just heard this from a talk by Ven Jing Jie.
阿彌陀佛四十八大願
http://www.budaedu.org/ghosa/L00097/C004/T010V/
Chinese to English:-
"One of the three pillar of Pureland, deep faith simply mean to
abide by the original vow/aspiration, which is to aspire to be born
in Pureland. There's no doubt in this original vow 18th.
When you recite Amitabha's name, you should totally let go of your
ego thinking and totally accord with Amitabha's vow, as if you do
not exist. Yes, you feel as if you do not exist. Even if you are an
ordinary people who had commited many karma in the past or a
diligent bodhisattva who had accumulated many merits, it doesn't
matter, just let go of this self centeredness that created all
these karma or merits. whole heartedly accord with Amitabha's
original vow.
Patriarch Shan Dao uses two standard:- to believe 所信 and to have
total conviction能信(?).
Three believes that we need to believe. First believe that we are a
karmically ordinary person whom are unable to escape samsara by
ourselves. believe that we did not cultivated from zero. This piece
of paper is not blank, it had been scribbled.
Secondly, believe that we had been cycling in samsasra from time
without beginning.
Thirdly, believe that there's no condition for us to escape
samsara. We don't have the ablility to escapre by ourselves. Even
if you stop eating, working and sleeping, practice nianfo,
precepts, meditations etc, 24/7, you will still not be able to
escape samsara. This is not the lack of ability to cultivate but
because we are unable to do any of this practices.
After you have these three believes, you develop three confidences
and confirmation.
Firstly, confirm that Amitabha made the 48 vows in order to deliver
sentient
beings and one can use Buddha's vow power to be reborn in
Pureland.
Secondly, confident of Buddha Amitabha and yourself. You cannot
have any doubt and worries. If you do, it means that you are
rejecting your original vow and hence Amitabha cannot help you. You
cannot say that your karma is too heavy or you do not have enough
merit, as you do not exist in the face of totally in accordance
with Amitabha's vow.
Thirdly, by using Amitabha's vow power, you are sure to be reborn
in Pureland.
For Amitabha to save you, it's as easy as 123. Throw away your ego,
totally rely on Amitabha. "
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