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我們對於名號功德是一無所知 - 第225集
We know nothing at all about the merits of Amitabha Buddha’s name.
「今本經以發菩提心、一向專念為宗，以十念必生願為大願之本」。十念必生是第十八願，在四十八願裡面這一願是根本。
“This sutra is based on the principle of developing the bodhi mind (i.e., bodhi resolve) and single-mindedly concentrating on chanting Amitabha Buddha’s name; the vow which assures one of a rebirth in the Pure Land by reciting Amitabha Buddha’s name one to ten times (in the final moment of one’s life) is the foundation of the great vows” --- ‘assurance of a rebirth in the Pure Land by reciting Amitabha Buddha’s name one to ten times’ which is the eighteenth vow is the fundamental vow among the Forty-eight Vows.
「專重持名念佛，名具萬德，此一句佛號圓滿具足一切法之功德。舉體是華嚴玄門圓明具德之義」。所以名號功德不可思議。我們實實在在說，對於名號功德是一無所知，沒重視它。
“One should concentrate on practising Buddha Mindfulness because this Amitabha Buddha’s name is fully replete with the merits of everything. This is exactly the meaning expounded in the profound approaches of the Huayan school i.e., perfect in wisdom and merits.” That’s why the merits of Amitabha Buddha’s name are inconceivable. Honestly, we know nothing at all about the merits of Amitabha Buddha’s name and never paid attention to it.
如果真正明白了，就這一句名號，真的叫無事不辦。海賢法師為我們做出來，我們看到了，只要有信心，你的問題就解決。他老人家在十八歲的時候生了個病，腿上長一個瘡，癰瘡，潰爛，苦不堪言。母親給他求醫找藥，沒用。最後他明白了，佛法裡面說的冤孽病，藥物不能治療，治不好。
If we really understand its merits, then we can really say ‘nothing is not accomplishable with this Amitabha Buddha’s name.’ As long as you have confidence in Amitabha Buddha’s name, all your problems will be solved. Great Master Hai Xian had demonstrated this to us. His leg developed a carbuncle when he was eighteen and it was miserable. His mother went all out to seek medical advices and look for medicines, but all her attempts were futile. The Great Master then finally came to understand that no medicines can cure illnesses due to karmic retributions.
怎麼辦？聽說觀世音菩薩救苦救難，有求必應，跟他媽媽講不要求醫了，不要找藥了，一心專念觀世音菩薩。這個人我們知道，他的天性老實、聽話、真幹，有真誠心、有清淨心、有恭敬心，這些條件具足，念了一個多月，瘡好了。
What should he do? Having heard that Avalokitêśvara Bodhisattva can help to alleviate people’s sufferings and would surely respond to people’s requests, he asked his mother to stop seeking medical advices and looking for medicines as he decided to single-mindedly concentrate on chanting the name of Avalokitêśvara Bodhisattva. We know that his inborn nature was honesty, obedience and truly practising. Owing to his inborn nature, as well as his sincere, pure and respectful mind, his sore leg was healed after he chanted the Bodhisattva’s name for more than a month.
真正相信佛語是真話，決定沒有騙人，信心堅定了。二十歲出家，師父教他這一句阿彌陀佛。你要記住，十八歲的時候沒人教他念佛，所以他念觀音菩薩。如果是二十以後害的這個瘡，他肯定念阿彌陀佛，不會念觀音菩薩。
Thereafter, he really believed that the Buddha’s words are true without deception and his confidence in the Buddha was firm. When he was ordained as a monk at the age of twenty, his tonsuring master taught him to recite Amitabha Buddha’s name. Please bear in mind that he recited the name of Avalokitêśvara Bodhisattva when he was eighteen because no one taught him to recite Amitabha Buddha’s name then. Had he developed the leg sore after twenty years old, he would have recited Amitabha Buddha’s name and not Avalokitêśvara Bodhisattva’s name.
我們能理解，我們能相信。觀音菩薩能幫助你解決的問題，阿彌陀佛做不到嗎？對阿彌陀佛不了解、不認識，對觀世音菩薩認識、了解的程度超過阿彌陀佛，觀音菩薩就管用。你相信哪一尊佛，相信哪一尊菩薩，他就管用。怎麼治好的？信心治好的，念頭治好的。念佛菩薩名號功德很大，這念頭好！念頭裡頭第一好的就是念阿彌陀佛，我們要知道，一定要把它搞清楚。
We can understand and believe this because if Avalokitêśvara Bodhisattva can help you solve problems, can’t Amitabha Buddha do so? If you understand and know Avalokitêśvara Bodhisattva more than Amitabha Buddha, then reciting the Bodhisattva’s name will be useful. It will be effective for you to recite the name of buddha and bodhisattva that you believe in. What healed your illness? It is your confidence and thoughts that have healed it. The merits of reciting buddhas’ and bodhisattvas’ names are very great because such thoughts are wholesome! We must know and understand that being mindful of Amitabha Buddha’s name is the best thought.