阿弥陀佛的救度
The Deliverance of Amitabha Buddha
By Master Jingzong
文／净宗法师
阿弥陀佛救度的概况
Basics of Amitabha Buddha's Deliverance
据《佛说无量寿经》记载：
The Infinite Life Sutra, as Spoken by the Buddha says:
在不可思议久远时间之前，有一国王在世自在王佛座下出家，名法藏菩萨。他智慧高明，慈悲广大，发心救度一切罪苦众生，在自在王佛的指导帮助下，遍观二百一十亿诸佛国土，明了一切诸佛救度众生的本愿，然后一心寂静，经过五劫长远时间的思惟，规划出他自己成佛度生的宏伟蓝图，而发下著名的四十八大愿。四十八愿有以下几个特点：
In the unfathomably distant past, there was a king who took monastic vows under Lokesvararaja Buddha．His name was Bodhisattva Dharmakara．He had lofty, brilliant wisdom and great compassion, and aspired to deliver all iniquitous, suffering beings．With the guidance and support of Lokesvararaja Buddha, Bodhisattva Dharmakara comprehensively observed two hundred and ten kotis of Buddha-lands, and clearly perceived all Buddhas' vows on the deliverance of sentient beings．Then he single-mindedly abided in serenity and contemplated for five kalpas – an extremely long period of time．He designed his grand blueprint for attaining Buddhahood and delivering sentient beings, and undertook the renowned 48 Great Vows．The 48 Vows have the following special characteristics:
一、 誓愿第一。其规模、深度、广度、难度及最后成就功德利益，超过一切诸佛、菩萨的本愿。
1.The Vows are foremost．They surpass all Buddhas' and Bodhisattvas' vows in terms of scale, depth, breadth and level of difficulty．The merits, virtues and benefits needed to achieve the Vows are unparalleled.
二、 国土第一。汲取了一切诸佛净土的精华，为一切诸佛净土当中最极清净庄严、第一无比的净土，是真理本体的完全显现，无为涅槃的境界。
2．The Buddha-land is foremost．The Land of Bliss contains the highlights of all Buddhas' pure lands．It is the most pure and splendid realm, unmatched by the others．It』s the full manifestation of the fundamental body of the truth – a realm of unconditioned nirvana.
三、 光明第一。法藏菩萨成佛时的光明遍照大宇宙当中一切世界，超过诸佛光明，其救度众生的威神功德力量为一切诸佛所不及。
3．The light is foremost．After Bodhisattva Dharmakara attained Buddhahood, his light permeates all worlds in the cosmos, exceeding the lights of all other Buddhas．His might, merits and virtue in delivering sentient beings are unrivaled among Buddhas.
四、 名号第一。法藏菩萨誓愿把他成佛的所有功德纳入其成佛的名号（南无阿弥陀佛）中，其名号功德包含、超越一切诸佛、菩萨、贤圣、天神、经咒、法门功德，而为一切诸佛、菩萨、天神、魔王称扬赞叹，普遍流行于一切世界。
4．The name is foremost．Bodhisattva Dharmakara resolved to incorporate all the merit and virtues of his Buddhahood into his Buddha name – Namo Amitabha Buddha．This name contains and transcends all the merit of all Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, sages, deities, sutras, mantras and Dharma schools．It is praised and acclaimed by all Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, deities and demon kings．It prevails in all worlds.
五、 度生第一。罪业深重、断诸善根、难度难化、为一切诸佛所弃舍的众生，法藏菩萨誓愿通通救度，乃至阿鼻地狱、大小诸狱、火狱、炼狱、寒冰地狱里的众生无一例外，以其成佛时的光明名号，尽十方一切世界、尽未来一切时劫，永无疲厌、永无止息地加以救度。
5．The deliverance is foremost．There are sentient beings who have committed extremely serious karmic offenses and severed all meritorious roots．They are difficult to teach and transform, and are therefore abandoned by all Buddhas．But Bodhisattva Dharmakara vowed to deliver them all, including even those in Avici Hell, other big and small hells, and fiery and freezing hells．He so delivers us with his Buddha name of light, in all worlds and at all times, without weariness and without cessation.
