Blind and critically ill old woman reborn in the Pure Land
By Dharma Master Jing Ben
I have previously heard a story recounted by a dharma master himself. One day, after a meal, some Buddhist followers met this elderly master, so they asked him, "Master, in all these years you have been a monk, have you ever seen anyone who recites ‘Namo Amituofo’ and is delivered to the Pure Land?" Unexpectedly, the dharma master had in fact seen it personally.
The dharma master said he knew an old lady who was in her 70s and had a fiery temper in her early years. She would hit people, and hurl abuses at them all day long. Therefore, in her later years she was in a pitiful state. Her eyes had gone blind and her body was swollen and bloated due to sickness. She would scream day and night that someone was coming to get her. There was no one in sight, but she would continue to scream into the air. At times she would shove her head down the toilet. It was just absurd and perverse. It is mean to say so, but this is really retribution. Her unwholesome acts of sowing bad relationships with others had brought about the misery in her later years.
When the old dharma master learned of her condition, he wanted to help her. But at that time the master was not practising Amitabha-recitation. He practiced meditation. He felt that meditation would not be able to help the old lady then as she was so seriously ill and in a state of confusion. One just can't expect her to attain enlightenment in seated meditation. So, the dharma master said to the old lady, "Please recite 'Namo Amituofo'! Only Amitabha Buddha can save you now!" The dharma master had heard that reciting 'Namo Amituofo' is very easy and remarkable, that is why he introduced Amitabha-recitation to the old lady.
But the old lady exclaimed, "Oh, master! I can't recite ‘Namo Amituofo’ because it's all dark." Her condition was so serious that she was unable to recite Amitabha's name! But that was not the case. The old lady had a misconception about Amitabha-recitation. She thought that it required some skills and conditions before she could recite. So, the dharma master assured her, "It's alright, don't worry. Just recite 'Namo Amituofo' after me!" Hence, each time the master recited 'Namo Amituofo,’ the old lady would recite once after him.
The recitation of Amitabha's name went on for about half an hour. Suddenly, the old lady smiled and said, "Master, now I can see radiance of light, the darkness is gone, and no one bothers me." Before Amitabha-recitation, the old lady mentioned that she was in darkness and 'many people' were bothering her. However, after reciting Amitabha's name for half an hour the darkness disappeared and the situation improved. Amazingly, shortly after, the old lady said, "The sky is so brilliant, I see the Amitabha Buddha and Bodhisattvas coming to receive me to the Pure Land." With that statement, she smiled and passed away peacefully. The old lady had been ill for so long, suffering in pain, and there seemed no way to relieve her ordeal. But now she was truly liberated, having gained rebirth in the Pure Land.
The dharma master said he truly felt the inconceivable power of Amitabha-recitation after witnessing what had happened. The old lady had severe bad habits and despite karmic obstructions, was able to attain rebirth in the wonderful Land of Bliss joyfully and peacefully through reciting 'Namo Amituofo.’ At the end of life, to achieve a good rebirth is difficult even for a practitioner, let alone a patient like that. But, if an old lady like her can eventually attain a good rebirth and be delivered by Amitabha Buddha to the Pure Land, it can only be attributed to the remarkable power of Amitabha-recitation.
Therefore, the practice of Amitabha-recitation is really easy, as mentioned by Master Shandao. Master Shandao says,"Reciting 'Namo Amituofo' for an entire lifetime, ten times, or even just once, attaining rebirth is easy because of the power of Amitabha’s Vow." Saying that Amitabha-recitation is really easy applies not only to those who are able to cultivate it on their own, it is also easy for afflicted sentient beings like us. The old lady is a very good testimony to this.
