Feb. 23, 2025
A Discussion on Excerpts from the Scriptures of the Pure Land School
淨土宗精要法語討論
17. The Infinite Life Sutra - Strive to Escape and Reach the Way
You should each make a great effort to attain it. Strive to escape from Samsara and be born in the Land of Peace and Joy.
Then, the causes of the five evil realms having been destroyed, they will naturally cease to be.
So, you will progress unhindered in your pursuit of the Way. The Pure Land is so easy to reach that no one is unable to go there.
This Land has no violations to Dharma Nature, and all are naturally governed.
Question 17.01: Are the virtuous fruits of humans and heavenly beings, which arise from the Five Precepts and Ten Good Deeds, also considered "evil"?
Answer: From the perspective of the worldly Dharma, doing good is certainly a hundred or even a thousand times better than committing evil. However, from the perspective of the transcendental Dharma, while worldly goodness can bring about favorable karmic rewards, it cannot lead to liberation from the cycle of birth and death (Samsara). Therefore, when compared to transcendental virtuous practices, worldly goodness still contains aspects of "evil."
Master Yinguang said in his Expanded Collection of Letters, "Worldly good deeds do not transcend Samsara. When compared to the Pure Land practices of faith, vow and practice for rebirth, such good deeds are still considered flawed."
17. 《無量壽經》超絕橫截
宜各勤精進,努力自求之。必得超絕去,往生安樂國;橫截五惡道,惡道自然閉。升道無窮極,易往而無人;其國不逆違,自然之所牽。
17.1 問:人天善果來自五戒十善,難道也說為惡?
答:就世間法而言,行善當然勝過為惡百千倍;就出世間法而言,世善雖能感招善果,但無法出離輪迴,所以,比之出世間善法,仍說為惡。印光大師《增廣文鈔》:「世間善業,不出輪迴,若對信願具足之往生淨業,則彼善業仍屬惡業。」
Namo Amituofo!
