Wonderful Metaphors in the Pure Land School
淨土宗妙喻
Metaphor 4E (74): Amitabha’s Compassion and Wisdom Expressed through the Inhibition and Embrace of Amitabha’s Deliverance - An Infinite Net
[The 18th Vow of Amitabha Buddha] is like an infinite net with layer after layer of tactful expedients, each embodying the twin aspects of Amitabha’s deliverance: his all embracing compassion and warning wisdom. Regardless of whether the sentient beings in the ten directions are good or evil, or the severity of their offenses, all are contained in the infinite net of the 18th Vow of Amitabha Buddha.
Just as all fish in the sea, from the largest whales to the smallest whitebait, can be caught in an infinite net with none overlooked, it is the same for all ordinary beings. Whether they are virtuous or evil, all are guaranteed rebirth in Amitabha’s Land of Bliss, provided they have a heartfelt aspiration to do so. Those who exclusively recite “Namo Amitabha Buddha” throughout their lives, are certain to be reborn.
Everyone can be reborn in Amitabha’s Pure Land, if they practice exclusive Amitabha-recitation. Therefore, all sentient beings can be likened to marine life in a vast ocean, and Amitabha Buddha’s salvation is akin to an infinite net. Not a single fish can slip through this net.
4E (74) 攝抑二門,悲智雙運妙喻之 - 大網喻
像這樣一層層的方便,每一層每一層都在顯示阿彌陀佛以攝取的救度跟抑止的警惕這兩門,也就是慈悲智慧雙運,使十方眾生不論是善是惡、善惡是輕是重,都在阿彌陀佛的第十八願大網之中。好像大海裏的魚, 無論是大鯨魚還是小魚、吻仔魚,都在這個大網裏面,沒有一條是被遺漏的。只要善惡凡夫,能夠迴心願生極樂,願生之後,一輩子專念這句「南無阿彌陀佛」,就沒有一個不能往生的。人人都可念佛,人人都可往生,所以,一切眾生如同大海中的水族,而阿彌陀佛的救度如同大網,絕無漏網之魚。
Namo Amituofo!
