从痛苦到无痛
[136] From Painfulness To Painlessness
Some years ago, during one of our first retreats, there was a participant (Lucille) who returned home halfway, due to a splitting headache. Upon reaching home, she sent an email to explain her early departure. As the headache was so painful, she decided to take a feeder bus, as part of her journey home.
However, on the bus, she suddenly remembered my teaching to ‘念佛不念痛；念痛痛更痛’ (Be mindful of Āmítuófó [阿弥陀佛] and not be mindful of pain, for mindfulness of pain can make it more painful). She decided to do just be as mindful of Āmítuófó’s name, as sincerely as she could…
And the headache disappeared… even before the short ride ended. I congratulated her, telling her that her retreat truly started when she boarded the bus! It is with sincere mindfulness of Āmítuófó and nothing else, that his blessings more readily flow over to her, to eliminate the karmic suffering in the moment.
The very moment when mindfulness of Āmítuófó seems the most difficult, (including dying), is exactly when it should be practised the most. (Of course, medicine, as ‘blessings’ manifested, should be taken if available and still practical, although Āmítuófó’s name is the Āgada medicine [阿伽陀药].)
It should never be so, that one is in too much pain to practise; but that all the more must there be practice due to much pain. As the Pure Land Tradition’s 13th Patriarch Great Master Yìnguāng (净土宗十三祖印光大师) taught,
不能专，要他专。
不能念，要他念。
不能一心，要他一心。
If not able to focus, you must will it [i.e. your mind] to focus.
If not able to be mindful, you must will it to be mindful.
If not able to be wholehearted, will it to be wholehearted (sincere).
Námó Āmítuófó : Shen Shi’an
相关感应录
Related Testimonies:
How Niànfó Alleviated My Suffering
https://purelanders.com/2016/04/13/testimonial-how-nianfo-alleviated-my-suffering
How Shingles Motivated Me To Be Mindful Of Buddha And Not Pain
带状疱疹如何激励我念佛不念痛
https://purelanders.com/2023/12/06/106-how-shingles-motivated-me-to-be-mindful-of-buddha-and-not-pain
相关教理
Related Teachings:
如何以念佛降伏病痛？
How To Handle Pain With Niànfó?
https://purelanders.com/2016/01/13/how-to-handle-pain-with-nianfo
除痛偈
Verse On Elimination Of Pain
https://purelanders.com/2023/12/07/verse-on-elimination-of-pain
