八八儿口生莲华
[114] [37] [From] Bābā’er’s Mouth Grew [A] Lotus Flower
有人养一鸲鹆 (qú yù)，俗名八八儿，见僧念佛，亦学念佛，遂舍与僧。此僧常教念阿弥陀佛。
[There] was [a] person [who] raised a crested myna, [with the] common name ‘Bābā’er’. Seeing [a] monastic recite [the] Buddha[‘s name, he] also learnt [to] recite [the] Buddha[‘s name, and] followed [to] reside with [the] monastic. [This] monastic constantly taught [him to] recite ‘Āmítuófó’.
后八八儿死，僧为小棺埋之，墓上生莲华一朵。
After Bābā’er died, [the] monastic, because [of this, in a] small coffin buried him. [On his] grave above grew one lotus flower.
开棺看，其根自口中生。
Opening [the] coffin [to] see, its root [was] from within [his] mouth grown.
人为偈云：
「有一飞禽八八儿，解随僧口念阿弥。
死埋平地莲华发，我辈为人岂不如？」
People for [this composed a] verse, saying,
‘[There] was a flying bird [named] Bābā’er, [who] understood [and] followed [a] monastic, [with his] mouth reciting “Āmí[tuófó”. After] death buried [in] flat land, [with a] lotus flower rising. We, as humans, how [can we] not [be] as good as [him]?’
[Note 1: The discovery was a special auspicious sign due to three reasons. (i) First, lotus flowers usually blossom from muddy waters, not from dry ground. This means despite being unexpected, there was ‘miraculous’ growth towards purity. (ii) Second, with lotus flowers representing purity and the mouth representing speech, this means the bird practised pure speech with mindfulness of Buddha. (iii) Third, with lotus flowers also representing the vehicle of birth in Pure Land [净土], this means the bird attained the means to reach it.]
[Note 2: In the Amitābha Sūtra《阿弥陀经》, this is taught — ‘(T)hat land constantly has all kinds of rare and wonderful birds of various colours… (Y)ou should not say these birds really are those from transgressive retribution born. Why is that so? That Buddha Land is without the three evil paths… (T)hat Buddha Land is even without names of the evil paths, much less having their reality. Of all these many birds, all are Amitā Buddha, who desires to enable the Dharma’s sounds to be propagated, with manifestations of them made.’ (彼国常有种种奇妙杂色之鸟… 汝勿谓此鸟，实是罪报所生。所以者何？彼佛国土，无三恶道。… 其佛国土，尚无恶道之名，何况有实。是诸众鸟，皆是阿弥陀佛，欲令法音宣流，变化所作。)
The above does not mean that hell-beings [地狱众生], hungry ghosts [饿鬼] and animals [畜生] from the three evil paths cannot be reborn in the Pure Land. What it means is that all sentient beings reborn in the Pure Land will not be from retribution but as rewards for their pure practice [净业], and will not have their previous forms and names, as all beings there will have the thirty-two Great Human’s forms [三十二大人相]. This is while those who seem like birds in the Pure Land are not real birds, but manifested by the Buddha for broadcasting the Dharma in it.]
[Note 3: It is not so that all beings of lower realms like animals will only fall into them again in their next lives. As karma is dynamic, they can rise too. The fact that there is practice of mindfulness of Buddha is already a sign of good roots and blessed virtue (善根福德) being present, thus able to reach Pure Land, especially if there is corresponding Faith and Aspiration (信愿).]
[Note 4: If a bird could attain birth in Pure Land, surely, so can we humans. Not only should we be able to do as well, we should also do better.]
