After a letter, I no longer doubt it.Why discuss this issue?
One faith, in the endless cycle of reincarnation for countless kalpas, we have never had this faith, and this faith is extremely rare.Our hearts are full of ignorance and darkness, full of worldly gratitude, grudges, greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance, and doubt. This thought of faith and faith cannot be produced and is completely blocked.Then suddenly in this life, it was a rare moment in countless kalpas. I suddenly heard of the Pure Land Dharma and suddenly made me feel a little faith.
This thought of faith must be followed by a sudden listening. It is not through logical thinking, but the reveal of your good roots, but the Prajna wisdom of your own nature flashed.This is the pure good roots of your own nature and the incredible method that transcends nature of the Pure Land Dharma, which is immediately in line with it.It was just that I was electrocuted and a fire broke out.At this time, confidence is developed.This faith is direct, and I have no consideration for this faith.After consideration, it was no longer possible. Suspicion came again, and it came like a tide.
Therefore, we must respect this rare and rare letter.
After this thought of faith arises, there is no longer any doubt.Why no longer doubt?Because after we believe, after the rare momentary collision of a specific time and space, after the electricity of time and space has passed, we return to our daily psychological and thinking state, and then think about this Pure Land method: Oh, how can this happen?This is a bit like Wang Xizhi's "Preface to Lanting".
In that particular situation, the sky is clear and the air is clear, and the water is clear ( shāng） Qushui, all kinds of destined people will be together. He wrote it down when he was slightly drunk, and it was written in the form of a draft.After writing it down, I saw it was quite good.He thought: I want to write an original copy.Little did he know that no original copy he could surpass that casual draft.At that moment, he wrote it in that special state.That state is fleeting, and you must write about that level that cannot be surpassed or repeated.
So respect this faith, hold on to it, and no longer doubt it.
Not only will your own suspicion arise, others will make you even more suspicious: Oh, how can you believe this?This makes no sense.If you have deep karma, how can you go to the Pure Land?That is the land of real reward and adornment, which is a place that Dharmakaya Bodhisattva can go. Look at your appearance, can you go?When you think: Yes, I can’t get to this, my karma is too heavy.
However, you must believe that this is a great gift from Amitabha Buddha, and he will let me have people with deep karma.I no longer doubt it.
Some people also say: The scriptures say that we believe in and pray for Buddha, and there is a lotus marked with our name in the seven treasure pool and eight merit waters in the Pure Land. How is this possible?
Think about it: It’s unlikely!How can my mind transcend to ten trillion Buddha lands in one thought?I look down on myself. With my name, can I still write lotus flowers in the Pure Land?I can't believe it myself. Am I that noble?I began to doubt again.
Someone said again: Your blessings are so shallow. If you donate to a temple, you will donate 100 yuan. How can you go?No blessing at all.
There are all kinds of doubts.So, faith is too important.
After a believer, I no longer doubted this sentence. This sentence was said by Mr. Yang Jie.
Many literati and literati in the Song Dynasty practiced Buddhism, not only studying Buddhism, but also practicing it in person.Yang Jie, also known as Yang Wuwei and Yang Cigong, was a very famous lay Buddhist in the Song Dynasty. He was also a very famous official, and he was well-versed in sects and religions.Under the sect, he could go to "Chuan Denglu" and said that he was an enlightened lay Buddhist.He once Zen Master Tantian Yi Yihuai, and when he climbed Mount Tai, he saw the sunrise on Mount Tai and became enlightened.
This lay Buddhist was very amazing. His mother died and was worried at home for three years. She read the Tripitaka and developed faith in the Pure Land Dharma.After he developed faith, he often drew statues of Amitabha Buddha. Later, he served as an official in official business and took the statues of Amitabha with him to offer and recite them everywhere.
At the time of death, he was inspired by Amitabha Buddha to welcome him.At the time of death, he said a verse, which was characterized by Zen and Pureness.
explainThere is no need to love in life, and there is no need to give up in death.In the vast void, this is what it is.If you are wrong, you will be blessed in the West.The first four sentences all have the characteristics of Zen. They are all dreams and bubbles that can see through life and death, and they have no love or sacrifice. In the vast void, these are all like flowers in the sky.
