信受彌陀救度：一個美國人的歸信歷程
大家好，阿彌陀佛。
Hello, Amituofo!
我叫迪倫·哈孟，今年二十六歲。我想和大家分享我加入凈土宗和信受阿彌陀佛救度的經過。
My name is Dylan Harmon. I wish to share with you my journey to Pure Land Buddhism and to find sincere faith in the deliverance of Amitabha Buddha.
1992年11月29日，我出生於南卡羅萊納州，列剋星敦市。成長在一個叫巴特斯堡里斯維爾的小城。我很幸運，從小就沒有在生活上感到短缺什麼。
I am 26 years old, live in Lake Lure, North Carolina, USA. I was born on November 29, 1992, in Lexington, South Carolina, grew up in a small southern town called Batesburg-Leesville, South Carolina, and had a blessed life. Growing up, I was never needy.
我們家仰從基督教路德會，雖然我小時就被洗禮，受到基督教的影響，但是我對宗教沒有興趣，也沒有人強加給我任何宗教意識。我父母一向給我尋求宗教信仰的自由。
Raised and baptized in a Christian Lutheran family, I was exposed to religion at an early age. Yet, as a child, I wasn』t very interested in religion. It was never forced on me. My parents gave me the freedom to follow my own path and choose my religion in my own time.
在我的心中，我始終相信有一位充滿愛心、仁慈心、偉大的力量。但我不知道該如何稱呼他（或她），我非常渴望找到這種權威，能讓我真正信仰的宗教。直到讀高中，我一直是不信任、不接受宗教的，但是對可能有更高等的力量，以及轉世重生，保持開放的態度。我決定研究各個宗教，直到尋獲深契心靈的教門。首先，我學習了新多神論和巫術，過了一段時間後，我意識到它們不適合我。然後我參與了新時代宗教運動，很快意識到它也不適合我。
In my heart, I always believed in an all-loving, benevolent, and compassionate higher power, but I did not know what to call him or her. I had a strong longing to find this higher power and a religion in which I could genuinely believe. Until high school, I was agnostic, not subscribing to any religion, but remained open-minded on the existence of a higher power, the afterlife, etc. I decided that I would study all religions until I found the right spiritual path for myself. At first, I studied neo-paganism and Wicca. I realized after some time that they were not for me. Then I got involved in the New Age movement and quickly realized that it wasn』t suitable as well.
當我高中畢業時，我已經學習了除佛教之外幾乎所有的宗教。由於某種原因，我一直學習了所有其他的宗教之後才探索佛教。在這個時候，我已經非常灰心。每一種宗教都有我同意的部分，也總有一些我無法完全接受的教義。我還發現了他們許多的缺陷、悖論和矛盾。此外，我研究了許多不同的神靈，但是沒有一個能比得上我想像中無與倫比慈悲的力量。即使我內心有這種渴望，卻始終找不到我所追尋的。
By the time I graduated from high school, I had studied almost every religion, except Buddhism. For some reason, I waited until I learned every other religion before deciding to explore Buddhism. By that time, I was very discouraged because every religion had parts I agreed with, but always something I could not accept. I found many flaws, paradoxes, and contradictions within their doctrines. Also, I researched many different gods and deities, but none could equal the all-compassionate higher power I wanted to believe. I still had that longing inside. I still had not found what I was seeking.
這時候，我才開始學習佛教。我立刻被佛陀的智慧和慈悲所感動和震撼。他的教義非常深刻。我閱讀大乘佛教的經書，很快就迷上了。我相信佛陀說的每一句話。和其他宗教體系相比，佛陀的教義中沒有任何缺陷或矛盾，很合邏輯。我毫無疑問地立即接受了佛教。
Then I started studying Buddhism. I was instantly blown away and touched by the Buddha"s wisdom and compassion. His words spoke to me on a deep level. I began reading about Mahayana Buddhism and was quickly hooked. I believed in every word the Buddha said. Unlike with other belief systems, I did not find any flaws or contradictions within the Buddha"s teachings. They sounded very logical to me. It was instant acceptance, without any doubt.
在學習大乘佛教經典過程中，當我讀到釋迦牟尼佛在《無量壽經》講解阿彌陀佛和凈土時，我立刻毫無疑問地知道阿彌陀佛正是我夢寐以求的一位充滿愛心、仁慈心的偉大力量。凈土宗是我畢生追求的宗教，我全心全意、毫無保留地信受了凈土宗。
When studying the Mahayana sutras, I came across the Infinite Life Sutra and Shakyamuni Buddha"s teachings on Amitabha Buddha and the Pure Land. At once, I knew, without a doubt, that Amitabha Buddha was the all-loving, all-compassionate higher power and Pure Land Buddhism the religion I had sought my whole life. I agreed fully and wholeheartedly with its teachings.
