Wonderful Metaphors in the Pure Land School
淨土宗妙喻
Metaphor 4C (72): Amitabha’s Compassion and Wisdom Expressed through the Inhibition and Embrace of Amitabha’s Deliverance - Metaphor of Firefighting and Fire Prevention
Just as a fire department plays dual roles in both extinguishing fires and preventing them, Amitabha’s deliverance also has two aspects. The very establishment of a fire department serves to extinguish fires in the event of an outbreak and to advise on fire prevention and fire hazards. This dual function is integral and inseparable, employing different means to fulfill the same goal - to safeguard citizens lives and property. It is not enough to solely focus on extinguishing fires without a commitment to prevention, and no use focusing only on prevention without preparing to extinguish fires. It is essential to maintain stringent fire prevention measures while also being prepared to fight fires at any time. People should not neglect fire prevention or even intentionally start fires, simply because a fire department is in place to extinguish them. Nor should they doubt the readiness of the fire department to respond to a fire, simply because they are advised to take fire safety precautions.
The original intent of the 18th Vow of Amitabha Buddha is to extinguish the metaphorical fires of the Three Realms (the realms of desire, form, and formlessness), where sentient beings exist. This also includes the infernal flames of hell, where those who have committed the five gravest transgressions, and slandered the right Dharma suffer. This vow also includes an admonition to deter sentient beings from committing these two types of severe offenses.
In the Chinese text of the 18th Vow, the first seven sentences, totalling 28 characters, symbolize the act of extinguishing fires and represent the compassionate embrace of Amitabha’s deliverance. The final two sentences, with eight characters, serve as a preventative measure, akin to fire prevention, including the exception of those who commit the five gravest transgressions or slander the right Dharma.
Whether through his compassionate embrace (extinguishing fires), or prevention (deterring offenses), Amitabha’s aim is to protect sentient beings and guide them to his Land of Bliss. Both aspects are equally indispensable: the compassionate embrace is an expression of Amitabha’s unchanging promise of deliverance, and prevention serves to enhance it. Understanding this, we should strive to avoid evil actions, particularly the five gravest transgressions and slandering the right Dharma.
4C (72) 攝抑二門,悲智雙運妙喻之 - 滅火防火喻
又像消防隊。消防隊有兩種作用,「消」是滅火,「防」是防火。成立消防隊的目的就是為了出現火災時滅火,但同時在火災沒有發生時要防火。也就是有火時滅火,無火時防火。滅火、防火是一體的、不分的, 是同一個目的的兩種不同的手段,都是為了保護公民生命財產的安全。只防火不滅火不行,只滅火不防火也不行。必須在嚴格防火的同時準備救火滅火,隨時準備救火的同時不放鬆防火安全。人們不能因為有消防隊滅火,就不注意防火,甚至隨便縱火; 也不能因為被要求防火安全就懷疑說:萬一失火了,恐怕消防隊不來救吧?
阿彌陀佛發第十八願,本意就是為了滅救眾生三界火宅之火,乃至五逆謗法的地獄之火,因此必須謹防眾生造此二罪。前面七句二十八個 字攝取,如同是滅火;後面「唯除五逆,誹謗正法」兩句八個字抑止,如同防火。不管是攝取還是抑止,目的都是為了保護、救度眾生往生極樂。攝取和抑止二者都不可少,攝取是永不改變的大前提,抑止是為了更好地攝取。瞭解了這一點,我們就會平時謹慎不犯惡,至少不犯逆謗的大罪大惡。
Namo Amituofo!
