念佛就能消业往生净土吗?
Is Recitation Of The Buddha’s Name Alone Able To Eliminate Karmic Obstacles For Rebirth In Pure Land?
问: 念佛就能消除业障吗?
Question [1]: Is recitation of the Buddha’s name alone able to eliminate karmic obstacles?
答: 释迦牟尼佛在《观无量寿佛经》中说:「若善男子,及善女人,但闻佛名【阿弥陀佛】、二菩萨名【观世音菩萨,大势至菩萨】,除无量劫生死之罪,何况忆念。」所以,念佛菩萨名号时,就能有极大的灭罪功德力。
Answer: Śākyamuni Buddha, in the Sūtra On Contemplation Of Immeasurable Life Buddha, taught that, ‘If good men and good women, only with hearing of the Buddha’s name [Āmítuófó], and the two Bodhisattvas’ names [Guānshìyīn Púsà, Dàshìzhì Púsà], they will eliminate immeasurable kalpas’ transgressions of births and deaths, furthermore if recollecting mindfully.’ Therefore, when mindful of the Buddha and/or Bodhisattva(s), this is able to have extremely great meritorious power for eliminating transgressions.

问: 依据以上经文,佛菩萨的三个圣号都须要念吗?
Question [2]: According to the sūtra’s text above, must all three sacred names of the Buddha and two Bodhisattvas be recited?
答: 佛陀在此经也说:「称【阿弥陀】佛名故,于念念中,除八十亿劫生死之罪。命终之时,见金莲华,犹如日轮,住其人前。如一念顷,即得往生极乐世界。」所以,即使至心只念一佛,这不仅能除重罪,还能直接得生净土。当然,二位大菩萨也有接引的能力。
Answer: The Buddha also taught thus in this sūtra, ‘Reciting the Buddha’s name [Āmítuófó] thus, in thought to thought within, eliminates eighty koṭis’ kalpas’ transgressions of births and deaths. When their lives are ending, they will see golden lotus flowers, similar to the sun disc, abiding before these persons. As if in one thought moment, they will immediately attain rebirth in the Land Of Ultimate Bliss.’ Therefore, even with the utmost sincere mind only reciting this one Buddha’s name, this is not only able to eliminate heavy transgressions, we will also be able to directly attain birth in his Pure Land. Of course, the two Great Bodhisattvas also have the ability to receive and guide us to his Pure Land.

问: 有些人却说「念一句佛号不够」?
Question [3]: Some however say that ‘reciting one line of the Buddha’s name is not enough’?
答: 当然,平时能多学佛修法更好,但往生前只能有最后的一念。当下不念弥陀更念谁?即使要念更多,修更多都没时间了。就象进贼时只须打电话报警,警察就会一切包办,不必通知别人。通知别人也没用。念阿弥陀佛即是念代表无量佛的一尊佛。怎么会不够功德力、加持力、与接引力?
Answer: Of course, it is better to, in ordinary times, to be able to learn and cultivate more of the Dharma. However, just before rebirth, there is only one last thought. If not mindful of Āmítuófó then, who should we be mindful of? Even if wishing to recite more, and to cultivate more, there will already be no more time. Just like when a thief has broken in, there is only need to call the police, with the police able to take care of everything, there is no need to inform others. Even if others are informed, they will not be able to help. Reciting Āmítuófó’s name is to recite the one Buddha who represents immeasurable Buddhas. How can this be with inadequate power of meritorious virtues and blessings, to receive and guide us?

问: 也有人主张临终时要念《地藏经》消业,超度冤亲债主?
Question [4]: There are also some who propose that there must be recitation of the Earth Treasury [Kṣitigarbha] Sūtra to eliminate evil karma when approaching life’s end, and to deliver karmic creditors?
答: 念经必定有功德,但有上中下三卷的《地藏经》太长,内容又太多。如果念到地狱的教理而心念地狱怎么办?其实,《地藏经》本来就是提倡念佛的经。临终时还念此经,而不专注念佛,就如念念佛的「广告」,而不直接念佛。若欲求生净土,这是本末倒置。如以上所说,念佛已经能直接消业。(因为所消的只是障碍往生净土之恶业,而宿世恶业又极多,往生净土还是「带业往生」的。)开示念佛也能直接超度可能在场的冤亲债主,同时保护念佛者。
Answer: Reciting of sūtras definitely creates meritorious virtues. However, as the Earth Treasury Sūtra has three scrolls, with the upper, middle and lower, it is too long, with too much contents. What if there is reciting of its teachings on hell, with the mind mindful of hell then? Actually, the Earth Treasury Sūtra is fundamentally a sūtra that promotes recitation of Buddhas’ names. If when approaching life’s end, still reciting this sūtra, yet not focusing on reciting any Buddha’s name, this is like reciting an ‘advertisement’ for recitation of Buddha, yet not directly reciting the Buddha’s name. If desiring to seek birth in his Pure Land, this is to ‘invert the roots and the branches’ (i.e. prioritise the secondary over the primary). Like that said above, reciting of the Buddha’s name is already able to directly eliminate evil karma. (Because that eliminated is only evil karma that obstructs rebirth in Pure Land, while as there is also extremely much evil karma from past lives, rebirth in Pure Land is still ‘with carrying of evil karma to be reborn’ there.) Offering guidance with reciting of the Buddha’s name is also able to directly deliver possibly present karmic creditors, while protecting those reciting.

