X61n1163_西方直指
卍新續藏第 61 冊 No. 1163 西方直指
No. 1163-A 刊西方直指敘
西方直指淥田一念居士所撰也其意謂為未聞西方者告焉而其書具道事相而不外心性讀者信而解之解而行之則豈惟感西方凈土抑亦顯寂光凈土歟因今表出之於本山藏中命諸剞劂氏以廣其傳蓋竊(余)志永存於不朽云。
元祿辛未秋八月朔旦天臺山沙門大云(亮潤)識于東溪西樂院
No. 1163-B 西方直指序
袁居士撰西方合論為參禪未悟者告而余又撰西方直指為未聞西方者告或曰汝儒流也可宗禪乎余曰余辟禪非宗禪也蓋禪儒各立門戶原無干涉自世教不明人起見刺於是有排禪者有右禪者有合儒禪者有析儒禪者議論紛紛漫無著落致令邪士狂徒乘機冒詐逃匿其中匪惟累儒且累禪矣然則欲為辟禪計者請毋辟其名但攻其病使業禪者知如何始為禪不容以禪病而病禪使業儒者知如是且非禪豈容以禪病而病儒如食谷者不種麥然能識麥故不聞辟麥而終不以麥勝穀食麥者不種穀然能識谷故不聞辟榖而終不以谷勝麥此無他以穀麥較若黑白無所容其辟而實不必于辟也是故孔子稱老而不為老混者以孔子能知老耳韓子闢佛而為佛屈者以韓子不知佛耳今不知其病而攻之但從其門而辟之不惟禪者拒之即儒者亦疑
【現代漢語翻譯】 現代漢語譯本 卍新續藏第 61 冊 No. 1163 西方直指
No. 1163-A 刊西方直指敘
《西方直指》是淥田一念居士所撰寫的。它的意思是為那些沒有聽聞過西方（指西方極樂世界）的人而作。這本書詳細地闡述了事相（指現象、事物），但不離心性（指人的本心本性）。讀者如果相信並理解它，理解后又去實踐它，那麼豈止是感應到西方凈土，也同樣能顯現寂光凈土（指常寂光土，佛的法身所居之凈土）啊！因此現在將它呈現在本山藏中，命令工匠們廣泛地傳播它，大概是想讓（我的）志向永遠存在而不朽吧。
元祿辛未年秋八月初一天臺山沙門大云（亮潤）識于東溪西樂院
No. 1163-B 西方直指序
袁居士撰寫《西方合論》，是為參禪而未開悟的人而作；而我撰寫《西方直指》，是為沒有聽聞過西方的人而作。有人說：『你是個儒生，也可以宗禪嗎？』我說：『我批判禪，不是宗禪。』因為禪和儒各立門戶，原本沒有干涉。自從世俗的教化不明確，人們產生了偏見，於是有了排斥禪的，有推崇禪的，有融合儒禪的，有分析儒禪的，議論紛紛，漫無邊際，沒有著落，導致邪惡之士、狂妄之徒乘機冒充欺詐，藏匿其中，不僅連累了儒家，也連累了禪宗。既然如此，想要為批判禪宗著想的人，請不要批判它的名義，只攻擊它的弊病，使修禪的人知道怎樣才是真正的禪，不要因為禪的弊病而否定禪。使修儒的人知道什麼是禪的弊病，不要因為禪的弊病而否定儒。如同吃穀子的人不種麥子，但能識別麥子，所以不聽說有批判麥子的，最終也不會用麥子來勝過穀子；吃麥子的人不種穀子，但能識別穀子，所以不聽說有批判穀子的，最終也不會用穀子來勝過麥子。這沒有別的，用穀子和麥子來比較，就像黑和白一樣，沒有容許批判的地方，實際上不必去批判。因此孔子稱讚老子，但並不與老子混同，因為孔子能瞭解老子；韓愈批判佛教，反而被佛教折服，因為韓愈不瞭解佛教。現在不瞭解禪的弊病而去攻擊它，只是從它的門庭去批判它，不僅禪宗的人會拒絕，即使儒家的人也會懷疑。
【English Translation】 English version The 61st Volume, Continued Tripitaka in卍, No. 1163, Direct Pointing to the West
No. 1163-A Preface to the Publication of 'Direct Pointing to the West'
'Direct Pointing to the West' was written by Layman Yinian of Lutian. Its intention is to inform those who have not heard of the West (referring to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss). This book elaborates on phenomena (referring to appearances and things) but does not deviate from the nature of the mind (referring to the inherent nature of the mind). If readers believe and understand it, and then practice it, not only will they resonate with the Western Pure Land, but they will also manifest the Pure Land of Eternal Tranquility (referring to the Land of Eternal Tranquility, where the Dharma body of the Buddha resides)! Therefore, I am now presenting it in the collection of this mountain, ordering the craftsmen to widely disseminate it, probably hoping that (my) aspirations will exist forever and be immortal.
Written by the Monk Dayun (Liangrun) of Mount Tiantai at the Xile Temple in Dongxi on the first day of the eighth month of the autumn of the Xinwei year of Genroku.
No. 1163-B Preface to 'Direct Pointing to the West'
Layman Yuan wrote 'Comprehensive Treatise on the West' for those who practice Chan (Zen) but have not attained enlightenment; and I wrote 'Direct Pointing to the West' for those who have not heard of the West. Someone said: 'You are a Confucian scholar, can you also follow Chan?' I said: 'I criticize Chan, I do not follow Chan.' Because Chan and Confucianism each establish their own schools, originally without interference. Since secular teachings are not clear, people develop prejudices, so there are those who reject Chan, those who promote Chan, those who integrate Confucianism and Chan, and those who analyze Confucianism and Chan, with endless and boundless discussions that lead nowhere, causing evil people and madmen to take the opportunity to impersonate and deceive, hiding within, not only implicating Confucianism but also implicating Chan Buddhism. Since this is the case, those who want to criticize Chan should not criticize its name, but only attack its flaws, so that those who practice Chan know what true Chan is, and do not negate Chan because of its flaws. Let those who practice Confucianism know what the flaws of Chan are, and do not negate Confucianism because of the flaws of Chan. It is like those who eat grain do not grow wheat, but can recognize wheat, so they do not hear of criticizing wheat, and ultimately will not use wheat to overcome grain; those who eat wheat do not grow grain, but can recognize grain, so they do not hear of criticizing grain, and ultimately will not use grain to overcome wheat. There is nothing else to it, comparing grain and wheat is like comparing black and white, there is no room for criticism, and in reality, there is no need to criticize. Therefore, Confucius praised Laozi, but did not mix with Laozi, because Confucius could understand Laozi; Han Yu criticized Buddhism, but was instead subdued by Buddhism, because Han Yu did not understand Buddhism. Now, not understanding the flaws of Chan and attacking it, only criticizing it from its school, not only will the people of Chan reject it, but even the people of Confucianism will doubt it.
之矣即辟禪者亦自疑矣故陰疑之不若陽辨之能辨之則禪不礙儒儒不礙禪何煩辟辭或曰方今禪毒大發波及吾儒汝不衛儒直㨶禪巢誠急則治標之奇䇿也但禪門一切皆空凈穢兩忘今子偏執西方豈不乖理余曰眾生錯認祖機正病此見而子猶然執病為藥豈非迷中倍人須知禪者凈土之禪凈土者禪之凈土原無許多分別知見子如不能見月忘指則謂西方為有非西方也謂西方為無非西方也謂西方為亦有亦無為非有非無亦非西方也謂禪即凈土凈土即禪總皆戲論吾于汝何哉雖然他道修行如蟻子上于高山唸佛往生似風帆張于順水先哲言之諄諄奚俟愚嚽。
西方直指目錄上卷凈土因地凈土功果凈土儀式凈土愿文凈土辨疑中卷經論指歸祖師指歸下捲往生證驗往生持戒
No. 1163
西方直指卷之上
淥田 一念居士 編
凈土因地
經云過去久遠劫中有國王名憍尸迦彼時有佛名世自在王如來王聞法舍位出家號法藏比丘于彼佛前發四十八愿有一愿云我作佛時十方眾生至心信樂欲生我國十聲念我名號而不生者我不作佛乃歷劫勤修得成正覺號阿彌陀國號極樂世界從是西方過十萬億佛剎今現在說法觀音勢至二大菩薩為之贊化梵語阿彌陀此云無量以佛光明無量照十方國故以佛壽命及其人民經無量劫故其國黃金為地無陵
【現代漢語翻譯】 現代漢語譯本：如果駁斥禪宗的人也開始自我懷疑，那麼暗地裡的懷疑不如公開辯論。如果能夠辯論清楚，那麼禪宗不妨礙儒學，儒學也不妨礙禪宗，何必多費口舌去駁斥呢？或者有人說，現在禪宗的流毒大肆蔓延，波及到我們儒家，你不保衛儒家，直接去攻擊禪宗的老巢，這實在是緊急情況下治標的奇策啊！但是禪宗講究一切皆空，乾淨和污穢都應忘卻，現在你偏執于西方凈土，豈不是違背了禪宗的道理？我回答說，眾生錯誤地理解了祖師的本意，這正是他們的病根所在，而你還執迷不悟地把病當成藥，豈不是在迷惑中更加迷茫？要知道禪宗的凈土就是凈土的禪宗，本來就沒有那麼多的分別和見解。如果你不能見到月亮就忘記指向月亮的手指，那麼說西方凈土是『有』，就不是真正的『有』；說西方凈土是『無』，就不是真正的『無』；說西方凈土是『亦有亦無』，或者『非有非無』，也都不是真正的西方凈土。說禪就是凈土，凈土就是禪，總而言之都是戲論，與我有什麼關係呢？雖然如此，其他的修行方法，就像螞蟻爬高山一樣艱難，而唸佛往生就像張滿風帆的船在順水中航行一樣順利。先賢們諄諄教誨，哪裡需要我再多說呢？
《西方直指》目錄 上卷：凈土因地，凈土功果，凈土儀式，凈土愿文，凈土辨疑 中卷：經論指歸，祖師指歸 下卷：往生證驗，往生持戒
No. 1163
《西方直指》卷之上
淥田（Lu Tian） 一念居士（Yi Nian Ju Shi） 編
凈土因地
經書中說，過去很久遠的劫數之前，有一位國王名叫憍尸迦（Jiaoshi Jia），當時有一尊佛名叫世自在王如來（Shi Zi Zai Wang Ru Lai）。國王聽聞佛法后，捨棄王位出家，法號法藏比丘（Fa Zang Bi Qiu），在世自在王如來佛前發了四十八大愿，其中有一愿是：『我成佛的時候，十方世界的眾生，如果真心信樂，想要往生到我的國土，只要唸誦我的名號十聲，如果不能往生，我就不成佛。』於是他經歷了漫長的修行，最終成就正覺，佛號阿彌陀（Amituo），國土號極樂世界（Ji Le Shi Jie）。從這裡向西方，經過十萬億個佛剎，就是極樂世界。現在阿彌陀佛正在說法，觀音（Guanyin）和勢至（Shizhi）這兩大菩薩作為他的助手，讚揚和教化眾生。梵語『阿彌陀』，翻譯成漢語就是『無量』的意思。因為阿彌陀佛的光明無量，照耀十方國土，所以阿彌陀佛的壽命以及他國的人民，都經歷無量劫。那個國家的地面都是黃金鋪成的，沒有山陵。
【English Translation】 English version: If those who refute Chan (Zen) also begin to doubt themselves, then secret doubts are not as good as open debates. If one can debate clearly, then Chan does not hinder Confucianism, and Confucianism does not hinder Chan. Why bother to refute with many words? Or someone says, now the poison of Chan is spreading widely, affecting us Confucians. You do not defend Confucianism, but directly attack the Chan's nest. This is indeed a strange strategy to treat the symptoms in an emergency! But Chan emphasizes that everything is empty, and both purity and impurity should be forgotten. Now you are biased towards the Western Pure Land, wouldn't that be contrary to the principles of Chan? I replied, sentient beings mistakenly understand the original intention of the patriarchs, which is precisely their root cause of the disease, and you still stubbornly regard the disease as medicine, wouldn't that be even more confused in the confusion? You must know that the Pure Land of Chan is the Chan of Pure Land, and there are originally not so many distinctions and views. If you cannot forget the finger pointing to the moon when you see the moon, then saying that the Western Pure Land is 'existent' is not truly 'existent'; saying that the Western Pure Land is 'non-existent' is not truly 'non-existent'; saying that the Western Pure Land is 'both existent and non-existent', or 'neither existent nor non-existent', is also not the true Western Pure Land. Saying that Chan is Pure Land, and Pure Land is Chan, are all just playful arguments. What does it have to do with me? Although other methods of practice are as difficult as ants climbing high mountains, reciting the Buddha's name for rebirth is as smooth as a sail full of wind on a smooth river. The wise men of the past have repeatedly taught, why should I say more?
《Direct Pointing to the West》 Table of Contents Upper Volume: Causes of Pure Land, Merits and Fruits of Pure Land, Rituals of Pure Land, Vows of Pure Land, Doubts and Clarifications of Pure Land Middle Volume: Guidance from Sutras and Treatises, Guidance from Patriarchs Lower Volume: Verifications of Rebirth, Precepts for Rebirth
No. 1163
《Direct Pointing to the West》 Volume One
Compiled by Lu Tian (Lutian), a Layman of One Thought (Yi Nian Ju Shi)
Causes of Pure Land
The Sutra says, in the distant past kalpas, there was a king named Jiaoshi Jia (King Jiaoshi Jia). At that time, there was a Buddha named World自在王如來 (World Sovereign King Tathagata). After hearing the Dharma, the king abandoned his throne and became a monk, with the Dharma name Fa Zang Bi Qiu (Dharma Treasury Bhikshu). He made forty-eight great vows before the World Sovereign King Tathagata Buddha, one of which was: 'When I become a Buddha, if sentient beings in the ten directions sincerely believe and desire to be reborn in my country, if they recite my name ten times and are not reborn, I will not become a Buddha.' Therefore, he went through a long period of practice and finally attained perfect enlightenment, with the Buddha name Amituo (Amitabha), and the country name Ji Le Shi Jie (Land of Ultimate Bliss). From here to the west, passing through ten trillion Buddha lands, is the Land of Ultimate Bliss. Now Amitabha Buddha is preaching the Dharma, with Guanyin (Avalokiteshvara) and Shizhi (Mahasthamaprapta) as his assistants, praising and transforming sentient beings. The Sanskrit word 'Amituo' translates to 'immeasurable' in Chinese. Because the light of Amitabha Buddha is immeasurable, illuminating the ten directions, the life of Amitabha Buddha and the people of his country all last for immeasurable kalpas. The ground of that country is paved with gold, without hills.
谷坑坎寶池寶樹種種莊嚴水鳥風林俱宣妙法無晝夜寒暑無地獄餓鬼畜生無有女人衣食宮器隨念而至無有眾苦但受諸樂故名極樂一名安養一名清泰一名凈土。
凈土功果
經云欲生極樂國者當修三福一者孝養父母奉事師長慈心不殺修十善業二者受持三歸具足眾戒不犯威儀三者發菩提心深信因果讀誦大乘勸進行者如此三事名為凈業正因根熟則全持根生則分受又云若有人深信發願念阿彌陀佛者是人現世消災增壽西方七寶池中即生蓮華一孕標其姓名唸佛精專華日敷茂臨終命時佛不捨願力親垂接引是人心不顛倒一剎那頃往蓮胎化生隨其凈業深淺有上中下九品皆得見佛聞法心無退轉證無生忍永不輪迴。
凈土儀式
行者每日清晨服飾已勿茹葷酒即焚香供佛屏除雜念至心專想如對金容如子憶母如遭水火狴牢者之求救合掌向西禮拜畢即念南無阿彌陀佛 南無觀世音菩薩 南無大勢至菩薩 南無一切菩薩聲聞諸上善人各十聲每聲以一氣為度不高不低念畢又念大慈菩薩發願偈一遍云十方三世佛阿彌陀第一九品度眾生威德無窮極我今大皈依懺悔三業罪凡有諸福善至心用迴向愿同唸佛人感應隨時現臨終西方境分明在目前見聞皆精進共生極樂國見佛了生死如佛度一切念畢頂禮而退更有身心稍閑者念彌陀經並往生咒及西方
愿文為主其餘二時三時功課或唸佛千聲萬聲悉隨力量而行每日立定成規不可一日間斷。
凈土愿文(沉蓮池撰)
稽首西方安樂國 接引眾生大導師 我今發願愿往生 惟愿慈悲哀攝受
弟子(某甲眾等)普為四恩三有法界眾生求于諸佛一乘無上菩提道故專心持念阿彌陀佛萬德洪名期生凈土又以業重福輕障深慧淺染心易熾凈德難成今于佛前翹勤五體披瀝一心投誠懺悔我及眾生曠劫至今迷本凈心縱貪嗔癡染穢三業無量無邊所作罪垢無量無邊所結冤業愿悉消滅從於今日立深誓願遠離惡法誓不更造勤修聖道誓不退惰誓成正覺誓度眾生阿彌陀佛以慈悲願力當證知我當哀憫我當加被我願禪觀之中夢寐之際得見阿彌陀佛金色之身得歷阿彌陀佛寶嚴之土得蒙阿彌陀佛甘露灌頂光明照身手摩我頭衣覆我體使我宿障自除善根增長疾空煩惱頓破無明圓覺妙心廓然開悟寂光真境常得現前至於臨欲命終預知時至身無一切病苦厄難心無一切貪戀迷惑諸根悅豫正念分明舍報安詳如入禪定阿彌陀佛與觀音勢至諸聖賢眾放光接引垂手提攜樓閣幢幡異香天樂西方聖境昭示目前令諸眾生見者聞者歡喜感嘆發菩提心我于爾時乘金剛臺隨從佛后如彈指頃生極樂國七寶池內勝蓮華中華開見佛見諸菩薩聞妙法音獲無生忍于須臾間承事諸佛親蒙
【現代漢語翻譯】 現代漢語譯本： 每日的功課，以發願文為主，其餘時間，無論是二時、三時的功課，或者唸佛千聲萬聲，都隨自己的能力而行。每日立下固定的規矩，不可有一天間斷。
凈土愿文（沉蓮池撰）
稽首西方安樂國，接引眾生大導師，我今發願愿往生，惟愿慈悲哀攝受。
弟子（某甲眾等）爲了四重恩情、三界眾生、以及法界一切眾生，求證諸佛所證的一乘無上菩提道，所以專心持念阿彌陀佛（Amitabha Buddha）萬德洪名，期望往生凈土。又因為我業障深重、福報輕微、障礙深厚、智慧淺薄，染污的心容易熾盛，清凈的功德難以成就，現在於佛前，虔誠地以五體投地之禮，披瀝一心，至誠懺悔。我和眾生從曠劫以來，迷惑于本有的清凈心，放縱貪嗔癡，染污身口意三業，造作了無量無邊的罪惡，結下了無量無邊的冤業。愿這些罪業都能夠消除。從今天開始，立下深重的誓願：遠離一切惡法，誓不再造；勤奮修習聖道，誓不退轉；誓要成就正覺，誓要度化眾生。阿彌陀佛以慈悲的願力，當會證知我，當會哀憐我，當會加持我。愿我在禪觀之中、夢寐之際，得見阿彌陀佛金色之身，得見阿彌陀佛寶嚴的國土，得蒙阿彌陀佛甘露灌頂，光明照身，手摩我頭，衣覆我體，使我宿世的業障自然消除，善根增長，迅速空掉煩惱，頓破無明，圓滿覺悟的妙心廓然開悟，寂光真境常常得於現前。直到臨命終時，預知時至，身體沒有一切病苦厄難，心中沒有一切貪戀迷惑，諸根悅豫，正念分明，舍報安詳，如入禪定。阿彌陀佛與觀音（Avalokiteśvara）勢至（Mahāsthāmaprāpta）諸聖賢眾，放光接引，垂手提攜，樓閣幢幡，異香天樂，西方聖境，昭示目前，令諸眾生見者聞者，歡喜感嘆，發菩提心。我于爾時，乘金剛臺，隨從佛后，如彈指頃，生極樂國七寶池內，勝蓮華中，華開見佛，見諸菩薩，聞妙法音，獲無生忍，于須臾間，承事諸佛，親蒙……
【English Translation】 English version: The daily practice should be mainly based on the Vow Text, and for the rest of the time, whether it is the practice of two periods, three periods, or reciting the Buddha's name thousands or tens of thousands of times, do it according to your ability. Establish a fixed routine every day, and do not interrupt it for a single day.
Pure Land Vow Text (Composed by Shen Lianchi)
I bow my head to the Western Land of Bliss, the great guide who receives all beings. I now make a vow to be reborn there, and I only hope that you will accept me with compassion.
Disciple (so-and-so, etc.), for the sake of the four kinds of kindness, the beings in the three realms, and all beings in the Dharma realm, seeks the One Vehicle Supreme Bodhi Path attained by all Buddhas. Therefore, I wholeheartedly recite the Great Name of Amitabha Buddha (Amitabha Buddha) with ten thousand virtues, hoping to be reborn in the Pure Land. Furthermore, because my karmic obstacles are heavy, my blessings are light, my hindrances are deep, and my wisdom is shallow, my defiled mind is easily ignited, and pure virtues are difficult to achieve. Now, before the Buddha, I prostrate myself with the five limbs, expressing my wholehearted sincerity, and sincerely repent. I and all beings, from beginningless kalpas until now, have been deluded by our inherent pure mind, indulging in greed, anger, and ignorance, defiling the three karmas of body, speech, and mind, creating limitless and boundless sins, and forming limitless and boundless karmic debts. I vow that all these sins may be eliminated. From today onwards, I make a deep vow: to stay away from all evil dharmas, vowing never to create them again; to diligently cultivate the holy path, vowing not to retreat; vowing to attain perfect enlightenment, vowing to liberate all beings. Amitabha Buddha, with the power of compassionate vows, will surely know me, will surely have compassion on me, and will surely bless me. May I, in meditation and in dreams, see the golden body of Amitabha Buddha, see the land adorned with treasures of Amitabha Buddha, receive the nectar empowerment of Amitabha Buddha, with light shining on my body, hands touching my head, and clothes covering my body, so that my past karmic obstacles will naturally be eliminated, my good roots will grow, my afflictions will be quickly emptied, my ignorance will be instantly broken, and the wonderful mind of perfect enlightenment will be clearly awakened, and the true realm of serene light will always appear before me. Until the time of approaching the end of life, knowing in advance when it will come, my body will be free from all sickness and suffering, my mind will be free from all greed and delusion, my senses will be joyful, my right mindfulness will be clear, and I will relinquish my body peacefully, as if entering samadhi. Amitabha Buddha, together with Avalokiteśvara (Avalokiteśvara), Mahāsthāmaprāpta (Mahāsthāmaprāpta), and all the noble sages, will emit light to receive me, extend their hands to lift me up, with pavilions, banners, exotic fragrances, and heavenly music, the sacred realm of the West will be revealed before my eyes, causing all beings who see and hear it to rejoice, admire, and generate the Bodhi mind. At that time, I will ride on a diamond platform, following behind the Buddha, and in an instant, be born in the Land of Ultimate Bliss, within the seven-jeweled pond, in a magnificent lotus flower. When the flower opens, I will see the Buddha, see all the Bodhisattvas, hear the wonderful Dharma sound, attain the non-birth forbearance, and in an instant, serve all the Buddhas, personally receiving...
