Apr. 15, 2025
Clarifying Doubts About the Pure Land (I)
淨土釋疑(一)
Answer to Question 6 (continued)
When Master Honen read this passage, his eyes lit up, and the burden in his heart was instantly lifted. What did he realize? He realized that the matter of our rebirth in the Pure Land had already been accomplished for us by Amitabha Buddha ten kalpas ago. What Amitabha accomplished for us is precisely this Name— the power that is needed to accomplish our rebirth in the Pure Land is contained within this very Name. As long as one recites Amitabha’s Name, one is assured of rebirth.
The phrase “unceasing recitation” here is explained as “whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, regardless of time or duration.” This means that we only need to recite Amitabha’s Name— and it’s just as effective whether we are walking, standing, sitting, or lying down; at any time, in any place, under any circumstances, there are no restrictions. As long as we recite the Name, whether we practice for a long time or a short time, we qualify for rebirth. This is why it says “regardless of time or duration.”
If this is the case, then isn't deliverance completely unconditional and freely given to us? It is right here, available for us to discover and take hold of at any moment. Since this is how easy it is to attain rebirth through reciting Amitabha Buddha’s Name, who wouldn’t be able to do it? Everyone can!
There is no requirement to chant 100,000 times a day or a certain number of millions of times. There are no restrictions based on whether one is a monastic or a layperson, male or female, deeply learned in the scriptures or not. The only requirement is to recite the Name. Whatever our status in life, we simply recite the Name as we are.
Thus, whether one attains rebirth or not, does not depend on our personal spiritual attainments or specific ways of chanting. It does not depend on us at all!
It depends entirely on Amitabha Buddha. Amitabha vowed to save all beings who recite his Name, and those who do so are assured of rebirth in his Pure Land!
When Master Honen read this passage, he was deeply moved, and tears streamed down his face. At that moment, he began chanting the Buddha’s Name aloud: “Namo Amitabha Buddha, Namo Amitabha Buddha...” It was already nighttime, and there was no one around, so he called out the Name of the Buddha with all his heart. "So this is it! Amitabha Buddha has already determined the method of our deliverance ten kalpas ago!"
This was the process through which Master Honen’s faith was awakened.
續答:
看到這段法語的時候,法然上人眼睛一亮,心頭的石頭當下落了下來。他所體悟到的是什麼?體悟到的是:原來我們往生這件事情,阿彌陀佛已經在十劫以前為我們預備好了,他所預備好的,就是這句名號,往生這件事情就在這句名號裏面,只要稱名,就一定往生。
因為這裏所講的「念念不捨」是「行住坐臥,不問時節久近」,意思就是說:我們只要稱念這句名號就好,行也好,住也好,坐也好,臥也好,任何時間,任何地點,任何情形下,都沒有關係,都沒有限制,只要稱念這句名號,修行時間長、修行時間短,都有資格往生,所以說「不問時節久近」。
這樣的話,豈非救度是沒有條件、白白地送給我們的?而且是擺在這裏,我們隨時發現隨時來拿,隨時就擁有。既然是這樣念佛的話,誰不會啊!都會。並沒有限制一天念十萬聲、要念幾千萬,沒有。也沒有限定是出家、在家,男眾、女眾,要深入經藏、不深入經藏,都沒有限制,只要我們稱念這句名號。
我們是什麼樣的身份,就以這樣的身份來稱念這句名號。如此說來,只要稱念這句名號,往生與否,不在於我們有如何的功夫境界,不在於我們要這樣地念、那樣地念,不在我們這一邊,而完全在阿彌陀佛那一邊 ,阿彌陀佛發願救度念佛眾生,眾生念佛必定往生!
所以,法然上人看到這段法語的時候,當下感動了,眼淚流下來了,當下就高聲念佛,「南無阿彌陀佛、南無阿彌陀佛......」,那個時候已經是晚上了,沒有人,他就大聲地念佛。「原來阿彌陀佛救度我,在十劫以前已經定下了救度的方法」,這是法然上人信心開發的過程。
Namo Amituofo!