As for the purpose of the sect, establishing a pure land outside the mind, including chanting the name of Amitabha Buddha, will make the mind wrong.At the sect, reciting something or seeking something outside the mind is all about being attached to appearances and are all wrong.But Mr. Yang Jie can make mistakes and be able to chant the Buddha's name and feel Amitabha Buddha to guide him.If you don’t make mistakes, you will always make mistakes;If you make mistakes, you will get great happiness.
Therefore, Master Lianchi praised him in the "Collection of Rebirth" and said, "I hope that all the smart and talented people in the world can achieve this mistake like Mr. Yang Jie."
He had a colleague, who was his fellow villager, named Wang Zhonghui.Because Mr. Yang Jie believed in the Pure Land Method, he taught the method of chanting Buddha's name as he was, as he was instructed by Yang Jie, Wang Zhonghui began to have faith and began to chant Buddha's name.
After reciting the Buddha for a while, he came to ask a question: How can I keep reciting the Buddha's name?Judging from the general questioning position, this is a kind of skill. How can I keep going on in my skill?But Mr. Yang Jie did not talk about his skills, so he said this: After believing, he will no longer doubt it.After you have this thought of faith, just don’t doubt it anymore.Wang Zhonghui is also very kind, and he was very happy to hear it and left happily.
Not long after, Yang Jie had a dream, dreaming that Wang Zhong came back to thank him, saying: Because of your instructions, I have gained great benefits and have been reborn in the Pure Land.Have been reborn in the Pure Land.When Yang Jie saw Wang Zhonghui's son, he asked his father about the situation when he went there and the season when he went there.
It turned out that after hearing Yang Jie's words, Wang Zhonghui said that he was happy and unrespectful to chant the Buddha's name, so he predicted the time when he was dying. He was reborn with the Buddha's name and told his relatives and friends that he would be reborn.And when he passed away, it was the day when Mr. Yang Jie had a dream.
When we recite the Buddha's name, we often have doubts after faith, which will be troublesome. The benefits of reciting the Buddha's name are difficult to obtain.Therefore, we often say that we should use Manjushri's wisdom to practice the Samadhi of One Practice and the Samadhi of One Property.This faith is a manifestation of Manjushri's fundamental wisdom, and the light of inspiration appears.This faith has a root of faith, and it has the power of faith. We must cultivate this root of faith and strengthen this power.
In the "Sutra of Rebirth", Bodhisattva Tianqin talked about the five methods of reciting. The most important one was to talk about the second door of praise, which is to pronounce the name of the mouth.
What does praise mean?The Five Mindful Gate is actually directly linked to faith.Observing the solemnity of the Western Paradise is to give you faith, and chanting the name of Amitabha Buddha is also to give you faith.If you have initial confidence, you can recite it;Strengthen faith through chanting.
This requires understanding the merits of the name of Amitabha.
Calling the name of that Tathagata is like the light and wise appearance of the Tathagata, like that name, you want to practice accordingly.Then here we talk about calling the name of that Tathagata, which is the name of Amitabha Tathagata. What is it essentially?It is the appearance of light and wisdom.
There is light in the name, and light is the nature of Prajna wisdom. This light wisdom is to break through the ignorance and darkness of sentient beings.Therefore, the Pure Land patriarchs of all dynasties have said that if the Buddha did not preach the Pure Land Dharma and the name of Amitabha, it would be like a long night forever.The ignorance and darkness of sentient beings is like a long night. Only when Amitabha's name is bright and wisdom can it be broken through and fulfill the wishes of all sentient beings.
Reciting the corresponding thoughts is not only to satisfy your wish to be reborn in the Pure Land and quickly become a Buddha at the time of death, but also to satisfy the blessings and worldly needs of the world.This is the function of the essence of the name of Amitabha.
However, since ancient times, there have been cases where chanting the name of Buddha and remembering the virtues of Buddha, but ignorance is still there and there is no wish that cannot be fulfilled. The fundamental reason here is the problem of faith.The problem with faith is that it is not true to practice, and it does not correspond to the Dharma seal contained in this name.
What does not mean practicing truthfully?
Here you need to have faith and understanding, what do you believe and understand?Believe and understand that the name of Amitabha Tathagata is the real body, the true nature of all dharmas, and all requests will be met. The merits of such reality lie in the name.
And, I believe that this name is for the body of things.Things are sentient beings. This name is created for the purpose of saving sentient beings, helping sentient beings, and benefiting sentient beings with the true benefits of sentient beings.Therefore, he integrated all the merits of saving sentient beings, such as supernatural powers, light, eloquence, wisdom, and skillful skills, into this name.You have to believe in and understand this. If you don’t believe in and understand this, your faith will be problematic.
