9-1 The Essential Explanation of the Amitabha Sutra with commentary by Dharma Master Chin Kung

Today, we’re looking at the essential explanation of the Amitabha Sutra by Master Ou Yi, with commentary from Dharma Master Ching Kung, aiming to make profound Buddhist wisdom more accessible by getting to the heart of its essence. Master Ou Yi wrote the core text in just nine days, which is incredible, but fully understanding it could take months or more, so we’re focusing on clarity, pulling out key understandings, especially timely given modern concerns about counterfeit Buddhism.The Flower Adornment Sutra states that all sentient beings possess the wisdom and virtuous qualities of a Buddha, but deluded thoughts and attachments obscure this realization, creating obstacles to knowledge and emotional afflictions, like clouds covering the sun.

何為波羅密？What is Pāramitā? 佛言到彼岸。The Buddha said: reaching the other shore. 何為般若波羅密？What is Prajñā Pāramitā? 佛言智慧到彼岸！The Buddha said: wisdom reaching the other shore! 智慧是什麼？誰能定義智慧？What is wisdom? Who can define wisdom? 每個人都能透過文字、語言去描述智慧，但智慧卻從來不被這些文字、語言所侷限。Everyone can describe wisdom through words and language, but wisdom is never confined by these words and language. 佛陀是一門教育，一門關於「智慧」的教育，The Buddha’s teaching is an education, an education about “wisdom.” 所以佛講經說法49年，最後卻說「無所說經」！Thus, the Buddha taught and spoke the Dharma for 49 years, yet in the end, he said, “I have not spoken a single word!” 要我們「得義忘言」。He urged us to “grasp the meaning and forget the words.” 他留下四依給修行者：「依法不依人、依義不依語、依了義不依不了義、依智不依識」。He left four reliances for practitioners: rely on the Dharma, not on the person; rely on the meaning, not on the words; rely on the definitive meaning, not on the provisional meaning; rely on wisdom, not on consciousness. 因為終究：智慧無法給與被給，智慧無法教與被教，唯有自悟自度，在生死輪迴中在各自的主客觀現實中去歷練、焠煉而來。Because ultimately: wisdom cannot be given or received, wisdom cannot be taught or learned; it can only be realized and attained through self-awakening and self-liberation, forged and refined through the trials and experiences in the cycle of birth and death, within each individual’s subjective and objective reality.