授記得授記已三身四智五眼六通無量百千陀羅尼門一切功德皆悉成就然後不違安養回入娑婆分身無數遍十方剎以不可思議自在神力種種方便度脫眾生咸令離染還得凈心同生西方入不退地如是大愿世界無盡眾生無盡業及煩惱一切無盡我願無盡愿今禮佛發願修持功德回施有情四恩總報三有齊資法界眾生同圓種智。
凈土辨疑
歸元直指選
宗本問弟子欲脫生死不知依何法修。
禪師讚歎曰年紀幼而發心高聽吾所說徑路修行但念阿彌陀佛。
宗本曰凡夫罪業甚多雲何一世唸佛便得往生凈土。
答十六觀經云至心念南無阿彌陀佛一聲滅八十億劫生死重罪有人平生造五逆十惡臨終十念阿彌陀佛尚得往生況一世齊戒唸佛乎。
問阿彌陀佛何故有如是廣大功德廣大行愿。
答大阿彌陀經云我至成佛時名聲超十方人天欣得聞俱來生我剎地獄鬼畜生亦生我剎中是則凡在三界六道輪迴之內者無所不度可知矣阿彌陀佛現在西方極樂世界又在十方世界教化無數天人以至蜎飛蠕動之類(蜎飛者謂微細飛蟲也蠕動者謂微細蛆蟲也)若此者佛尚化度況於人乎阿彌陀佛又有愿云若稱我名必生我國若不爾者誓不作佛是以廣度眾生無有窮極而人一念皈依遂生其國由此推之念佛功德實不可思議也又云若有眾
【現代漢語翻譯】 現代漢語譯本：
授記之後，將獲得法、報、應三身，大圓鏡智、妙觀察智、平等性智、成所作智四智，天眼、肉眼、慧眼、法眼、佛眼五眼，以及六神通和無量百千陀羅尼門。一切功德都將圓滿成就。然後不違背在安養（An'yang，極樂世界）的誓願，回入娑婆世界（Suōpó Shìjiè，指我們所處的世界），分身無數，遍佈十方剎土，以不可思議的自在神力，用種種方便法門度脫眾生，使他們都能夠脫離染污，獲得清凈心，一同往生西方極樂世界，進入不退轉的境界。像這樣的大愿，世界沒有窮盡，眾生沒有窮盡，業和煩惱也沒有窮盡，我的願力也沒有窮盡。現在禮佛發願，修持功德，迴向施與一切有情眾生，總報答父母恩、眾生恩、國家恩、三寶恩四重恩情，使三界眾生都能得到資助，法界眾生一同圓滿佛的智慧。
凈土辨疑
歸元直指選
宗本問：弟子想要脫離生死輪迴，不知道應該依靠什麼法門修行？
禪師讚歎說：年紀輕輕就發出如此高遠的志向！聽我說一條捷徑修行的方法，只要唸誦阿彌陀佛（Āmítuó Fó）的名號。
宗本說：凡夫罪業深重，為什麼一生唸佛就能往生凈土？
答： 《十六觀經》中說，至心念誦『南無阿彌陀佛（Nāmó Āmítuó Fó）』一聲，就能滅除八十億劫的生死重罪。有人平生造作五逆十惡的罪業，臨終時念誦十聲阿彌陀佛，尚且能夠往生，更何況一生持齋戒唸佛的人呢？
問：阿彌陀佛為什麼有如此廣大的功德和廣大的行愿？
答：《大阿彌陀經》中說，『我成佛時，名聲超過十方世界，人天都歡喜聽聞，一起來生到我的剎土。地獄、餓鬼、畜生道的眾生，也能生到我的剎土中。』這樣看來，凡是在三界六道輪迴之內的眾生，沒有不能被度化的。阿彌陀佛現在西方極樂世界，又在十方世界教化無數天人和乃至蜎飛蠕動之類（蜎飛者，指微細的飛蟲；蠕動者，指微細的蛆蟲）。像這樣，佛尚且要化度，更何況是人呢？阿彌陀佛又有願力說：『如果稱念我的名號，必定往生我的國土，如果不是這樣，我就誓不成佛。』因此廣泛地度化眾生，沒有窮盡。而人一旦念皈依，就往生到他的國土。由此推斷，唸佛的功德實在不可思議。』又說，『如果有人眾』
【English Translation】 English version:
After receiving the prediction, one will attain the Trikaya (three bodies of Buddha: Dharma Body, Reward Body, and Manifestation Body), the Four Wisdoms (Great Perfect Mirror Wisdom, Wonderful Observing Wisdom, Equality Wisdom, and Accomplishing Wisdom), the Five Eyes (Physical Eye, Divine Eye, Wisdom Eye, Dharma Eye, and Buddha Eye), the Six Supernatural Powers, and countless hundreds of thousands of Dharani gates. All merits will be perfectly accomplished. Then, without violating the vow made in An'yang (the Land of Ultimate Bliss), one will return to the Saha World (Suōpó Shìjiè, the world we live in), manifesting countless bodies, pervading the ten directions, using inconceivable, self-existing divine power, and various skillful means to deliver sentient beings, enabling them to be free from defilement, attain pure minds, and be reborn together in the Western Pure Land, entering the state of non-retrogression. Such a great vow, the world is endless, sentient beings are endless, karma and afflictions are endless, and my vows are also endless. Now, I prostrate to the Buddha, make vows, cultivate merits, and dedicate them to all sentient beings, repaying the four kinds of kindness in general: the kindness of parents, the kindness of sentient beings, the kindness of the country, and the kindness of the Three Jewels, so that all beings in the three realms can be assisted, and all beings in the Dharma realm can together perfect the wisdom of the Buddha.
Doubts about the Pure Land
Selected from 'Direct Pointing to Returning to the Source'
Zongben asked: 'Disciple wishes to escape the cycle of birth and death, but does not know which Dharma to rely on for cultivation.'
The Chan Master praised: 'At a young age, you have developed such a lofty aspiration! Listen to me, there is a shortcut to cultivation: simply recite the name of Amitabha Buddha (Āmítuó Fó).'
Zongben said: 'Ordinary people have many sins. How can one be reborn in the Pure Land by reciting the Buddha's name for only one lifetime?'
Answer: 'The Sixteen Contemplations Sutra says that sincerely reciting 'Namo Amitabha Buddha (Nāmó Āmítuó Fó)' once can eradicate the heavy sins of eighty billion kalpas of birth and death. If someone commits the five rebellious acts and ten evil deeds throughout their life, they can still be reborn if they recite Amitabha Buddha ten times at the time of death, let alone those who observe precepts and recite the Buddha's name throughout their lives?'
Question: 'Why does Amitabha Buddha have such vast merits and vast vows?'
Answer: 'The Larger Sutra of Immeasurable Life says, 'When I attain Buddhahood, my name will surpass the ten directions, and humans and devas will rejoice to hear it and come to be born in my land. Beings in hell, hungry ghosts, and animals will also be born in my land.' Thus, it can be seen that all beings within the cycle of the three realms and six paths can be delivered. Amitabha Buddha is now in the Western Pure Land and is also teaching countless devas and humans in the ten directions, even including tiny flying and wriggling creatures (蜎飛者, refers to tiny flying insects; 蠕動者, refers to tiny maggots). If the Buddha still transforms and delivers such beings, how much more so humans? Amitabha Buddha also has a vow that says, 'If you recite my name, you will surely be born in my land. If not, I vow not to attain Buddhahood.' Therefore, he extensively delivers sentient beings without end. And once a person takes refuge, they are born in his land. From this, it can be inferred that the merit of reciting the Buddha's name is truly inconceivable.' It also says, 'If there are beings'
生欲生我國上品者須用慈心不殺愛護含靈具諸戒行讀誦大乘解第一義諦理深明供養三寶孝敬雙親悲憐貧苦教化有情若能如是念佛者決定上品上生直至成佛其或力量未充且自堅持齊戒一心念佛若能唸佛無間亦不在下品生矣況此法門不揀賢愚不擇貴賤不在貧富不分男女不問老幼不拘僧俗不論久近皆可以唸佛唸佛軌則亦不拘或高聲念低聲念流水念頂禮念參究念觀想念攝心念輪珠念行道念住立念靜坐念側臥念默唸明念千念萬念皆同一念唯要決定信心求生凈土果能如是行持何用別尋知識可謂行船盡在把梢人達者同登安養國。
問世間之人多說家緣縈絆世務纏身且待老來然後唸佛。
答曰苦哉苦哉豈不見死心禪師云世間之人財寶如山妻妾滿室日夜歡樂他豈不要長生在世爭奈前程有限暗裡相催符到便行不容遲滯閻羅老子不順人情無常鬼王有何面目且據諸人眼裡親見耳里親聞前街後巷親戚眷屬朋友兄弟強壯後生死卻多少豈不聞古人云莫待老來方學道孤墳儘是少年人又曰自從早年索妻養子經營家計受盡千辛萬苦忽然三寸氣斷未免一旦皆休若是孝順兒孫齊得幾僧看得部經燒得陌紙春三秋九做得碗飯哭得樹聲猶是記憶爹孃的若是不肖之子父母方死骨頭未冷作撻財產出賣田園恣意作樂以此較之著甚麼急兒孫自有兒孫福莫與兒孫作馬
【現代漢語翻譯】 現代漢語譯本：若有人希望往生我國的上品，必須具備慈悲心，不殺生，愛護一切有情眾生，持守各種戒律，讀誦大乘經典，理解第一義諦的深刻道理，虔誠供養佛法僧三寶，孝敬父母雙親，憐憫貧困之人，教化有情眾生。如果能夠這樣唸佛，必定能上品上生，直至成就佛果。如果力量不足，也要堅持齋戒，一心念佛。如果能不間斷地念佛，也不會墮入下品往生。何況這個法門不分賢愚，不擇貴賤，不論貧富，不分男女，不問老幼，不拘僧俗，不論時間長短，都可以唸佛。唸佛的規則也不拘泥，可以高聲念，低聲念，流水念，頂禮念，參究念，觀想念，攝心念，輪珠念，行走時念，站立時念，**時念，側臥時念，默唸，明念，念一千聲，念一萬聲，都和唸一聲一樣，最重要的是要有堅定的信心，求生凈土。如果能夠這樣修行，何必另外尋找善知識？真可謂行船全靠掌舵人，覺悟者一同登上安樂的凈土。
有人問：世間之人大多說家事纏身，俗務繁忙，要等到年老時才唸佛。
回答說：可悲啊，可悲啊！難道沒聽過死心禪師說：『世間之人，財寶堆積如山，妻妾成群，日夜享樂，他們難道不想長生在世嗎？無奈生命有限，暗中催促，符到就要走，不容遲疑。閻羅王不講人情，無常鬼王有什麼面子可講？』且看諸位親眼所見，親耳所聞，前街後巷，親戚眷屬，朋友兄弟，強壯的年輕人死去的有多少？難道沒聽過古人說：『不要等到年老才學道，孤墳里埋葬的都是年輕人。』又說：『自從早年娶妻生子，經營家業，受盡千辛萬苦，忽然三寸氣斷，未免一旦皆休。』如果是孝順的兒孫，能請幾個和尚唸經，燒幾陌紙錢，在春三秋九做幾碗飯，哭幾聲，還算記得爹孃的恩情。如果是不孝的子孫，父母剛死，屍骨未寒，就開始爭奪財產，出賣田園，恣意作樂。以此比較，著什麼急呢？兒孫自有兒孫福，莫要為兒孫做牛馬！
【English Translation】 English version: Those who desire to be reborn in the highest rank of My Land must possess a compassionate heart, refrain from killing, cherish all sentient beings, uphold all precepts, recite the Mahayana scriptures, deeply understand the profound truth of the First Principle (first and ultimate truth), sincerely make offerings to the Three Jewels (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha), be filial to parents, have compassion for the poor, and teach sentient beings. If one can practice mindfulness of the Buddha in this way, one will surely be reborn in the highest rank and ultimately attain Buddhahood. If one's strength is insufficient, one should still adhere to abstinence and wholeheartedly recite the Buddha's name. If one can recite the Buddha's name without interruption, one will not be reborn in the lower ranks. Moreover, this Dharma gate does not discriminate between the wise and the foolish, the noble and the lowly, the rich and the poor, male and female, young and old, monastic and lay, long or short periods of time; all can recite the Buddha's name. The rules for reciting the Buddha's name are also not rigid; one can recite loudly, softly, continuously like flowing water, while prostrating, while investigating, while visualizing, while focusing the mind, while using prayer beads, while walking, while standing, while **, while lying on one's side, silently, clearly, reciting a thousand times, reciting ten thousand times—all are the same as reciting once. The most important thing is to have firm faith and seek rebirth in the Pure Land. If one can practice in this way, why seek other spiritual teachers? It can be said that sailing a boat depends entirely on the helmsman, and the enlightened together ascend to the Land of Bliss (Sukhavati).
Someone asks: Most people in the world say that they are entangled in family affairs and burdened by worldly matters, and they will wait until old age to recite the Buddha's name.
The answer is: Alas, alas! Have you not heard what Zen Master Sixin (Died-Heart Zen Master) said: 'People in the world have wealth piled up like mountains, wives and concubines filling their rooms, enjoying themselves day and night. Do they not want to live forever in this world? But their lifespan is limited, and they are secretly urged on. When the summons arrives, they must go, allowing no delay. Yama (King of the Underworld) does not accommodate human feelings, and what face does the impermanent ghost king have to show?' Look at what you have seen with your own eyes and heard with your own ears—how many strong young people in the front and back streets, relatives, friends, and brothers have died? Have you not heard the ancients say: 'Do not wait until old age to learn the Way; the lonely graves are all of young people.' It is also said: 'Since early years, marrying wives, raising children, and managing the family business, enduring all kinds of hardships, suddenly when the three inches of breath are cut off, everything will come to an end. 'If they are filial children and grandchildren, they can hire a few monks to recite scriptures, burn some paper money, make a few bowls of rice in spring, summer, autumn and winter, and cry a few times, still remembering the kindness of their parents. If they are unfilial descendants, as soon as their parents die, before their bones are cold, they begin to fight over property, sell fields and gardens, and indulge in pleasure. Comparing it this way, what is the hurry? Children and grandchildren have their own blessings; do not be horses for children and grandchildren!'
牛復引古德云冷笑富家翁營生忙似箭囤圓米生蟲庫中錢爛貫日裡把稈稱夜裡點燈算形骸如傀儡莫教繩索斷死心如此苦口勸人曾許你且做世間事待老來念佛乎當思人生在世能有幾時石火電光眨眼便過趁此未老未病之前抖擻身心撥棄塵事得一日光景念一日佛名得一時工夫修一時凈業由他臨命終時好死惡死我之盤纏預辨了也我之前程穩穩當當了也若不如此後悔何追思之思之。
天臺智者十疑論
凈土指歸選
世或以唸佛往生為難乎使愚夫愚婦執持聖號諦信而不疑無不得生者或以為易乎非夫宿植深厚洞達玄旨不滯于偏小者莫窺其閫奧大本經說疑心修善不了佛智生彼胎宮壽五百歲不見三寶而上品生因實枉乎解第一義故知明宗得旨乃萬行之前導修凈業者其可緩哉。
十六妙觀
觀無量壽佛經云如來今者教韋提希及未來世一切眾生觀于西方極樂世界以佛力故當得見彼清凈國土如執明鏡自見面像見彼國土極妙樂事心歡喜故應時即得無生法忍。
一心三觀
四明尊者云三觀者一念即空即假即中也所謂空者一切皆空三觀悉彰蕩相之用也假者一切皆假三觀悉明立法之功也中者一切皆中三觀悉是絕待之體也是則終日蕩相而諸法皆成終日立法而纖塵必盡終日絕待而二諦熾然此不可思議之妙觀也。
【現代漢語翻譯】 現代漢語譯本： 牛復引用古德的話說，那些富家翁整天冷笑著，營生忙得像箭一樣。他們囤積的圓米生了蟲，倉庫里的錢都爛成了串。白天忙著把稻稈稱重，夜裡點著燈算賬。他們的形骸就像傀儡一樣，千萬不要讓牽線的繩索斷了。要像這樣苦口婆心地勸人，曾經答應過別人先做世間事，等老了再念佛嗎？應當想想人生在世能有幾時？就像石火電光一樣，眨眼就過去了。趁著現在還沒老沒病的時候，抖擻精神，拋棄塵世俗事，得一日光景就念一日佛名，得一時工夫就修一時凈業。任他臨命終時是好死還是惡死，我的盤纏已經預先準備好了，我的前程也穩穩當當了。如果不是這樣，後悔也來不及了，要好好想想啊。
出自天臺智者大師的《十疑論》
選自《凈土指歸》
世人或許認爲念佛往生很難，但即使是愚夫愚婦，只要執持聖號，真誠相信而不懷疑，沒有不能往生的。或許又有人認為很容易，但如果不是宿世就種下深厚的善根，洞達玄妙的旨意，不執著于偏頗狹小的見解，就無法窺探其中的奧妙。《大本經》說，心懷疑惑地修善，不能了達佛的智慧，就會生在邊地胎宮，壽命五百歲，見不到三寶，這樣上品往生的因就白白浪費了，因為沒有理解第一義諦。所以說，明白宗門的道理，領會其中的旨意，是所有修行的先導。修凈土法門的人，怎麼可以懈怠呢？
出自《十六妙觀》
《觀無量壽佛經》說，如來現在教導韋提希夫人以及未來世的一切眾生，觀想西方極樂世界。因為佛的加持力，應當能夠見到那清凈的國土，就像拿著明亮的鏡子，能夠看到自己的面容一樣。見到那國土極其美妙快樂的事情，心中歡喜的緣故，應時就能得到無生法忍（anutpattika-dharma-ksanti）。
出自《一心三觀》
四明尊者說，三觀就是一念之間即是空、即是假、即是中。所謂空，就是一切皆空，三觀都彰顯蕩除一切相的作用；所謂假，就是一切皆假，三觀都闡明建立一切法的功用；所謂中，就是一切皆中，三觀都是絕對待的本體。這樣就是終日蕩除一切相，而諸法都能成就；終日建立一切法，而細微的塵埃也必定消盡；終日處於絕待之中，而二諦（satya-dvaya）光明熾盛。這就是不可思議的妙觀。
【English Translation】 English version: Niu Fu quoted an ancient virtuous person as saying, 'Those wealthy people smile coldly all day long, their business is as busy as an arrow. The round rice they hoard grows worms, and the money in their warehouses rots into strings. During the day, they are busy weighing rice stalks, and at night they light lamps to calculate accounts. Their bodies are like puppets, and the strings that control them must not be broken. One must earnestly advise people like this: Have you ever promised others to do worldly affairs first and then recite the Buddha's name when you are old? You should think about how long life is in this world. It is like a spark of flint, passing in the blink of an eye. While you are not yet old or sick, rouse your spirit, abandon worldly affairs, and use one day to recite the Buddha's name for one day, and use one moment to cultivate pure karma for one moment. Let it be a good death or a bad death at the time of your death, my travel expenses have been prepared in advance, and my future is secure. If it is not like this, it will be too late to regret, think about it carefully.'
From the 'Ten Doubts about Pure Land' by Tiantai Zhiyi (Tiantai Master Zhiyi)
Selected from 'Direct Guidance to Pure Land (Jingtu Zhi Gui)'
The world may think that rebirth in the Pure Land through reciting the Buddha's name is difficult, but even foolish men and women, as long as they hold the sacred name with sincere faith and without doubt, none will fail to be reborn. Perhaps some think it is easy, but if one has not planted deep roots of goodness in past lives, thoroughly understands the profound meaning, and is not attached to biased and narrow views, one cannot glimpse its mysteries. The 'Larger Sutra (Dàběn jīng)' says that cultivating goodness with a doubtful mind, failing to understand the Buddha's wisdom, one will be born in the borderland womb, living for five hundred years, unable to see the Three Jewels (Triratna), and the cause for upper-grade rebirth will be wasted because one has not understood the first principle. Therefore, knowing the principles of the school and understanding its meaning is the guide for all practices. How can those who cultivate the Pure Land Dharma be lazy?
From 'Sixteen Contemplations (Sixteen Wonderful Contemplations)'
The 'Contemplation Sutra (Amitāyurdhyāna Sūtra)' says, 'The Tathagata (Tathāgata) now teaches Vaidehi (Vaidehi) and all sentient beings in the future to contemplate the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss (Sukhāvatī). Because of the Buddha's power, they should be able to see that pure land, just like holding a bright mirror and seeing their own face. Seeing the extremely wonderful and joyful things of that land, because of the joy in their hearts, they will immediately attain the non-origination forbearance (anutpattika-dharma-ksanti).'
From 'One Mind Three Contemplations'
The Venerable Siming (Siming Zunzhe) said, 'The three contemplations are that in one thought, it is emptiness, it is provisional existence, and it is the middle way. What is meant by emptiness is that everything is empty, and the three contemplations all manifest the function of eliminating all forms; what is meant by provisional existence is that everything is provisionally existent, and the three contemplations all clarify the function of establishing all dharmas; what is meant by the middle way is that everything is the middle way, and the three contemplations are all the absolute essence. Thus, all day long, one eliminates all forms, and all dharmas are accomplished; all day long, one establishes all dharmas, and even the finest dust is certainly exhausted; all day long, one is in the absolute, and the two truths (satya-dvaya) are brightly blazing. This is the inconceivable wonderful contemplation.'