Amitabha Buddha says in the Infinite Life Sutra, "If, when I attain Buddhahood, I shall be named the ‘Namo Amituofo’, sentient beings who hear my name will be reborn in my land." The Contemplation of Infinite Life Sutra says, "The light of Amitabha permeates all worlds, always embracing those who recite his name." The power of Amitabha's vow lies in the deliverance of sentient beings through the recitation of his name 'Namo Amituofo.’ Any sentient beings who come in contact with 'Namo Amituofo' will be delivered to the Pure Land. This is a testament of benefitting sentient beings through Amitabha's Name. Let's see, did the old lady recite sutra? No! Did she have self-cultivation of precepts, deep concentrations, and wisdom? No, she did not. She had none of these. She simply recited 'Namo Amituofo' and Amitabha Buddha embraced her with his light, eliminated all her karmic obstructions and delivered her to the Pure Land. Therefore, Amitabha Buddha delivers sentient beings through his name. We just have to recite 'Namo Amituofo' to receive the real benefits of Amitabha's deliverance. It's that simple.
In fact, each Buddha has his own way to deliver sentient beings. Some do so through the cultivation of the six paramitas, some through the elimination of afflictions, others through the contemplation of the Buddha statue or even through the consumption of food and some other methods in order to deliver the multitudes of sentient beings. Although these methods are rather unique and remarkable, the easiest and most remarkable is still Amitabha-recitation. Why? Because, let's say you need a Buddha statue in order for the Buddha to save you, and you will be doomed if you don't have one! For instance, during the chaotic ancient times, monastics were thrown into jail. If a Buddha statue is required, and you don't have one in the jail, there's no hope of salvation. And if the method of salvation is through the consumption of food, for countries that are in famine due to drought, there can't be any deliverance either. Hence, deliverance through Amitabha-recitation is still the most convenient and remarkable method. This is because ‘Namo Amituofo’ can be recited by anyone, anywhere, and it's unconditional deliverance. The moment we open our mouths to recite 'Namo Amituofo', Amitabha's light will illumine and embrace us without forsaking. Just like the old lady who was blind, she couldn't see the Buddha statue, was seriously ill and couldn't eat at all. However, she simply followed and recited after the