If there is a problem with faith, it cannot correspond, cannot practice truthfully, and cannot correspond to the name of Amitabha. There are three kinds of non-correlations.
One is that faith is not pure.Although it is a little confident, it is not pure.Sometimes I feel that I have enough faith and Amitabha Buddha exists;Sometimes I feel that my faith is weak, and I feel that the Pure Land and Amitabha Buddha are illusory. Is there any?It seems unreliable.It’s unreliable, and you often ask people when you see them: Do you believe it?If you hear someone else: Oh, I can't figure it out, is there any?
He slapped his thigh: That's it, so is me.Two people strengthened his confidence.
Because of this faith that is not pure, there is a different faith, and there is no decision to believe.It’s like sometimes when we talk about the Pure Land Dharma, because we are not focused on our faith and have no confidence, people ask: Amitabha Buddha’s Pure Land is very and solemn, does it exist?Is it really there?If he didn't decide to believe, he would use: Oh, I don't know much about this matter, maybe it exists, maybe it exists.He will use those ambiguous approximate, maybe, estimate, and speculation.But in the end, it doesn't matter.No decision-making faith.
Then, it will lead to the third problem of discontinuity of confidence.After Mr. Yang Jie said that he would never be more suspicious.If you have doubts, you will no longer continue, and you will be interrupted by the thought of doubts. In this interruption, everything will come out.
I doubted: Oh, I still can’t figure it out if Amitabha Buddha exists, so I might as well go and do other things.I have any company to run, and I have to go to all parts of the country to carry out business and outlets. I will first chant Amitabha Buddha and seek rebirth in the Pure Land. Because I still can’t figure out whether it really exists. I will be busy with the benefits that I can grasp and see.He will do this.
Therefore, this faith is not pure, faith is different, and faith is not continuous, and it forms a vicious cycle and turns into each other.Because of his lack of faith, he did not decide to believe;Without decisive belief, chanting Buddha's name cannot be continued.Or because chanting Buddha’s name is not continuous, his decision-making faith cannot be produced;If you decide to believe without a fundamental root of faith, this faith is not pure.Then what others say will be shaken immediately.
Therefore, many people who used to practice the method of chanting Buddha's name, went to the Theravada, or went to the Tantric Buddhism, or other things after a few years.What’s even more ridiculous is that a few years ago, I was in Northeast China and said that a monk saw a lecture, probably saying that filial piety is so important.He felt: Oh, I didn’t even do filial piety well, so he returned to secular life and went to filial piety.
This is definitely because faith in Pure Land has not been solved, and this problem will arise.Because the purpose of becoming a monk, including our lay Buddhists, is to solve the problem of reincarnation. Solving the problem of reincarnation is to rely on the problem of Amitabha’s vows, which has no direct connection with whether you have done filial piety well.Of course, we also emphasize filial piety. If you have good filial piety, you will have a high level of rebirth;If you have no filial piety, but if you have full faith, aspirations and name, you can also be reborn in the Western Paradise.
Therefore, the ancestors of the Pure Land Sect are talking about the issue of decisive belief and appearance.There is a decisive belief, it has a form and a representation.The root of faith is rooted in your heart, deeply rooted, and connected with the water of Manjushri's Prajna wisdom, so this faith is like a Vajra, unshakable.
That is unshakable appearance. Master Shandao mentioned in the "Four Posts of the Avatamsaka Sutra" that the saints of the first fruit and the second fruit and the fourth fruit are quoted many scriptures, saying that how can sinful ordinary people be reborn?This is not true.After you hear this, you will never waver and will only strengthen your confidence in rebirth.
Furthermore, there are many sutras and treatises about the ten abductions, ten practices, ten dedication, ten stages, and even Bodhisattvas of equal enlightenment coming, citing many sutras and treatises, saying that this is not the case for ordinary people with karma to be reborn in the Pure Land.You will never be shaken. You firmly believe that ordinary people with karma believe in and wish to recite the Buddha's name and will be reborn.Even the Buddha's retribution and transformation are all relaxed. It is not like this that the temporary convenience talks that Sakyamuni Buddha said are not, and you will not be shaken.Even if all Buddhas appear, you will not change your faith.
