Episode 56 — 我們怎麼會遇到淨土法門

所以我們大家一定要記住，這個機會太難得，「百千萬劫難遭遇」。彭際清居士告訴我們，無量劫來稀有難逢的一日，我們遇到了。這個意思就是，你怎麼遇到淨土法門，你怎麼會遇到《無量壽經》，無量劫稀有難逢，你怎麼會遇到？

That’s why we all must remember that this opportunity is too rare. As the opening phrase of the sutra states, “It is difficult to encounter the Pure Land Dharma in a billion kalpas.” Upasaka Peng Ji-qing ^[1] told us that this opportunity is extremely rare and difficult to encounter in innumerable kalpas, yet we have encountered it today. In other words, how did you encounter Pure Land Buddhism and the Infinite Life Sutra when this opportunity is so rare and difficult to come by in innumerable kalpas?

這個遇到不是偶然，大乘經上佛說，能遇到的，都是過去生中生生世世供養無量諸佛如來，有這麼大的善根。這一生遇到，得無量諸佛的加持，所以你能信、你能願、你能老實稱念。

Well, you definitely did not encounter it by chance. The Buddha told us in the Mahayana sutras that whoever able to encounter it had made offerings to infinite buddhas throughout their former lifetimes. They have such great virtuous roots. That’s why when you encounter it in this life, you are able to sincerely chant Amitabha Buddha’s name with belief and vow owing to the support received from infinite buddhas.

就像海賢老和尚，不認識字，他的善根福德因緣具足了，遇到這個就成功了。二十歲出家，師父就教他一句阿彌陀佛，一直念下去，這個人的成功就是老實、聽話、真幹。

Just like Great Master Hai Xian who was illiterate, but his virtuous roots, good fortune and causal condition for rebirth in the Pure Land were sufficient. Hence, he had successfully attained rebirth in the Pure Land after encountering the Pure Land Dharma. When he was ordained as a monk at the age of twenty, his tonsuring master only taught him to chant Amitabha Buddha’s name incessantly. His honesty, obedience and truly practising had earned him success.

到一百一十二歲，九十二年當中，一句佛號沒有中斷。除這一句佛號之外，他沒有妄想，他沒有雜念，他的心是清淨心、是平等心。清淨、平等還得了嗎？清淨是阿羅漢、辟支佛，平等是諸大菩薩。他來給我們做榜樣，我們要會看，要能看得出。

He never ceased chanting Amitabha Buddha’s name throughout 92 years until he was 112 years old. Other than this Amitabha Buddha’s name, he never gave rise to wandering and distracting thoughts. That’s why his mind was pure and impartial. How great it is to have a mind of purity and impartiality! A pure mind is attained by arhats and pratyekabuddhas, while an impartial mind is attained by the great bodhisattvas. Great Master Hai Xian had set an excellent example for us. We must be able to understand what he demonstrated.