视频注:在极乐世界的九品莲华中,唯下二品属于曾作大恶者,在大劫后开。其余七品,在四十九天或以下早开。华严经云,娑婆一劫,等于极乐,一日一夜。华中六劫,唯六日夜。十二劫,唯十二日夜。
Video Note: Within the Pure Land Of Ultimate Bliss’ nine grades of lotus flowers, only the two lowest grades belong to those who have done much evil, which after great kalpas blossom. The other seven grades earlier blossom, in 49 days or less. The Flower Adornment Sūtra says that the Sahā World’s one kalpa is equal to the Land Of Ultimate Bliss’ one day and one night. Within the flowers, six kalpas is only six days and nights, and twelve kalpas is only twelve days and nights.
一心唯愿生净土
Wholeheartedly Aspire [For] Birth [In] Pure Land Only
净土法门,注重在信愿。
[The] Pure Land Dharma Door, emphasizes on Faith [and] Aspiration.
有不知者,或求人天福报,或求来生为僧,宏扬佛法,度脱众生。
[There] are those ignorant, perhaps seeking human [and] heavenly blessed rewards, perhaps seeking [to, in their] next lives become monastics, [to] propagate [the] Buddha’s teachings, [to] deliver [and] liberate sentient beings.
此种心念,要丢得干干净净,若有一丝毫,便不能往生矣。
These kinds [of] thoughts, must [be] thrown away totally. If [there] is one slightest bit [of them], then [are they] not able [to be] reborn [in Pure Land].
净土宗十三祖印光大师
《复吴慧诒罗慧澍居士书》
Pure Land Tradition’s 13th Patriarch Great Master Yìnguāng
(Reply Letter [To] Laypersons Wú Huìyí [And] Luō Huìshù)
注:来生直接投生这里即是陷入轮回,又忘记前愿。若从净土化现以上回入,就已解脱,又记所学。
Note: Those directly reborn here will fall back into rebirth, also forgetting their past aspirations. If returning from Pure Land to manifest as the above, they will already be liberated, also with all learnt remembered.
Namo Amituofo : Translation and notes by Shen Shi’an
灵芝元照律师与慧布法师(大安法师)
宋代有一位,是一个律宗的祖师,他叫灵芝元照律师,早年他就是学戒律的,而且对净土并不是太看在眼里,结果他在三十一岁的时候得了一场重病,他的戒律似乎也发挥不了作用,还是病得很重。
他就思惟到天台讲五停心观,多障众生念佛观呐,开始念佛,念佛他就把他的病念好了。由这个念佛一法他才反观到自己原来的那种轻视净土,那种发的愿很高妙是不切实际的。
他原来发的愿是仿照一个慧布法师发愿,说:“与其在西方净土十二大劫在莲华不得出来,倒不如在五浊恶世水深火热当中生生世世救度众生。”【《高僧传》:“方土虽净,非吾所愿。若使十二劫莲华中受乐,何如三涂极苦处救众生也?” 】[请看以上的视频注]
他是发了这么一个愿的。这个愿固然很伟大、很崇高,也符合菩萨道精神,结果发现一病了以后他没有办法,自己都解决不了自己的问题,你怎么能生生世世在这个世间去救度众生呢?所以他就忏悔自己原来那样的,这种志愿虽大但心力不及的情况,还是导归净土。
所以他到后半生,三十多年都是老实念佛,念得还很有体会,对净土宗的主要的典籍他都有著述。这个人很有学问,灵芝元照律师。他就持戒念佛,这个学在戒律,行在弥陀,念念求生净土。他在那个开示里面特别谈到念佛一法对一个学戒律人的重要性。学戒律,他面对这种境缘现前的时候,他的烦恼还是很难把它伏住的,尤其是淫欲的烦恼。
他谈到淫欲的烦恼,尽管行为上不做,但内心的种种念头、种种的那种表现形式,最后说,“这太难了,还是赶紧念佛求生净土”。所以他深知这样的一个情况,其中的消息,所以他对这个念佛一法,专靠佛力甚至是全靠佛力往生一法是一往情深。他了解到净土高超律宗的特点。那这个教下那就更多了,像智者大师,作为天台宗的祖师,导归净土。
好,那么我们了解这个高超律、教、禅宗的特点。禅宗后面会谈到,很多禅宗的祖师,秘修净土一法,因为禅宗开悟并不意味着他已经了生脱死了,他还有见思惑未断,所以对禅宗开悟者来说,他更应该求生西方极乐世界。
相关偈子
Related Verses:
劫日偈
Verses On Kalpas As Days
https://purelanders.com/2021/01/01/verses-on-kalpas-as-days