心觀為宗
四明尊者妙宗鈔釋曰經以觀佛而為題目疏今乃以心觀為宗此二無殊方是今觀良以圓解全異小乘小昧唯心佛從外有大乘行人知我一心具諸佛性托境修觀佛相乃彰今觀彌陀依正為緣熏乎心性心性所具極樂依正由熏發生心具而生豈離心性全心是佛全佛是心終日觀心終日觀佛是故經目與疏語雖不同其義無別又應須了若觀佛者必須照心若專觀心未必托佛如一行三昧直觀一念不託它佛而為所緣若彼般舟及此觀法發軫即觀安養依正而觀依正不離心性故曰心觀須知此觀不專觀心內外分之此當外觀以由托彼依正觀故是以經題稱為觀佛若論難易今須從易法華玄雲佛法大高眾生大廣初心為難心佛眾生三無差別觀心則易今此觀法非但觀佛乃據心觀就下顯高雖修佛觀不名為難是知今經心觀為宗意抂見佛故得二說義匪殊涂又應知法界圓融不思議體作我一念之心亦復舉體作生作佛作依作正作根作境一心一塵至一極微無非法界全體而作既一一法全法界作故趣舉一即是圓融法界全分既全法界有何一物不具諸法以一切法一一皆具一切法故。
唸佛通別
妙宗云毗盧遮那遍一切處一切諸法皆是佛法所謂眾生性德之佛非自非它非因非果即是圓常大覺之體故起信論云所言覺義者謂心體離念離念相者等虛空界無所不遍法界一相即是
【現代漢語翻譯】 現代漢語譯本 心觀為宗
四明尊者妙宗鈔解釋說，經文以觀佛作為題目，而疏文現在卻以心觀作為宗旨，這兩者並沒有什麼不同，這才是真正的觀。因為圓滿的理解完全不同於小乘，小乘只是稍微領悟到唯心，認為佛是從外而來的。而大乘的修行人知道我這一顆心具備諸佛的佛性，依託外境來修觀，佛的相貌才得以彰顯。現在的觀彌陀（Amitabha，阿彌陀佛）的依報和正報，是作為一種因緣來熏習心性，心性所具備的極樂世界的依報和正報，是由熏習而生髮的。心性具備而生髮，難道離開了心性嗎？完全是心即是佛，完全是佛即是心，終日觀心，也就是終日觀佛。因此，經文的題目和疏文的語句雖然不同，但它們的意義並沒有差別。又應該明白，如果觀佛，必須照見自心；如果專心觀心，未必需要依託佛。如一行三昧（ekavyūha-samādhi，一種禪定），直接觀一念，不依託其他的佛作為所緣。像般舟三昧（Pratyutpanna-samādhi，一種禪定）以及這種觀法，一開始就是觀安養（Sukhāvatī，極樂世界）的依報和正報，而觀依報和正報不離心性，所以說心觀。須知這種觀法不只是觀心，內外有所區分，這裡應當是外觀，因為是依託彼方的依報和正報來觀的緣故。因此經文的題目稱為觀佛。如果論難易，現在必須從容易的入手。《法華玄義》說，佛法廣大高深，眾生廣大眾多，對於初學者來說，觀佛是困難的，心、佛、眾生三者沒有差別，觀心就容易了。現在這種觀法，不僅僅是觀佛，而是依據心觀，就低顯高，雖然修的是佛觀，但不稱為難。由此可知，這部經以心觀為宗旨，意在通過觀心而見到佛，所以這兩種說法意義上並沒有什麼不同。還應該知道，法界（dharma-dhātu，宇宙萬法）圓融不可思議的本體，作為我一念之心，也同樣是整個本體在起作用，產生眾生，產生佛，產生依報，產生正報，產生根，產生境，一心一塵，乃至一個極小的微塵，沒有不是法界全體在起作用的。既然每一法都是整個法界在起作用，那麼舉出一個，就是圓融法界的全部。既然是整個法界，有什麼東西不具備諸法呢？因為一切法，每一法都具備一切法。
唸佛通別
妙宗說，毗盧遮那佛（Vairocana，光明遍照）遍一切處，一切諸法都是佛法，所說的眾生本具的佛性之佛，非自生，非他生，非因生，非果生，就是圓滿常住的大覺本體。所以《起信論》說，所說的覺悟的意義，是指心體遠離妄念，遠離妄念的相，等同虛空界，無所不遍，法界只有一個相，就是真如。
【English Translation】 English version The Primacy of Mind Contemplation
The venerable Siming Miaozong explains in his commentary that while the sutra takes 'contemplating the Buddha' as its title, this commentary now takes 'mind contemplation' as its principle. These two are not different; this is the true contemplation. This is because the complete understanding is entirely different from that of the Hinayana, which only slightly grasps the idea of 'mind-only' and believes that the Buddha comes from outside. Practitioners of the Mahayana know that my one mind possesses the Buddha-nature of all Buddhas. Relying on external circumstances to cultivate contemplation, the Buddha's form is then revealed. Now, contemplating Amitabha's (Amitabha, Infinite Light Buddha) environment and his person is a condition that influences the mind-nature. The environment and person of the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, which the mind-nature possesses, arise from this influence. Does what the mind possesses and gives rise to depart from the mind-nature? The entire mind is the Buddha, and the entire Buddha is the mind. Contemplating the mind all day is contemplating the Buddha all day. Therefore, although the sutra's title and the commentary's words are different, their meanings are not separate. Furthermore, it should be understood that if one contemplates the Buddha, one must illuminate the mind. If one focuses solely on contemplating the mind, one does not necessarily need to rely on the Buddha. For example, the ekavyūha-samādhi (one-practice samadhi, a state of meditative concentration) directly contemplates one thought, without relying on another Buddha as the object of contemplation. Like the Pratyutpanna-samādhi (Buddha-presence samadhi, a meditative practice), and this method of contemplation, from the outset, one contemplates the environment and person of Sukhāvatī (Land of Bliss, Amitabha's Pure Land), and contemplating the environment and person does not depart from the mind-nature. Therefore, it is called 'mind contemplation.' It should be known that this contemplation is not solely contemplating the mind; there is a distinction between internal and external. Here, it should be the external contemplation, because it relies on contemplating the environment and person of that place. Therefore, the sutra's title is called 'contemplating the Buddha.' If one discusses difficulty, now one must start from the easy. The Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sutra says that the Buddha-dharma is vast and profound, and sentient beings are vast and numerous. For beginners, contemplating the Buddha is difficult. The mind, the Buddha, and sentient beings are not different; contemplating the mind is easy. Now, this method of contemplation is not only contemplating the Buddha, but it is based on mind contemplation, revealing the high from the low. Although one cultivates Buddha contemplation, it is not called difficult. From this, it can be known that this sutra takes mind contemplation as its principle, intending to see the Buddha through contemplating the mind. Therefore, these two statements are not different in meaning. It should also be known that the inconceivable essence of the dharma-dhātu (realm of reality, the totality of all things), as my one thought, is also the entire essence functioning, producing sentient beings, producing Buddhas, producing the environment, producing the person, producing roots, producing objects. One mind, one dust, even one extremely small particle, there is nothing that is not the entire dharma-dhātu functioning. Since every dharma is the entire dharma-dhātu functioning, then mentioning one is the entirety of the perfectly integrated dharma-dhātu. Since it is the entire dharma-dhātu, what is there that does not possess all dharmas? Because all dharmas, every single dharma possesses all dharmas.
The Universality and Particularity of Buddha Recitation
Miaozong says that Vairocana (the Illuminating Buddha, the embodiment of Dharma) pervades all places, and all dharmas are the Buddha-dharma. What is called the Buddha-nature inherent in sentient beings, not self-born, not other-born, not cause-born, not effect-born, is the perfectly complete and eternal essence of great enlightenment. Therefore, the Awakening of Faith says that the meaning of awakening refers to the mind-essence being apart from thoughts, being apart from the appearance of thoughts, being equal to the realm of empty space, all-pervading, and the dharma-dhātu having only one aspect, which is Suchness.
如來常住法身依此法身說名本覺故知本佛圓明之體是我凡夫本具性德故一切教所談行法無不為顯此之覺體故四三昧通名唸佛但其觀法為門不同如一行三昧直觀三道顯本性佛方等三昧則兼誦咒法華兼誦經觀音兼數息覺意歷三性此等三昧歷事雖異念佛是同俱為顯于大覺體故雖俱唸佛而是通涂顯諸佛體若此觀門及般舟三昧托彼安養依正之境用微妙觀專就彌陀顯真佛體雖托彼境須知依正同居一心心性遍周無法不造無法不具若一毫法從心外生則不名為大乘觀也。
四土
一曰凡聖同居二曰方便有餘三曰實報無障礙四曰常寂光也一凡聖同居者自分二類初曰同居穢即娑婆之類以居其中者有凡有聖次曰同居凈即如極樂國土雖果報殊勝然亦凡聖同居何以故以生彼土者未必悉是得道之人二方便有餘者二乘菩薩所居修方便道斷四住惑故曰方便無明未盡故曰有餘三實報無障礙土者純諸法身菩薩所居四常寂光土者諸佛如來所居○十六觀經本為韋提希厭同居穢求同居凈故談妙觀良由三觀能破三惑不獨感於同居凈土隨其惑斷淺深之處自然感得有餘等三如病須藥本為安身求得仙方修合服之不但安身能輕骨。
凈土唯心
行人一念如在東一燈彌陀凈土如在西一燈以其光遍滿故一即一切一切即一心外無土土外無心此即事之里唯心凈
土也以無壞無雜故此燈彼燈不相混亂心自是心佛自是佛凈土自是凈土即此土眾生念彼土之佛而求往生此即理之事西方凈土也雖分事理實非兩途若局于西方而不達唯心則得事失理雖未能稱理佛神力故亦得往生雖居下品亦無退轉若局自心而不求西方則事理俱失以不求生故不得往生此失事也以不知心外無法故定執方寸為心昧心法圓融之旨此失理也。
以理奪事
六祖云東方人造罪作業求生西方若西方(此西方非佛說西方乃對震旦國言耳)人造罪作業求生何處又志公云智者知心是佛愚人愿往西方二師所言皆以理奪事亦應病之藥也若隨語生解則執藥成病矣若直就理說則一法不可得有何凈土可生不獨無凈土而自心亦不可得此不可得亦不可得若然者則所謂自心有西方與即心是佛者皆成疣贅矣。
般舟三力
圓通梵法師會宗集引般舟三昧經言唸佛往生有三種力一者本有佛性力言煩惱心中有如來藏也二者慈光攝取力言彌陀光明無量唸佛眾生攝取不捨也三者唸佛三昧力言憶佛唸佛現前當來必定見佛也此三種力如三股繩合為一大索能牽重物又如水火鏡子若將對日以艾取之即可得火若將對月以珠取之即可得水今以鏡具水火之性喻眾生本具佛性之力也須假日月光來照者喻彌陀慈光攝取之力也以珠艾能引水火者喻信心念佛
【現代漢語翻譯】 現代漢語譯本： 土地之所以沒有損壞和雜質，是因為此燈和彼燈不會互相混淆，心自然是心，佛自然是佛，凈土自然是凈土。即此土的眾生念彼土的佛，而求往生，這就是理和事。西方凈土也是如此，雖然分為事和理，實際上並非兩條道路。如果侷限於西方，而不明白唯心，那麼就得到了事而失去了理。雖然未能完全符合理，但由於佛的神力，也能往生，即使居住在下品，也不會退轉。如果侷限於自心，而不求西方，那麼事和理都失去了。因為不求往生，所以不能往生，這是失去事。因為不知道心外無法，所以執著于方寸之地為心，迷惑了心法圓融的宗旨，這是失去理。
以理奪事
六祖（慧能，禪宗六祖）說：『東方人造罪作業，求生西方，如果西方（此西方並非佛說的西方，乃是針對震旦國而言）人造罪作業，求生何處？』又志公（寶誌禪師）說：『智者知道心就是佛，愚人願意往生西方。』兩位大師所說，都是以理來奪事，也是應病之藥。如果隨語言而產生理解，那麼就執著于藥物而成了疾病。如果直接就理來說，那麼一法都不可得，有什麼凈土可以往生？不單單沒有凈土，而且自心也不可得，這個不可得也是不可得。如果這樣，那麼所謂自心有西方，以及即心是佛，都成了贅疣了。
般舟三力
圓通梵法師的《會宗集》引用《般舟三昧經》說，唸佛往生有三種力量：一是本有佛性力，說的是煩惱心中有如來藏（tathāgatagarbha）；二是慈光攝取力，說的是阿彌陀佛（Amitābha）光明無量，唸佛的眾生被攝取而不捨棄；三是念佛三昧力，說的是憶佛唸佛，現前當來必定見佛。這三種力量，如同三股繩合為一條大索，能牽引重物。又如水火鏡子，如果對著太陽用艾草來取火，就可以得到火；如果對著月亮用珠子來取水，就可以得到水。現在用鏡子具有水火的性質，比喻眾生本具佛性的力量。需要藉助日月的光來照耀，比喻阿彌陀佛慈光攝取的力量。用艾草和珠子能引出水火，比喻信心念佛。
【English Translation】 English version: The reason why the land is without destruction and impurities is that this lamp and that lamp do not confuse each other. The mind is naturally the mind, the Buddha is naturally the Buddha, and the Pure Land is naturally the Pure Land. That is, the sentient beings of this land recite the Buddha of that land and seek rebirth. This is both principle and practice. The Western Pure Land (Sukhāvatī) is also like this. Although it is divided into practice and principle, they are actually not two separate paths. If one is limited to the West and does not understand the 'mind-only' (唯心, weixing), then one gains practice but loses principle. Although one may not fully conform to principle, one can still be reborn due to the Buddha's divine power, and even if one resides in the lower grades, one will not regress. If one is limited to one's own mind and does not seek the West, then both practice and principle are lost. Because one does not seek rebirth, one cannot be reborn; this is losing practice. Because one does not know that there is no dharma outside the mind, one clings to the square inch of the mind as the mind, and is confused about the all-encompassing principle of the mind-dharma; this is losing principle.
Using Principle to Suppress Practice
The Sixth Patriarch (Huineng, the Sixth Patriarch of Zen) said: 'Eastern people create sins and karma, seeking rebirth in the West. If Western people (this West is not the West spoken of by the Buddha, but refers to the land of China) create sins and karma, where do they seek rebirth?' Also, Zhi Gong (Master Baozhi) said: 'Wise people know that the mind is the Buddha, foolish people wish to be reborn in the West.' What the two masters said is using principle to suppress practice, and is also medicine for the illness. If one generates understanding according to the words, then one clings to the medicine and it becomes a disease. If one speaks directly about principle, then not a single dharma can be obtained. What Pure Land can one be reborn into? Not only is there no Pure Land, but one's own mind cannot be obtained either. This unobtainability is also unobtainable. If so, then what is called 'the Western Pure Land exists in one's own mind' and 'the mind itself is the Buddha' all become superfluous growths.
Three Powers of the Pratyutpanna Samadhi
The Huizong Ji by Dharma Master Yuantong quotes the Pratyutpanna Samadhi Sutra saying that there are three powers for reciting the Buddha and being reborn: First, the power of inherent Buddha-nature, which means that there is the tathāgatagarbha (如來藏) in the mind of afflictions; second, the power of compassionate light's embrace, which means that Amitābha's (阿彌陀佛) light is immeasurable, and sentient beings who recite the Buddha are embraced and not abandoned; third, the power of the Samadhi of reciting the Buddha, which means that by remembering the Buddha and reciting the Buddha, one will definitely see the Buddha in the present and future. These three powers are like three strands of rope combined into a large rope, which can pull heavy objects. Also, like a water-fire mirror, if one uses artemisia to obtain fire by facing the sun, one can obtain fire; if one uses a pearl to obtain water by facing the moon, one can obtain water. Now, using the mirror's possession of the nature of water and fire as a metaphor for the power of sentient beings' inherent Buddha-nature. The need to borrow the light of the sun and moon to illuminate is a metaphor for the power of Amitābha's compassionate light's embrace. Using artemisia and pearls to draw out water and fire is a metaphor for faith and reciting the Buddha.
之力也此三種佛缺一不可三事和合水火方生三力相資必生凈土。
水澄月現
無為楊居士曰大愿聖人從凈土來來實無來深心凡夫往凈土去去實無去彼不來此此不往彼而凡聖會遇兩得交際者何耶彌陀光明如凈滿月遍照十方水清而靜則月現全體月非取水而遽來水濁而動則月無定光月非舍水而遽去。
天依懷禪師問學者云若言舍穢取凈則屬妄想若言無凈土則違佛語修凈土者宜如何修眾無語復自答云生則決定生去則實不去又云譬如雁過長空影沉寒水雁絕遺蹤之意水無留影之心。
廣狹自在
以十方法界不離一微塵故一塵至微量同法界佛剎雖廣不離一塵十萬遐程不逾方寸。
古今無間
以三際不離一念故三際俱不可得以世相遷流本常住故經云觀彼久遠猶若今日經須臾間歷事諸佛遍十方界。
一心不亂
真歇云唸佛法門徑路修行接上上根器旁引中下之機故一心不亂之說兼含二意曰理一心曰事一心若事一心人皆可以行之只一憶念如龍得水似虎靠山即楞嚴經憶佛唸佛現前當來必定見佛不假方便自得心開若理一心亦非它法直將阿彌陀佛四字做個話頭二六時中自晨朝十念之頃直下提撕不以有心念不以無心念不以亦有亦無心念不以非有非無心念前後際斷一念不生不涉階梯頓超佛地得
【現代漢語翻譯】 現代漢語譯本： 這三種力量缺一不可：願力、行力、佛力。這三種力量和合，就像水火相生一樣，三種力量互相資助，必定能往生凈土。
水澄月現
無為楊居士說：『大愿聖人從凈土而來，說來其實沒有來；深信切愿的凡夫往生凈土，說去其實沒有去。彼土沒有來此土，此土沒有往彼土，而凡聖能夠會遇，兩得交際，這是為什麼呢？阿彌陀佛（Amitabha）的光明就像清凈圓滿的月亮，遍照十方世界。水清而靜，月亮就顯現出完整的影像；月亮並非取水而來。水渾濁而動盪，月亮就沒有固定的光影；月亮並非捨棄水而去。』
天依懷禪師問學人說：『如果說捨棄污穢而取清凈，那就屬於妄想；如果說沒有凈土，那就違背了佛的教誨。修習凈土的人應該如何修呢？』眾人沒有回答。禪師自己回答說：『往生則決定往生，去則實際上沒有去。』又說：『譬如雁飛過長空，影子沉入寒冷的水中，雁沒有留下軌跡的意思，水也沒有留下影子的心。』
廣狹自在
因為十方世界不離一粒微塵，所以一粒微塵的至微之量等同於法界。佛剎雖然廣大，也不離一粒微塵，十萬里的遙遠路程，也不超過方寸之地。
古今無間
因為過去、現在、未來三際不離當下這一念，所以三際都不可得。因為世間萬象遷流變化，其本性卻是常住不變的，所以經中說：『觀察那久遠的事情，就像今天發生的一樣。』在極短的時間內，經歷諸佛之事，遍及十方世界。
一心不亂
真歇禪師說：『唸佛法門是修行捷徑，既能接引上等根器的人，又能引導中下等根機的人，所以一心不亂的說法兼含兩種含義：理一心和事一心。如果是事一心，人人都可以做到，只要一心憶念，就像龍得到了水，像老虎靠著山一樣。』這就是《楞嚴經》（Surangama Sutra）所說的『憶佛唸佛，現前當來，必定見佛，不假方便，自得心開』。如果是理一心，也不是其他方法，直接將『阿彌陀佛』（Amitabha）這四個字當作話頭，一天二十四小時，從早晨的十念開始，直接提撕，不用有心念，不用無心念，不用亦有亦無心念，不用非有非無心念，前後念頭斷絕，一念不生，不經過任何階梯，直接超越到佛地，得到。
【English Translation】 English version: These three forces are indispensable: the power of vows, the power of practice, and the power of the Buddha. When these three forces combine, just like water and fire generating each other, with the three forces mutually supporting each other, one will surely be reborn in the Pure Land.
The Moon Appears in Clear Water
Layman Wuwei Yang said: 'The great vow sage comes from the Pure Land, but in reality, there is no coming; the ordinary person with deep faith and vows goes to the Pure Land, but in reality, there is no going. That land does not come to this land, and this land does not go to that land, yet the sages and ordinary beings can meet and interact. Why is this? The light of Amitabha (Amitabha) is like a pure and full moon, illuminating the ten directions. When the water is clear and still, the moon appears in its entirety; the moon does not come by taking the water. When the water is turbid and moving, the moon has no fixed light; the moon does not leave by abandoning the water.'
Zen Master Tianyi Huai asked the students: 'If you say abandon the impure and take the pure, then it belongs to delusion; if you say there is no Pure Land, then you violate the Buddha's teachings. How should those who cultivate the Pure Land cultivate?' The crowd did not answer. The Zen master answered himself: 'Rebirth is definitely rebirth, going is actually not going.' He also said: 'For example, a goose flies across the long sky, and its shadow sinks into the cold water. The goose has no intention of leaving traces, and the water has no intention of keeping the shadow.'
Freedom of Broadness and Narrowness
Because the ten directions of the Dharma Realm are not apart from a single dust mote, the extreme smallness of a single dust mote is equal to the Dharma Realm. Although the Buddha-land is vast, it is not apart from a single dust mote; the distant journey of ten thousand miles does not exceed a square inch.
No Gap Between Ancient and Modern
Because the three times (past, present, and future) are not apart from a single thought, all three times are unattainable. Because the phenomena of the world change and flow, their nature is constant and unchanging, so the sutra says: 'Observe that distant event as if it happened today.' In a very short time, experience the affairs of all Buddhas, pervading the ten directions.
Single-Mindedness
Zen Master Zhenxie said: 'The Dharma gate of Buddha-Recitation is a shortcut to cultivation, which can both receive people of superior faculties and guide people of medium and inferior faculties. Therefore, the saying of single-mindedness includes two meanings: single-mindedness in principle and single-mindedness in practice. If it is single-mindedness in practice, everyone can do it, just single-mindedly remember, like a dragon getting water, like a tiger relying on a mountain.' This is what the Surangama Sutra (Surangama Sutra) says: 'Remembering the Buddha and reciting the Buddha, in the present and in the future, you will surely see the Buddha, without resorting to expedients, you will naturally attain enlightenment.' If it is single-mindedness in principle, it is not another method, directly take the four words 'Amitabha' (Amitabha) as a topic, twenty-four hours a day, starting from the ten recitations in the morning, directly contemplate, do not use intentional thought, do not use unintentional thought, do not use both intentional and unintentional thought, do not use neither intentional nor unintentional thought, the preceding and following thoughts are cut off, not a single thought arises, without going through any steps, directly transcend to the Buddha-ground, and attain.
非凈土之見佛簡易於宗門乎信知乃佛乃祖在教在禪皆修凈業同歸一愿入得此門無量法門悉皆能入。
日用系緣
慈雲云凡歷涉緣務而內心不忘于佛及憶凈土譬如世人切事繫心雖經歷言語去來坐臥種種作務而不妨密憶前事宛然唸佛之心亦應如是或若失念數數攝還久久成性任運常憶又復覺心微起惡念即便憶佛以佛力故惡念自息若見它人受苦以唸佛心憐愍于彼愿其離苦普賢行愿云欲行惡法皆悉不成所修善業皆速成就如是相續唸佛繫心能辦一切凈因功德 龍舒云凡聞惡聲則念阿彌陀佛以消禳之愿一切人不為惡行凡見善事則念阿彌陀佛以贊助之愿一切人皆為善行無事則默唸阿彌陀佛常抂目前使念念不忘能如此者其于凈土決定往生。
睡時入觀
大藏集諸經禮懺儀云修凈土者凡入觀與睡時應□先起立合掌一心向西十稱阿彌陀佛觀音勢至清凈海眾畢即發願言弟子現是凡夫罪業深重輪迴六道不能出離今遇善知識得聞彌陀功德名號一心稱念愿生凈土愿佛哀憫垂手接引弟子不識彌陀世尊身相光明愿佛菩薩示現身相及國土莊嚴等事說是語已一心正念即便入觀及睡或於正發願時見諸瑞相或於觀中得見或於睡夢得見此法近來大有靈驗不能具述精進行之方信不虛。
撥無因果
圓頓行人語默動靜皆遵聖教盡合
【現代漢語翻譯】 現代漢語譯本： 『非凈土之見佛簡易於宗門乎』，相信要知道，無論是佛陀還是祖師，在教理還是禪定中，都修習凈土法門，共同歸向一個願望，進入這個法門，無量的法門都能進入。
日用系緣
慈雲（指慈雲遵式，宋代天臺宗僧人）說，凡是經歷各種事務，而內心不忘記佛，以及憶念凈土，就像世人有重要的事情掛在心上，即使經歷說話、來去、坐臥各種活動，也不妨礙暗暗地憶念之前的事情。唸佛的心也應該這樣。或者如果忘記了，就多次收攝回來，長久了就成為習慣，自然而然地常常憶念。又如果覺察到心中稍微生起惡念，就立刻憶念佛陀，因為佛陀的力量，惡念自然止息。如果看到其他人受苦，就用唸佛的心憐憫他們，愿他們脫離痛苦。《普賢行愿品》說，想要做惡事，都不能成功，所修的善業，都能迅速成就。這樣相續唸佛，繫念於心，能辦成一切凈因功德。龍舒（指王日休，南宋居士）說，凡是聽到惡聲，就念阿彌陀佛（Amitabha）來消除災禍，愿一切人不作惡行；凡是見到善事，就念阿彌陀佛（Amitabha）來贊助，愿一切人都做善行。沒事的時候就默唸阿彌陀佛（Amitabha），常常放在眼前，使念念不忘。能這樣做的，對於往生凈土，必定能夠往生。
睡時入觀
《大藏集諸經禮懺儀》說，修習凈土的人，凡是入觀和睡覺的時候，應該先站立，合掌，一心向西，十稱阿彌陀佛（Amitabha），觀音（Avalokiteśvara），勢至（Mahāsthāmaprāpta），清凈海眾。完畢后就發願說：『弟子現在是凡夫，罪業深重，輪迴六道，不能脫離。現在遇到善知識，得聞彌陀（Amitabha）功德名號，一心稱念，愿生凈土。愿佛哀憫，垂手接引弟子。弟子不認識彌陀世尊（Amitabha）的身相光明，愿佛菩薩示現身相以及國土莊嚴等事。』說完這些話后，一心正念，就入觀和睡覺。或者在正發願的時候見到各種瑞相，或者在觀中得見，或者在睡夢中得見。這個方法近來非常靈驗，不能全部敘述，精進修行，相信不會虛假。
撥無因果
圓頓行人，言語、沉默、行動、靜止，都遵循聖教，完全符合。
【English Translation】 English version: 'Is seeing the Buddha easier in the Pure Land school than in the Zen school?' Believe and know that whether it is the Buddha or the patriarchs, in doctrine or in meditation, they all cultivate the Pure Land method, commonly returning to one vow. Entering this gate, countless Dharma gates can all be entered.
