編者按：本文作者Jason，美國人，現居挪威，是一位文化工作者、作家、詩人。2014年在慧淨法師座下皈依，法名淨行，專修善導大師淨土思想。
I was privileged to join the Shandao lineage of Pure Land Buddhism in 2014, and my experience since that time has been one of homecoming. Having studied the Dharma for fifteen years, first as a student of Zen, and later as a practitioner in other branches of the Pure Land tradition, I have at last found the peace and stability of heart that I have sought from the start of my Dharma practice. But more than just serenity and inner strength, I know that I have found the solution to the problem of cyclical birth-and-death.
2014年，我有幸接觸到善導大師的淨土思想，也正是從那時起，我才真正有了遊子歸家般的感受。從最初學習禪宗，到後來修習淨土宗的其他流派，在修學佛法十五個年頭之後，我終於找到了學佛之初所嚮往的那份平和與安定。事實上，我得到的又豈止內心的寧靜與堅定，我找到了生死輪迴的解脫之路！
The Buddha taught that rebirth within the Six Realms is our fundamental problem; all suffering is ultimately rooted in this cycle of endless existence which is deceptive in its joys and fearful in its karmic justice. Entrusting fully to Amitabha Buddha’s Fundamental Vow solves this fundamental problem. As Shakyamuni Buddha said in the Infinite Life Sutra: The reason for my appearance in the world is to reveal the teachings of the Way and save multitudes of beings by endowing them with true benefits. According to the teaching of the Buddha-dharma, there is no truer benefit than release from the cycle of rebirth.
佛說：「六道輪迴是苦之根源。」所有痛苦，歸根結底都來自於這無盡的輪迴。這輪迴，以虛妄的快樂令人迷惑；以真實的業報令人生畏。但如果我們深信「阿彌陀佛本願」便能解決這個根本性的問題。釋迦牟尼佛在《無量壽經》中說道：「如來以無盡大悲，矜哀三界，所以出興於世，光闡道教，欲拯濟群萌，惠以真實之利。」世尊化現於五濁，給予我們最真實的利益就是令我們解脫生死輪迴。
What I have discovered in recent months, however, is that upon taking up Pure Land practice in the tradition of Shandao, it was not just myself as a prisoner of samsara that was released; a great deal of personal energy — both psychological and physical — that was previously tied up elsewhere, has also been released. Let me explain.
近幾個月來，我發現，通過修學善導大師的淨土思想，不僅我輪迴的生命得到了救度，就連我個人身心的能量也得到了前所未有的激發和釋放。請容我細細道來。
Perhaps what separates the teaching of the pristine Pure Land school from all other Buddhist teachings is that one can rely so completely upon other-power, without worrying about the purity of one’s faith or the state of one’s mind. Whatever we do, think or believe, we are still ordinary, foolish beings. Thus there is no standard we need to meet; all we need to do is to exclusively recite Amitabha’s name with the simple wish to return home to the Pure Land, our original dwelling place.
或許，純粹的淨土法門與其他法門的不共之處就在於我們可以完全依靠他力，絲毫不必糾結于信心或心境是否純一。無論我們做什麼、想什麼、信什麼，我們終究是罪惡凡夫。因此，並沒有必須要達到的某個標準或要求。我們只要專稱彌陀佛名，願生彌陀淨土——我們的故鄉，就足夠了。
The directness and ease of this teaching has gifted me with a surplus of energy that was previously invested in trying to be a good enough Pure Land Buddhist — that is, one who had attained unshakable assurance about his post-mortem destiny, who was full of faith, and free of every trace of doubt. Indeed, according to some interpretations of Pure Land teaching, everything depends on the purity or firmness of one’s faith; release from the cycle of birth-and-death, birth in the Pure Land, and attainment of final Buddhahood all hang in the balance. Not so in the Pure Land teaching of Shandao. Faith cannot be spoken of as somehow separate from practice. If one has faith enough to recite Amitabha’s name exclusively and single-mindedly, that is all the faith one needs; no additional "faith" is necessary. As for me, I can simply be who and what I am, reciting Amitabha’s name with all my karmic limitations and burdens, knowing that I will attain birth in the Pure Land anyway. Giving up trying to be 「good enough」 has lit up the electrical grid of my mind and spirit!