Then Master Chewu had such a sign that expressed his determination and faith.When I was chanting the Buddha's name, suddenly Master Bodhidharma appeared and said: "Let me chant the Buddha's name for a moment, and I will teach you the Zen of directly pointing to the human mind to see the nature and become a Buddha."
At this time, he bowed to Patriarch Bodhidharma and said: I have believed in and wished to recite the Buddha's name and seek rebirth in the Pure Land. Although the Patriarch has such wonderful Zen, I dare not change my original faith.After a while, Sakyamuni Buddha appeared in person and said: The Pure Land method I originally talked about was a temporary convenient talk. Now I have a more special method to teach you, and you can let go of the method of chanting Buddha’s name.
Then this test will be even greater.What to do at this time?He still had to bow respectfully to Sakyamuni Buddha and said: I once heard you preach the Pure Land Method, and vowed to chant the Buddha's name to seek rebirth in the Pure Land, and remained determined.Although you still have more special methods, I still dare not change my original intention of making vows and believing.
The Buddha did not change his faith in the Pure Land before he appeared, let alone other practitioners who understand and practice the other things can still change us?This is the way to have some faith and confidence.
From the perspective of the faith in the Pure Land, the cause of faith is embedded in or embedded in the Buddha's fruit and virtue. In other words, our faith in the Pure Land still has the blessing of Amitabha Buddha.
So why do we need to read and recite more of the Mahayana Sutra when we do not have enough faith, so as to open our minds and take the Buddha's knowledge as our knowledge;When we are very suspicious, we have to read more stories about rebirth from ancestors of all generations and the "Records of the Sages of Pure Land";When our blessings are very thin, we must practice the three blessings of pure karma and cultivate blessings, which is called cultivating blessings and carrying the way.
Pay special attention to chanting Buddha's name.
Our lack of faith in this transcendent method is due to our lack of wisdom.In fact, this name of Amitabha is the crystallization of the supreme Prajna wisdom, and the merits of the Twelve Light Tathagata are all in this name.The light is the appearance of Amitabha Buddha's wisdom in Prajna. If you accept the Prajna wisdom of Amitabha Buddha's twelve lights through the chanting of this name, the power to eliminate doubts and generate faith will be very great.
A lay Buddhist made a wish in Guanyin Hall: I will not leave Xiangguang Lecture Hall for twenty-four hours.He finally realized this wish, which was blessed by the power of Buddha.It is quite difficult if you rely on your own strength to not come out for twenty-four hours.I feel thirsty all of a sudden, is it better to drink some water?I felt like I had to make it easier and thoughts came out. If I couldn’t stay in Xiangguang Lecture Hall, I had to come out to feel comfortable.This thought and habit of sentient beings will definitely dominate.But if you make a great vow, with the blessing of the power of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, this habit will be blocked.
Therefore, Amitabha Buddha knows that we all have all kinds of doubts in our lives. After we recite the Buddha's name, there are still all kinds of doubts. He must have prepared the power to eliminate doubts and generate faith in the forty-eight great vows and in the establishment of his name of Amitabha.Therefore, we need to recite the Buddha more often, and use the wisdom and light of Prajna in the name of Amitabha and the true Tathagata to intoxicate our ignorant and dark heart.
You may have experienced that when you recite the Buddha's name very well and your mind is relatively pure, your belief in the Pure Land will add a high score.If I am very scattered and busy with worldly careers, when I am in the world all day long, I will become more and more distant, and I will feel that the existence of the Pure Land and Amitabha Buddha will be questioned several times.
Because as long as our karma and our way of thinking logical thinking prevails, it must be doubtful.So transcending this suspicion is to return to this incredible position and accept the incredible practice.Because the mind that can be recited, the name that is recited, the facilities of this method, the vows of Amitabha Buddha, and the merits of our chanting of Buddha, these are not the scope of worldly dharmas, they are completely incredible.
In this world, most people doubt and do not believe it. There must be a very small number of people chanting Buddha's name, whether in their family, in their unit, or in society.In Donglin Temple, look, hundreds or thousands of people are chanting Amitabha Buddha, and it seems to be extremely prosperous and prosperous, but China has more than one billion people. What proportion can it account for?The proportion is low, and I am a minority, so there is another problem.
People don’t believe it, but do you believe it?People hold a cell phone in their hands, and you just hold a rosary?People are calculating the stock market today, where are you Amitabha and Amitabha.If you are too far apart, people will laugh at you and will hit you.