Daily Association
Ciyun (referring to Ciyun Zunshi, a Tiantai Buddhist monk in the Song Dynasty) said, whenever engaging in various affairs, the mind should not forget the Buddha and the recollection of the Pure Land. It is like a worldly person having important matters on their mind, even when speaking, coming and going, sitting, lying down, and engaging in various activities, it does not hinder the secret recollection of the previous matters. The mind of mindfulness of the Buddha should also be like this. Or if one forgets, repeatedly gather it back. Over time, it becomes a habit, and one naturally and constantly remembers. Furthermore, if one perceives a slight arising of evil thoughts in the mind, immediately remember the Buddha. Because of the Buddha's power, the evil thoughts will naturally cease. If one sees others suffering, use the mind of mindfulness of the Buddha to have compassion for them, wishing them to be free from suffering. The 『Universal Worthy』s Conduct and Vows』 says, 『Wanting to do evil deeds, all will not succeed; the good deeds cultivated will all be quickly accomplished.』 Continuously being mindful of the Buddha in this way, focusing the mind, can accomplish all pure causes and merits. Longshu (referring to Wang Rixiu, a lay Buddhist in the Southern Song Dynasty) said, whenever hearing evil sounds, recite Amitabha (Amitabha) to dispel calamities, wishing that all people do not commit evil deeds; whenever seeing good deeds, recite Amitabha (Amitabha) to assist, wishing that all people do good deeds. When there is nothing to do, silently recite Amitabha (Amitabha), constantly keeping it before one's eyes, so that one is mindful in every thought. Those who can do this will definitely be reborn in the Pure Land.
Entering Contemplation at Bedtime
The 『Great Treasury Collection of Sutras and Rituals of Repentance』 says, those who cultivate the Pure Land should, whenever entering contemplation and at bedtime, first stand up, join their palms, and single-mindedly face west, reciting Amitabha (Amitabha), Avalokiteśvara (Avalokiteśvara), Mahāsthāmaprāpta (Mahāsthāmaprāpta), and the Pure Ocean Assembly ten times. After finishing, make a vow, saying: 『Disciple is now a common person, with deep karmic hindrances, transmigrating in the six realms, unable to escape. Now encountering a good teacher, I have heard of Amitabha』s (Amitabha) meritorious virtues and name, and single-mindedly recite it, wishing to be reborn in the Pure Land. May the Buddha have compassion and extend a hand to receive and guide this disciple. Disciple does not recognize the bodily form and light of Amitabha World Honored One (Amitabha), may the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas manifest their bodily forms and the adornments of the land.』 After saying these words, with single-minded right mindfulness, enter contemplation and sleep. Or, at the time of making the vow, one may see various auspicious signs, or one may see them in contemplation, or one may see them in dreams. This method has been very efficacious recently, and cannot be fully described. Diligently practice it, and believe that it is not false.
Denying Cause and Effect
The practitioner of perfect and immediate enlightenment, in speech, silence, movement, and stillness, all follow the holy teachings and are in complete accordance.
佛心若以唸佛生心動念成妄想者則息心無念亦成妄想首楞嚴經云縱滅一切見聞覺知內守幽間猶為法塵分別影事若以唸佛著有為患則執空之人其患尤甚永嘉云豁達空撥因果漭漭蕩蕩招殃禍棄有著空病亦然還如避溺而投火若以外求他佛為未達則內執己心不達尤甚長沙云學道之人不識真只為從來認識神無量劫來生死本癡人喚作本來人若以別求凈土為偏見則執目前為凈土者其失尤甚楞嚴經說落魔道者都指現前即為佛國無別凈居及金色相口中好言眼耳鼻舌皆為凈土男女二根即是菩提弟子與師俱陷王難迷惑無知墮無間獄若以執有修證為權說者執無修證墮落外道其禍尤甚楞嚴云其人初不覺知魔著亦言自得無上涅槃謂三僧祇一念能越心中尚輕十方如來何況下位聲聞緣覺不禮塔廟摧毀經像謂言此是金銅土木肉身真常不自恭敬卻崇土木實為顛倒其深信者從其毀碎埋棄地中疑誤眾生入無間獄佛言諄諄可不信乎。
涅槃經云佛去世后五百歲中魔道漸興壞亂佛法然火就燥水就濕邪魔辨正一生之中以淳凈心堅固諦信至誠禮誦悔過發願吾知此人若身若心則與彌陀氣類交接智論云如風吹樹勢向西傾及其倒時必從西偃。
壽禪師無我論(此非為凈土而發然修凈業者不可不知)
問非惟外道修善不得解脫依內教修亦有不得道者何耶。
【現代漢語翻譯】 現代漢語譯本：如果認為佛心是通過唸佛生起心念，從而產生妄想，那麼息滅心念、達到無念狀態也會變成妄想。《首楞嚴經》說：『即使滅絕一切見聞覺知，內心守護幽靜之處，仍然是法塵分別的影子。』如果因爲念佛而執著于有為法，認為這是弊病，那麼執著于空性的人，他的弊病更加嚴重。永嘉禪師說：『豁達地執著于空性，否定因果，茫茫蕩蕩，招來災禍。』捨棄執著于有的病，而執著于空，也是一樣，好比爲了躲避溺水而跳入火中。如果認為向外尋求他方佛是未開悟，那麼內心執著于自己的心，不通達佛理，這種錯誤更加嚴重。長沙禪師說：『學道的人不認識真如，只因爲一直以來都認識妄識。無量劫以來生死的根本，愚癡的人卻把它叫做本來面目。』如果認為另外尋求凈土是偏見，那麼執著于眼前就是凈土，這種錯誤更加嚴重。《楞嚴經》說，墮入魔道的人都指著眼前的一切就是佛國，沒有別的清凈居所和金色相好，口中喜歡說眼耳鼻舌都是凈土，男女二根就是菩提。弟子和師父一起陷入王難，迷惑無知，墮入無間地獄。如果認為執著于有修有證是權宜之說，那麼執著于無修無證，就會墮落到外道，這種禍害更加嚴重。《楞嚴經》說：『這種人最初不覺知自己被魔所迷惑，還說自己得到了無上涅槃，認為三大阿僧祇劫一念就能超越。心中輕視十方如來，更何況下位的聲聞緣覺，不禮敬塔廟，摧毀經像，說這是金銅土木，肉身才是真常，不恭敬自己的肉身，卻崇拜土木，實在是顛倒。』那些深信不疑的人，聽從他們的毀壞，埋葬，丟棄佛像，迷惑眾生，墮入無間地獄。佛的教誨如此懇切，難道可以不相信嗎？ 《涅槃經》說：『佛陀去世后五百年中，魔道逐漸興盛，破壞佛法。』如同乾燥的柴容易著火，潮濕的地方容易積水一樣，邪魔會辨別正法。在一生之中，以淳樸清凈的心，堅固地相信，至誠地禮拜誦經，懺悔罪過，發下誓願，我知道這個人，無論是身還是心，都與阿彌陀佛的氣息相交接。《智度論》說：『如同風吹樹，樹勢向西傾斜，等到它倒下的時候，必定是從西邊倒下。』 壽禪師《無我論》（這雖然不是爲了凈土而發的，但是修凈業的人不可不知） 問：不只是外道修善不能得到解脫，依據內教修行，也有不能得道的人，這是為什麼呢？
【English Translation】 English version: If the Buddha-mind is thought to arise from reciting the Buddha's name, with each thought becoming a delusion, then ceasing the mind and achieving no-thought would also become a delusion. The Surangama Sutra says: 'Even if one extinguishes all seeing, hearing, awareness, and knowing, and inwardly guards a secluded space, it is still a shadow of discrimination of the Dharma-dust.' If one is troubled by attachment to conditioned phenomena through reciting the Buddha's name, then those who cling to emptiness are even more troubled. Yongjia says: 'To be broadly attached to emptiness, denying cause and effect, vast and unrestrained, invites disaster.' Abandoning the illness of clinging to existence and clinging to emptiness is the same, like avoiding drowning by jumping into a fire. If seeking other Buddhas externally is considered unenlightened, then clinging to one's own mind internally, without understanding the Dharma, is an even greater error. Zen Master Changsha says: 'Those who study the Way do not recognize the true, only because they have always recognized the spirit. The root of birth and death for countless kalpas, foolish people call it the original face.' If seeking a Pure Land elsewhere is considered a biased view, then clinging to the present moment as the Pure Land is an even greater mistake. The Surangama Sutra says that those who fall into the demonic path all point to the present moment as the Buddha-land, without any other pure abode or golden appearance, and they like to say that the eyes, ears, nose, and tongue are all Pure Lands, and the two roots of male and female are Bodhi. Disciples and teachers alike fall into royal difficulties, confused and ignorant, falling into the Avici Hell. If clinging to having cultivation and realization is considered an expedient teaching, then clinging to having no cultivation and realization leads to falling into external paths, and this disaster is even greater. The Surangama Sutra says: 'Such a person initially does not realize that they are possessed by demons, and even says that they have attained unsurpassed Nirvana, thinking that three asamkhya kalpas can be surpassed in a single thought. In their hearts, they belittle the Buddhas of the ten directions, let alone the lower-level Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas. They do not venerate stupas and temples, and they destroy sutras and images, saying that these are gold, copper, earth, and wood, and that the physical body is truly constant. They do not respect their own physical body, but instead worship earth and wood, which is truly inverted.' Those who deeply believe in them follow their destruction, burying and discarding Buddha images, misleading sentient beings, and causing them to fall into the Avici Hell. The Buddha's teachings are so earnest, how can we not believe them? The Nirvana Sutra says: 'In the five hundred years after the Buddha's passing, the demonic path will gradually flourish and destroy the Buddha-dharma.' Just as dry firewood easily catches fire and damp places easily accumulate water, demons will discern the true Dharma. In one's lifetime, with a pure and sincere heart, firmly believing, sincerely bowing and reciting sutras, repenting of transgressions, and making vows, I know that this person, whether in body or mind, is connected to the aura of Amitabha Buddha. The Mahaprajnaparamita Sastra says: 'Like a tree blown by the wind, its momentum leans westward, and when it falls, it will surely fall from the west.' Zen Master Shou's 'Treatise on No-Self' (Although this was not written for the Pure Land, those who cultivate Pure Land practice should not be unaware of it) Question: It is not only that those on external paths who cultivate good deeds cannot attain liberation, but also that those who cultivate according to the inner teachings also cannot attain the Way. Why is this so?
答皆為有我故不得斷結凡作之時皆云我能作隨境所得住著因果若了二無我理證解一心不動塵勞當處解脫。
問正作之時云何了無我。
答所作之時從緣而起以有施為而無主宰所出音聲猶如風鐸隨機轉動惟似木人但依業力所為而無我性可得四大聚散生滅隨緣乃至六趣受身亦復如是實無有人而能來往華嚴經云如機關木人能出種種聲彼無我非我業性亦如是論云因緣故生天堂因緣故墮地獄若言是我非因緣者作惡何不生天乃墮地獄耶我豈愛彼地獄受苦耶我既作惡而不受樂者故知善惡感報惟是因緣非是我也而眾生於無我無作之中妄認我作強為其主不知是識所為決定無有作者外道皆稱執作悉有神我若無神我誰為所作智論破云心是識想故自能使身不待神也如火效能燒物不假於人唯識論云諸所執實有我體為有思慮為無思慮有思慮應是無常非一切時有思慮故無思慮如虛空不能作業亦不受果故所執我理俱不成由此故知定無實我但有諸識無始時來前滅後生因果相續由妄熏習似我相現愚者于中妄執為我又無我者即是無性性即是體體是主質義凡有一法皆從眾緣所成實無本體以無體故空是以眾生於性空中執為實有內則為我所羈外則為塵所局所以修行不出心境及至得果不離所因升降雖殊常系諸有互為高下終始輪迴眾患所生我為其本。
【現代漢語翻譯】 現代漢語譯本： 答：都是因為有『我』（ātman，自我）的觀念，所以無法斷除煩惱的束縛。凡是做事的時候，都認為『我』能做，隨著外境所得而產生執著，受因果的束縛。如果明白了『二無我』（anatta，無我；以及諸法無自性）的道理，證悟理解到一心不動，那麼塵世的煩惱當下就能解脫。
問：正在做事的時候，如何才能了悟『無我』的道理？
答：做事的時候，都是從因緣和合而生起的，有施為造作，卻沒有主宰者。所發出的聲音，就像風鈴一樣，隨著機緣轉動。就像木頭人一樣，只是依照業力而行動，沒有『我』的自性可以獲得。四大（地、水、火、風）聚合離散，生滅變化，都隨順因緣。乃至六道輪迴中接受身形，也是如此，實際上沒有人能夠來來往往。《華嚴經》說：『如機關木人，能出種種聲，彼無我非我，業性亦如是。』《大智度論》說：『因為因緣的緣故，生到天堂；因為因緣的緣故，墮入地獄。』如果說是『我』，而不是因緣，那麼作惡為什麼不生天，反而墮入地獄呢？難道『我』喜歡地獄受苦嗎？『我』既然作惡，卻不能享受快樂，所以知道善惡的果報，只是因緣所生，不是『我』所主宰的。』而眾生在無我無作之中，虛妄地認為有『我』在造作，強行為主，不知道是識的作用，決定沒有作者。外道都執著有『我』在造作，認為一切都有神我（ātman）。如果無神我，誰來造作呢？《大智度論》破斥說：『心是識想，所以能夠使喚身體，不需要等待神我。』就像火的效能能夠燒東西，不需要依靠人。《唯識論》說：『所執著的真實存在的『我』，它的體性是有思慮，還是沒有思慮？如果有思慮，就應該是無常的，因為不是一切時侯都有思慮。如果沒有思慮，就像虛空一樣，不能作業，也不能接受果報。』所以所執著的『我』，在道理上都不能成立。由此可知，決定沒有真實的『我』，只有諸識從無始以來，前滅後生，因果相續，由於虛妄的熏習，好像有『我』的相狀顯現，愚昧的人在其中虛妄地執著為『我』。又，無我就是無自性，自性就是體，體就是主質的意義。凡是有一種法，都是從各種因緣和合而成，實在沒有本體。因為沒有本體的緣故，所以是空。因此，眾生在自性本空中，執著為實有，內在被『我』所束縛，外在被塵境所侷限，所以修行不能超出心和境的範圍，乃至得到果報，也不能脫離所種的因。升降雖然不同，但常常被諸有（bhava，存在）所繫縛，互相成為高下，終始輪迴，各種苦難的產生，都是以『我』為根本。
【English Translation】 English version: Answer: It is all because of the concept of 'I' (ātman, self) that one cannot break the bonds of afflictions. Whenever doing something, one thinks 'I' can do it, and becomes attached to what is gained from the external environment, bound by cause and effect. If one understands the principle of 'twofold non-self' (anatta, no-self; and the absence of inherent existence in all phenomena), and realizes that the mind is unmoved, then the defilements of the world will be liberated on the spot.
Question: How can one realize the principle of 'no-self' while doing things?
Answer: When doing things, they arise from conditions, there is action but no master. The sounds produced are like wind chimes, turning with the opportunity. Like wooden puppets, they only act according to the power of karma, and no self-nature can be obtained. The four elements (earth, water, fire, wind) gather and disperse, arise and cease, all according to conditions. Even receiving bodies in the six realms of reincarnation is the same, in reality, no one can come and go. The Avatamsaka Sutra says: 'Like a mechanical wooden puppet, it can produce various sounds, it has no self, not of my doing, the nature of karma is also like this.' The Mahaprajnaparamita Sastra says: 'Because of conditions, one is born in heaven; because of conditions, one falls into hell.' If it is said to be 'I' and not conditions, then why does doing evil not lead to birth in heaven, but instead to falling into hell? Does 'I' like to suffer in hell? Since 'I' do evil but cannot enjoy happiness, it is known that the retribution of good and evil is only due to conditions, not controlled by 'I'.' But sentient beings, in the midst of no-self and no-action, falsely recognize that 'I' am acting, forcibly acting as the master, not knowing that it is the function of consciousness, and there is definitely no actor. Externalists all claim to have a 'doer', believing that everything has a divine self (ātman). If there is no divine self, who is doing the acting? The Mahaprajnaparamita Sastra refutes: 'The mind is consciousness and thought, so it can command the body, without waiting for a divine self.' Just as the nature of fire can burn things, without relying on a person. The Vijnaptimatrata-siddhi Sastra says: 'The 'I' that is clung to as real, is its nature with or without thought? If it has thought, it should be impermanent, because it does not have thought at all times. If it has no thought, like space, it cannot act, nor can it receive retribution.' Therefore, the 'I' that is clung to cannot be established in principle. From this, it can be known that there is definitely no real 'I', only the various consciousnesses, from beginningless time, arising and ceasing one after another, the continuity of cause and effect, due to false habitual tendencies, it seems that the appearance of 'I' manifests, and ignorant people falsely cling to it as 'I'. Furthermore, no-self is no inherent existence, inherent existence is the essence, the essence is the meaning of the principal substance. Whenever there is a dharma, it is formed from various conditions, and there is really no substance. Because there is no substance, it is empty. Therefore, sentient beings, in the emptiness of inherent nature, cling to it as real, internally bound by 'I', externally limited by the environment, so cultivation cannot go beyond the scope of mind and environment, and even attaining the result cannot be separated from the cause planted. Although the rise and fall are different, they are often bound by the various existences (bhava, existence), becoming high and low to each other, the beginning and end of reincarnation, the arising of various sufferings, all have 'I' as their root.
問既萬法無體本來自空云何復有諸法建立。
答秪為空無體性而從緣生若有自體即不假緣生既不從緣生即萬法有其定體若立定相即成常過善惡不可改移因果遂成錯亂為惡應生天為善應沉淵以無因故作善應無福作惡應無罪以無果故是以萬法無體無定但從緣現以緣生故無性諸法皆空以無性故緣生諸法建立故華嚴經明菩薩于無自性中建立一切佛事是以因空立有有無自名從有辨空空無自體。
問現見諸法發生云何無性。
答即生無生所以無性若云有生為復自生為他生為共生為無因生若云自生譬如自身若非父母云何得生故云此身即父母之遺體以過去業為內因托父母體為外緣內外因緣和合而有即非自生或云他生者若無宿業自因終不託胎皆從自業而有譬如外具水土若無種子決定不生若共生者因假緣成何有自體之用緣從因起而無外助之能因緣各無和合豈有如一沙無油合衆池而非有一盲不見聚群盲而豈觀若無因生者即石女生兒龜毛作拂有因尚無無因豈有又從有因而立無因有因既無無因亦絕但了自他兩句無生則四句皆破既無自他將誰作和合及以無因有四句自然宴寂是知無生之生幻相宛爾生之無生真性湛然故金剛三昧經云因緣所生義是義滅非生滅諸生滅義是義生非滅。
問既一切諸法無性無生云何眾生執著境
【現代漢語翻譯】 現代漢語譯本：
問：既然萬法沒有自體，其本性本來就是空，為什麼又會有諸法的建立呢？ 答：正因為空沒有體性，所以才能夠從因緣而生。如果它有自己的體性，就不需要憑藉因緣而生了。既然不從因緣而生，那麼萬法就有了固定的體性。如果設立固定的相狀，就會變成常恒不變的過失，善惡也無法改變，因果關係就會錯亂。做了惡事應該昇天，做了善事應該沉入深淵。因為沒有原因，所以行善應該沒有福報，作惡應該沒有罪過。因為沒有結果，所以萬法沒有自體，沒有固定的性質，只是從因緣而顯現。因為從因緣而生，所以沒有自性，諸法都是空。因為沒有自性，所以因緣所生的諸法才得以建立。所以《華嚴經》（Avatamsaka Sutra）闡明菩薩在沒有自性的狀態中建立一切佛事。因此，因為空才能建立有，有和無只是名稱，從有才能辨別空，空沒有自己的體性。 問：現在明明看到諸法在發生，為什麼說是沒有自性呢？ 答：正因為生就是無生，所以才說沒有自性。如果說有生，那麼是自己產生自己呢？還是由他產生？還是共同產生？還是沒有原因地產生？如果說是自己產生自己，就像自身一樣，如果沒有父母，怎麼能夠出生呢？所以說這個身體就是父母遺留下來的。以過去的業力作為內在的原因，依託父母的身體作為外在的條件，內外因緣和合才有了這個身體，所以不是自己產生。或者說是他生，如果沒有宿世的業力作為自己的原因，最終也不會投胎，一切都是從自己的業力而來。譬如外面具備了水土，如果沒有種子，也決定不會生長。如果是共同產生，因憑藉緣而成就，哪裡有自己的體性作用呢？緣從因而起，沒有外在幫助的能力，因緣各自沒有，和合又怎麼會有呢？就像一粒沙子沒有油，聚集眾多的池塘也不會有油。一個瞎子看不見，聚集一群瞎子又怎麼能看見呢？如果說沒有原因地產生，就像石頭女人生孩子，烏龜毛做拂塵一樣，有原因尚且沒有，沒有原因又怎麼會有呢？又從有因而建立無因，有因既然沒有，無因也就斷絕了。只要明白了自己和他人的兩句話沒有生，那麼四句都破除了。既然沒有自己和他者，將要和誰作和合，以及沒有原因呢？有四句自然就寂滅了。由此可知，無生的生只是虛幻的景象，生的無生才是真性的湛然。所以《金剛三昧經》（Vajrasamadhi Sutra）說：『因緣所生之義，是義滅，非生滅。諸生滅義，是義生，非滅。』 問：既然一切諸法沒有自性，沒有產生，為什麼眾生會執著于外境呢？
【English Translation】 English version:
Question: Since all dharmas (萬法) are without inherent existence and their nature is originally empty, why are there establishments of dharmas? Answer: Precisely because emptiness is without inherent nature, it arises from conditions (緣). If it had its own inherent nature, it would not need to arise from conditions. Since it does not arise from conditions, then all dharmas would have a fixed nature. If a fixed characteristic is established, it would become a constant fault, and good and evil could not be changed. The relationship of cause and effect would be confused. Doing evil should lead to birth in heaven, and doing good should lead to sinking into the abyss. Because there is no cause, doing good should have no blessings, and doing evil should have no sin. Because there is no result, all dharmas are without inherent existence, without fixed nature, but only appear from conditions. Because they arise from conditions, they are without self-nature, and all dharmas are empty. Because they are without self-nature, the dharmas arising from conditions can be established. Therefore, the Avatamsaka Sutra (華嚴經) clarifies that Bodhisattvas establish all Buddha-activities in the state of no self-nature. Thus, because of emptiness, existence can be established. Existence and non-existence are merely names. From existence, emptiness can be discerned, and emptiness has no inherent nature. Question: Now we clearly see dharmas arising, why do you say they are without self-nature? Answer: Precisely because arising is non-arising, it is said to be without self-nature. If you say there is arising, then does it arise from itself? Or from others? Or from both? Or without a cause? If it arises from itself, like one's own body, how could it be born without parents? Therefore, it is said that this body is the legacy of parents. Taking past karma (業) as the internal cause and relying on the body of parents as the external condition, the combination of internal and external causes and conditions gives rise to this body, so it is not self-arising. Or if it arises from others, without the karma from previous lives as one's own cause, one would ultimately not be conceived. Everything comes from one's own karma. For example, if there is water and soil externally, but no seed, it will definitely not grow. If it arises from both, the cause relies on conditions to be accomplished, where is the function of its own inherent nature? Conditions arise from the cause and have no ability to help externally. If the cause and conditions each do not have, how can there be a combination? Just like a grain of sand has no oil, gathering many ponds will not produce oil. A blind person cannot see, gathering a group of blind people, how can they see? If it arises without a cause, like a stone woman giving birth to a child, or a tortoise hair making a duster, even with a cause it is not possible, how much less without a cause? Furthermore, from a cause with existence, a cause without existence is established. Since a cause with existence does not exist, a cause without existence is also cut off. As long as one understands that the two phrases of self and other have no arising, then all four phrases are broken. Since there is no self and other, with whom will there be a combination, and without a cause? The four phrases naturally enter into stillness. From this, it can be known that the arising of non-arising is merely an illusory appearance, and the non-arising of arising is the clear stillness of true nature. Therefore, the Vajrasamadhi Sutra (金剛三昧經) says: 'The meaning of arising from causes and conditions is that the meaning ceases, it is not arising and ceasing. The meaning of all arising and ceasing is that the meaning arises, it is not ceasing.' Question: Since all dharmas are without self-nature and without arising, why do sentient beings cling to external objects?
