《大勢至菩薩念佛圓通章》成為淨土宗經典的詮釋問題 ─ 以印光之詮釋為主=The Issue of the Interpretation of "Mahā-sthāma-prāpta's Perfect Understanding by being Mindful of the Meritorious Virtues of the Buddha" Is Realized as One of Pure Land Sutras: A Study of Yinguang
大勢至菩薩=Mahā-sthāma-prāpta; 念佛圓通章=Perfect Understanding by being Mindful of the Meritorious Virtues of the Buddha; 淨土宗=Pure Land school; 詮釋=Interpretation; 印光=Yinguang
The Mahā-sthāma-prāpta's Perfect Understanding by being Mindful of the Meritorious Virtues of the Buddha is in the chapter five of The Śūramgama Sūtra. In the beginning of twentieth century. Yinguang advocated this chapter to his best, and classified it as one of the most important sutra in the Pure Land School. Because Yinguang had an original idea to the practice of the teaching as well as his being the thirteenth master of Pure Land School, the chapter became one of the most studied literatures to the practitioners. Yinguang emphasized the teaching of "managing the six faculties of eyes, ears, nose, tongue, skin and mind to engender affliction" and "to continual mindfulness without lapse" and used the verbal chanting of the name of Amitābha Buddha to interpret Mahā-sthāma-prāpta's Perfect Understanding by being Mindful of the Meritorious Virtues of the Buddha. This has made the perfect understanding of the Śūramgama Sūtra and the verbal chanting of the name of Amitābha Buddha inter-convertible; in other words, that is to gain true original nature. However, the original meaning of the chapter does not have to be as what Yinguang proposed, but to chant of the name of Amitābha Buddha. Because according to the original meaning of the sutra, perfect understanding is to use six sense organs, six thieves, six consciousness, seven elements entirely. We are not suggesting that Yinguang's teaching is not substantial, but his interpretation is to manifest the unsurpassed principle within oneself. Therefore, this paper starts from teaching people and causing them to understand, and looks through religious aspect to overview the intensity and related issues of Yinguang's interpretation.
