Wonderful Metaphors in the Pure Land School
淨土宗妙喻
Metaphor 23: Featherlight Minds
“Featherlight” means extremely light, like a feather, being wafted here and there by a breeze. Metaphorically “feather light” describes us ordinary beings who are weak-willed and foolish. We are easily swayed by the outside world and commit good, foolish, or evil deeds according to the circumstances prevailing at the time.
Hence, “all sentient beings” [mentioned in Amitabha’s 18th Vow] refers to all ordinary beings, good and evil. If such ordinary beings recite the name of Amitabha even once and dedicate its merit to their rebirth in the Pure Land, they are assured of it. That is to say, even though they recite Amitabha’s name as few as ten times, or only once, near the end of their lives, and truly aspire to be reborn in the Western Land of Bliss, they will be reborn there instantly.
This is what the fulfillment text of the 18 th Vow is saying: “All sentient beings who, upon hearing his Name (i.e., Amitabha’s Name), rejoice in faith, recite his name even once, sincerely dedicate the merit of their virtuous practices to that land (i.e., Amitabha’s Pure Land), and aspire to be born there, will immediately obtain birth and achieve non- retrogression."
23. 輕毛喻
「輕毛」,像毛髮那麼輕,隨便一點點風一吹,他就會隨風或東或西。所以,「輕毛」就是形容我們一般的凡夫,心力很拙劣、很脆弱,會隨著環境而進進退退,而造善或是造惡。
由此可知,「諸有眾生」就是指一般的善惡凡夫。善惡凡夫只要一念至心迴向也能夠往生,也就是說,即使臨終十念、一念,至心願生極樂,當下也能夠往生。
這就是第十八願成就文所講的,「諸有眾生,聞其名號,信心歡喜,乃至一念,至心迴向,願生彼國,即得往生,住不退轉」。
Namo Amituofo!