緣而受實報。
答只為不了無性迷為實有所以受其實報如達其性空即不生貪著既不耽著任運施為不住其因終不受果故經云心生種種法生又云一切惟心造若心不起外境常虛了境性空其心自寂妄心既寂幻相何生心境俱冥自然合道華嚴經云眼耳鼻舌身心意諸情根一切空無性妄心分別有又云世間一切法但以心為主隨解取眾相顛倒不如實。
問既受實報云何言一切空。
答分明云眾生自妄認為實其性常空雖受苦樂厭愛情生人法俱空一無所得猶如夢見好惡欣戚盈懷及至覺來豁然無事覺來非有夢裡非無既習顛倒之因不無虛妄之果。
問忘心幻境為複本無從今日無。
答心境本無。
問既是本無眾生云何不得解脫。
答本來無縛云何稱解秪為不達本無妄生今有從無始際熏習之力不覺不知隨業而轉雖在業拘性常清凈。
問如何得究竟清凈。
答此有二義一者了其本無得自性清凈二者凈其妄染得離垢清凈本性既凈妄念不生二障雙消三輪廓徹契本明源種現俱寂。
西方直指卷之上 卍新續藏第 61 冊 No. 1163 西方直指
西方直指卷之中
一念居士 編
經論指歸
華嚴經普賢菩薩勸進善財童子海會大眾發十大愿至臨命終時一切諸
【現代漢語翻譯】 現代漢語譯本： 緣於此而承受真實的果報。
答：只因爲不瞭解萬法本無自性，迷惑地認為實有，所以承受真實的果報。如果通達萬法自性本空，就不會產生貪戀執著，既然不貪戀執著，那麼隨順因緣的作為就不會被執住，最終也不會承受果報。所以經中說：『心生，種種法生。』又說：『一切都是由心所造。』如果心不起念，外在境界永遠是虛幻的，瞭解境界的自性本空，那麼心自然寂靜。妄心既然寂靜，虛幻的現象又從何而生？心與境都泯滅，自然與道相合。《華嚴經》說：『眼、耳、鼻、舌、身、意等諸情根，一切都是空無自性的，只是妄心分別才有。』又說：『世間一切法，都以心為主，隨著錯誤的理解而取種種表象，顛倒而不真實。』
問：既然承受真實的果報，為什麼又說一切皆空？
答：分明說眾生自己虛妄地認為真實，而萬法的自性本來是空。雖然承受苦樂，產生厭惡和愛戀，但人和法都是空的，一無所得。猶如在夢中見到好事或壞事，心中充滿喜悅或悲傷，等到醒來，一切都豁然無事。醒來后不是真的有，夢中也不是真的無。既然已經習慣了顛倒的因，就不會沒有虛妄的果。
問：妄心和幻境是本來就沒有，還是從今天才沒有？
答：心和境本來就沒有。
問：既然本來就沒有，眾生為什麼不能得到解脫？
答：本來就沒有束縛，又怎麼能說是解脫呢？只因爲不明白本來就沒有，虛妄地認為現在才有，從無始以來，受到熏習的力量，不覺不知地隨著業力而流轉。雖然身在業力的束縛中，自性卻永遠是清凈的。
問：如何才能得到究竟的清凈？
答：這有兩層含義：一是瞭解萬法本來就沒有，從而得到自性清凈；二是凈化虛妄的染污，從而得到遠離垢染的清凈。本性既然清凈，妄念就不會產生，能所二障同時消除，身口意三輪徹底清凈，與本來的光明之源相契合，種子和現行都寂滅。
《西方直指》卷之上 卍新續藏第 61 冊 No. 1163 《西方直指》
《西方直指》卷之中
一念居士 編
經論指歸
《華嚴經》普賢菩薩勸請善財童子、海會大眾發起十大愿，直至臨命終時，一切諸
【English Translation】 English version: Arising from conditions, one receives real retribution.
Answer: It is only because one does not understand the nature of no-self and is deluded into believing in real existence that one receives real retribution. If one understands that the nature of all dharmas (phenomena, teachings) is emptiness, then one will not generate greed and attachment. Since one is not attached, one's actions in accordance with conditions will not be clung to, and ultimately one will not receive retribution. Therefore, the sutra says, 'When the mind arises, all kinds of dharmas arise.' It also says, 'Everything is created by the mind.' If the mind does not arise, the external realm is always illusory. Understanding that the nature of the realm is emptiness, then the mind will naturally be still. Since the deluded mind is still, how can illusory appearances arise? When the mind and realm are both extinguished, one naturally unites with the Tao (the Way, the Truth). The Avatamsaka Sutra says, 'The sense organs of eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind are all empty and without self-nature; it is only the deluded mind that makes distinctions.' It also says, 'All dharmas in the world are based on the mind; following mistaken understanding, one grasps various appearances, which are inverted and not real.'
Question: Since one receives real retribution, why is it said that everything is empty?
Answer: It is clearly said that sentient beings themselves falsely believe it to be real, but the nature of all dharmas is always empty. Although one experiences suffering and joy, and generates aversion and love, both people and dharmas are empty, and nothing is obtained. It is like seeing good or bad things in a dream, with the heart filled with joy or sorrow, but upon awakening, everything is suddenly gone. After awakening, it is not really there, and in the dream, it is not really absent. Since one has become accustomed to the cause of inversion, there will inevitably be the illusory result.
Question: Is the deluded mind and illusory realm originally non-existent, or are they non-existent from today?
Answer: The mind and realm are originally non-existent.
Question: Since they are originally non-existent, why are sentient beings unable to attain liberation?
Answer: There is originally no bondage, so how can one speak of liberation? It is only because one does not understand that it is originally non-existent and falsely believes that it exists now. From beginningless time, due to the power of habitual conditioning, one unknowingly follows the turning of karma. Although one is bound by karma, one's nature is always pure.
Question: How can one attain ultimate purity?
Answer: There are two meanings to this: first, understanding that it is originally non-existent, one attains purity of self-nature; second, purifying the defilements of delusion, one attains purity free from defilement. Since the original nature is pure, deluded thoughts will not arise, the two obscurations (afflictions and knowledge) are simultaneously eliminated, the three wheels (of body, speech, and mind) are completely purified, and one is in accord with the original source of light, with both the seed and manifestation extinguished.
Western Direct Pointing, Volume One 卍 New Continued Canon, Volume 61, No. 1163, Western Direct Pointing
Western Direct Pointing, Volume Two
Compiled by Layman Yinian
Pointing to the Return of Sutras and Treatises
Avatamsaka Sutra: Bodhisattva Samantabhadra encourages Sudhana and the great assembly to generate the Ten Great Vows, until the moment of death, all the
根悉皆散壞一切威勢悉皆退失惟此愿王不相舍離於一切時引導其前一剎那間即得往生極樂世界其人自見生蓮花中蒙佛授記已經無數劫普於十方不可說不可說世界以智慧力隨眾生心而為利益乃至能于煩惱大苦海中㧞濟眾生令其出離皆得生於極樂世界。
法華經云聞是經典如說修行於此命終即往生安樂世界阿彌陀佛大菩薩眾住處生蓮華中寶座之上得菩薩無生法忍得是忍已眼根清凈以是清凈眼根見七百萬二千億那由他恒河沙等諸佛如來。
偈云。
若人散亂心 入于塔廟中 一稱南無佛 皆已成佛道
楞嚴經大勢至白佛我憶往昔恒河沙劫有佛出世名無量光十二如來相繼一劫其最後佛名超日月光彼佛教我念佛三昧譬如有人一專為憶一人專忘如是二人若逢不逢若見非見二人相憶二憶念深如是乃至從生至生同於形影不相乖異十方如來憐念眾生如母憶子若子逃逝雖憶何為子若憶母如母憶時母子歷生不相違遠若眾生心憶佛唸佛現前當來必定見佛去佛不遠不假方便自得心開如染香人身有香氣此則名曰香光莊嚴我本因地以唸佛心入無生忍今於此界攝唸佛人歸於凈土。
阿彌陀經云若有善男子善女人聞說阿彌陀佛執持名號若一日若二日若三日若四日若五日若六曰若七日一心不亂其人臨命終時阿彌陀佛與諸
【現代漢語翻譯】 現代漢語譯本： 所有（導致）痛苦的根源都消散、壞滅，一切威勢都退失，只有此愿王（指普賢菩薩的十大愿王）不捨離（行者），在任何時候都引導其前進，在一剎那間就能往生極樂世界。其人自己看見生在蓮花之中，蒙佛授記，已經無數劫，普遍在十方不可說不可說的世界，以智慧力隨著眾生的心而為利益，乃至能夠在煩惱大苦海中拔濟眾生，令其出離，都得生於極樂世界。
《法華經》說：『聽聞此經典，如所說修行，於此命終，即往生安樂世界，阿彌陀佛（Amitabha）大菩薩眾住處，生蓮花中寶座之上，得菩薩無生法忍。』得了此忍以後，眼根清凈，以這清凈的眼根，見七百二十億那由他恒河沙等諸佛如來。
偈語說： 『若人散亂心，入于塔廟中，一稱南無佛（Namo Buddha），皆已成佛道。』
《楞嚴經》中，大勢至（Mahāsthāmaprāpta）菩薩對佛說：『我回憶往昔恒河沙劫，有佛出世，名無量光（Amitabha），十二如來相繼一劫，其最後佛名超日月光。彼佛教我念佛三昧（Samadhi），譬如有人一專為憶，一人專忘，如是二人若逢不逢，若見非見。二人相憶，二憶念深，如是乃至從生至生，同於形影不相乖異。十方如來憐念眾生，如母憶子，若子逃逝，雖憶何為？子若憶母，如母憶時，母子歷生不相違遠。若眾生心憶佛唸佛，現前當來，必定見佛，去佛不遠，不假方便，自得心開。如染香人，身有香氣，此則名曰香光莊嚴。我本因地，以唸佛心入無生忍，今於此界攝唸佛人歸於凈土。』
《阿彌陀經》說：『若有善男子善女人，聞說阿彌陀佛（Amitabha）執持名號，若一日若二日若三日若四日若五日若六日若七日，一心不亂，其人臨命終時，阿彌陀佛與諸』
【English Translation】 English version: All roots (of suffering) are scattered and destroyed, all power and influence are lost, only this Vow King (referring to the Ten Great Vows of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva) does not abandon (the practitioner), guiding them forward at all times, and in an instant, they can be reborn in the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. That person sees themselves born in a lotus flower, receives the Buddha's prediction, and has already spent countless kalpas, universally benefiting sentient beings in the ten directions of inexpressible worlds with the power of wisdom, even being able to rescue sentient beings from the great ocean of suffering of afflictions, enabling them to escape and be reborn in the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.
The Lotus Sutra says: 'Hearing this sutra, practicing as it says, upon the end of this life, one will be reborn in the Land of Peace and Bliss, the dwelling place of Amitabha (Amitabha) Buddha and great Bodhisattvas, born on a jeweled seat in a lotus flower, attaining the Bodhisattva's realization of the non-origination of all dharmas.' Having attained this realization, the eye faculty becomes pure, and with this pure eye faculty, one sees seven hundred and twenty billion nayutas of Ganges River sands of Buddhas and Tathagatas.
A verse says: 'If a person with a scattered mind enters a pagoda or temple, and utters 'Namo Buddha (Namo Buddha)' once, they will all attain Buddhahood.'
In the Surangama Sutra, Mahāsthāmaprāpta (Mahāsthāmaprāpta) Bodhisattva said to the Buddha: 'I recall in the past, as many kalpas as there are sands in the Ganges River, a Buddha appeared in the world named Amitabha (Amitabha), twelve Tathagatas succeeding each other for one kalpa, the last of whom was named Super-Sun-and-Moon-Light. That Buddha taught me the Samadhi (Samadhi) of Buddha-Recollection. It is like a person who single-mindedly remembers, and another who single-mindedly forgets. Such two people, if they meet, it is as if they do not meet; if they see each other, it is as if they do not see. Two people remembering each other, their mutual recollection is deep, and so on, from life to life, they are like form and shadow, not deviating from each other. The Tathagatas of the ten directions cherish sentient beings like a mother remembering her child. If the child runs away, what is the use of remembering? If the child remembers the mother, as the mother remembers, mother and child will not be far apart in successive lives. If sentient beings remember the Buddha in their minds and recite the Buddha's name, in the present and future, they will surely see the Buddha, not far from the Buddha, without relying on expedients, they will naturally attain the opening of their minds. Like a person who is dyed with fragrance, their body has a fragrant scent, this is called the adornment of fragrant light. In my original causal ground, I entered the realization of non-origination with the mind of Buddha-Recollection, and now in this world, I gather those who recite the Buddha's name and lead them to the Pure Land.'
The Amitabha Sutra says: 'If there are good men or good women who hear of Amitabha (Amitabha) Buddha and hold onto his name, for one day, two days, three days, four days, five days, six days, or seven days, with a single mind unconfused, when that person is about to die, Amitabha Buddha and all'
聖眾現在其前是人終時心不顛倒即得往生阿彌陀佛極樂國土舍利弗我見是利故說此言若有眾生聞是說者應當發願生彼國土。
大無量壽經云佛告彌勒於此世界有七百二十億不退菩薩往生極樂國土諸小行菩薩不可稱計又不但我國為然十方世界無量大菩薩眾盡念阿彌陀佛愿往阿彌陀佛國土。
十六觀經云若善男子及善女人但聞佛名二菩薩名除無量劫生死之罪何況憶念念南無阿彌陀佛一聲乎當知此人是人中芬陀利華觀世音菩薩大勢至菩薩為其勝友。
大品經云若人散心念佛亦得離苦其福不盡況定意念佛乎。
護口經說有一惡鬼形像醜惡身出猛𦦨口出蛆蟲舉聲號哭東西馳走是時滿足羅漢問曰汝宿何罪今受此苦餓鬼答曰吾往昔時曾作沙門出一惡言阻他修善今遭此苦尊者還閻浮提誡諸比丘凡見人修毫髮善事只宜歡喜贊助勿令毀逆不成吾墮惡類以來數千萬劫受苦設使脫得鬼形復入地獄爾時餓鬼說此語已號哭投地如大山崩聞斯之語實可寒心此鬼出一惡言尚遭多劫之苦何可障人拜佛唸佛哉。
寶積經云高聲唸佛魔軍退散。
文殊般若經云眾生愚鈍觀不能解但令念聲相續自得往生佛國。
寶王論云浴大海者已用於百川唸佛名者必成於三昧亦猶清珠下於濁水濁水不得不清唸佛投于亂心亂心不得不
【現代漢語翻譯】 現代漢語譯本：當聖眾顯現在這個人面前時，此人臨終時心不顛倒，就能往生到阿彌陀佛（Amitabha）的極樂國土。舍利弗（Sariputra），我看到這種利益，所以才說這些話。如果有眾生聽到這些話，應當發願往生到那個國土。
《大無量壽經》說，佛（Buddha）告訴彌勒（Maitreya），在這個世界有七百二十億不退轉的菩薩（Bodhisattva）往生到極樂國土，其他小行菩薩的數量不可計數。而且不僅僅是我們這個世界如此，十方世界無量的大菩薩眾都念阿彌陀佛，發願往生到阿彌陀佛的國土。
《十六觀經》說，如果善男子和善女人僅僅聽到佛名和兩位菩薩的名號，就能消除無量劫的生死之罪，更何況憶念『南無阿彌陀佛』一聲呢？應當知道這個人是人中的芬陀利華（Pundarika，白蓮花），觀世音菩薩（Avalokitesvara）和大勢至菩薩（Mahasthamaprapta）是他的殊勝朋友。
《大品經》說，如果人以散亂的心念佛，也能脫離苦難，其福德不會窮盡，更何況以專注的心念佛呢？
《護口經》說，有一個惡鬼，形像醜惡，身上發出猛烈的火焰，口中吐出蛆蟲，大聲號哭，四處奔走。當時，滿足羅漢（Arhat）問他說：『你宿世犯了什麼罪，今生遭受這樣的苦難？』餓鬼回答說：『我往昔曾經做沙門（Sramana，出家修行者），說出一句惡語，阻礙他人修善，現在遭受這樣的苦難。尊者回到閻浮提（Jambudvipa，我們所居住的這個世界），告誡各位比丘（Bhikkhu，出家男子），凡是見到有人修哪怕是毫髮之善事，只應當歡喜贊助，不要譭謗阻撓，使其不能成功。我墮落到惡鬼道以來，已經數千萬劫，受盡苦難，即使脫離了鬼身，還要進入地獄。』當時，餓鬼說完這些話，號哭著倒在地上，像大山崩塌一樣。聽到這些話，實在令人寒心。這個鬼說出一句惡語，尚且遭受多劫的苦難，怎麼可以阻礙別人拜佛唸佛呢？
《寶積經》說，高聲唸佛，魔軍退散。
《文殊般若經》說，眾生愚鈍，觀想不能理解，只要令唸佛的聲音相續不斷，自然就能往生佛國。
《寶王論》說，在大海中沐浴過的人，就不需要再用到百川的水；唸佛名號的人，必定成就三昧（Samadhi，禪定），就像清澈的珠子投入到渾濁的水中，渾濁的水不得不清澈；唸佛投入到散亂的心中，散亂的心不得不靜下來。
【English Translation】 English version: When the holy assembly appears before this person, if his mind is not confused at the time of death, he will be reborn in the Land of Ultimate Bliss of Amitabha (Amitabha) Buddha. Sariputra (Sariputra), I speak these words because I see this benefit. If there are sentient beings who hear these words, they should make a vow to be born in that land.
The Larger Sutra of Immeasurable Life says, the Buddha (Buddha) told Maitreya (Maitreya), in this world there are seven hundred and twenty billion non-regressing Bodhisattvas (Bodhisattva) who are reborn in the Land of Ultimate Bliss, and the number of other minor-practice Bodhisattvas is incalculable. Moreover, it is not only our world that is like this, but countless great Bodhisattvas in the ten directions all recite Amitabha Buddha and vow to be born in the land of Amitabha Buddha.
The Contemplation Sutra says, if good men and good women only hear the name of the Buddha and the names of the two Bodhisattvas, they can eliminate the sins of birth and death of immeasurable kalpas, let alone remember and recite 'Namo Amitabha Buddha' once? It should be known that this person is a Pundarika (Pundarika, white lotus) flower among people, and Avalokitesvara (Avalokitesvara) Bodhisattva and Mahasthamaprapta (Mahasthamaprapta) Bodhisattva are his excellent friends.
The Mahaprajnaparamita Sutra says, if a person recites the Buddha's name with a distracted mind, he can also escape suffering, and his blessings will not be exhausted, let alone recite the Buddha's name with a focused mind?
The Sutra of Protecting the Mouth says, there was a hungry ghost with an ugly appearance, emitting fierce flames from his body, spewing out maggots from his mouth, crying loudly, and running around. At that time, the Satisfied Arhat (Arhat) asked him, 'What sins did you commit in your past life that you are suffering such misery in this life?' The hungry ghost replied, 'In the past, I was a Sramana (Sramana, monastic practitioner), and I uttered an evil word, hindering others from cultivating goodness, and now I am suffering such misery. Venerable one, return to Jambudvipa (Jambudvipa, the world we live in) and warn the Bhikkhus (Bhikkhu, monastic men) that whenever they see someone cultivating even a hair's breadth of goodness, they should only rejoice and assist them, and not slander or obstruct them, so that they cannot succeed. Since I fell into the realm of hungry ghosts, I have suffered for tens of millions of kalpas, and even if I escape from the ghost body, I will still enter hell.' At that time, the hungry ghost finished speaking these words, crying and falling to the ground, like a great mountain collapsing. Hearing these words is truly chilling. This ghost uttered an evil word and still suffers for many kalpas, how can one obstruct others from bowing to the Buddha and reciting the Buddha's name?
The Ratnakuta Sutra says, reciting the Buddha's name loudly causes the demon armies to retreat.
The Manjushri Prajna Sutra says, sentient beings are foolish and cannot understand contemplation, but if they keep the sound of reciting the Buddha's name continuous, they will naturally be reborn in the Buddha's land.
The Treasure King Treatise says, one who has bathed in the great ocean no longer needs to use the water of a hundred rivers; one who recites the Buddha's name will surely achieve Samadhi (Samadhi, meditative concentration), just as a clear pearl is thrown into muddy water, and the muddy water cannot but become clear; reciting the Buddha's name thrown into a distracted mind, the distracted mind cannot but become calm.