[原眉批：世传公冶长能解鸟语，管辂亦能解鸟语，见《魏志》。《史记》秦仲知百鸟之音，《后汉书》魏尚晓鸟语。若夫呼鸡曰「喌喌」，呼鹅曰「哬哬」，呼猪曰「啰啰」，呼猫曰「口+弥」，则畜亦颇解人言矣，但不能学人念佛耳。使解念佛，则口吐莲华者，岂特八八儿哉！人虽聋瞽，无不可劝以念佛，此其所以为万物之灵也。]
[Original headnotes: Passed down from generation to generation, (is that of) Gōng Yězhǎng, (who was) able (to) understand bird language. Guǎn Lù (was) also able (to) understand bird language. See Records (Of) Wèi. (In) ‘Records (Of The) Historian’, Qín Zhòng knew (the) sounds of (a) hundred birds. (In the) ‘Book (Of The) Later Hàn’, Wèi Shàng knew bird language. Thus, those calling chickens saying, ‘zhōu zhōu’, calling geese saying, ‘hé hé’, calling pigs saying, ‘luō luō’, calling cats saying, ‘mí’, (are) then animals also inclined (to) understanding human words, only not able (to) learn (to be like) humans reciting (the) Buddha(‘s name in the same way) only. Enabled (to) understand (and) recite (the) Buddha(‘s name), then (from the) mouth sprouting (a) lotus flower, how special (is) Bābā’er! Humans, although (with those) deaf (and) blind, (are) without (those who) cannot (be) encouraged (to be) with recitation (of the) Buddha(‘s name [verbally and/or mentally], with) these (in) place, considered as (those [especially]) spiritual of (the) ten thousand (living) beings.]
盖以阿弥陀佛有誓愿云：「众生念我名号者，必生我国。」
[This is] because, with Āmítuófó, [he] has [the] vow, saying, ‘[Those] sentient beings [who] recite my name, will [be] born [in] my land.’
凡言众生者，上至天人，下至微细虫蚁之类皆是。
All those mentioned sentient beings, [are] up to heavenly beings, [and] down to [the] kinds of very small worms [and] ants, [who] are all [able to do so].
以此观之，则此八八儿必生极乐世界为上善人矣。
With this contemplating that, then this Bābā’er [was] definitely born [in the] Land [Of] Ultimate Bliss as [a] superior good person.
人而不知，人而不修，可痛惜哉！
[As] humans yet not knowing [this, and as] humans yet not cultivating [this], how lamentable!
事在潭州城外，因此而名其城门。
[This] matter [occurred] at Tánzhōu [i.e. Chángshā: 长沙] City outside. Because [of] this, then naming its city gate [after Bābā’er].
宋‧王日休
Sòng [Dynasty’s] Wáng Rìxiū
《龙舒净土文》
Lóngshū’s Pure Land Text:
第六卷：特为劝谕三十七篇
Sixth Scroll: Thirty-Seven Essays Specially [For] Encouragement [And] Instruction
Namo Amituofo : Translation by Shen Shi’an
相关感应录
Related Testimonies:
May Amigo’s Best Friend Be Āmítuófó!
Below is a two year old conure named ‘Amigo’ (which means ‘friend’ in Spanish) adopted by Purelander Jìngchéng reciting Āmítuófó’s name. He was named so to make it easier for him to get used to reciting ‘Āmítuófó’. Amigo is also continually encouraged to recite with the playing of a Buddha recitation device (念佛机) throughout the night.
阿弥陀佛如何以化成鹦鹉的十二种方便引导往生净土
[19] How Āmítuófó Manifested To Guide To His Pure Land With Twelve Skilful Means As A Parrot
https://purelanders.com/2020/06/04/how-amituofo-manifested-to-guide-to-his-pure-land-with-twelve-skilful-means-as-a-parrot
阿弥陀佛如何以化成鱼的十种方便引导往生净土
[18] How Āmítuófó Manifested To Guide To His Pure Land With Ten Skilful Means As Fishes
https://purelanders.com/2020/06/02/how-amituofo-manifested-to-guide-to-his-pure-land-with-ten-skilful-means-as-fishes
[118] How Our Bird Sprouty Hopped Onto Āmítuófó’s Palm
https://purelanders.com/2025/02/13/118-how-our-bird-sprouty-hopped-onto-amituofos-palm
若鸟亦可往生净土，何况人？
[115] If Birds Also Can Be Reborn In Pure Land, What More Humans?
https://purelanders.com/2025/03/25/177-if-birds-also-can-be-reborn-in-pure-land-what-more-humans
相关教理
Related Teachings:
《龙舒净土文》
Lóngshū’s Pure Land Text
https://purelanders.com/longshu