person who was reciting 'Namo Amituofo' beside her and she was delivered by Amitabha Buddha to the Pure Land. This is the reason why Amitabha-recitation is the most special, most excellent and the most remarkable practice. Simply recite 'Namo Amituofo', no other condition is needed. Even in the worst scenario of not having a Buddha statue or being unable to see the Buddha statue, reciting 'Namo Amituofo' is sufficient to bring forth Amitabha's deliverance. This is the compassion and wisdom of Amitabha's great vow to deliver all sentient beings through the Buddha's name. (End)
Translation of excerpt from Master Jing Ben’s dharma talks
中文原稿 / 净本法师 述
之前有听过一个故事，这是一位法师亲口讲的。因为有一次大家吃完饭，遇到这位年纪比较大的法师，所以莲友们就问他：“师父，您出家这么多年，有没有看过人家念佛往生极乐世界的事情？” 结果没有想到，这位老法师还真的有亲自看过。
他说，他曾经遇过一位大概70多岁的老人家。这位法师对老人家有一些了解。他就说这位老人早年脾气不好，常常跟人家结恶缘：打人骂人，几乎从早骂人骂到晚。所以到了晚年很可怜。当时的老人家眼睛瞎掉了，而且已经病到全身肿胀。现在不管白天晚上都在大喊大叫说有人要来抓她。明明没人，但是她就是对着空气大喊。有时候，她还会把自己的头钻到马桶里面去。就是很奇怪、很颠倒。讲一句不好听的话，真的是报应。早年整天结恶缘，晚年变得这么惨。
这位法师刚好就是跟这位老人家有缘。不过当时他不是念佛的，他是参禅的。他说，他学的参禅这个时候帮不上这位老人家了，因为这位老人家都已经病到稀里糊涂，怎么可能还可以打坐开悟呢？老人家那个时候的状态完全是在错乱当中。所以这位法师就说，“老人家，您就念南无阿弥陀佛吧！现在唯有阿弥陀佛才能救您！”这位法师听过念佛容易殊胜，所以就介绍老人家念佛。
但是，这位老人家就说，“哎呀，师父，现在我的眼前是一片的黑暗，我不会念佛啊”。病情已经严重到念不了佛！不过也不是真的念不了，是老人家误解念佛了。她以为念佛是要有什么功夫、有什么条件的。所以这位法师接着说：“不要紧不要紧，我现在念一句，您就跟着我念一句就好！” 所以就这样念一声南无阿弥陀佛，老人家就跟着念一声。
大概过了半个小时，没有想到老人家就笑笑地说，“师父，现在我看到一片光明，黑暗已经不见了，也没有人打扰我了。” 在念佛之前，这位老人家本来是说眼前一片的黑暗，而且看到“很多人”打扰他。但是现在念佛半个小时以后，黑暗消失，情况好转了。而且过没有多久，这位老人家竟然还说：“现在天空当中是一片的光明，我看到佛菩萨来接我到净土了。” 说完就往生了，就这样安详微笑念佛走了。老人家病到这么久、病到这么痛苦，怎么样都没有办法，这次还是真的解脱了。
这位法师就说，他看到这种情况还真的感受到念佛不可思议，因为老人家之前习气这么重，业障都现前了，最后还能因为念佛，微笑安详地往生到最美好净土。人生的最后要走得好，甚至连修行人都很难做到圆满，更不用说是这样的病人？但是这样的老人家最后还能善终见到阿弥陀佛到净土去，那只能说念佛太殊胜了。
所以，我们这个念佛法门真的像善导大师所讲的是一个容易的法门。善导大师说：“上尽一形，下至十声、一声，以佛愿力，易得往生”。说念佛法门很容易，并不是单单对会修行的人来说很容易，而是对烦恼凡夫都很容易。这位老人家就是一个最好的证明。
阿弥陀佛也说过（《无量寿经》）：“我若成正觉，立名无量寿，众生闻此号，俱来我剎中”，（《观经》）“光明遍照十方世界，念佛众生摄取不舍”。阿弥陀佛的愿力就是以南无阿弥陀佛的名号来度众生。凡是遇到南无阿弥陀佛的众生都可以得度。这就是以名号来利益众生的证明。我们想想看，刚才那位老人家有读经吗？没有！有放生吗？没有？有戒定慧吗？也没有。什么都没有。就是跟着人家念一句“南无阿弥陀佛”，结果阿弥陀佛就放光替他消业障，就来接引她了。所以阿弥陀佛是以名号来度众生的。我们念佛就能得度，就是这么简单。
每一尊佛其实都有自己度众生的方式，有些是以六度万行、有些是以断烦恼、有些是以佛像观想，甚至有些佛还以吃东西等等的方式来度众生。虽然这些方法很特别、很殊胜，但是最简单、最殊胜的还是南无阿弥陀佛。为什么？因为如果说今天，要有佛像才能得度，没有佛像的时候就糟糕了。好像以前历史很乱的时候，常常有出家人被关在监牢里面。那如果要以佛像来度众生，监牢里面没有佛像就不能得度了。那如果以吃饭来度众生，那没有饭吃的国家、发生旱灾的时候也不能得度了。所以说起来，还是以南无阿弥陀佛名号来度众生最方便殊胜。因为佛号谁都可以念，哪里都可以念，就不需要任何的条件。我们一张开嘴巴念南无阿弥陀佛，阿弥陀佛的佛光就对念佛众生摄取不舍。印度人念也摄取不舍，美国人念也摄取不舍。有人残废的，耳朵听不到、眼睛看不到，人家在旁边一念，也是摄取不舍。像刚才那位老人家还是眼睛看不见的，他是不能看到佛像，而且是病重颠倒的，食物也没有办法吃了。但是就这样跟随旁边的人念佛就得度了。这就是念佛法门特别殊胜，就一句南无阿弥陀佛；不用再加任何条件，甚至严重到没有佛像、看不到佛像也好，念佛都能得度。这就是阿弥陀佛大愿大力以佛号度众生的慈悲智慧。（完）
节录自净本法师《往生论注》第19讲
