Clarifying Doubts About the Pure Land Teaching (I)
淨土釋疑(一)
Question 1: The Three Pure Land Sutras teach Name-recitation and faith. Would you please explain what is meant by faith and consistent exclusive name-recitation?
Answer:
Amitabha Buddha's deliverance is unconditional, freely given to us, and already accomplished in the present moment. Our acceptance of that is called "faith." The phrase, "freely given to us and already accomplished," means that, after hearing about and believing in Amitabha's deliverance, all one needs to do is consistently recite his Name.
Whether one’s recitations are as few as ten times, five, one, for a single moment of thought, or as long as hundreds, thousands, or tens of thousands of times—during one day or seven days; reciting “Namo Amitabha Buddha” will undoubtedly lead to rebirth in Amitabha’s Pure Land. This is known as "even as few as ten times."
This "recitation" naturally includes both "faith" and "practice." Faith is believing in Amitabha's salvation. Practice is reciting Amitabha Buddha's name. That’s all there is to it. Therefore, no additional conditions are necessary.
If someone has little time, they can recite less. If they have more time, they can recite more. Even if people hear about Amitabha's salvation only at the point of death—when their mouths and tongues are stiff and they cannot verbally chant—they can still mentally recite and be reborn in the Pure Land.
This mental recitation, even for the briefest moment, is the shortest and most direct practice. This is the meaning of "even for only one thought." At that moment of death, rebirth in the Pure Land is assured. If their life is extended, they will naturally continue to recite Amitabha’s Name, and their practice will evolve into reciting for one day, one year, or even a lifetime.
To seek rebirth in the Pure Land, one needs only to have faith in Amitabha’s offer and recite Amitabha's Name. If someone suggests reciting other mantras, such as the Rebirth Mantra, or worshiping and reciting the names of Avalokiteshvara, Ksitigarbha, or others, one should not follow them. Following such practices would be what Master Shandao called "miscellaneous good deeds based on circumstances."
Adopting such practices indicates a lack of understanding of Amitabha Buddha’s deliverance and shows an absence of the two types of deep faith: faith in one’s minimal aptitude and need to be delivered, and faith in the teaching of Amitabha’s deliverance through the exclusive recitation of his Name.
(to be continued tomorrow)
1問:請問法師,在《大經》、《小經》和《觀經》中都談到稱名的問題,也談到信心的問題,那麼請您談一下信心和一向專稱名號的含義好嗎?
答:
阿彌陀佛的救度是沒有條件的,白白地送給我們的,現在就完成的,這個就是「信」。所謂「白白送給我們」,現在就已經完成,在哪裡呢?在於你聞信之後只要相續稱名,短在十聲、五聲、一聲、一念,長在百聲、千聲、萬聲,若一日、若七日......,稱念「南無阿彌陀佛」,都必定往生極樂世界,這叫做「乃至十念」。這個「念」自然含「信」與「行」。「信」,就是信彌陀救度;「行」,就是稱彌陀佛名,就這樣。所以說沒有任何條件的。
沒有時間的人,你就少念,若有時間的人,你就多念。甚至現在要斷氣了,要死了,現在才聽到彌陀的救度,這個時候,嘴巴、舌頭都僵硬了,嘴巴不能念,而心中念,照樣往生極樂世界。那最短最短沒有比心中這麼一念更短的吧,這一念是最短的了,「乃至一念」就是這麼最短的時間,當下死、當下往生極樂世界;如果壽命延長的話,自自然然地就會憶佛念佛、稱名念佛,這個時候,就演變為乃至一日、乃至一年、乃至一輩子的念佛,就會這個樣子。
為求往生,除了稱念這句名號以外,不會再修其他的。如果聽人家說「你還要念往生咒,還要念觀音、念地藏......」,也不會跟隨他們。若跟隨他們的話,那就是善導大師說的「隨緣雜善」(即人家告訴你念往生咒,就隨人家告訴你念往生咒的這個機緣;人家告訴你稱念觀音、稱念地藏、稱滅定業真言、稱什麼什麼的,因為有那個緣,就又隨他的緣去修,這個叫做「隨緣雜善」)。如果是那樣的話,就沒有體悟阿彌陀佛的救度,就是沒有機、法兩種深信。
Namo Amituofo!
