These Four Questions will not be Asked!

Great Master Shandao said,

‘We will not be questioned on our sins, our blessings, the length of time in practice or the number of recitations.

In every mindfulness we recite Namo Amitabha Buddha, without any doubts.’

Amitabha Buddha will not ask us about our sins and blessings.

He will not ask us about our sinful karma, the length of time in committing the evils, the quantity of evil deeds.

Neither will he ask us about our good karma, the length of time in our practice, the quantity of our good deeds.

The recitation of Amitabha Buddha is the ‘Dharma on Genuine Mark’.

It is able to destroy all inverted false views.

We will not be questioned on our sins, neither will we be asked about our blessings.

We will not be asked about the length of time in our practice and the number of recitations.

These four questions will not be asked.

So, what should be done?

We should just recite Namo Amitabha Buddha.

Do not talk about sins and blessings.

Do not discuss the length of time in practice, the number of recitations.

’In every mindfulness we recite Namo Amitabha Buddha, without any doubts.’

Every mindfulness means the continual flows of the ten recitations.

It means that we do not become doubtful concerning the time taken in our practice, the number of recitations, sins and blessings. Unsurpassed good faith arises in our mind.

The teaching of the Patriarch is truly profound.

An extract of the teaching on the Commentary of the Shastra of Attaining a Rebirth by Dharma Master Shi Jing Zong

善导大师说“不问罪福时多少，心心念佛莫生疑”，

“不问罪福”，不问罪业时节多少，也不问福业时节多少。

念佛一法是“实相法”，

能破一切颠倒虚妄见，

不问罪，不问福，

不问时节久近，

不问数量多少。

四个“不问”。

怎么做呢？

只念佛。

南无阿弥陀佛

不谈罪福，不谈时节，不谈多少——“心心念佛莫生疑”，“心心念佛”就是十念相续，就是不在时节上、数量上、罪上、福上怀疑，生起无上信心。祖师说话，含量非常大。

——净宗法师

摘自《往生论注讲记》