念佛鏡 1.59

1.59

答：「十口佛名，定能除滅多劫等罪。何以得知？舉喻釋者，譬如有人積薪千日，起火焚之，不經半日燒薪總盡。罪業煩惱猶如柴薪，念佛功德猶如猛火，無量劫來罪障由念十口阿彌陀佛功德，一切罪障總皆消滅。又罪障猶如闇室，念佛猶如明燈，千年闇室明燈纔照，其闇悉除。念佛功德亦復如是，無量劫來罪障，由念阿彌陀佛功德，一切罪障悉消滅。故知念佛定能滅除多劫等罪。故《觀經》云：『汝稱佛名故，諸罪消滅，我來迎汝。』

Answer: "Ten utterances of the Buddha's name can certainly eradicate the transgressions of many kalpas. How is this known? To explain with an analogy: it is like someone who accumulates firewood for a thousand days and sets a fire to burn it; without half a day passing, the firewood is completely burned up. Transgressive deeds and defilements are like the firewood, and the merits of buddhānusmṛti are like a fierce fire; transgressive obstacles from immeasurable kalpas are all extinguished by the merit of reciting Amitābha Buddha for ten utterances. Furthermore, transgressive obstacles are like a dark room, and buddhānusmṛti is like a bright lamp; as soon as a bright lamp shines in a dark room of a thousand years, the darkness is entirely removed. The merits of buddhānusmṛti are also like this: transgressive obstacles from immeasurable kalpas are all extinguished by the merit of reciting Amitābha Buddha. Thus one knows that buddhānusmṛti can certainly eradicate the transgressions of many kalpas. Therefore, the Guan jing says: 'Because you have called upon the Buddha's name, all your transgressions are extinguished, and I have come to welcome you.'"