若有众生，
闻是说者，
应当发愿，
生彼国土。– 释迦牟尼佛
(佛说阿弥陀经)If there are beings
who hear this,
they should vow
to be born in that [Pure] Land.– Śākyamuni Buddha
(Sūtra [In Which The] Buddha Speaks [Of] Amitā Buddha)
[Amitābha Sūtra]
In Dharma Master Saņghavarman’s (康僧铠) translation of the ‘Sūtra [In Which The] Buddha Speaks [Of] Immeasurable Life’ (佛说无量寿经), Śākyamuni Buddha (释迦牟尼佛) taught the following:
‘Humans in [this] world, within attachments [and] desires, [are] alone born, alone die, alone go [and] alone come. [They] will move to lands [with] destinies of suffering [and] bliss, [by] themselves bearing them, without having replacements. [With] good [and] evil manifesting, [as] misfortunes [and] blessings [at] different places, [and] past [karma] in advance strictly awaiting, [they] will alone enter [these] destinies. [Being] far [away] to other places, [they will] not [be] able [to be] seen. [With] good [and] evil naturally pursuing [their] conduct [to] where born, [that is] dim [and] dusky, [they will be] separated [for a] long time. (‘人在世间，爱欲之中，独生独死，独去独来。当行至趣苦乐之地，身自当之，无有代者。善恶变化，殃福异处，宿豫严待，当独趣入。远到他所，莫能见者。善恶自然追行所生，窈窈冥冥，别离久长。 )
[With] paths [that are] not [the] same, [to] meet [again is] without [a fixed] time. [It is] extremely difficult, extremely difficult, [to] now attain meeting [of] one another. Why not abandon various [worldly] matters, [to] each, when [now] encountering strength [and] health, strive [to] persevere [in] cultivating good, [to] diligently aspire [to be] delivered [from this] world? Able [to] attain extremely long life [in Amitā(bha) Buddha’s (Āmítuófó) Pure Land], how [is it that you are] not seeking [the] path [to reach it]? Where [else to] look forward to, [with] desire [for] what [other] bliss?’ (道路不同，会见无期。甚难甚难，今得相值。何不弃众事，各遇强健时，努力勤修善，精进愿度世。可得极长生，如何不求道。安所须待，欲何乐乎？’)
Although there are many humans, who are reborn every day, along with others who ‘re-die’, all are driven by their continual ‘love’ for worldly life’s merely fleeting pleasures. Each come and go alone, to meet only for a while, only to soon forget one another. According to their various kinds of karma created, to be personally and separately experienced, they are not always reborn as humans – sometimes to lower realms with more suffering, and sometimes to higher realms with more bliss. However, so long as not liberated, each rebirth is impermanent. Even when born far away, be it a high and bright heaven or a deep and dark hell, there is no escape from the workings of karma.
With different rebirths, it is extremely easy to part ways after death for indefinitely time. Even our ‘meeting’ here and now is not easy at all, dependent upon many common karmic conditions. Thus, along with the difficulty of liberation within this life by oneself, why not, while well and energetic, learn to practise the Buddha’s teachings well, with the Aspiration of riding upon Āmítuófó’s vows to guide us with his blessings to reach his Pure Land? This is the easiest path to the best rebirth, for lasting spiritual and physical bliss, where full liberation is assured. With immeasurable life there, it can also be a universal ‘meeting place’ for all loved ones who practise similarly. All will be recollected too!
[得生极乐],
得与如是，
诸上善人，
俱会一处。– 释迦牟尼佛
(佛说阿弥陀经)[To attain birth in the Pure Land Of Ultimate Bliss, is]
to be able to, with all such beings of superior goodness,
[like Āmítuófó and many great Bodhisattvas],
meet together in one place.– Śākyamuni Buddha
(Sūtra [In Which The] Buddha Speaks [Of] Amitā Buddha)
[Amitābha Sūtra]
