Essays No. 31 – No. 40
Homage to Those Who Recite the Buddha’s Name
Random Thoughts on Sutra Recitation
Essential Words on Reading the Tripitaka
(by Grand Master Lian Chi)
The Tripitaka expounds nothing other than the practice of Precepts, Concentration, and Wisdom. Yet, those who read the canon often fall into two errors: first, clinging to the wording but missing the meaning; second, grasping the principles intellectually without experiencing them directly.
Such reading merely wastes one's time, serving only to plant a seed of karmic affinity. If one can truly realize and meanwhile also cultivate Precepts, Concentration, and Wisdom, then the entire Tripitaka is actually recited with every moment of mindfulness, in the sense of a state where every thought abides in Precepts, Concentration, and Wisdom.
Furthermore, one comes to recognize that Buddha-name-recitation is also the practice of Precepts, Concentration, and Wisdom. How so? Precepts signify the prevention of wrongdoing; if one recites Amitabha Buddha with single-minded focus, no evil thoughts dare intrude — this constitutes Precepts. Concentration signifies the elimination of mental distraction; if one recites Amitabha Buddha with single-minded focus, the mind does not wander to other objects — this constitutes Concentration. Wisdom signifies clear illumination; if one perceives the sound of the Buddha’s name with distinct clarity, while also realizing that both the reciter and the object of recitation are ultimately ungraspable — this constitutes Wisdom. Thus, reciting the Buddha’s name is enough to embody Precepts, Concentration, and Wisdom, why laboriously read through the Tripitaka word by word? Time passes swiftly; life is impermanent. I wish everyone would set the cultivation of pure mind as their most urgent priority; do not fail to heed my words.
示閱藏要語
《大藏經》所詮者，不過戒定慧而已。然閱藏者二種過失：一者執文字而迷理致；二者識理致而不會心。徒廢光陰，只成緣種耳。若能體達戒定慧熏修，則一大藏經教，所謂念念常住，即念百千萬億卷經者此也。亦復識此戒定慧即是念佛法門。何也？戒乃防非為義，若能一心念佛，諸惡不敢入，即戒也。定乃除散為義，若一心念佛，心不異緣，即定也。慧乃明照為義，若觀佛聲字字分明，亦觀能念所念皆不可得，即慧也。如是念佛，即是戒定慧也，何必隨文逐字閱此《藏經》？光陰迅速，命不堅久。願諸人以淨業而為急務，甚勿以予言為非而弗聽也。
Buddha Mind 