佛。
群疑論云問名字性空不能詮說諸法教人專稱佛號何異說食充飢乎答若言名字無用不能詮諸法體亦應喚水火來故知筌蹄不空魚免斯得問因何一念佛之力能斷一切諸障答一香栴檀改四十由旬伊蘭林悉香又如有人用師子筋以為琴絃其音一奏一切餘弦悉皆斷壞。
大智度論云佛是無上法王諸大菩薩以為法臣諸臣所尊重者惟佛法王也有一菩薩自念往昔謗般若墮惡道受無量苦復經無量劫來雖修余行不能得出苦海后遇善知識教念阿彌陀佛即得滅除罪障超生凈土我今應當禮酬阿彌陀佛何以故父母親友人天王等不能度我出離苦海惟阿彌陀佛願力攝受是以得出苦海偈云若人愿作佛心念阿彌陀應時得為現身故我歸命禮又云佛世一老人求出家舍利弗不許佛觀此人曩劫採樵為虎所逼上樹失聲念南無佛有此微善遇佛得度獲羅漢果吁一稱其名尚得解脫況終身唸佛乎。
金剛經科儀云野狐尚聽百丈法螺螄猶護金剛經十千游魚聞佛號化為天子五百蝙蝠聽法音總作聖賢蟒聞懺以生天龍聽法而悟道彼物尚能領悟況人可不迴心唸佛。
正法難聞品云佛說世間人民得聞阿彌陀佛名號若慈心喜悅志意清凈毛髮聳然淚即出者皆屢世常行佛道非凡人也若不信佛語不信佛言不信往生皆從惡道中來餘殃未盡愚癡未解故為汝等說此大法令見阿彌
{ "translations": [ "現代漢語譯本：", "佛。", "", "《群疑論》中問道：『既然名字的體性是空，不能完全詮釋諸法，那麼教人專唸佛號，這和畫餅充飢有什麼區別呢？』回答說：『如果說名字沒有用處，不能詮釋諸法的本體，那麼也就不應該能用水和火的名字來召喚水和火了。所以說，捕魚的竹器和捕捉兔子的網並非空無作用，魚和兔子因此才能被捕獲。』又問：『為什麼僅僅一念佛的力量，就能斷除一切諸障呢？』回答說：『一香栴檀就能改變四十由旬伊蘭林的香味，使其充滿香氣。又比如有人用獅子的筋做琴絃，其音一奏，一切其他的琴絃都會斷壞。』（由旬：古印度長度單位）", "", "《大智度論》中說：『佛是無上的法王，諸大菩薩都作為法的臣子。諸臣子所尊重的，唯有佛法王。』有一位菩薩自己回憶說，往昔誹謗般若，墮入惡道，遭受無量的痛苦，又經過無量劫的時間，雖然修行其他的法門，也不能脫離苦海。後來遇到善知識，教他念阿彌陀佛（Amitabha），就得以滅除罪障，超生凈土。我如今應當禮敬酬謝阿彌陀佛。為什麼呢？因為父母親人、朋友、人天王等，都不能度我出離苦海，唯有阿彌陀佛的願力攝受我，因此我才得以脫離苦海。』偈語說：『如果有人願意成佛，心中念阿彌陀佛，阿彌陀佛應時就會現身。所以我歸命禮敬阿彌陀佛。』又說：『佛在世時，有一位老人請求出家，舍利弗（Sariputra）不允許。佛觀察到這個人過去世採樵時，被老虎逼迫上樹，失聲念『南無佛』，因此有了這微小的善根，遇到佛而得以度化，獲得阿羅漢果。』唉，僅僅稱念一聲佛的名號，尚且能夠得到解脫，更何況終身唸佛呢？", "", "《金剛經科儀》中說：『野狐尚且聽百丈禪師講法，海螺尚且護衛《金剛經》。十千游魚聽到佛號，化為天子；五百蝙蝠聽聞佛法，總共都成了聖賢。蟒蛇聽聞懺悔而生天，龍聽聞佛法而悟道。』這些動物尚且能夠領悟，何況人怎麼可以不迴心唸佛呢？", "", "《正法難聞品》中說：『佛說世間人民，能夠聽聞阿彌陀佛名號，如果慈心喜悅，志意清凈，毛髮聳然，眼淚流出，都是屢世常行佛道的人，不是凡人。如果不信佛語，不信佛言，不信往生，都是從惡道中來，餘殃未盡，愚癡未解，所以為你們說此大法，令你們見到阿彌陀佛。』", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", 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陀佛及其國土。
命終善惡感報優劣
首楞嚴經云佛告阿難一切世間生死相續生從順習死從變流臨命終時未舍暖觸一生善惡俱時頓現純想即飛必生天上若飛心中兼福兼慧及與凈愿自然心開見十方佛一切凈土隨愿往生情少想多輕舉非遠即為飛仙情想均等不飛不墜生於人間想明斯聰情幽斯鈍情多想少流入橫生重為毛群輕為羽族七情三想沉下水輪生於火際受氣猛火身為餓鬼常被焚燒水能害己無食無飲經百千劫九情一想下洞火輪輕生有間重生無間二種地獄純情即沉入阿鼻地獄若沉心中有謗大乘毀佛禁戒誑妄說法虛貪信施濫膺恭敬五逆十重更生阿鼻地獄。
守護國界主經云佛言若人臨命終時預知時至正念分明洗浴著衣吉祥而逝光明照身見佛相好眾善俱現定知此人決定往生凈土若人唸佛持戒無精進心命終亦無善相亦無惡相地府不收安養不攝如睡眠去此人疑情未斷生於疑城五百歲受樂再修信愿方歸凈土若人起憐憫心正念現前于財寶妻子心無愛戀眼色清凈仰面含笑想念天宮當來迎我耳聞天樂眼見天童舍此報身定生天界若人生柔軟心起福德心身無病難憶念父母妻子于善於噁心不錯亂其心正直遺囑家財辭別而去定生人界若人於己眷屬惡眼瞻視舉手捫空便利不覺身口臭穢兩目紅赤仆面而臥踡身左脅百節痠痛或見惡相口不能
【現代漢語翻譯】 現代漢語譯本： 關於阿彌陀佛（Amitabha，音譯，意為無量光佛）及其國土（Buddha-kshetra，音譯，指佛所居住和教化的世界）。
命終時善惡感應的優劣差別
《首楞嚴經》（Śūraṅgama Sūtra，音譯）中，佛（Buddha）告訴阿難（Ānanda，音譯，佛陀的十大弟子之一）：『一切世間生死相續，生命的產生遵循習慣，死亡的到來遵循變化。臨終之時，未捨棄溫暖的觸覺，一生所作的善惡同時顯現。純粹的意念就會飛昇，必定往生天上。如果飛昇的心中兼具福德和智慧，以及清凈的願望，自然心開，見到十方諸佛，一切凈土，隨愿往生。情愛少而意念多，輕舉不高遠，就成為飛仙。情愛和意念均等，不飛昇也不墜落，就生於人間。意念清晰就聰明，情愛幽暗就遲鈍。情愛多而意念少，流入橫生，重的成為毛類動物，輕的成為羽類動物。七情三想沉入水輪，生於火的邊緣，承受猛烈的火氣，身體成為餓鬼，常被焚燒，水也傷害自己，沒有食物和飲料，經歷百千劫。九情一想下墮火輪，輕的生於有間地獄，重的生於無間地獄。純粹的情愛就沉入阿鼻地獄（Avīci，音譯，八大地獄中最苦的一個）。如果沉淪的心中有誹謗大乘（Mahāyāna，音譯，佛教的主要流派之一），毀壞佛的禁戒，虛妄說法，虛假貪圖信徒的佈施，濫受恭敬，犯下五逆（matricide, patricide, arhat-slaying, causing schism in the Sangha, and injuring a Buddha）十重罪，更會生於阿鼻地獄。』
《守護國界主經》（Kāruṇikārāja-dharmarakṣa Sūtra，音譯）中，佛說：『如果有人臨命終時，預先知道時間，正念分明，洗浴身體，穿好衣服，吉祥而逝，光明照身，見到佛的相好，各種善行同時顯現，必定知道此人決定往生凈土。如果有人唸佛持戒，沒有精進心，命終時也沒有善相，也沒有惡相，地府不收，安養（Sukhāvatī，音譯，極樂世界）不攝，如同睡眠一樣離去。此人疑情未斷，生於疑城，五百歲享受快樂，再次修行信愿，才能迴歸凈土。如果有人生起憐憫心，正念現前，對於財寶妻子，心中沒有愛戀，眼色清凈，仰面含笑，想念天宮將要來迎接我，耳朵聽到天樂，眼睛看到天童，捨棄這個報身，必定生於天界。如果人生起柔軟心，生起福德心，身體沒有病難，憶念父母妻子，對於善和惡，心中不錯亂，他的心正直，遺囑家財，辭別而去，必定生於人界。如果有人用惡眼看著自己的眷屬，舉手在空中摸索，大小便不知覺，身口臭穢，兩眼紅赤，仆倒在地，蜷縮身體，左側臥著，渾身痠痛，或者見到惡相，口不能…』
【English Translation】 English version: About Amitabha (Amitābha, transliteration, meaning immeasurable light Buddha) and his Buddha-kshetra (Buddha-kṣetra, transliteration, refers to the world where the Buddha lives and teaches).
The Superiority and Inferiority of Good and Evil Retribution at the End of Life
In the Śūraṅgama Sūtra (Śūraṅgama Sūtra, transliteration), the Buddha (Buddha) told Ānanda (Ānanda, transliteration, one of the Buddha's ten great disciples): 'All worldly existences continue in the cycle of birth and death, life arises from habit, and death comes from change. At the moment of death, before the warmth of touch is relinquished, the good and evil deeds of a lifetime appear simultaneously. Pure thought will ascend and will surely be reborn in the heavens. If the ascending mind possesses both merit and wisdom, as well as pure vows, the mind will naturally open, and one will see the Buddhas of the ten directions and all pure lands, and be reborn according to one's wishes. If affection is little and thought is much, one will rise lightly but not far, and become a flying immortal. If affection and thought are equal, one will neither ascend nor fall, and will be born in the human realm. Clear thought leads to intelligence, while obscure affection leads to dullness. If affection is much and thought is little, one will flow into horizontal rebirth, becoming hairy creatures if heavy, and feathered creatures if light. Seven affections and three thoughts sink into the water wheel, and one is born on the edge of fire, enduring fierce heat, the body becoming a hungry ghost, constantly burned, and water harms oneself, without food or drink, for hundreds of thousands of kalpas. Nine affections and one thought fall into the fire wheel, and one is born in the intermittent hell if light, and in the uninterrupted hell if heavy. Pure affection sinks into Avīci Hell (Avīci, transliteration, the most painful of the eight great hells). If the sinking mind contains slander of the Mahāyāna (Mahāyāna, transliteration, one of the main schools of Buddhism), destruction of the Buddha's precepts, false teachings, false greed for the offerings of believers, and abuse of reverence, committing the five heinous crimes (matricide, patricide, arhat-slaying, causing schism in the Sangha, and injuring a Buddha) and ten grave offenses, one will be reborn in Avīci Hell.'
In the Kāruṇikārāja-dharmarakṣa Sūtra (Kāruṇikārāja-dharmarakṣa Sūtra, transliteration), the Buddha said: 'If a person, at the time of death, knows the time in advance, has clear right mindfulness, bathes the body, puts on clothes, and passes away auspiciously, with light shining on the body, seeing the auspicious signs of the Buddha, and various good deeds appearing simultaneously, one will surely know that this person will definitely be reborn in the Pure Land. If a person recites the Buddha's name and observes the precepts, but lacks diligent effort, at the time of death there will be neither good signs nor bad signs, the underworld will not accept, and Sukhāvatī (Sukhāvatī, transliteration, the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss) will not embrace, and one will depart like falling asleep. If this person's doubts are not severed, one will be born in the City of Doubt, enjoying happiness for five hundred years, and only after cultivating faith and vows again will one return to the Pure Land. If a person arises with a compassionate heart, with right mindfulness present, without attachment to wealth and wife, with clear eyes, looking up and smiling, thinking that the heavenly palace will come to welcome me, hearing heavenly music, seeing heavenly children, relinquishing this retribution body, one will surely be born in the heavenly realm. If a person arises with a gentle heart, arises with a meritorious heart, without illness or difficulty, remembering parents and wife, without confusion about good and evil, with an upright heart, bequeathing family wealth, bidding farewell and departing, one will surely be born in the human realm. If a person looks at their family members with evil eyes, gropes in the air with their hands, is unaware of urination and defecation, with foul body odor, red eyes, falling to the ground, curling up the body, lying on the left side, with aching joints, or seeing evil signs, unable to speak...'
言呻吟叫喚冤債現前心識散亂狂惑顛倒遍體如冰手捻死拳身硬如石此人命終定入地獄若人好䑛其唇身熱如火常患飢渴好說飲食張口不合貪戀財寶命卒難斷開眼而去此人定入餓鬼若人身染重病如在雲霧心神昏散怕聞佛名多愛食啖血肉之味不受勸化愛戀妻兒踡手足指遍身流汗出粗澀聲口中呾沫此相現前定入畜生。
十種障難
群疑論云世間有十種人臨終不得唸佛一者善友未必相遇故無勸念之理二者業苦纏身不遑唸佛三者偏風失語不能稱佛四者狂亂失心注想難成五者或遭水火不暇至誠六者遭遇豺狼無復善友七者臨終惡友壞彼信心八者飽食過度昏迷至死九者軍陣鬥戰奄忽而亡十者忽墜高巖傷壞性命此十種人臨終斷然不得唸佛應須預修令凈業成就縱有難緣必蒙佛救護也。
祖師指歸
壽禪師四料揀 有禪無凈土十人九錯路陰境若現前瞥爾隨他去無禪有凈土萬修萬人去但得見阿彌何愁不開悟有禪有凈土猶如戴角虎現世為人師來生作佛祖無禪無凈土鐵床並銅柱萬劫與千生沒個人依怙。
壽禪師勸修凈業 問行道唸佛與坐念功德如何答譬如逆水張帆猶云得往更若張帆順水速疾可知坐念一口尚乃八十億劫罪銷行念功德豈知其量故偈云行道五百遍唸佛一千聲事業常如此西方佛自成(行道唸佛謂拜佛繞佛而念
【現代漢語翻譯】 現代漢語譯本： 如果有人叫喊冤屈，冤債顯現，心識散亂，狂亂迷惑，顛倒錯亂，全身冰冷，手緊握成拳，身體僵硬如石頭，這個人命終后必定墮入地獄。如果有人喜歡舔嘴唇，身體發熱如火，經常感到飢渴，喜歡談論飲食，張口卻無法閉合，貪戀財寶，臨終時難以斷氣，睜著眼睛離去，這個人必定墮入餓鬼道。如果有人身染重病，如同身處雲霧之中，心神昏沉散亂，害怕聽到佛的名號，特別喜歡吃血肉的味道，不接受勸導教化，愛戀妻子兒女，蜷縮手腳指頭，全身流汗，發出粗澀的聲音，口中吐沫，這種景象出現，必定墮入畜生道。
十種障礙
《群疑論》中說，世間有十種人在臨終時無法念佛：一是善友未必能遇到，所以沒有勸唸的因緣；二是業力痛苦纏身，沒有空閑唸佛；三是得了偏癱失語癥，不能稱念佛號；四是狂亂失去心智，難以集中精神觀想；五是遭遇水火災難，沒有時間至誠唸佛；六是遭遇豺狼，沒有善友相助；七是臨終時遇到惡友，破壞他的信心；八是飽食過度，昏迷至死；九是在軍隊作戰中，突然死亡；十是從高處墜落，損傷性命。這十種人臨終時斷然無法念佛，應當預先修行，使凈業成就，即使遇到困難的因緣，也必定蒙受佛的救護。
祖師指歸
壽禪師的四料揀：有禪定而沒有凈土，十個人中有九個走錯了路，如果臨終時出現陰境，就會立刻跟隨它而去。沒有禪定而有凈土，一萬個人修行，一萬個人都能往生，只要能見到阿彌陀佛（Amitabha），還愁不能開悟嗎？既有禪定又有凈土，就像戴了角的老虎，現世可以爲人師表，來世可以成佛作祖。沒有禪定也沒有凈土，將會在鐵床和銅柱上受苦，萬劫千生都沒有人可以依靠。
壽禪師勸修凈業：有人問，行道唸佛（拜佛繞佛時念佛）與坐禪唸佛，哪種功德更大？回答說，譬如逆水行舟，即使張帆，也只能勉強前進；如果張帆順水而下，速度就非常快了。坐禪唸佛唸誦一聲，尚且能消除八十億劫的罪業，行道唸佛的功德，又豈能衡量呢？所以偈語說：『行道五百遍，唸佛一千聲，事業常如此，西方佛自成』（行道唸佛指的是拜佛繞佛時念佛）。
【English Translation】 English version: If someone cries out with grievances, and karmic debts manifest, their mind becomes scattered, confused, and inverted, their whole body feels like ice, their hands clench into fists, and their body becomes as stiff as stone, this person is destined to enter hell after death. If someone likes to lick their lips, their body feels hot like fire, they are constantly hungry and thirsty, they like to talk about food and drink, they open their mouth but cannot close it, they are greedy for wealth and treasures, and they have difficulty breathing their last breath, dying with their eyes open, this person is destined to enter the realm of hungry ghosts. If someone is seriously ill, as if in a cloud, their mind is confused and scattered, they are afraid to hear the name of the Buddha, they especially like to eat the taste of blood and flesh, they do not accept advice or teachings, they are attached to their wife and children, they curl up their fingers and toes, their whole body sweats, they make rough and hoarse sounds, and they drool from their mouth, when this appearance manifests, they are destined to enter the animal realm.
Ten Obstacles
The Qun Yi Lun (Treatise on Resolving Doubts) says that there are ten kinds of people in the world who cannot recite the Buddha's name at the time of death: first, good friends may not be encountered, so there is no opportunity to be encouraged to recite; second, karmic suffering纏身 (chan shen - to be entwined) prevents them from having the leisure to recite the Buddha's name; third, they suffer from hemiplegia and aphasia, and cannot recite the Buddha's name; fourth, they are mad and lose their minds, making it difficult to concentrate their thoughts; fifth, they encounter water or fire disasters, and do not have time to sincerely recite; sixth, they encounter jackals and wolves, and have no good friends to help them; seventh, they encounter bad friends at the time of death, who destroy their faith; eighth, they overeat and become comatose until death; ninth, they die suddenly in military battles; tenth, they fall from a high place and injure their lives. These ten kinds of people are definitely unable to recite the Buddha's name at the time of death, and should cultivate in advance to achieve pure karma, so that even if they encounter difficult circumstances, they will surely receive the Buddha's protection.
Instructions from the Patriarchs
Chan Master Shou's Four Selections: If one has Chan (Zen meditation) but no Pure Land, nine out of ten people will go astray. If negative states appear at the time of death, they will instantly follow them. If one has no Chan but has Pure Land, ten thousand people who cultivate will all be reborn there. As long as one can see Amitabha (Amitabha), what is there to worry about not attaining enlightenment? If one has both Chan and Pure Land, it is like a tiger with horns. In this life, one can be a teacher of people, and in the next life, one can become a Buddha and a patriarch. If one has neither Chan nor Pure Land, one will suffer on iron beds and copper pillars, and for countless kalpas (aeons) there will be no one to rely on.
Chan Master Shou's Exhortation to Cultivate Pure Land Karma: Someone asked, 'How does the merit of reciting the Buddha's name while walking (bowing to the Buddha and circumambulating while reciting) compare to the merit of reciting the Buddha's name while sitting in meditation?' He replied, 'It is like sailing upstream; even if you raise the sail, you can only barely move forward. But if you raise the sail and go downstream, the speed will be very fast. Reciting the Buddha's name even once while sitting in meditation can eliminate eighty billion kalpas of sins. How can the merit of reciting the Buddha's name while walking be measured?' Therefore, the verse says: 'Walk the path five hundred times, recite the Buddha's name a thousand times, if you always do this, the Buddha of the Western Pure Land will be attained.' (Reciting the Buddha's name while walking refers to reciting the Buddha's name while bowing to the Buddha and circumambulating.)
如此唸佛身口意俱到故功德獨勝)靈芝法師云博地凡夫業惑纏縛流轉五道百千萬劫受諸苦惱忽聞凈土志願求生一日稱名即超彼國可謂萬劫難逢千生一遇若人肯念阿彌陀佛超過一切善根縱然能行施戒禪誦亦不如唸佛功德。
楊提刑云有佛釋迦是大導師指清凈土是安樂國阿彌陀佛是凈土師爾諸眾生若生彼土則無諸苦若不聞知固可哀憐亦有善士發三種心不求生者尤可嗟嘆一曰吾道超佛越祖凈土不足生也二曰處處皆凈土西方不必生也三曰極樂聖域凡夫不能生也夫行海無量普賢愿見阿彌陀佛國雖空維摩常修凈土十方如來有廣舌之贊十方菩薩有同往之心試自忖量孰與諸聖謂不足生者何其自欺哉至於龍樹祖師也楞伽經有預記之文天親教宗也無量論有求生之偈慈恩通贊首稱十勝智者析理明辨十疑彼皆上哲精進往生謂不必生者何其自慢哉火車可滅舟石不沉現華報者莫甚於張馗十念而超勝處入地獄者莫速于雄俊再蘇而證妙因世人愆尤未必若此謂不能生者何其自棄哉。
慈照宗主云有行無愿其行必孤有愿無行其愿必虛夫愿者樂也欲也欲生西方凈土樂見阿彌陀佛必須發愿方得往生華嚴經云不發大愿魔所攝持一切佛事從大愿起欲成無上道故須得愿波羅蜜所以普賢廣無邊愿海彌陀有六八愿門故云法門廣大無愿不從備觀今時信心皈投佛會
【現代漢語翻譯】 現代漢語譯本： （如此唸佛，身口意三方面都到位，所以功德最為殊勝。）靈芝法師說，廣大的凡夫被業障和迷惑纏縛，在五道中流轉，經歷百千萬劫，遭受各種苦惱。如果忽然聽聞凈土法門，立下志願求生凈土，僅僅一日稱念佛名，就能超越到彼國，真可謂萬劫難逢，千生一遇。如果有人肯念阿彌陀佛（Amitabha Buddha），就能超過一切善根，縱然能夠行佈施、持戒、修禪、誦經，也不如唸佛的功德。
楊提刑說，有佛釋迦（Sakyamuni Buddha）是大導師，指引清凈土是安樂國，阿彌陀佛（Amitabha Buddha）是凈土的導師。你們這些眾生，如果能往生到那個國土，就沒有各種痛苦；如果不聞不知，實在可悲可憐。也有一些善士，發起三種心，卻不求生凈土，尤其令人嘆息。一是說，我的道超越佛，超過祖師，凈土不值得往生。二是說，處處都是凈土，西方凈土不必往生。三是說，極樂世界（Sukhavati）是聖人的領域，凡夫不能往生。修行海無邊無際，普賢菩薩（Samantabhadra）發願要見阿彌陀佛國（Amitabha Buddha's Pure Land）；即使是空性的維摩詰（Vimalakirti），也常常修習凈土。十方如來（Tathagata）有廣長舌相的讚歎，十方菩薩（Bodhisattva）有共同往生的心願。試著自己衡量一下，和諸位聖賢相比如何？說不值得往生的人，是多麼自欺啊！至於龍樹（Nagarjuna）祖師，楞伽經（Lankavatara Sutra）有預記的文字；天親（Vasubandhu）菩薩是教宗，無量壽經論（Amitayus Sutra）有求生的偈頌；慈恩大師（Ci En）的通贊，首先稱揚十種殊勝；智者大師（Zhiyi）分析事理，明辨十種疑惑。他們都是上等的賢哲，精進往生。說不必往生的人，是多麼自大啊！火車的苦難可以熄滅，舟船的石頭不會沉沒，現世顯現惡報的，沒有比張馗（Zhang Kui）更嚴重的了；十念就能超脫，勝過往生；墮入地獄的，沒有比雄俊（Xiong Jun）更快的了；再次甦醒而證得妙因。世人的罪過未必如此，說不能往生的人，是多麼自暴自棄啊！
慈照宗主說，有行沒有愿，他的修行必定孤單；有愿沒有行，他的願望必定虛空。所謂愿，就是喜好，就是慾望。想要往生西方凈土（Western Pure Land），樂意見到阿彌陀佛（Amitabha Buddha），必須發愿才能往生。《華嚴經》（Avatamsaka Sutra）說，不發大愿，會被魔所攝持，一切佛事從大愿開始。想要成就無上道，所以必須得到愿波羅蜜（Prāramitā of Vow）。所以普賢菩薩（Samantabhadra）有廣無邊際的愿海，阿彌陀佛（Amitabha Buddha）有四十八愿門。所以說，法門廣大，沒有愿不能成就。仔細觀察現今的信心皈投佛會。
【English Translation】 English version: (Such mindfulness of the Buddha, with body, speech, and mind all engaged, results in uniquely superior merit.) Dharma Master Lingzhi said, 'Vast numbers of ordinary beings are entangled by karmic obstacles and delusions, transmigrating through the five realms for hundreds of millions of kalpas, enduring all kinds of suffering. If they suddenly hear of the Pure Land Dharma and resolve to seek rebirth there, even a single day's recitation of the Buddha's name can transcend them to that land. This is truly a rare opportunity, difficult to encounter in myriad kalpas, and only met once in a thousand lifetimes. If someone is willing to recite Amitabha Buddha's (Amitabha Buddha) name, they surpass all good roots. Even if they can practice giving, uphold precepts, meditate, and recite scriptures, it is still not as meritorious as reciting the Buddha's name.'
