莊嚴之廣大宮殿樓閣;黃金為地,地面平坦無山無河無海;有萬種音樂於空中播放;種種雜色之鳥出和雅音;百味飲食自然現前,其快樂無極等。
此等記事,果為極樂淨土真相之描寫嗎?
Namo Amituofo!