The man laughed and hit him: Oh, is there something wrong with me?People don’t read it, why do I insist on reading it?Niannian's stocks are also good. Is it a bull market or a bear market today?Follow the crowd and make money.This is too difficult.
So, why do you choose fellow Taoists?Everyone can believe it and increase it.
For example, when we are reciting the Buddha's name in seclusion, we are very nervous when we close the house, and many lay Buddhists are willing to come over. Sometimes we advise them: Just recite at home or in other temples, it is the same.He immediately said: It's different, I think it's different to lock up a house here.
Thinking about it this way, this place is an ancient temple that has been around for 1,600 years. Especially those who come here believe (the blessing power of the ancient temple), and believe that it has the blessing power and mutual influence.If you study at home, the community where you are located has a strong living atmosphere.Your Amitabha Buddha's aura is incompatible with its aura. Not only does it not receive the blessing power, it may also offset your energy.
If you call another phone number and ask your parents about other people, your mood to recite the Buddha's name will be completely gone. Oh, you have gone with him.Of course, it is best not to call or answer the phone, but even so, the atmosphere is still different.Then it would be better if you are in other temples, if you are in Pure Land Buddhism, but if you practice other methods, the atmosphere will be different.
Therefore, our faith in the Pure Land is established, and this group of people has established faith in the Pure Land, so it has good blessing power and light captures each other.Otherwise, faith is different, it will offset and will also fight firmly.
It turns out that I am in a temple, and there are a few who study the Dharma and consciousness-only, so he wants to be reborn in the inner courtyard of Tushita every day.To be reborn in the inner courtyard of Tushita, mutual respect is fine, so we started to debate: Tushita's inner courtyard is good, Tushita's inner courtyard is very close to us, it is easy to be reborn, and the Pure Land is too far away.So when he debated this thing, he became troubled, and he might be slandering the Dharma intentionally or unintentionally.
Therefore, choosing a corresponding temple and choosing some corresponding good teachers will also have an enhanced effect in solving the problem of our lack of faith, different faith, and uncontinuity of faith.Because it is still difficult to build such pure and pure confidence by relying on yourself.
Why does the Pure Land have a border city of doubt?It was not specially designed, but his mind of chanting Buddha's name mixed with suspicion, naturally appeared in a city with two thousand miles of radius, and could not get out.But there are also eight merit waters in this city, seven treasure pools, and there are natural food and clothing, as well as palaces, but you cannot see Buddha, hear Dharma, and see Bodhisattvas, and hear Shravakas and monks.This is the question of doubt. It cannot be transformed into a state of birth, but is born in a city of doubt.In this case, Amitabha Buddha still emits light and blessings, allowing him to know the reason why he can't go out. This reason is doubt.Once you repent of your doubts, it will come out, because this is manifested in your heart and has no authenticity.
For the Pure Land Dharma, doubt is the basis of all sins, and faith is the source of all good.
The Pure Land Dharma, speaking left and right, speaking horizontally and vertically, this faith is never avoidable, and it is faith with decisive power.Therefore, this faith must be filled with the merits of the Amitabha Buddha’s fruit.The Dharma body of Amitabha Buddha enters the hearts and thoughts of each of us sentient beings, so our thoughts and actions are blessed by Amitabha Buddha.
When we see all kinds of unsatisfactory things in the world, the Buddha will bless us and know that we should not be nostalgic in this world and should leave quickly;When we get sick and call our father and mother, we must be well aware of the suffering, pain and unreliability of this karma body, and we must change to the body of Vajra Narayan, the Tathagata body;When we are tired and bored when we recite the Buddha's name, Amitabha Buddha will continue to bless us with the blessing of light, curing our slack, negligent and regressive minds, and let us persevere.The power of the Buddha's name light in the dark is blessing us.
Therefore, Amitabha Buddha is very close to us. Amitabha Buddha is in our thoughts, and Amitabha Buddha is caring for us like a mother remembering her son.Only this blessing from Amitabha Buddha can gradually lead our faith from shallow to deep, from nothing to something, from incomplete to perfection.
At this moment when the faith is perfect, the whole body is the power of Buddha, and it is also the power of our sentient beings.Only then can we deeply realize that the Pure Land Dharma is entirely in itself, and that the entire other power is the power of one's nature.There is no boundary between the power of self-nature and the power of Amitabha Buddha. It is integrated into one, and light captures each other.