我熱愛極樂世界的美麗形象。阿彌陀佛的救度深深地感動我，雖然第一次閱讀《無量壽經》時我還沒有接受三皈依，但在我內心中，我已經皈依了阿彌陀佛。
I fell in love with the beautiful images of the Pure Land and was touched by Amitabha"s compassionate deliverance. Even though I had not taken refuge in a Buddhist lineage, upon first reading The Infinite Life Sutra, I immediately did so with Amitabha Buddha, in my heart.
之後三年，我研習了凈土宗經書。但是還沒有專修念佛，而是夾雜其他大乘佛教的修行。就在這個時候，我遇到了慧浄法師闡揚的凈土教法，被他講解的凈土經法所感動。我的蓮友師兄凈行鼓勵我，在善導大師的法脈下接受三皈依。
After that, I studied Pure Land Buddhism for about three years. I had not yet decided to practice Amitabha-recitation exclusively and still did recitation mixed with other Mahayana practices. During this time, I came upon the teachings of Master Huijing and was touched deeply by his words. My dear lotus brother Jingxing encouraged me to take refuge in the Shandao lineage of Master Huijing.
2019年2月13日， 在蓮友的協助下，慧凈法師傳授了我三皈依，賜法名凈諦。我也加入了北卡羅萊納州教堂山的善導凈土宗分會。
On February 13, 2019, I did so with the help of lotus fellows. Master Huijing gave me the Dharma name Jingdi. I also joined the North Carolina chapter of the Shandao lineage, in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
自從我受了三皈依和善導傳承的凈土宗、放棄了雜修雜行、專念阿彌陀佛、發願往生極樂世界，我發現在生活上得到許多加持與積極的變化，一天比一天好。
Since I took refuge in the Shandao lineage, abandoned mixed practices, recited Amitabha Buddha"s name exclusively and vowed to be reborn in Sukhavati (Amitabha"s Pure Land), I have noticed so many blessings and positive changes in my life.
表面上看不出來，但是內心的一切都起了變化。和一年以前相比，我不再是同一個人。當我憶念阿彌陀佛的時候，我心裡充滿了喜悅和安寧。這種喜悅是無法形容的，簡直讓我想手舞足蹈。
Every day seems to be brighter and better than the day before. On the surface, everything appears the same, but underneath everything is different. My mind has been transformed and is unrecognizable compared with just a year ago. I feel like a different person. When I think of Amitabha Buddha, my mind becomes joyful and peaceful. The joy is so great and indescribable that I feel like dancing.
縱然我現在還沒有往生，我知道只要依賴佛的願力，我必定會往生西方凈土。只要念阿彌陀佛，每一天像是新生的一天。佛的溫暖和慈悲的光芒，不斷地照攝著我、撫育我、凈化我、激勵我、賜福於我。原來往生只需要依靠佛力，不是自力。這給了我極大的喜悅，更進一步地加深了我對阿彌陀佛的信心。
Even though I have not been born in the Pure Land yet, I know that I am already assured of rebirth there by the Buddha"s power, and I feel like with each new day of Amitabha-recitation that I am made anew and born again in Amitabha"s light. I can feel the warmth of Amitabha"s compassionate light shining down on me, healing me, nurturing me, purifying me, energizing me, blessing me everyday. I no longer need to rely on my own merits and feel the greatest joy as I rely wholeheartedly on the Buddha"s power to attain the great liberation.
這個傳承如此美好，能夠與各位一樣成為其中一員，令我感到非常幸福、自在、感恩。每一位蓮友都對我非常熱情和親切。純粹的凈土宗是我學習佛教以來第一個、也將是此生唯一皈依的宗教。我不用再尋覓渴求，我終於找到了可以一生追求的信仰。
My faith in Amitabha』s deliverance has deepened even more. I feel very blessed to be part of this beautiful tradition with many great people. Everyone has been so kind and welcoming to me. The pristine Pure Land School is the first Buddhist heritage I took refuge in. I am certain it will be my sole choice in this lifetime. The searching and longing feeling is gone. I feel completely at home in this tradition and am grateful to be a part of it.
我決定貢獻我一生，傳播凈土教義，努力為在美國建立純粹凈土宗，盡一份力，就如當年印度佛教徒將佛教傳播到中國一樣，讓那些沒有福報生長在佛教家庭的美國人，得到凈土宗的教義，信受阿彌陀佛的慈悲救度，念佛往生西方極樂世界。
I have made it my purpose in this life to help spread the Pure Land teachings in the West. I hope to help establish Pure Land Buddhism in America, just like it was established in China many years ago when the teachings arrived from India. I want to help make the teachings easily accessible to those who were not blessed to have been born in a Buddhist family. It is my hope that many American-born citizens will receive the Pure Land Dharma, accept Amitabha Buddha』s compassionate deliverance, and attain rebirth in the Land of Ultimate Bliss.
2019年10月25日
October 25, 2019
錄讀：王立欣
作者：迪倫·哈孟
