淨土十疑論=Ten Doubts about Pure Land; 淨土釋疑=eliminating the doubts about Western Pure Land; 淨土解行=teachings and practices of Pure Land Buddhism; 淨土教理=doctrine of Pure Land Buddhism
摘要
淨土法門素稱易行道，偏重信願行實修，而較忽義理探討；緣此易生弊病，如有因不解淨土教理，遂生疑惑而反動搖往生信心者；此事甚屬嚴重，祖師亦多慮及此，故有解疑釋惑之作，《淨土十疑論》便是此中佼佼者。唯祖師之作有時代限制，且文辭立論多簡略，不易為今人所理會；為解此不便，本論乃有重探此等釋疑之舉，冀重組釋疑架構及補足相關義理，期論證脈絡能更加完善，而為有心於淨土行者取資。 本文詮釋入路，首依《淨土十疑論》擬出12則問答，並將其歸類為「解、行、證」三綱；此中「解門」疑義分兩目論述，一是「佛教基本法義之疑」，此由不同修行立場者提出；二是「彌陀淨土教理之疑」，此討論凡夫為何能以雜染心生淨土。有關「行門」疑義分「往生行業之疑」及「念佛往生之疑」兩目論究，此與淨土行者之心態有關。最後「證門」疑義分「當生成就之疑」及「往生不退之疑」兩目探討，此主要與「淨土修行環境」及「眾生本具佛性」有關。至於每則問答之詮釋架構，則依三範疇說明：首探提問者立場，次研釋疑者觀點，最後擬出全面性釋疑內容。 透過如上論析，便可將淨土行者在「解、行、證」三面向之疑難，做充分梳理與補充澄清，望此等論述對淨土行者，能獲得教理之補足增強，由是產生更堅強之信願力，以期持名能得力而往生有望。 Pure Land Buddhism is also called the easy path. It focuses on faith, wish, action, and practice rather than the study of doctrine. Therefore, it is prone to drawbacks since people’s doubt from misunderstanding the doctrine may cause them to waver in their faith of rebirth in the Pure Land. The Patriarch was aware of the seriousness of the situation, and composed treatises to eliminate people’s doubts. “Ten Doubts about Pure Land” is one of the best. However, due to the distant era, the Patriarch’s treatise was written in a very concise way that is hard for modern people to understand. To solve this inconvenience, this commentary eliminates doubts afresh by reframing the structures and complementing the doctrine with the goal of guiding the Pure Land Practitioner. This commentary proposes twelve questions and answers according to the “Ten Doubts about Pure Land”, categorized into three classes, Discernment, Performance, and Assurance. The Discernment class is separated into two orders, one is “Doubt of Buddha's Basic Teaching”, based on views from different practitioners, and the other order is “Doubt of Amitabha Pure Land Doctrine”, which discusses why ordinary beings are able to attain rebirth in Pure Land even with defiled minds. The Performance class is separated into two orders, “Doubt of Practices to Cultivate“ and “Doubt of Mindfulness of the Buddhas and to be Reborn”, which are two doubts related to the mind of Pure Land practitioner. Lastly, the Assurance class is separated into two orders, “Doubt of Achieving the Result in This Life” and “Doubt of Attaining the Stage of Non-retrogression” which are related to “Environment of Pure Land Practice” and “All Sentient Beings Possess the Buddha-Nature”. Each question and answer consists of three parts: the first part explores the inquirer’s point of view, the second part explains and resolves the doubts, and the last part eliminates the doubts through comprehensive contexts. The analysis above can thoroughly straighten and clarify doubts of discernment, performance, and assurance to help the Pure Land Practitioner enhance their understanding of the doctrine. Stronger faith and wish are therefore generated in practitioners, and also the belief that, by reciting the name of Amitabha, rebirth in the Pure Land can be attained.
