净空法师开示：
问：进入中阴身的亡人，亲友做佛事超度，和四十九天为他念佛，能够超度中阴身往生西方极乐世界，是否也应靠中阴身自己念佛，求生西方极乐世界，才能蒙佛接引？中阴身还会自己念佛求生吗？
Question : When one died and entering the bardo state, their
loved ones and friends performing buddhism liberation for 49 days
of buddha name chanting on behalf. Can all these be helpful in
liberating the dead during bardo state for rebirth to Pureland
Amitabha. Or the dead in such bardo state has to chant buddha name
and vow for Pureland in order to be liberated by Buddha? Would the
dead in bardo state be able to chant Buddha name themselves and vow
for Pureland?
答：中阴身能念佛往生很少，真的很希有，但是确实有。我们这边胡居士的母亲，就是你讲的这个现象，她真的往生了。她一生没有学佛，死了以后才学佛，怎么说？四十九天当中，大家给她天天念佛、诵经回向。她的中阴身没离开，中阴身受到感动，她要听经，发心念佛，求生西方极乐世界。最后那一天，她又附身，告诉大家，阿弥陀佛接引她，她是下品中生。所以人断气之后，四十九天的助念很重要，很重要！这个能往生，说实在话，我们想像当中，还是她过去生中善根深厚，过去生中曾经学过这个法门，这一生当中因为生在富贵家庭里面，疏忽了，临终遇到这个善缘，她得度了。你所问的时候，我们现在有证据，我们有例子，中阴可以往生。但是还是要自己宿世有善根，这一生遇到善缘，这里遇到那么多人帮助，那时念佛堂有三百多人，帮她念佛，四十九天，这是很不容易遇到的法缘。
Answer : Although it is extremely rare for rebirth to Pureland
in the bardo state, it did have such evidence. The mother of a
laybuddhist here, Mr Hu was an example, she truly rebirth to
Pureland during the bardo state within 49 days. She did not
practice Buddhism in her life, only acquired Buddhism after her
death, and how to understand from it? During the 49 days
periods, everyone was chanting Buddha Name, recitation of Sutra on
her behalf. As she did not left off after death and still in the
bardo state, she was touched and grateful. She requested to listen
dharma lecture and embarked on Buddha name meditation for vow to
Pureland Amitabha. In her last day, she resided on a living person
to inform everyone that Amitabha Buddha has appeared to receive her
and stated to them that her grade is low and middle level
attainment. Henceforth, after the last breath of a person,
assisting the death during the 49 days of Buddha name chanting is
important, very important. According to our understanding, she was
having deep rooted in Pureland Buddhism in her past lives, and
because of her wealthy lifestyle, she was not having the
opportunity to contact with Pureland Amitabha method, and only at
her death she met such kind affinity with more than 300 people
assisting in Buddha name recitation. This form of dharma affinity
is not easy to be in meeting with.