17) 卑贱持名

The Poor Should Also Recite the Buddha’s Name

Alas! There are people who toil day in and day out, ordered around by others, wretched and miserable. If they do not seek to escape such a life, they will fare worse in future lifetimes.

Do realize that whether you are rich or poor, exalted or humble, young or old, male or female, you should face west early each morning and recite the Buddha’s name with utmost sincerity and without interruption, without letting sundry thoughts intrude upon the utterances. Then dedicate all virtues thus accrued toward rebirth in the Pure Land. You will receive numerous benefits in this life and, upon leaving this world, natura ly achieve rebirth in the Pure Land. Amitabha Buddha is truly a rescue ship for everyone in the ocean of suffering!

呜乎！身为人役苦矣！不求出离，苦之苦矣！当知四字佛名，不论尊卑贵贱、老少男 妇，但能每日清晨，至心西向，十称名号，求生极乐，不间不断，现世自获利益，没 世自得往生，阿弥陀佛真苦海中救命船也。

Commentary

No one in the world is so poor as to lack even body and mind. We should therefore use this body and m ind that we already have to recite the Buddha’s name. There is a story in the sutras about the sage Mahakatyayana rescuing a poor servant by requesting her to “sell” him her poverty by means of Buddha Recitation – and she succeeded in doing so. We should emulate this poor old woman and “sell off” our poverty. Why hang on to it and endure more suffering?

To suffer and be aware that you are suffering, while searching for a way out – this is the path of the sages. To suffer and be unaware of your suffering, and on top of that to mistake that suffering for happiness – no words can do justice to your predicament!