【Master Shandao】善導大師

 

In the fifteenth year of the Zhenguan era(貞觀), at the age of twenty-nine, the Master visited Xuanzhong Temple(玄中寺) in Shibi Valley, Xihe,

where he met Zen Master Daochuo(道綽禪師) and received the *Infinite Life Sutra*(《無量壽經》) from him.

Upon seeing the Pure Land Nine Grades of Practice,( 淨土九品道場) he was overjoyed and exclaimed,

 

"This is truly the essential path to Buddhahood! Other practices are circuitous and difficult to achieve, but this Dharma gate swiftly transcends birth and death!"  (唯此法門，速超生死)

 

Therefore, he diligently and assiduously recited the Buddha's name day and night, as if his head were on fire.

 

Whenever he entered his room, he would kneel and chant the Buddha's name until he was completely exhausted.

 

Even in freezing weather, he would chant until his clothes were soaked with sweat.

 

When he went out, he expounded the Pure Land Dharma gate for over thirty years without ever sleeping.

 

He strictly adhered to the precepts, never violating them in the slightest.

 

His mind was devoid of thoughts of fame and fortune, and he never looked at a woman.

 

He was strict with himself but kind and forgiving towards others.

 

He offered all the delicious food to the public, keeping only the coarse fare for himself.

 

The lamp before the Buddha was never extinguished,

 

and he personally washed his robes, alms bowl, and other necessities.

 

He never discussed worldly matters with others, fearing it would interfere with his pure practice.

 

The Master's practice of reciting the Buddha's name was profound, and his achievements were extraordinary.

 

With each recitation of the Buddha's name, a ray of light emanated from his mouth;

 

with ten, a hundred, or a thousand recitations, ten, a hundred, or a thousand rays of light emanated from his mouth, demonstrating an inconceivable state of enlightenment.

 

The emperor, hearing of these extraordinary phenomena, summoned him and presented him with a plaque inscribed "Brightness" at his residence, because light emanated from his mouth during recitation.

 

According to legend, when the Master was preaching at Brightness Temple,

 

Q1  Valley ➀山頂 ➁山谷 ➂山下 

Q2  overjoyed 非常

      ➀開心 ➁生氣 ➂悲傷 

Q3  robe ➀褲子 ➁上衣 ➂袍子 

Q4  a ray of light 一束

  

     ➀花 ➁光 ➂草 

Q5  washed his robes

      ➀晒 ➁洗 ➂燙 

Q6  Brightness Temple

     ➀光明寺 ➁光榮寺 ➂水源寺

貞觀十五年，大師二十九歲，至西河石壁谷玄中寺，見道綽禪師，蒙授《無量壽經》。

 

見淨土九品道場，大喜曰：「此真入佛之津要，修余行業，迂僻難成，唯此法門，速超生死。」

於是勤篤精苦，晝夜禮誦，如救頭燃。

 

每入室長跪唱佛，不到力盡，終不休歇。寒冰天氣念佛，亦要念到汗濕衣襟才止息。

出則演說淨土法門，三十餘年，未嘗睡眠。護持戒品，纖毫不犯。

 

心絕念於名聞利祿，從不舉目而見女人。律己峻嚴，待人慈愛寬恕。

凡美味佳餚都供養大眾，粗糲飯食則留給自己。

 

佛前燈常年不熄，三衣瓶缽，躬自持洗。

從不與人聚談世俗之事，恐怕耽誤淨業。大師念佛功深，成就殊勝。

 

念一聲佛，則有一道光明從其口出；念十百千聲，便有十百千道光明從其口出，自證境界不可思議。

當時皇帝聽到有這樣的異相也召見他，因此在他住的這個地方，皇帝送給他一個匾額，題名為「光明」，因為念佛口出光明。

 

 

 

據傳載，大師在光明寺說法，有人問他老人家：念佛能不能往生極樂世界？善導大師答覆說：只要你念，一定能滿你的願，你肯念，你一定能往生。

 

大師的弟子中，有誦《阿彌陀經》十萬至五十萬遍者，有日課佛名自一萬至十萬者，其間得念佛三昧成就往生淨土者，不可紀述。