四十八愿当中的第十八愿称为「念佛往生愿」，是四十八大愿的核心、根本，直接关系到我们每一个人的生死解脱、往生成佛，尤为重要。此愿规定：任何众生，不论罪福，只要专一称念法藏菩萨成佛时的名号（南无阿弥陀佛）,愿生其净土，甚或哪怕临命终时才遇到有人向他宣说此名号救度，仓促急迫之下只念了十声、一声佛名，或仅起一念归命之心，也必定救度他到净土。法藏菩萨发誓：假如他达不成此愿，即使能成佛也誓不成佛，继续修行，直到达成此愿。
Among the 48 Vows, the 18th is called the "Vow of Rebirth Through Name-Recitation." It is the core and root of the 48 Vows, and directly concerns our liberation from samsara, rebirth in the Pure Land, and attainment of Buddhahood．It is vitally important．This Vow stipulates: Bodhisattva Dharmakara will deliver all sentient beings who, regardless of their offenses and blessings, exclusively recite the Buddha name of Bodhisattva Dharmakara – Namo Amitabha Buddha – and aspire to be reborn in the Pure Land．The Vow includes those who only at the point of death encounter the teaching of such deliverance through name-recitation and hastily recite the Buddha's name ten times or one time, or even merely generate a single thought of entrusting their lives to Amitabha Buddha．Bodhisattva Dharmakara pledges: If he fails to fulfill this vow, even though he can achieve Buddhahood, he will not do so but continue his practice until the vow is accomplished.
法藏菩萨发此大愿之后，经过不可思议长远大劫时间修行，累积无量功德，于十劫之前成佛，名「南无阿弥陀佛」，国土即「西方极乐世界」，自成佛以来，以其光明名号觉醒、催熟十方世界无量众生，救往极乐净土。十劫以来，从我们这个世界以及十方一切世界往生到阿弥陀佛国的众生无量无边，现在及未来众生往生其国，如众水归海一般，永不停息。
After making his Vows, Bodhisattva Dharmakara practiced for inconceivably long kalpas, accumulated immeasurable virtues, and became a Buddha ten kalpas ago．His name is "Namo Amitabha Buddha," and his land is the "Western Land of Bliss." Since attaining Buddhahood, he has been applying his name of light to waken and ripen the karma of countless sentient beings of the ten directions and deliver them to the Land of Bliss．In the past ten kalpas, countless sentient beings from our world and other worlds of the ten directions were reborn in Amitabha Buddha's Pure Land．Sentient beings of the present and future to be delivered there are like rivers running into the sea without stop.
弥陀佛救度的特点
Characteristics of Amitabha Buddha's Deliverance
一、 主动。法藏菩萨主动发愿、修行成佛来救度我们，不经众生祈求拜托。
1．Pro-active．Without our asking, Bodhisattva Dharmakara took the initiative to make his Vows, practice and attain Buddhahood to deliver us.
二、 平等。阿弥陀佛大慈悲心平等救度一切众生，不分贫富贵贱、善恶贤愚，如日普照，如地均载，如水润长，平等利益万物，而无一切爱憎分别。
2．On an equal basis．Out of great compassion, Amitabha Buddha saves all sentient beings on a basis of equality, irrespective of their being rich or poor, noble or lowly, good or evil, smart or dull．His compassion is like the sun shining universally, the earth bearing its loads evenly, and rainwater nourishing all life．Amitabha benefits all equally, without distinguishing between the loved and the hated.
三、 无条件。任何众生只要称念「南无阿弥陀佛」名号，愿生其净土，决定救度。此外无任何条件限制。
3．Unconditional．Any sentient being, so long as he recites the name "Namo Amitabha Buddha" and aspires to be reborn in the Pure Land, will certainly be delivered by Amitabha Buddha．There is no additional condition or restriction.
阿弥陀佛救度的范围
Scope of Amitabha Buddha's Deliverance
从空间来说，包含我们这个世界以及无尽大宇宙中一切世界所有众生。
From the perspective of space, Amitabha's deliverance embraces all sentient beings of this world and of all worlds in the boundless cosmos.
从时间来说，贯彻未来无量劫，永无止息。
In terms of time, it covers unlimited kalpas in the future.