純粹的淨土法門，其教義簡單而直接，賜予了我大量的「額外精力」。為什麼這樣說呢？要知道，我之前一直努力修行，想要成為一名「夠格」的淨土行人，試圖通過自力去獲得百分百往生的把握。的確，按照某些淨土教法的解釋，往生與否取決於是否擁有純正、堅定的「信心」。但善導大師的解釋則不然。「信」與「行」是不可分的。如果一個人能夠專稱彌陀名號，那麼他的「信」自然具足，不需要額外去找「信心」。對我來說，我就以我罪惡生死凡夫的身份來稱念彌陀名號，這樣就已經往生決定了。我放下了自力修行，得到了大安心、大滿足！
There is much talk these days of green energy and free energy. When it comes to questions of society and the environment, it remains to be seen just how and when humanity will sever itself from dependence on fossil fuels, or access an energy source so abundant that it could truly be considered free. But as an individual human being, I feel as if I have discovered the greenest, freest source of energy in the universe: the Fundamental Vow of Amitabha Buddha! The Fundamental Vow has solved my fundamental problem, and released me from all anxiety over the state of my mind and my faith.
近來，有關綠色能源和免費能源的討論很熱門。當涉及到社會及環境問題的時候，人們探討的都是怎樣能擺脫對礦物燃料的依賴，何時能找到一種儲備充足並且真正可自由獲取的新能源。但作為我個人來說，我覺得我已經找到了宇宙中最環保且完全免費的能源——阿彌陀佛的本願！阿彌陀佛的本願解決了我生死輪迴的根本問題，同時也把我從心靈與信仰的焦慮中解放出來。
The resulting surge of energy has also posed me a profound question: What am I going to do with it?
然而，這強大的能量來源也向我拋出了一個十分深刻的問題：我該利用它做些什麼呢？
Of course there are basic things that, as Buddhists, we should all strive to do, like treating others with kindness and respect; not lying, not stealing, not taking life; abstaining from anger and other intoxicants, etc. Unlike those who rely on their self-power, we who rely on other-power know that we can never perfect any of these virtues because of our status as ordinary beings. But neither does our spiritual beatitude depend on our ability to do so. In this way, we Pure Land Buddhists are perfectly poised to make substantive and meaningful contributions to our societies and the world at large. These contributions will be imperfect; everything in this world is. But energized and supported by the Fundamental Vow, we can cast off all self-involvement and worry, and act as mirrors which help to reflect Amitabha’s light into a dark and pain-stricken world.
作為一名佛教徒，我們當然要恪守人倫，做到最基本的，如待人謙和、不妄語、不偷盜、不殺生、不飲酒、不瞋恚等等。但與自力修行人不同，我們靠的是他力。因為我們是凡夫，永遠不可能在這些德行修為上達到圓滿。不過，我們所擁有的「大善根大福德」本來就不是靠我們自己的力量修來的。正因如此，我們淨宗行人可以從容地為整個社會乃至全世界做出具有實質性意義的貢獻。這些貢獻固然不是完美的，但沒關係，世間的一切又何嘗不是如此呢？在彌陀本願力的加持下，我們可以擺脫所有作繭自縛的想法和擔憂，安心地做一面反光鏡，將阿彌陀佛的光明反射到這個充滿黑暗和痛苦的世界。
Naturally, what we as individuals are able to do will depend upon our circumstances and abilities. As a writer, I have begun to channel my surplus energy into spreading the Dharma of Amitabha Buddha through the written word. But lately, I have also felt Amitabha urging me in another direction: Just up the road from where I live there is a home for the elderly which cannot be described in terms other than dreary and sad. Making a simple visit could transform the day of a resident whose only social interaction may be the occasional visit by a family member who comes out of a sense of obligation, and paid staff who are ... paid. This is a small thing, but the world is healed through such small acts of kindness. As the Zen teacher Shunryu Suzuki once said, just shine one corner of the world ...
