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淨土這個法門非常特別 - 第234集
The Pure Land method is very special.
《無量壽經》很特別，釋迦牟尼佛一生講經沒有講第二遍的，唯獨這部經多次宣講。佛究竟講了多少遍沒有人知道，但是根據現在所存的五種原譯本來比對去看，至少佛說過三次，所以古大德講三次以上，不是一次。附帶介紹淨土的多了，一百多種經論裡頭都看到，那是附帶說的。
The Infinite Life Sutra is very special because throughout Sakyamuni Buddha’s life, the Buddha never expounded a sutra twice except this sutra, which he had expounded many times. No one knows exactly how many times the Buddha lectured on this sutra, but based on the comparison made to the current five original translations of the sutra, the Buddha had at least expounded this sutra thrice. That’s why the ancient great masters said that this sutra had been expounded more than thrice and not once. There are over a hundred sutras and treatises which introduce Pure Land Buddhism incidentally.
《華嚴》最後你看普賢菩薩十大願王導歸極樂，《法華》龍女八歲成佛，這都附帶說，都是講的念佛往生淨土成就的。
You see, towards the end of the Avatamsaka Sutra, it is stated that the Ten Great Vows of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva are reverted to the Land of Ultimate Bliss, and the Lotus Sutra depicts an eight-year-old naga girl (the daughter of the dragon king) attaining Buddhahood. This is an incidental description of someone who succeeded by attaining rebirth in the Pure Land through practising Buddha Mindfulness.
那《華嚴經》上有叫華嚴時，佛說了淨土；《法華經》裡面有，那就是最後第五時，《法華》裡頭也講淨土，也說了這部經，所以這部經是多次宣講。為什麼？我們能夠體會得到，只有這部經，無論在什麼時節因緣之下，你只要遇到都能成就，而且決定成就。
According to the Avatamsaka Sutra, the Buddha expounded Pure Land Buddhism during the Huayan period and it is stated in the Lotus Sutra that the Buddha also expounded this sutra during the fifth period (i.e., the Lotus and Nirvāṇa period). That’s why this sutra had been expounded many times. What is the reason? We can understand that because only this sutra can assure you of success under any circumstances as long as you encounter it.
其他法門不是那麼簡單，起心動念、分別執著沒有徹底放下，你入不了境界。淨土這個法門非常特別，阿彌陀佛給我們建立一個中途站，先到中途站，然後再成無上菩提，這個中途站就是極樂世界。八萬四千法門、無量法門沒有中途站；換句話說，完全靠自己。
It is not so easy for you to succeed by practising other methods because you cannot enter the Buddha’s state without letting go of wandering thoughts, discrimination and attachments completely. The Pure Land method is very special because Amitabha Buddha had built a stopover station for us. We must first reach the stopover station and then attain Supreme Enlightenment. This stopover station is the Land of Ultimate Bliss. There is no stopover station for the 84,000 (immeasurable) Dharma methods. In other words, we have to rely entirely on our own effort to succeed.
這個地方自己跟阿彌陀佛一合作，阿彌陀佛只要三個條件，真正相信不懷疑，真正發願求生西方淨土，肯念這一句佛號，哪怕十聲，佛都接引你。這個條件太簡單、太容易了。
For the Pure Land method, we cooperate with Amitabha Buddha who only requires you to meet three conditions i.e., you must truly believe in this method without any doubt and you really vow to be reborn in the Pure Land as well as willing to chant this Amitabha Buddha’s name. Amitabha Buddha will come to receive you to the Pure Land even if you only chant his name one to ten times in your final moment of life. This condition is too simple!