Entrusting vs. Reasoning
“Sentient beings” are so called because they have sensations, feelings and emotions, which are invariably arbitrary, defiled and self-indulgent. Hence the terms “defiled emotions” and “obsessive emotions.” Passions are the roots of various afflictions. We see that emotional and sentimental people tend to suffer more from the vexations of life. In order to curb vexations, one turns to reasoning. To reason means to think, act and make decisions and choices in a calm and rational way, so as to avoid impulsive behavior.
“Don’t get emotional, be rational” is a universal guiding principle, including for Amitabha-reciters of the Pure Land school. However, this approach to life is at a lower plane than “entrusting”: to dedicate our lives totally to Amitabha Buddha and have complete faith in his deliverance. It is a quest for true life and an awakening. It transcends reason and emotions, yet includes and does not reject rational and passionate expressions. Sentient beings come in different capabilities and aptitudes -- some are more emotional while others more rational.
Schools of the Sacred Path place greater emphasis on being rational. We learn from the Surangama Sutra that if a person “is endowed purely with rational thought, he will soar in the air and be reborn in heaven.” However, “he will descend into the hell domain if his mind is dominated by extremely volatile passions.” The Pure Land path, however, transforms emotions skillfully. In the Contemplation Sutra, we see that Queen Vaidehi was a highly emotional and foolish ordinary being. When tormented by extreme suffering and feeling despondent, she cried out for mercy and yearned for a new life from the core of her being: “I beseech you, World-Honored One, to reveal to me a land without sorrow and affliction. I should seek rebirth there. I do not wish to live in this defiled and evil world of Jambudvipa anymore.”
Entrusting our lives to Amitabha Buddha is largely viewed as a manifestation of emotion. This is because sentient beings are inherently oriented to sentiments. They perceive Amitabha’s deliverance as benevolence and loving-kindness. Even our weariness of the Saha world, our delight in the Pure Land and aspiration for rebirth there can be said to be a form of emotion.
Compared with reason, sentiments are more susceptible to being defiled and clinging. Normally, the anguish experienced by those who are fettered and hurt by love is heart-breaking, much more so than that felt by those who are pained by a conundrum of rational thinking. For most people, the vitality and sensation they feel from passions are much more intense than those experienced from an obsession with reason. As a result, they are much more eager and motivated to be rid of afflictions brought by passions, compared to those who are preoccupied with rationality.
The Pure Land teachings skilfully steer passion-ridden ordinary beings towards purity and serenity. For example, in the Commentary on the Treatise on Rebirth in the Pure Land, Master Tanluan uses the metaphor of “making a fire on ice” to explain that even the most degraded beings who do not know that the intrinsic nature of existence is non-birth would, if they recite the name of Amitabha Buddha and aspire to be reborn in his Pure Land, have the fire of their wrong views spontaneously extinguished, since the Land of Bliss is a realm of non-birth. The deluded views are like a fierce fire which melts the ice; when the ice melts, the fire is extinguished. This is why Pure Land practice is also called the Easy Path.
That said, we Amitabha-reciters should strive to be more rational than emotional, while not losing sight of the paramount importance of entrusting our lives entirely to Amitabha Buddha and his deliverance. In any event, if we recite his name, our minds will naturally become more peaceful and rational as we are being embraced by Amitabha’s light. The result is that our afflictions and troubles will be minimized.
-- Master Jingzong
(English translation by Foying, edited by Fojin)
归命与理性
众生又称“有情”，即有情识、情感、情绪。众生之情总是主观的、染污的、执著的，故说情染、情执。由情生出种种苦恼>。现实所见情绪比较重的人，总比别人多一重烦恼。为对治情绪，故说理性。理性，乃是按事物本来之理，冷静合理思维>、行动、判断抉择等，以减少情绪冲动。
“理性不情绪”是所有人的通则，净土念佛人当然也不例外。但这是次一级层面的，更深层面的是“归命”，即全副生命归投>弥陀救度，这是生命的渴求与觉醒，超越理性、情绪的层面，也包含、不拒绝理性、情绪的表现。因众生根机不等，或重>情绪，或较理性。
圣道法门更重理性，《首楞严经》言：“纯想即飞，纯情即堕。”净土法门巧化情绪，《观经》韦提希夫人即是情绪很重、>不理性之凡夫，为苦恼所逼，无路可走，才从生命之底发出呐喊、渴盼，“唯愿世尊，为我广说无忧恼处，我当往生，不乐
阎浮提浊恶世也。”
归命阿弥陀佛往往表现为情感的成分多，这是因为有情众生本来偏重于情，弥陀慈悲救度在众生边也多体会为慈爱温情，>乃至厌秽欣净、愿生净土也是一种情。
情、理相比，情较染著，粘腻，为情所困、所累、所苦者往往锥心刺骨，其觉受更甚于迷于事理者，于多数人，情之生命>力表现、觉受，以及欲脱情苦之盼望、动力或更甚于迷理者。
净土门善用凡情入于清净，如《论注》冰上燃火喻所明，故是易行道。
话虽如此，在全副生命归投弥陀救度前提下，念佛人亦当注重理性不情绪，这也是佛光照摄心念趣于平静理性之表现，由>此会减少很多不必要之烦恼。
Machine-translation:
Fate and reason.
" empathy that is, empathy, emotion, emotion. All beings are always subjective, stained, obstinate, and. All sorts of afflictions. The reality is that people who are more emotional than others are more upset than others. To be rational, to be rational. Rationally, it is a matter of logic, calm and rational thinking, action, decision-making, and so on, so as to reduce emotional impulses.
"irrational emotion" is the general rule of all, of course, of course. But this is a sub-level, and a deeper dimension is "Life-saving that is to say," life is life that is the thirst and the awakening of life, beyond rational and emotional dimensions, and not to be irrational and emotional. Performance. Because of the creation, or the emotion, or the rationality.
The Holy Spirit is more rational and rational, " first :" " Pure, pure, pure, pure, pure, pure, pure, pure and simple. Not,, no, no,, keen, keen, keen, keen, and. Yan floating is a bad man."
The fate of the Buddha is often shown as an element of emotion. It is because of the emotions and compassion, Amitabha, compassion, compassion and compassion, as well as the warmth and warmth of the people.
In Comparison, it is more painful, sticky, tired, tired, tired and tired of all those who suffer and suffer more than their minds, in the majority, in the life of the people. And the desire, the power, or more than the riddler.
It is an easy way to make good use of the land of pure land, for example, when it comes to light.
Having said that, under the premise of the heavily of life, the Buddhist people also focus on rational and irrational behaviour, and this is also a manifestation of calm and rational behaviour in the light of the Buddha, which will reduce many unnecessary worries.