Yang Tixing said, 'There is Buddha Sakyamuni (Sakyamuni Buddha), the great teacher, who points to the Pure Land as the Land of Bliss. Amitabha Buddha (Amitabha Buddha) is the teacher of the Pure Land. If you sentient beings are born in that land, you will be free from all suffering. If you do not hear or know of this, it is truly pitiable. There are also some virtuous people who generate three kinds of thoughts but do not seek rebirth there, which is especially lamentable. First, they say, 'My path surpasses the Buddha and exceeds the patriarchs; the Pure Land is not worth being born in.' Second, they say, 'Everywhere is Pure Land; there is no need to be born in the Western Pure Land.' Third, they say, 'The Land of Ultimate Bliss (Sukhavati) is the realm of sages; ordinary beings cannot be born there.' The ocean of practice is boundless; Bodhisattva Samantabhadra (Samantabhadra) vows to see Amitabha Buddha's Pure Land (Amitabha Buddha's Pure Land). Even Vimalakirti (Vimalakirti), who embodies emptiness, constantly cultivates the Pure Land. The Tathagatas (Tathagata) of the ten directions have tongues of praise, and the Bodhisattvas (Bodhisattva) of the ten directions share the aspiration to be reborn there together. Try to measure yourselves against these sages. How self-deceiving are those who say it is not worth being born there! As for Patriarch Nagarjuna (Nagarjuna), the Lankavatara Sutra (Lankavatara Sutra) contains prophecies about him. Bodhisattva Vasubandhu (Vasubandhu) is the founder of a school; his Treatise on the Pure Land (Amitayus Sutra) contains verses seeking rebirth. Master Ci En's (Ci En) commentary first praises the ten superiorities. Master Zhiyi (Zhiyi) analyzes principles and clearly distinguishes the ten doubts. They are all superior sages who diligently seek rebirth. How arrogant are those who say there is no need to be born there! The suffering of the fiery chariot can be extinguished, and stones in a boat will not sink. No one manifests evil retribution in this life more severely than Zhang Kui (Zhang Kui). Ten recitations can lead to transcendence, surpassing rebirth. No one falls into hell faster than Xiong Jun (Xiong Jun), who regained consciousness and realized the wonderful cause. The faults of ordinary people may not be as severe as these. How self-abandoning are those who say they cannot be born there!'
Master Cizhao said, 'Having practice without vows makes the practice solitary; having vows without practice makes the vows empty. A vow is a delight, a desire. If one wishes to be born in the Western Pure Land (Western Pure Land) and joyfully see Amitabha Buddha (Amitabha Buddha), one must make vows to be reborn there. The Avatamsaka Sutra (Avatamsaka Sutra) says that without making great vows, one will be seized by demons, and all Buddha activities arise from great vows. To achieve the unsurpassed path, one must attain the Paramita of Vow (Prāramitā of Vow). Therefore, Bodhisattva Samantabhadra (Samantabhadra) has a boundless ocean of vows, and Amitabha Buddha (Amitabha Buddha) has forty-eight gates of vows. Thus, it is said that the Dharma gate is vast, and nothing can be accomplished without vows. Observe carefully the current faith and refuge in the Buddha's assembly.'
者或為病苦而發心或為報親而舉意或為保守家宅或為怖罪持齋凡修善緣皆爲了還心願罕有為自己生死發願唸佛求生凈土者往往香燭道場祝願迴向之辭皆是表獻神明消災延壽而已雖曰積善奉佛禮拜燒香實與經懺本意相違臨終所以不得往生余嘗憫念勸令同發正愿求生凈土愿同作佛。
慈照宗主偈曰萬法從心起萬法從心滅我佛大沙門常作如是說持戒無信愿惟得人天福福盡受輪迴展轉難出離看經無慧眼不識佛深意後世得聰明亂心難出離不如唸佛好迴心生極樂釋迦金口說彌陀親授攝諸佛皆護念諸天善護持譬如貧家女腹孕轉輪王諸天常愛護貧女自不知腹中有貴子今此唸佛人其意亦如是憶佛常唸佛不久當成佛諸佛善護持其人自不知我當生凈土卻要來後世再得生人中譬如貧人家地內有伏藏藏神常守護不令其有失貧人自不知家內有寶藏逐日趁客作求衣食自濟今此唸佛人其意亦如是不知唸佛人具足如來藏自說我無分反要生人天譬如病人家自有真妙藥不知妙藥性不能自治病每日床枕邊苦痛受無量今此唸佛人其意亦如是不知唸佛心能滅貪嗔病能為大醫王能為大寶藏利濟一切人能為大法王覆護一切眾將為是凡夫不得生凈土且自持齋戒後世愿為人多見修行人常作如是說今世不得生一蹉便百蹉勸汝修行人信我如來說佛無不實言因風吹於火用力不
【現代漢語翻譯】 現代漢語譯本 有的人因為病痛而發心，有的人爲了報答父母而立意，有的人爲了守護家宅，有的人因為害怕罪過而持齋。凡是修習善緣，都是爲了了卻心願，很少有人爲了自己的生死而發願唸佛，求生凈土。往往香燭道場祝願迴向的言辭，都是爲了獻給神明，消除災禍，延長壽命而已。雖然說是積善、奉佛、禮拜、燒香，實際上與經懺的本意相違背，臨終時因此不能往生。我曾經憐憫他們，勸他們一同發起真正的願望，求生凈土，愿一同成佛。
慈照宗主說偈語：『萬法從心生起，萬法從心滅除，我佛大沙門（偉大的修行者）常常這樣說。持戒沒有信愿，只能得到人天福報，福報享盡還要受輪迴，輾轉難以脫離。看經沒有智慧的眼睛，不認識佛的深意，後世得到聰明，但心緒散亂難以脫離。不如唸佛好，回心轉意往生極樂世界，釋迦（釋迦牟尼佛）金口親說，阿彌陀（阿彌陀佛）親自授記攝受，諸佛都護念，諸天都善加守護。譬如貧窮人家的女子，腹中懷有轉輪王（統治世界的君王），諸天常常愛護她，貧女自己卻不知道腹中有尊貴的孩子。現在這些唸佛的人，他們的心意也像這樣，憶佛常常唸佛，不久當成佛，諸佛善加護持，他們自己卻不知道我將往生凈土，卻想要來後世，再次得到人身。譬如貧窮人家，地裡有伏藏（埋藏的寶藏），藏神常常守護，不讓它有失落，貧人自己卻不知道家裡有寶藏，每天趕著做工，求衣食來維持生活。現在這些唸佛的人，他們的心意也像這樣，不知道唸佛的人具足如來藏（佛性），自己卻說我沒有份，反而想要生到人天。譬如生病的人家，自己有真正的妙藥，不知道妙藥的藥性，不能自己醫治疾病，每天在床枕邊，痛苦地承受無量苦楚。現在這些唸佛的人，他們的心意也像這樣，不知道唸佛的心能滅除貪嗔癡的病，能成為大醫王，能成為大寶藏，利益救濟一切人，能成為大法王，覆蓋守護一切眾生。將要認為是凡夫，不能往生凈土，且自己持齋戒，後世愿做人，很多人都這樣說。今世不得生，一蹉跎便百蹉跎，勸你們修行人，相信我如來說，佛沒有不真實的言語，因風吹動火焰，用力不』
【English Translation】 English version Some people develop the aspiration due to illness and suffering, some intend to repay their parents' kindness, some to protect their homes, and some abstain from meat out of fear of sin. All good deeds are done to fulfill vows, and few people vow to recite the Buddha's name for their own life and death, seeking rebirth in the Pure Land. Often, the words of blessings and dedications in incense and ritual ceremonies are merely to offer to the gods, eliminate disasters, and prolong life. Although it is said to accumulate good deeds, worship the Buddha, prostrate, and burn incense, it actually contradicts the original intention of the scriptures and repentance ceremonies, and therefore one cannot be reborn in the Pure Land at the time of death. I have often felt compassion for them, urging them to jointly make a true vow to seek rebirth in the Pure Land, vowing to become Buddhas together.
The Venerable Cizhao said in a verse: 'All dharmas arise from the mind, all dharmas cease from the mind; my Buddha, the great Shramana (great practitioner), always says this. Holding precepts without faith and vows only obtains the blessings of humans and devas (gods); when the blessings are exhausted, one must undergo reincarnation, and it is difficult to escape. Reading scriptures without the eye of wisdom does not recognize the Buddha's profound meaning; in future lives, one may gain intelligence, but a scattered mind makes it difficult to escape. It is better to recite the Buddha's name, turn the mind and be reborn in the Land of Ultimate Bliss; Shakyamuni (Shakyamuni Buddha) personally spoke these golden words, Amitabha (Amitabha Buddha) personally bestowed the prediction and acceptance, all Buddhas protect and remember, all devas kindly guard. It is like a poor family's daughter, pregnant with a Chakravarti Raja (world-ruling king) in her womb; the devas often love and protect her, but the poor girl herself does not know that there is a noble child in her womb. Now, these people who recite the Buddha's name, their intentions are also like this; remembering the Buddha and constantly reciting the Buddha's name, they will soon become Buddhas, and all Buddhas will kindly protect them, but they themselves do not know that I will be reborn in the Pure Land, but want to come to future lives, to be reborn as a human again. It is like a poor family, in whose land there is a hidden treasure; the treasure spirit constantly guards it, not allowing it to be lost, but the poor person himself does not know that there is treasure in his home, and every day he rushes to work, seeking clothing and food to sustain his life. Now, these people who recite the Buddha's name, their intentions are also like this; they do not know that the person who recites the Buddha's name is fully endowed with the Tathagata-garbha (Buddha-nature), but they themselves say that I have no share, and instead want to be born in the realms of humans and devas. It is like a sick family, who has a true and wonderful medicine, but does not know the nature of the medicine, and cannot cure their own illness; every day by the bedside, they painfully endure immeasurable suffering. Now, these people who recite the Buddha's name, their intentions are also like this; they do not know that the mind that recites the Buddha's name can extinguish the diseases of greed, anger, and ignorance, can become a great physician, can become a great treasure, benefiting and saving all people, can become a great Dharma king, covering and protecting all beings. They are about to think that they are ordinary people and cannot be reborn in the Pure Land, and they themselves observe vegetarianism and precepts, wishing to be human in future lives; many people often say this. If one cannot be born in this life, one mistake leads to a hundred mistakes; I urge you practitioners to believe in what the Tathagata says, the Buddha has no untrue words, because the wind blows the flame, using force not.'
消多幸有唸佛心回愿超三界。
丞相鄭清之勸人曰今之學佛者不過禪教律究竟圓頓莫如禪非利根上器神領意解者未免墮頑空之失研究三乘莫如教非得魚忘筌因指見月者未免鉆故紙之病護善遮惡莫如律非身心清凈表裡如一者未免自纏縛之苦論其所入則禪教律要其所皈則戒定慧若不由禪教律而得戒定慧者其唯凈土之一門乎。
蓮宗寶鑑云有弟子問慈照導師云弟子專修唸佛三昧可得用佈施持戒供養作福否師答曰汝能專念彌陀若不持戒則有毀犯罪若不佈施則長慳貪業若不供養三寶則有我慢業若不恭敬一切則有輕人罪是故毀犯即墮地獄慳貪即墮餓鬼我慢則常在惡道輕人則世世貧賤以此惡業障蔽欲生凈土其可得乎。
永明壽禪師自行錄云撿我此身從旦至中從中至暮從暮至夜從夜至曉乃至一時一刻一念一項有幾心幾行幾善幾惡幾心欲摧伏煩惱幾心欲降伏魔怨幾心念三寶四諦幾心悟苦空無常幾心念報父母恩慈幾心願代眾生受苦幾心發念菩薩道業幾心欲佈施持戒幾心欲忍辱精進幾心欲禪定智慧幾心欲慈濟五道幾心欲勉厲行所難行幾心欲超求辨所難辨幾心欲忍苦建立佛法幾心欲作佛化度群生上已撿心次復撿口如上時刻從旦已來已得演說幾句深義已得披讀幾許經典已得理誦幾許文字已得幾回嘆佛功德已得幾回迴向發願次復
【現代漢語翻譯】 現代漢語譯本： 消除諸多不幸，唯有唸佛之心，迴向發願，超越三界。
丞相鄭清之勸人說：『如今學佛的人，不外乎禪、教、律三者。要說究竟圓滿，沒有比得上禪宗的了。但如果不是利根上器，能夠神領意解的人，難免會墮入頑空的過失。研究三乘教法，沒有比得上教宗的了。但如果不能得魚忘筌，因指見月，難免會鉆研故紙堆的毛病。護善遮惡，沒有比得上律宗的了。但如果不是身心清凈，表裡如一的人，難免會自縛于痛苦之中。』 論及他們所入的途徑，則是禪、教、律；說到他們最終的歸宿，則是戒、定、慧。如果不是通過禪、教、律而能得到戒、定、慧的，那大概只有凈土這一法門了吧。
《蓮宗寶鑑》中說：有弟子問慈照導師說：『弟子專修唸佛三昧，可以做佈施、持戒、供養等善事嗎？』 慈照導師回答說：『你如果能專心念誦阿彌陀佛，但不持戒，就會有毀犯戒律的罪過；如果不佈施，就會增長慳貪的惡業；如果不供養三寶，就會有我慢的惡業；如果不恭敬一切眾生，就會有輕慢他人的罪過。因此，毀犯戒律就會墮入地獄，慳貪就會墮入餓鬼道，我慢就會常在惡道之中，輕慢他人就會世世貧賤。用這些惡業來遮蔽，想要往生凈土，那怎麼可能呢？』
永明延壽禪師《自行錄》中說：『檢查我的這個身體，從早到中午，從中午到傍晚，從傍晚到夜晚，從夜晚到黎明，乃至一時一刻，一念之間，有多少心，多少行為，多少善，多少惡，有多少心想要摧伏煩惱，有多少心想要降伏魔怨，有多少心念三寶四諦，有多少心領悟苦空無常，有多少心念報父母恩慈，有多少心願代替眾生受苦，有多少心發願菩薩道業，有多少心想要佈施持戒，有多少心想要忍辱精進，有多少心想要禪定智慧，有多少心想要慈濟五道，有多少心想要勉勵行所難行，有多少心想要超求辨所難辨，有多少心想要忍苦建立佛法，有多少心想要作佛化度群生。』 上面是檢查內心，接下來再檢查口，像上面的時刻一樣，從早以來，已經演說了多少句深刻的道理，已經披閱了多少經典，已經誦讀了多少文字，已經多少回讚歎佛的功德，已經多少次誠懇地發願。接下來再
【English Translation】 English version: Eliminating many misfortunes, only the mind of reciting the Buddha's name can help, dedicating the merit and vowing to transcend the Three Realms.
Chancellor Zheng Qingzhi advised people, saying: 'Those who study Buddhism nowadays are nothing more than Chan (Zen), Doctrine, and Discipline. To speak of ultimate completeness, nothing surpasses Chan. But if one is not of sharp faculties and superior capacity, able to grasp the meaning intuitively, one will inevitably fall into the error of clinging to emptiness. To study the Three Vehicles, nothing surpasses Doctrine. But if one cannot forget the trap after catching the fish, or see the moon through the pointing finger, one will inevitably delve into the disease of old papers. To protect the good and prevent evil, nothing surpasses Discipline. But if one is not pure in body and mind, consistent inside and out, one will inevitably bind oneself in suffering.' Discussing the paths they enter, they are Chan, Doctrine, and Discipline; speaking of their ultimate refuge, they are Precepts, Concentration, and Wisdom. If one can attain Precepts, Concentration, and Wisdom without going through Chan, Doctrine, and Discipline, then it is probably only the Pure Land path.
The 'Lotus School Treasure Mirror' says: A disciple asked Dharma Master Cizhao, 'This disciple specializes in the Samadhi of reciting the Buddha's name. May I perform acts of generosity, uphold precepts, and make offerings?' Dharma Master Cizhao replied, 'If you can wholeheartedly recite Amitabha Buddha, but do not uphold precepts, you will have the transgression of violating precepts; if you do not practice generosity, you will increase the karma of stinginess; if you do not make offerings to the Three Jewels (Sanbao), you will have the karma of arrogance; if you do not respect all beings, you will have the sin of belittling others. Therefore, violating precepts leads to hell, stinginess leads to the realm of hungry ghosts, arrogance leads to constant suffering in evil realms, and belittling others leads to poverty and lowliness in every life. Using these evil karmas to obscure your path, how can you hope to be reborn in the Pure Land?'
Chan Master Yongming Yanshou's 'Record of Self-Practice' says: 'Examine this body of mine, from dawn to midday, from midday to dusk, from dusk to night, from night to dawn, even in a moment, a thought, how many minds, how many actions, how much good, how much evil, how many minds desire to subdue afflictions, how many minds desire to vanquish demonic forces, how many minds recite the Three Jewels (Sanbao) and Four Noble Truths (Sidi), how many minds realize suffering, emptiness, and impermanence, how many minds remember to repay the kindness of parents, how many minds vow to suffer on behalf of sentient beings, how many minds aspire to the Bodhisattva path, how many minds desire to practice generosity and uphold precepts, how many minds desire to practice patience and diligence, how many minds desire to cultivate meditation and wisdom, how many minds desire to compassionately aid the five realms of existence, how many minds desire to strive to do what is difficult to do, how many minds desire to seek and discern what is difficult to discern, how many minds desire to endure suffering and establish the Buddha Dharma, how many minds desire to become a Buddha and liberate all beings?' The above is examining the mind. Next, examine the mouth. Like the moments above, since dawn, how many profound principles have been spoken, how many scriptures have been read, how many words have been recited, how many times have the virtues of the Buddha been praised, how many times have sincere vows been made. Next, continue to
撿身如上時刻已得幾回屈身禮佛幾拜已得幾回屈身禮法禮僧已得幾回執勞掃塔塗地已得幾回燒香散華燃燈已得幾回掃除塵垢正列供具已得幾回懸幡表剎合掌供養已得幾回繞佛恭敬十百千匝如上撿察自救無功何有閑時議人善惡龍舒王居士勸人曰大阿彌陀佛經十方有無量菩薩往生阿彌陀佛國彼菩薩尚欲往生我何人哉略舉數條以為證青草堂後身曾魯公喆老後身多憂苦古老後身耽富貴法華尼後身作官妓是皆不信西方展轉輪迴受苦或曰參禪固難見性學仙何如答不修凈土而欲學仙是舍目前之美玉而求不可必得之碔砆豈不惑哉按楞嚴有十種仙皆壽千萬歲數盡復入輪迴世人學仙者萬不得一縱使得之又不免輪迴爲著于形神而不能捨去也且形神者乃真性中所現之妄想故寒山詩云饒汝得仙人恰似守尸鬼非若佛家之生死自如而無所拘也近自數年來得仙者惟鐘離呂公豈不聞洞賓飛劍斬黃龍卻被黃龍降伏及見黃龍禪師方悟真性了道遂說一偈云棄卻瓢囊擊碎琴如今不鍊汞中金自從一見黃龍后始覺從前錯用心又不聞後魏曇鑾法師初自陶隱居得仙經十卷鑾欣然自得以為仙可立至后遇僧菩提留支問云佛道有長生乎能卻老為不死乎支云長生不死吾佛道也遂以十六觀經與之云汝可誦此則三界無復生六道無復往盈虛訊息禍福成敗無得而至其為壽也有劫石焉有河沙焉
沙石之數有限壽量之數無窮此吾金仙氏之長生也鑾深信之遂焚仙經而專修觀經雖寒暑之變疾病之來亦不懈怠魏主憐其志向號為神鑾一日告弟子云地獄諸苦不可以不懼九品凈業不可以不修因令弟子高聲念阿彌陀佛鑾西向閉目叩頭而亡是時僧俗同聞絲竹管絃之聲從西而來由此觀之凈土法門最為捷徑況神仙者有所得則秘不傳以謂泄天機而有罪佛法門惟恐傳之不廣直欲度盡眾生而後已是其慈悲廣大非神仙之可比明矣。
華嚴經云人生有二天人隨之一名同生二名同名天人常見人人不見天人此二天人豈非善惡二部童子之徒歟人之舉意發言動步常念二天人而能無愧如此修凈土則必上品上生或曰一人尚有二天人何天人之多也曰一月普現一切水豈必月之多哉。
晝必有夜必為夜備暑必有寒必為寒備存必有去必為去備何謂夜備燈獨床褥何謂寒備衾裘炭薪何謂去備福慧凈土。
予遍覽藏經卻無陰府寄庫之說奉勸世人以寄庫所費之資請僧為西方之供一心西方則必往生若不為凈土功德而為陰府寄庫則是志在陰府死必入陰府矣譬如有人不為君子之行以交結賢人君子乃寄錢于司理院獄子處待其下獄則用錢免罪豈不謬哉。
人生時種種事務無不掛懷一旦大限到來盡皆拋去雖我此身猶是棄物況身外乎靜言思之恍如一夢古人有言一
【現代漢語翻譯】 現代漢語譯本：沙子和石頭的數量是有限的，而（阿彌陀佛）壽量的數量是無窮的，這就是我金仙氏（指魏鑾，字金仙）長生的方法。魏鑾深信此理，於是焚燒了神仙的經典，而專門修行觀經。即使遇到寒暑的變化和疾病的侵擾，也不懈怠。魏主（指北魏皇帝）憐憫他的志向，稱他為『神鑾』。一天，魏鑾告訴弟子們說：『地獄的各種痛苦不可以不畏懼，往生凈土的九品行業不可以不修習。』於是命令弟子高聲唸誦阿彌陀佛（Amitabha），魏鑾面向西方，閉目叩頭而去世。當時，僧人和俗人都聽到絲竹管絃的聲音從西方傳來。由此看來，凈土法門是最為便捷的途徑。況且神仙有所得，就秘密地不傳授給別人，認為泄露天機是有罪的；而佛法惟恐不能廣泛地傳授，只想度盡一切眾生而後已。這其中的慈悲廣大，不是神仙可以相比的，是很明顯的。 《華嚴經》（Avatamsaka Sutra）說：人出生時有二天人跟隨，一名『同生』，二名『同名』。天人常常看見人，而人卻看不見天人。這二天人難道不是善惡二部童子之流嗎？人的一舉一動、一言一行、一舉一動，常常想著這二天人，而能夠沒有愧疚，如此修習凈土，就必定上品上生。或者有人問：一個人尚且有二天人，為什麼天人這麼多呢？回答說：一輪月亮普遍地顯現在一切水中，難道一定是月亮多嗎？ 白天一定有夜晚，一定要為夜晚準備；夏天一定有寒冷，一定要為寒冷準備；生存一定有離去，一定要為離去準備。什麼叫為夜晚準備？燈、獨床、褥子。什麼叫為寒冷準備？被子、裘衣、炭、柴。什麼叫為離去準備？福、慧、凈土。 我遍覽藏經，卻沒有陰府寄庫的說法。奉勸世人，把用於陰府寄庫所花費的資財，請僧人為西方（指西方極樂世界）做供養，一心向往西方，就必定往生。如果不為凈土功德，而為陰府寄庫，那就是志在陰府，死後必定進入陰府了。譬如有人不修君子之行，而想交結賢人君子，乃至於把錢寄存在司理院獄卒那裡，等待自己下獄時用錢免罪，豈不是荒謬嗎？ 人生在世，種種事務沒有不掛在心上的，一旦大限到來，全部都拋棄了。即使我這個身體，也是要被拋棄的物品，更何況是身外之物呢？靜下心來想想，恍如一場夢。古人有言：一……
【English Translation】 English version: The number of sands and stones is finite, but the number of (Amitabha's) lifespan is infinite. This is the method of longevity for me, Jin Xian (referring to Wei Luan, styled Jin Xian). Wei Luan deeply believed in this principle, so he burned the scriptures of immortals and devoted himself to cultivating the Contemplation Sutra (Amitayurdhyana Sutra). Even when encountering changes in heat and cold and the invasion of diseases, he did not slacken. The ruler of Wei (referring to the emperor of the Northern Wei Dynasty) pitied his ambition and called him 'Divine Luan.' One day, Wei Luan told his disciples, 'The various sufferings of hell must not be feared, and the nine grades of karma for rebirth in the Pure Land must not be cultivated.' So he ordered his disciples to loudly recite Amitabha (Amitabha), and Wei Luan faced west, closed his eyes, kowtowed, and passed away. At that time, monks and laypeople alike heard the sounds of silk and bamboo管絃 instruments coming from the west. From this, it can be seen that the Pure Land Dharma gate is the most convenient path. Moreover, when immortals gain something, they secretly do not pass it on to others, believing that revealing heavenly secrets is a sin; but the Buddhist Dharma only fears that it cannot be widely transmitted, and only wants to liberate all sentient beings before stopping. The vastness of this compassion is not comparable to that of immortals, which is obvious. The Avatamsaka Sutra (Huayan Jing) says: When a person is born, two devas (heavenly beings) follow, one named 'Born Together' (Tongsheng), and the other named 'Same Name' (Tongming). The devas often see people, but people cannot see the devas. Are these two devas not of the same kind as the good and evil two-part boys? A person's every move, every word, and every action, constantly thinking of these two devas, and being able to have no shame, cultivating the Pure Land in this way, will surely be reborn in the upper grade. Or someone asks: One person still has two devas, why are there so many devas? The answer is: One moon universally appears in all waters, is it necessarily because there are many moons? There must be night after day, and one must prepare for night; there must be cold after summer, and one must prepare for cold; there must be departure after existence, and one must prepare for departure. What is preparing for night? A lamp, a single bed, a mattress. What is preparing for cold? A quilt, a fur coat, charcoal, firewood. What is preparing for departure? Blessings, wisdom, and the Pure Land. I have read through the entire Tripitaka (Buddhist canon), but there is no mention of depositing treasures in the underworld. I advise people to use the money spent on depositing treasures in the underworld to invite monks to make offerings to the West (referring to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss), and wholeheartedly aspire to the West, and they will surely be reborn there. If one does not seek merit for the Pure Land, but deposits treasures in the underworld, then one's ambition is in the underworld, and one will surely enter the underworld after death. It is like someone who does not cultivate the conduct of a gentleman, but wants to associate with virtuous and noble people, and even deposits money with the jailer of the judicial court, waiting for himself to be imprisoned to use the money to avoid punishment, is it not absurd? When a person is alive, all kinds of affairs are not kept in mind, but once the great limit arrives, they are all abandoned. Even this body of mine is an object to be discarded, let alone external things? Thinking about it quietly, it is like a dream. The ancients said: One...
