你我多生多世的願Our Aspiration Of Many Lifetimes

今日，農曆十一月十七日，陽曆十二月二十七日，是南無阿彌陀如來的佛辰。在諸佛當中，眾生唸最多的就是「阿彌陀佛」。

南無阿彌陀如來在過去世是法藏比丘。修行後，祂發了四十八個宏願，經過累劫成就了西方極樂世界。祂有至少十二輪的佛光，因此祂的稱號也有很多，如「無量壽佛」、「無量光佛」、「無礙光佛」等等。

 

 

祂也是我們熟悉的西方極樂淨土的教主。這西方極樂世界也是一個給於眾生很方便的一個淨土，因為利鈍兼收。這淨土分四種：凡聖同居土、方便有餘土、實報莊嚴土和最高層次的常寂光土。

凡聖同居土，更能夠「帶業往生」，是多麼不可思議的方便！可見南無阿彌陀佛的願多麼宏偉，這極樂世界多麼超然殊勝！

祂有兩名大家都曉得的大菩薩，左侍是南無大慈大悲觀世音菩薩，右侍就是南無大勢至菩薩。

 

我們如何到達這個淨土呢？

必須要信、願、行。

妳你要相信有這個淨土。

妳你要發願壽終後，往生這個淨土。

行，你要堅固前面兩個願，而且要竭盡所能實踐於妳你的生活中，

我們堅信阿彌陀佛的願，發願往投極樂世界，再持祂的洪名，也就是念佛，「南無阿彌陀佛」。唸到一心不亂的時候，我們壽限將盡，祂會依祂的四十八宏願而來接引妳你。

在這天，我們可以先沐浴，換上清淨的衣服。如果可以的話，再齋戒。所謂的齋戒可以說過午才食，或這一天完全地茹素。這茹素包括如果你在家煮素食，你要很慎重地確定你的鍋和器皿絕對沒有沾過葷的，這樣才好。

如果妳沒有供奉這尊如來，你可以將祂的法相卡捧在你手中，端正地坐在你客廳或書房的椅子上，然後恭恭敬敬地恭誦祂的洪名 ，「南無阿彌佗佛」，21遍、49遍、108遍或 1080遍。 然後靜坐5分鐘，純想祂的聖容，之後就迴向給你欲想迴向的對象，你過往的祖先、過往的親人、友人、親戚，或自身的纏身靈、水子靈，都可以。

 

六道眾生本是佛，
無奈迷惘不信佛，
勸君速醒勤念佛，
彌陀有願接念佛。

 

 

 

Today, the Seventeenth Day of the Eleventh Lunar Month, is the holy birthday of the Amitabha Buddha. The Amithaba Buddha enjoys the most reverence, among all the Buddhas,  from the sentient beings reciting His Buddha Name.

In one past life, Namo Amithaba Buddha was a monk named Dharmakara. After embarking on His spiritual practice, He declared His 48 Great Vows, which after multiple kalpas, accomplished the existence of the Western Pureland of Great Bliss. Amithaba Buddha has at least 12 wheels of Buddha Light surrounding Him, therefore He is being revered with many Buddha titles: Buddha of Infinite Life, Buddha of Boundless Light, Buddha of Unimpeded Light, etc.

Amitahba Buddha reigns over the Western Paradise. This Pure Land provides a convenient passage for sentient beings because this Pure Land accepts sentient beings of all levels of wisdom. There are 4 different levels in this Pure Land: the Common Land of Ordinary and Holy Beings, the Land of Expedient Means for Beings with Remains, the Solemn Land of Permanent Rewards, and the highest level, the Land of Externally Quiescent Light.

The Common Land of Ordinary and Holy Beings is incredibly expedient, as it allows sentient beings with impure karma to be reborn in the Western Pureland! Such is the nobleness of Namo Amitabha’s Great Vows! Such is the wondrous transcendence of the Pureland of Great Bliss!

He has, in attendance, two great Bodhisattvas whom many people are familiar with. On His left is Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva and on His right, Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva.

How can we ascend to this Pureland?

You need pure faith, pure intent and pure act.

You must have absolute faith that this Pure Land exists.

Then make a positive aspiration to be reborn in this Pure Land, after your time in the human realm ends.

Act on the two beliefs above, walk the talk and stay firm in your conviction, doing your utmost to actualize them in your everyday life.

We need absolute faith in the Great Vows of Amitabha Buddha, make an aspiration to be reborn in the Western Paradise of Eternal Bliss, and be diligent in reciting His Buddha’s Name, “Namo Amituofo” or “Namo Amitabha Buddha” untill you achieve single mindedness. When your time is up, Amitabha Buddha will receive you into his Pure Land. This is one of His 48 Noble Vows.

Therefore, on His Holy Birthday, we can take a bath and change into clean clothing. If possible, you can go on a vegetarian diet for the day, or opt to consume food only after noon. If you are preparing vegetarian meals at home, take care not to use any crockery and utensils that have been in contact with meat.

If you do not worship the Amitabha Buddha at home, you can hold a pictorial card with the illustration of the Amitabha Buddha, sit in an upright and proper posture in your living room or study room, and respectfully recite His Buddha Name, “Namo Amituofo” (南無阿彌佗佛), 21 times, 49 times, 108 times or 1080 times. After which, you can sit for 5 minutes in meditative silence and visualize the sagely appearance of the Amitabha Buddha. At the end of your prayer, you may dedicate the merits to your ancestors, deceased family members, friends, relatives or even to your own karmic debtors or fetal spirits.

 

Sentient beings of the six realms of existence are Buddhas in their original nature,

Alas, they got confused and lost their faith in the Buddha.

I advice a hasty awakening and be diligent in reciting the Buddha’s Name,

For the Amitabha Buddha has a noble wish to deliver salvation to all who recite His Name.