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憶佛念佛，現前當來必定見佛 - 第224集
By chanting Amitabha Buddha’s name mentally and orally, one will certainly see Amitabha Buddha now and in the future.
真正想往生，佛號不能間斷，間斷就拐彎了。海賢老和尚工作當中沒有離開念佛，一面工作心裡佛號不中斷，待人接物都沒有離開念佛，佛號在心中他已經養成習慣，丟都丟不掉。
If you really want to be reborn in the Land of Ultimate Bliss, you cannot stop chanting Amitabha Buddha’s name, or else you will have to spend longer time to succeed. Great Master Hai Xian never stopped chanting when he worked and dealt with people and things. He had already formed the habit of imprinting Amitabha Buddha’s name on his mind and would never lose his mindfulness.
我們能夠一天用五個小時，修一年，我相信有感應。感應是什麼？大勢至菩薩跟我們說的，「憶佛念佛，現前當來必定見佛」，這個感應就是你見佛了。這個做不到，沒有感應。
If we can spend five hours a day to chant Amitabha Buddha’s name and persevere with it for a year, I believe we will receive a response. What is the response? Mahāsthāmaprāpta Bodhisattva told us, “By chanting Amitabha Buddha’s name mentally and orally, one will certainly see Amitabha Buddha now and in the future” --- the response is you will see Amitabha Buddha. If you cannot do this, you will not receive a response from Amitabha Buddha.
這個做到了有感應。佛會告訴你，等於說來給你授記，你的壽命還有多長。到你壽命終了的時候佛來接引你，你自己知道，只要長遠保持下去，決定得生淨土。
If you could persevere with 5-hour chanting every day for a year, Amitabha Buddha would tell you of your remaining lifespan and that he will come to receive you to the Pure Land when your life ends. This is equivalent to Amitabha Buddha coming to give you an assurance, so you know that you will certainly be reborn in the Pure Land as long as you keep up your effort in the long run.
如果你要向佛要求，我還有壽命不要了，現在就跟你去，佛會帶你到極樂世界。一般往生的人，現前見佛一般都是三次。第一次來告訴你消息，增長你的信心、願心。
If you tell Amitabha Buddha that you do not want your remaining lifespan and request Amitabha Buddha to take you to the Pure Land now, Amitabha Buddha will grant your wish. People who are bound for the Pure Land would usually see Amitabha Buddha three times at present. The first time is Amitabha Buddha coming to tell you the good news to boost your confidence and strengthen your vow.
第二次來是告訴你哪一天往生，這個大概都在往生前三個月到七天，最近的七天，比較長一點時間的三個月，第二次見你；第三次是他來接引，你又看到了，佛拿著蓮花來接引你往生。這都是現前見佛。到極樂世界花開見佛，那是當來見佛。所以現前當來必定見佛，這真的，決定不是假的。
The second time is Amitabha Buddha coming to tell you when you will be reborn in the Pure Land and this happens about three months to one week prior to your rebirth in the Pure Land. The third time is Amitabha Buddha coming with a lotus flower to receive you to the Pure Land. These are seeing Amitabha Buddha now. Seeing Amitabha Buddha in the future is when you reach the Land of Ultimate Bliss and see Amitabha Buddha when the lotus flower opens. That’s why seeing Amitabha Buddha now and in the future is true and definitely not false.