The Bodhi Sweet Dew—IX
阿彌陀佛的前生，法藏比丘成就了殊勝無比的極樂世界，被十方諸佛齊聲稱讚，人人思念持誦佛名。佛的前生是怎樣的人呢？又是怎樣創建極樂世界呢？佛陀在《無量壽經》中做了描述。
那是在無法以時間計算的無量劫之前，出現了一位世自在王佛。當時有一妙喜國，國王叫世饒王。他有深厚的善根，為了能救度一切眾生脫離輪迴的痛苦，便捨棄了王位，出家為僧，法號法藏。
他認為人在世間，苦海無邊，他感受到眾生的苦，是來自內心世界的貪慾所致，而來自外在世界的災難不斷，還有輪迴之苦。他想，如果有一個沒有任何痛苦的世界該有多好！在那裡的人們沒有任何貪慾惡念，外在環境沒有寒暑，永遠是那麼的涼爽舒適、心地清了淨，也沒有輪迴的世界，眾生永遠生活在這樣一個極樂世界該有多好！
於是，法藏比丘來到世自在王佛前，對佛說：尊敬的佛陀，我已經在您面前發願，為了幫助一切眾生遠離苦難的菩提心，請您教導我快速成佛的修持方法，以及如何成就淨土的殊勝功德力。
世自在王佛回答法藏比丘說：「一個人如果有堅定的信念及不懈的努力，哪有完成不了的願望呢？我現在就圓滿你的願望。」於是世自在王佛為法藏比丘展示了無量無邊的淨土，並教導菩薩修持的方法。
法藏比丘於是開始了長遠無量劫的修持，在三大阿僧祇劫中，法藏比丘有時候轉生為出家比丘，有時候轉生為帝王將相，有時候轉生為大富長者…，以種種身份，默默實踐著菩提大願。在不斷積功累德的修持中，他次第圓滿了成佛所需的各種福慧資糧，逐步經過了大乘資糧道、加行道、見道、修道等五道十地的修證階位，最終成就了三身圓滿的佛陀，開創了集眾多淨土優點為一體的西方極樂世界。
在無量劫圓成大願的過程中，阿彌陀佛轉生六道，與眾生結下了深深的緣分。所以西方極樂世界成立至今，就有無量不可計數的眾生往生彼剎土，聲聞菩薩亦難以數計。而現在和將來希望往生到極樂世界的眾生，更是無法計數。
眾生一心念佛，九品往生，投生西方極樂世界。在極樂世界中沒有三惡道苦，與諸大菩薩俱會一處，能夠聽受佛法，而且壽命沒有窮盡，得到與佛無二的智慧。
感恩分享
資料來源：心靈甘露(四)，隆門圓通法師著。英文翻譯：張惠平。
The Bodhi Sweet Dew—IX
Bhiksu Fa Tzang, the pre-existence of Amitabha Buddha, created the magnificent Pure Land and was praised by the Buddhas in the Ten Directions. People are mindful of and recite His name. What was Amitabha Buddha’s previous life like? How did He create the Pure Land? The Buddha (Sakyamuni) made a statement in the Sukhāvatī-vyūhaḥ-sūtra.
Countless kalpas ago, there appeared a Buddha by the name Loke·vara. In those days, there was a nation called Wondrous Joy led by King Loke vara who had the deep root of goodness. In order to rescue sentient beings from the sufferings of reincarnations, he abandoned his kingship and became monastic with the name Fa Tzang.
He thought that people in this world are suffering endlessly. He felt that the pains of living beings result from the greed within, that the disasters from without never end, and that everyone suffers the pain of reincarnations. “How nice would it be if there were a place without pains”, he thought to himself. “People there are not greedy and bear no evil intentions. The exterior environments there are neither cold nor hot, but are always cool and cozy. The people there have pure minds. There are no reincarnations. How wonderful it is for sentient beings to live in such a blissful world!”
Then Bhiksu Fa Tzang came to Loke·vara Buddha and said to him, “Honorable Buddha! I have made a vow in front of you to bring sentient beings out of sufferings. Please teach me how to attain Buddhahood soon and how to achieve the magnificent merits in the Pure Land.”
Loke·vara Buddha replied, “If a person has firm confidence and works hard continuously, he will surely fulfill his wish. Now I’m going to make your wish come true.” Then Loke·vara Buddha showed Bhiksu Fa Tzang the boundless Pure Land and taught him the methods of cultivation.
Thereupon Bhiksu Fa Tzang started a long-term cultivation. During the three Asaṁkhyeyakalpas, he was sometimes reborn to be a monk, sometimes a king, a general or a prime minister, and sometimes a rich elder. With various identities, he quietly fulfilled his great Bodhi vows. After continuous accumulations of merits, he completed the requirements for attaining Buddhahood, passed the confirming phases of the Five Paths and Ten Positions, and eventually became a Buddha that was consummate with three bodies. Thus, the Western Paradise that consisted of various advantages of pure lands was established.
In the process of completing His great vows in the past numerous kalpas, Amitabha Buddha was reincarnated in the Six Paths and formed deep affinities with sentient beings. Therefore, ever since the Pure Land was established, countless sentient beings as well as hearing Bodhisattvas have been reborn there. Besides, those who wish to be reborn there now and in the future are also too many to count.
If sentient beings can be mindful of Amitabha Buddha attentively, they will be eligible to be born to one of the nine positions in the Pure Land where there are no sufferings of the Three Evil Paths. You can get together with the Maha-Bodhisattvas and hear the Buddhist Dharma there. Your lifespan there is unlimited and you can attain the wisdom that is no different from the Buddha’s.
Thank you and let’s share this.
Source: Sweet Dew for the Soul (Vol. IV), Written by Master Shih Longmen Yuantong. Translated by Huei Ping Chang.