从众生种类来说，包含人类、诸天神、畜生道、一切动物微细昆虫、饿鬼道众生，及地狱极苦众生。
So far as the types of sentient beings are concerned, Amitabha's deliverance encompasses humans, deities, animals, small insects, hungry ghosts and miserable hell beings.
阿弥陀佛救度的方法及情形
Method and Circumstances of Amitabha Buddha's Deliverance
阿弥陀佛以光明名号度众生。普放无量光明遍照十方世界，又令十方世界一切诸佛称扬赞叹其名号，与一切众生结缘，将名号种子推入众生心中；复以光明催熟众生善根，令众生称念南无阿弥陀佛。当众生称念「南无阿弥陀佛」时，彼佛光明立即找到、照耀保护这个众生，日夜不断；临命终时，彼佛率领极乐世界菩萨大众亲自现身来迎，放光接引，妙香妙乐，令众生欢喜安慰，即随彼佛化生极乐世界七宝池莲花之中，即时莲花开放，身相光明自然与诸大菩萨一样。
Amitabha Buddha rescues sentient beings with his name of light．He emits boundless radiance to all worlds．All Buddhas in the lands of the ten directions acclaim and commend his name．He forms karmic connections with all sentient beings, and plants seeds of his name into their minds．With his light, he facilitates maturation of our virtuous roots and induces us to recite Namo Amitabha Buddha．If someone recites his name, his light immediately finds her, and shines on and protects her night and day, without interruption．When she approaches the point of death, Amitabha leads an assembly of Bodhisattvas of the Land of Bliss to appear before her, and releases a flood of light to welcome and guide her．Exquisite fragrance and music console and delight the person, who then follows the Buddha and is born by transformation within a lotus flower in a seven-jeweled pond of the Pure Land．Immediately the lotus blooms, and her body, appearance and light spontaneously become the same as those of the great Bodhisattvas.
阿弥陀佛救度的利益
Benefits of Amitabha Buddha's Deliverance
利益无量无边，大分二类：
The benefits are innumerable, consisting of two categories:
一、 此世的利益。众生念佛便受佛光照耀保护，现生平安利乐，如业障消除，福慧增长，愈病健康，人事和顺，消灾免难，人生有方向，有安全感、幸福感、满足感，内心平静祥和等等。
1．Benefits for the present lifetime．Sentient beings who recite Namo Amitabha Buddha are embraced and protected by the Buddha's light．They enjoy peace and happiness in the present lifetime．The benefits include elimination of karmic obstacles, growth of meritorious blessings and wisdom, recovery from illness, harmonious relationships with others, avoidance of calamity and misfortune, a life with direction, security, happiness and satisfaction, and inner peace and serenity.
二、 往生的利益。临命终时阿弥陀佛现前来迎，放光加持，身少病苦，心大欢喜，正念分明，乘宝莲华，随从佛后，弹指入极乐世界七宝池中，莲花化生。即时悟明宇宙万有真理，获得无量光明、无量寿命的身心，与真理共存，永脱生死轮回之苦，证入法性涅槃之乐，得大自在、大圆满、大智慧，速疾成佛。以大慈悲哀愍一切罪苦众生，分身十方，无疲厌地救度自己历劫父母兄弟及一切有缘众生共同生彼极乐净土。
2．Benefits of rebirth．At the point of a reciter's death, Amitabha Buddha will appear before him, emitting light to offer empowerment．His body will suffer little from illness, and his heart will greatly rejoice．He'll maintain pure and correct mindfulness, sit on a jeweled lotus flower, follow the Buddha, and in an instant be reborn by transformation inside a lotus in the seven-jeweled pond of the Land of Bliss．He'll promptly realize the truth of all phenomena in the universe, obtain a body and mind of infinite light and infinite life, and co-exist with the truth．He will thus be free from the cycle of rebirth forever, enter the bliss of Dharma-nature and nirvana, enjoy great freedom, great perfection and great wisdom – and rapidly attain Buddhahood．With great compassion, he will pity all sentient beings suffering for negative deeds, generate multiple bodies to present in the worlds of the ten directions, and indefatigably rescue his parents, brothers and sisters of countless past kalpas and all karmically affiliated beings, to be reborn together in the Land of Bliss.