问: 遇到说「念一句佛号不够」的,我就说「如果觉得念一句佛号不够,就念多几句吧!」
Question [5]: When encountering those who say ‘reciting one line of the Buddha’s name is not enough’, I would say, ‘If you feel that reciting one line of the Buddha’s name is not enough, recite more lines of it then!’
答: 就如要打电话给警察时,若还没打好,还没打通,就应该继续打到通!佛教提倡平时自己多念佛,也提倡临终时互相助念佛。这都是累积信愿行三资粮的修学,就如练习一心「打电话」给阿弥陀佛。平时练习「打电话」就是为了紧急时,能够更加顺利「快速拨【佛】号」!
Answer: Just like when wishing to call the police, if the dialing has yet to be done properly, with the call yet to connect, there should be continuous attempting to call until there is connection. The Buddhist teachings promote more reciting of the Buddha’s name when in ordinary times, also promoting support-chanting for one another when approaching life’s end. All these is cultivating and learning, for accumulating of the Three Provisions of Faith, Aspiration (i.e. Vow) and Practice (of mindfulness of Buddha’s name with profound Faith [深信] and sincere Aspiration [切愿]). This is just like practising to wholeheartedly ‘call’ Āmítuófó. In ordinary times practising ‘calling’, is for preparing, to be able to more smoothly have ‘speed dialing’ during urgent moments!

问: 那念佛须要念多少,念多久,才能得生净土?
Question [6]: On reciting of the Buddha’s name, how much and how long must this be done, to then attain birth in Pure Land?
答: 《无量寿经》云: 「诸有众生,闻其名【阿弥陀佛】号,信心欢喜,乃至一念至心回向,愿生彼国,即得往生」。也说: 「十方众生,至心信乐,欲生我国,乃至十念,若不生者,不取正觉 【成阿弥陀佛】。」《阿弥陀经》云: 「若有善男子、善女人,闻说阿弥陀佛,执持名号,若一日、若二日、若三日、若四日、若五日、若六日、若七日,一心不乱。其人临命终时,阿弥陀佛,与诸圣众,现在其前。是人终时,心不颠倒,即得往生阿弥陀佛极乐国土。」
Answer: The Immeasurable Life Sūtra says, ‘All sentient beings, who hear his name [Āmítuófó], with the faithful mind joyful, and even with one thought, with the sincere mind dedicate, aspire to be born in that land, will immediately attain rebirth there’. It also says, ‘of the ten directions’ sentient beings, with the sincere mind of joyful faith, desiring birth in my land, and even with ten thoughts, if there are those not born there, I shall not obtain Right Awakening [as Āmítuófó].’ The Amitābha Sūtra says, ‘if there are good men and good women, who hear this said about Āmítuófó, firmly uphold mindfulness of his name, if for one day, if for two days, if for three days, if for four days, if for five days, if for six days, if for seven days, wholeheartedly without being scattered, when these persons approach life’s end, Āmítuófó, with many in his noble assembly will appear before them. When these persons’ lives are ending, their minds will not be inverted, and they will immediately attain rebirth in Āmítuófó’s Land Of Ultimate Bliss.’

依据以上经文,念佛往生者须要的时间长短,能短至一到十念间,长至一到七日间。信愿行具足者,即能当下往生净土。然而,即使一般念佛人平时的信心够深,因为愿心还不够恳切(未愿当下往生),所以虽然有信愿念佛之行,还未当下往生。临终时,如果还不足够「厌离娑婆,欣求极乐」,愿也因此还未真切。在痛苦加剧时,若有善知识的善巧开示与不断的助念,能鼓励病者生起更恳切愿生净土之心,而加速往生。
According to the sūtras’ text above, the durations needed for those reciting the Buddha’s name to be reborn in his Pure Land, can be as short as between one to ten thought moments, and as long as between one to seven days. Those complete with Faith, Aspiration and Practice, are then able to immediately be reborn in his Pure Land. However, generally, even if those reciting the Buddha’s name are with Faith in ordinary times profound enough, because their Aspiration is still not sincere enough (i.e. yet to aspire for immediate rebirth), therefore although having Practice with Faith and Aspiration, they are yet to be immediately reborn. When approaching life’s end, if still yet to have adequate ‘revulsed renunciation of the Sahā World, and joyfully seeking of the Land Of Ultimate Bliss’, Aspiration is because of this, still yet to be sincere enough. When with more intense pain and suffering, if having good-knowing friends’ skilful guidance and uninterrupted support-chanting, these are able to encourage sick persons to give rise to even more sincere Aspiration for birth in Pure Land, then expediting rebirth.

不信以上佛所说者,即是信资粮不足者,所以才会觉得「念一句佛号不够」!
Those not having Faith in that the Buddha spoke above, are the same as those with Faith’s provision still inadequate, therefore thinking then, that ‘reciting one line of the Buddha’s name is not enough’!
相关教理
Related Teachings:
阿弥陀佛名之意义
Meaning Of Āmítuófó’s Name
https://purelanders.com/2019/08/21/meaning-of-amituofos-name
持名一法,括囊万行
The One Dharma Door Of Upholding The Buddha’s Name Includes And Brings Together The Ten Thousand Practices
https://purelanders.com/2022/03/18/the-one-dharma-door-of-upholding-the-buddhas-name
《地藏经》之念佛教理
Kṣitigarbha Sūtra’s Niànfó Teachings
https://purelanders.com/2019/08/14/nianfo-teachings-from-the-ksitigarbha-sutra
应当为亡者念什么经?
Which Sūtra Should I Chant For The Deceased?
https://purelanders.com/2016/07/20/which-sutra-should-i-chant-for-the-deceased
三资粮
The Three Provisions
https://purelanders.com/2018/02/08/the-three-provisions
《观无量寿佛经》
Sūtra On Contemplation Of Immeasurable Life Buddha
https://purelanders.com/guanjing
《无量寿经》
Immeasurable Life Sūtra
https://purelanders.com/dajing
《阿弥陀经》
Amitābha Sūtra
https://purelanders.com/sutra