當然，我們每個人能做些什麼，還要視具體因緣和能力而定。作為一名作家，我已在行有餘力時通過文字來弘揚彌陀的救度。但最近，我隱約感覺到阿彌陀佛似乎為我指明了另一條道路——在離我住處不遠的地方，有一家養老院，老人們的生活只能用枯燥和悲哀來形容。他們和外界唯一的交流就是親人們出於義務的偶爾探視或是工作人員來領薪水時的擦肩而過。而我，只要到那裏陪陪他們，就能使老人們度過不同尋常的一天。雖然這只是微不足道的小事，但星星之火，可以燎原，世界就是因這些小小的善舉而變得更加美好。就像鈴木俊隆禪師說過的：「照亮世界的一角，足矣。」
Some of us may have the means and ability to make much larger contributions, which should be supported and celebrated by the rest of us. But even someone who is bed-ridden can tap into the energy of Amitabha Buddha by reciting his name. Such a person would be engaging in the karma of assurance for birth in the Pure Land, and could transfer the merit of their recitations to those who have died, or to those who are suffering in this world. Fueled by the inexhaustible energy of Amitabha, the potential for doing good is limitless, whatever our karma or circumstances.
關於做好事，有些人能力比較強，所以做出的貢獻也比較大，這當然值得我們所有人隨喜讚歎。但即使是那些臥床不起的人也可以通過稱念彌陀名號而獲得往生的全部資糧，還能把他念佛的功德回向給已故之人或是正在受苦受難的人。在彌陀無盡光明的攝護不捨下，我們有取之不盡、用之不竭的能量。因此不管我們所處的環境和個人業力如何，我們做好事的潛能都是無限的。
None of what I have written here is meant to imply that we as Pure Land Buddhists do not already engage the world with acts of compassion and kindness. Indeed, were this not the case, I doubt very much that I as a convert would have had the slightest attraction to this tradition. I have personally witnessed acts of kindness, large and small, by fellow Buddhists that were deeply moving and exemplary.
我寫這些，絕不是說我們淨土行人不再積極地入世、行善。果真如此消極避世的話，我想我也不會被這樣慈悲的法門所吸引。事實上，我親眼見證了許多念佛同修們的善舉，或大或小，無不令人感動。
What I am suggesting, based on my albeit limited experience, is that we as Pure Land Buddhists become fully conscious of, and take full ownership of, the infinite supply of personal energy available to us through our connection to Amitabha Buddha. It goes without saying that securing our birth in the Pure Land is always and everywhere the first priority; and Amitabha, through his Fundamental Vow, has supplied us with a marvelous and easy means to attain birth. But when one dwells continually in the karma of assurance, and is simultaneously connected to the greenest and freest and most inexhaustible source of energy there is, the question naturally becomes: What are you going to do with it?
基於我本人有限的閱歷，我真正想要與大家分享的是：通過念佛與阿彌陀佛建立聯繫，我們淨土行人就能享受到彌陀給予我們的無窮的能量。毋庸置疑，彌陀的本願為我們提供了一個最為簡單和殊勝的往生方法。無論何時、何地，往生極樂世界都是我們學佛的第一要義。但是作為一個已經往生決定，並且能夠源源不斷地從阿彌陀佛那裏獲得綠色環保、完全免費能源的人，那麼問題來了：你打算用它們做些什麼呢？
Maybe even solve the world’s energy crisis?
說不定你能解決全球的能源危機問題呢！
Namo Amitabha Buddha!
南無阿彌陀佛！
April 2015
2015年4月