日無常到方知夢裡人萬般將不去惟有業隨身豈可不以凈土為業乎有明瞭長老為眾普說指此身而言曰此為死物內潑潑地者為[魚*舌]物莫于死物上作活計宜於活物上作活計予深愛此語凡貪種種外物以奉其身者皆是死物上作活計也。
人有見目前善惡未報者遂不信因果而因以不信凈土殊不知善惡未有報者非無報也但遲速不同耳佛嘗謂阿難云人有今世為善死墮地獄者今世為惡死生天堂者阿難問故佛言今世為善死墮地獄者今世之善未熟前世之惡已熟也今世為惡死生天堂者今世之惡未熟前世之善已熟也熟處先受報譬如欠債急處先還左氏謂欒武子有德可以庇其子黡雖為惡而可以免禍黡之子盈為善而黡之惡乃累之故盈雖善而及於難止於世間目前可見者善惡之報尚有如此者況隔世乎又曰儒家言施報佛家言佈施果報其實一也佛言欲得穀食當勤耕種欲得智慧當勤學問欲得長壽當勤戒殺欲得富貴當勤佈施古語云人人知道有來年家家盡種來年穀人人知道有來生何不修取來生福是今生所受之福乃前世所修者猶今歲所食之谷乃前歲所種者人不能朝種穀而暮食猶不能旋修福而即受所以谷必半年福必隔世也。
人初未嘗死而死之名乃自身體上得之何則以神之來而寄於此其形由是而長故謂之生以神之去而離於此則形由是而壞故謂之死是神者
{ "translations": [ "現代漢語譯本：\n\n若非親歷無常，怎知人生如夢？萬般事物生不帶來，死不帶去，唯有業力如影隨形。怎能不以求生凈土作為最重要的修行呢？有位明瞭長老曾為大眾開示，指著我們的身體說：『這具軀殼是死物，而其中活潑潑地跳動的是心識（[魚舌]物）。』不要在這死物上打主意，而要在活物（心識）上用功。我非常喜歡這句話。凡是貪戀種種外物來奉養身體的人，都是在死物上打主意啊。", "有人看到眼前行善作惡的人沒有立即得到報應，於是就不相信因果，進而也不相信凈土法門。他們不知道，善惡沒有立即得到報應，並非沒有報應，只是時間遲早不同罷了。佛陀曾經對阿難（Ananda，佛陀的十大弟子之一）說：『有人今生行善，死後卻墮入地獄；有人今生作惡，死後卻升入天堂。』阿難（Ananda）問其緣故，佛陀說：『今生行善死後墮入地獄的人，是因為今生的善業尚未成熟，而前世的惡業已經成熟；今生作惡死後升入天堂的人，是因為今生的惡業尚未成熟，而前世的善業已經成熟。』成熟的業力會先受報應，就像欠債一樣，緊急的債務會先償還。《左傳》中說，欒武子（Luan Wuzi，春秋時期晉國大夫）有德行，可以庇護他的兒子欒黡（Luan Yan），所以欒黡（Luan Yan）雖然作惡，卻可以免於禍患。欒黡（Luan Yan）的兒子欒盈（Luan Ying）行善，但欒黡（Luan Yan）的惡行卻連累了他，所以欒盈（Luan Ying）雖然行善，卻遭遇了災難。僅僅從世間眼前可見的事情來說，善惡的報應尚且有如此情況，更何況是隔世的報應呢？又說，儒家講施與報，佛家講佈施果報，其實道理是一樣的。佛說，想要獲得糧食，應當勤勞耕種；想要獲得智慧，應當勤奮學習；想要獲得長壽，應當勤于戒殺；想要獲得富貴，應當勤于佈施。古語說，人人都知道有來年，家家戶戶都種植來年的糧食；人人都知道有來生，為何不修取來生的福報呢？今生所享受的福報，是前世所修來的；就像今年所吃的糧食，是去年所種下的。人不能早上播種穀物，晚上就收穫；同樣也不能立刻修行福報，立刻就得到回報。所以穀物必定要經過半年才能成熟，福報必定要隔世才能顯現。", "人最初本來沒有死亡，而『死亡』這個名稱，是從自身體上得來的。為什麼呢？因為神識的到來而寄託於此，身體因此而生長，所以稱為『生』；神識的離去而脫離於此，那麼身體因此而敗壞，所以稱為『死』。這個神識啊……" ], "english_translations": [ "English version:\n\nOnly by experiencing impermanence can one truly understand that life is like a dream. All things are left behind at death, except for karma, which follows us like a shadow. How can we not make striving for rebirth in the Pure Land our most important practice? Elder Mingliao once gave a discourse to the assembly, pointing to our bodies and saying: 'This body is a dead thing, while the lively, throbbing thing within is consciousness ([魚舌]物).' Do not focus on this dead thing, but rather put effort into the living thing (consciousness). I deeply love these words. All those who greedily cling to external things to nourish their bodies are focusing on dead things.", "Some people, seeing that good and evil actions are not immediately rewarded, lose faith in karma and, consequently, in the Pure Land teachings. They do not realize that the absence of immediate retribution does not mean there will be no retribution at all; it simply means the timing differs. The Buddha once said to Ananda (Ananda, one of the ten principal disciples of the Buddha): 'Some people do good deeds in this life but fall into hell after death; others do evil deeds in this life but are reborn in heaven after death.' Ananda (Ananda) asked why, and the Buddha replied: 'Those who do good deeds in this life but fall into hell after death do so because the good karma of this life has not yet ripened, while the evil karma of the previous life has already ripened. Those who do evil deeds in this life but are reborn in heaven after death do so because the evil karma of this life has not yet ripened, while the good karma of the previous life has already ripened.' The karma that is ripe will be experienced first, just as with debts, the most urgent debts are paid first. The Zuozhuan states that Luan Wuzi (Luan Wuzi, a high official in Jin during the Spring and Autumn period) had such virtue that he could protect his son Luan Yan (Luan Yan), so even though Luan Yan (Luan Yan) did evil, he was spared from disaster. Luan Yan's (Luan Yan) son, Luan Ying (Luan Ying), did good, but Luan Yan's (Luan Yan) evil deeds burdened him, so even though Luan Ying (Luan Ying) did good, he encountered hardship. Even in worldly affairs that are visible to the eye, the retribution for good and evil can be like this, let alone the retribution that occurs across lifetimes? Furthermore, the Confucian school speaks of giving and receiving, while the Buddhist school speaks of giving and karmic reward; in reality, the principle is the same. The Buddha said, 'If you want to obtain grain, you must diligently cultivate the fields; if you want to obtain wisdom, you must diligently study; if you want to obtain longevity, you must diligently abstain from killing; if you want to obtain wealth and nobility, you must diligently practice generosity.' An ancient saying goes, 'Everyone knows there will be a next year, and every household plants grain for the next year; everyone knows there will be a next life, so why not cultivate blessings for the next life?' The blessings we enjoy in this life are cultivated from previous lives, just as the grain we eat this year was planted last year. People cannot plant grain in the morning and eat it in the evening; similarly, they cannot immediately cultivate blessings and immediately receive rewards. Therefore, grain must take half a year to mature, and blessings must take lifetimes to manifest.", "People were not originally born to die, and the name 'death' is derived from the body itself. Why is this? Because the arrival of consciousness lodges here, and the body grows as a result, so it is called 'birth'; the departure of consciousness separates from here, and the body decays as a result, so it is called 'death'. This consciousness..." ] }
我也形者我所舍也我有去來故舍有成壞然則生者非生也以神之來而形成耳死者非死也以神之去而形壞耳世之人不識其神徒見其形乃悅生而惡死可不悲乎且神之來也何自而來哉蓋隨業緣而來神之去何自而去哉蓋隨業緣而去業緣者何哉其所作者人間之業神則隨之而生人間所作者天上之業神則隨之而生於天上若作阿修羅之業神則隨之生於阿修羅若作三惡道之業神則隨之生於三惡道是輪迴六趣無有出期然則神者自無始以來投胎易殼不得久留於一所所以然者何哉以吾所造之業非久而不盡者故神之舍于業也業盡則形壞形壞則神無所舍又隨吾今世所造之業而往矣譬如人造屋宇必居其中人造飯食必享其味故造如是業必受如是報蓋自然之理也然則吾今世所為豈可以不慎哉。
經云大醫王能治一切病不能治命盡之人佛能度一切眾生不能度不信之人蓋信者一念也若人在生時心念要去身則隨去心念要住身則隨住是身常隨念然猶有念欲去而身被牽繫者身壞時惟一念而已一念到處則無不到是以一念在凈土則必生凈土況佛與菩薩又接引人往生乎。
知歸子問善導和尚曰蒙開誨唸佛之法但恐死至之時心識散亂仍慮他人惑動正念忘失凈因師曰善哉問也凡一切人命終須是不得怕死常念此身多苦若得舍此起生凈土受無量快樂乃是稱意之事如脫敝衣
【現代漢語翻譯】 現代漢語譯本： 我也只是形體的寄託之所，我所拋棄的。我因為有來有去，所以拋棄有成有壞的形體。那麼，生不是真正的生，只是因為神識的到來而形成形體罷了；死也不是真正的死，只是因為神識的離去而形體壞滅罷了。世間的人不認識他們的神識，只看到他們的形體，於是喜歡生存而厭惡死亡，這難道不令人悲哀嗎？而且神識的到來，是從哪裡來的呢？大概是隨著業緣而來的。神識的離去，又是到哪裡去呢？大概是隨著業緣而去的。什麼是業緣呢？就是所做的事情。如果人做了人間的善業，神識就隨著他而生在人間；如果人做了天上的善業，神識就隨著他而生在天上；如果做了阿修羅（Ashura，非天，一種善鬥的神）的業，神識就隨著他而生在阿修羅道；如果做了三惡道（three evil paths，地獄、餓鬼、畜生）的業，神識就隨著他而生在三惡道。這樣輪迴六趣（six realms of reincarnation，天道、人道、阿修羅道、地獄道、餓鬼道、畜生道），沒有脫離的時候。那麼，神識自從無始以來，投胎換殼，不能長久地停留在一個地方，這是什麼原因呢？因為我所造的業，不是短時間就能完結的。所以神識捨棄這個業報之身，業報完結了，形體就壞滅了，形體壞滅了，神識就沒有可以寄託的地方，又隨著我今生所造的業而去了。譬如人建造房屋，必定住在裡面；人制造飯食，必定享受它的美味。所以造作這樣的業，必定承受這樣的果報，這是自然的道理啊！那麼，我今生所做的事情，難道可以不謹慎嗎？
經書上說，大醫王（great doctor king，指佛）能醫治一切疾病，卻不能醫治壽命將盡的人；佛能度化一切眾生，卻不能度化不相信的人。相信，只是一念之間的事情。如果人在臨終的時候，心裡想著要去，身體就隨著心而去；心裡想著要住，身體就隨著心而住。這是身體常常隨著念頭。即使有念頭想要離去，而身體被牽絆的情況，身體壞滅的時候，只剩下一個念頭而已。一個念頭到達的地方，沒有不能到達的。因此，一個念頭在凈土（Pure Land），就必定往生凈土，更何況佛與菩薩又接引人往生呢？
知歸子（Zhigui Zi，人名）問善導和尚（Shandao, a monk's name）說：『蒙受您的開示，教誨我念佛的方法，只是恐怕臨死的時候，心識散亂，仍然擔心他人迷惑動搖我的正念，忘記了往生凈土的善因。』善導和尚說：『問得好啊！凡是所有的人，臨命終時，必須不要害怕死亡，常常想著這個身體有很多痛苦，如果能夠捨棄這個身體，往生凈土，享受無量的快樂，才是稱心如意的事情，就像脫掉破舊的衣服一樣。』
【English Translation】 English version: I am merely a temporary dwelling for the form, which I will eventually discard. Because I have coming and going, I discard the form that has formation and decay. Therefore, birth is not true birth, but merely the formation of the body due to the arrival of consciousness (神, shen); death is not true death, but merely the decay of the body due to the departure of consciousness. People in the world do not recognize their consciousness, only see their form, and thus delight in life and abhor death. Is this not lamentable? Moreover, where does the arrival of consciousness come from? It comes from karmic conditions (業緣, ye yuan). Where does the departure of consciousness go to? It goes according to karmic conditions. What are karmic conditions? They are the actions one performs. If one performs good deeds in the human realm, consciousness will follow and be born in the human realm; if one performs good deeds in the heavens, consciousness will follow and be born in the heavens; if one performs the deeds of an Ashura (阿修羅, Ashura, a type of fighting spirit), consciousness will follow and be born in the realm of Ashuras; if one performs the deeds of the three evil paths (三惡道, three evil paths, hell, hungry ghosts, animals), consciousness will follow and be born in the three evil paths. Thus, one reincarnates in the six realms (六趣, six realms of reincarnation, heavens, humans, Ashuras, hell, hungry ghosts, animals) without end. Therefore, consciousness, since beginningless time, has been reincarnating and changing shells, unable to stay in one place for long. Why is this so? Because the karma I create cannot be exhausted in a short time. Therefore, consciousness abandons this karmic body. When the karma is exhausted, the form decays. When the form decays, consciousness has nowhere to dwell, and it goes according to the karma I create in this life. It is like a person building a house, they will surely live in it; a person making food, they will surely enjoy its taste. Therefore, creating such karma will surely receive such retribution. This is the natural principle! Then, should I not be cautious about what I do in this life?
The sutra says that the great doctor king (大醫王, great doctor king, referring to the Buddha) can cure all diseases, but cannot cure those whose lives are exhausted; the Buddha can liberate all sentient beings, but cannot liberate those who do not believe. Belief is only a matter of a single thought. If a person, at the time of death, thinks of going, the body will follow the mind and go; if they think of staying, the body will follow the mind and stay. This is because the body always follows the thought. Even if there is a situation where the thought wants to leave but the body is restrained, when the body decays, only one thought remains. Wherever that one thought reaches, there is nowhere it cannot reach. Therefore, if one thought is in the Pure Land (凈土, Pure Land), one will surely be born in the Pure Land, let alone that the Buddha and Bodhisattvas also receive and guide people to be reborn there?
Zhigui Zi (知歸子, Zhigui Zi, a person's name) asked the Venerable Shandao (善導和尚, Shandao, a monk's name): 'I am grateful for your teachings, instructing me in the method of reciting the Buddha's name, but I fear that at the time of death, my consciousness will be scattered, and I am still worried that others will confuse and shake my right mindfulness, forgetting the good cause of being reborn in the Pure Land.' Venerable Shandao said: 'A good question! For all people, when approaching the end of life, one must not fear death, and often think that this body has much suffering. If one can abandon this body and be reborn in the Pure Land, enjoying immeasurable happiness, that is a satisfactory thing, like taking off old and worn-out clothes.'
得換珍服其於敝衣肯生戀著但遇病時便念無常一心待死叮囑家人及看病往來問候之人凡到我前不得說眼前閑雜之話亦不須軟言安慰祝願安樂此皆空華無益若病重將終親屬不得垂淚哭泣嗟嘆懊惱惑亂心神但當同聲唸佛助其往生待氣盡了多時然後哀泣未晚若知死是歸去能不哀泣尤為達理也況往生凈土舍苦得樂慎不宜哭泣使死者亂心也予又多見世人平常唸佛禮讚發願求生西方及至病來卻又怕死都不說著往生之事直待氣消命盡識投冥界方始十念鳴鐘卻如賊去關門濟何事也生死事大須是自家著力始得若一念差錯歷劫受苦誰人相代思之思之。
慈照宗主凈土十門告誡云唸佛人臨終三疑三關不可不慎一者疑我生來作業極重修行日淺恐不得生二者疑我生來欠人債負或有心願未了及貪嗔癡未息恐不得生三者疑我雖念阿彌臨命終時恐佛不來接引有此三疑因疑成障失其正念不得往生故唸佛之人切要諦信佛言勿生疑心三關者凡夫雖有信心念佛緣宿業障重應墮地獄臨終不免病苦若因病苦蓋知悔悟身心決生凈土也只緣無智之人不了此事卻言我今唸佛又有病苦反謗阿彌因此一念徑入地獄此是一關也二者雖則持戒唸佛緣平日口談凈土意戀娑婆以致臨終遭病怕死貪生信受童兒呼神喚鬼燒錢化紙殺戮生命緣此心邪無佛攝護墮落三塗是二關也三者臨終之
【現代漢語翻譯】 現代漢語譯本 如果得到了華麗的衣服，誰還願意留戀破舊的衣服呢？但當生病的時候，就要想到無常，一心等待死亡，叮囑家人以及來看病問候的人，凡是到我面前的，不得說眼前的閑雜話，也不需要用軟言安慰，祝願安樂，這些都是空花，沒有益處。如果病重將要去世，親屬不得流淚哭泣，嗟嘆懊惱，擾亂心神，但應當同聲唸佛，幫助他往生。等待斷氣很久之後，然後哀泣也不晚。如果知道死亡是歸去，能不哀泣，就更為通達事理了。何況往生凈土，捨棄痛苦得到快樂，千萬不應該哭泣，使死者心神擾亂啊！我又多次見到世人，平常唸佛禮讚，發願求生西方，等到生病的時候，卻又怕死，都不說往生的事情，一直等到氣息消散，性命進入冥界，才開始十念鳴鐘，卻像賊走了才關門，有什麼用呢？生死是大事，必須是自己著力才能成功，如果一念差錯，歷劫受苦，誰人能夠代替呢？仔細想想，仔細想想。 慈照宗主的《凈土十門告誡》說，唸佛的人臨終有三疑三關，不可不謹慎。一是懷疑我生來所造的業極重，修行時間短淺，恐怕不能往生；二是懷疑我生來欠人債負，或者有心願未了，以及貪嗔癡沒有止息，恐怕不能往生；三是懷疑我雖然念阿彌陀佛（Amitabha，音譯，意為無量光佛），臨命終時，恐怕佛不來接引。有這三種懷疑，因為懷疑成為障礙，失去正念，不能往生。所以唸佛的人，一定要深信佛言，不要產生疑心。三關是：凡夫雖然有信心念佛，但因為宿世的業障深重，應該墮入地獄，臨終不免遭受病苦。如果因為病苦而知道悔悟，身心決定往生凈土。只因爲沒有智慧的人不瞭解這件事，卻說我現在念佛，又有病苦，反而誹謗阿彌陀佛（Amitabha，音譯，意為無量光佛），因此一念直接墮入地獄，這是一關。二是雖然持戒唸佛，但因為平日口談凈土，心裡卻留戀娑婆世界（Sahā world，音譯，指我們所居住的這個充滿缺陷和痛苦的世界），以致臨終遭受病痛，害怕死亡，貪戀生命，相信童兒呼神喚鬼，燒錢化紙，殺戮生命，因為這種心邪，沒有佛的攝護，墮落到三惡道，這是第二關。三是臨終的時候，
【English Translation】 English version If one obtains splendid clothes, who would still cherish the worn-out ones? But when one is ill, one should contemplate impermanence, single-mindedly await death, and instruct family members and those who come to visit and inquire. Whoever comes before me must not speak of idle matters at hand, nor offer soft words of comfort or wishes for peace and happiness; these are all empty flowers, of no benefit. If the illness is severe and one is about to pass away, relatives must not weep and wail, sigh and fret, disturbing the mind. Instead, they should recite the Buddha's name in unison, helping the dying person to be reborn in the Pure Land. Wait a long time after the breath has ceased before grieving; it is not too late then. If one knows that death is a return, and can refrain from weeping, that is even more understanding of the truth. Moreover, being reborn in the Pure Land means leaving suffering and attaining joy; one should certainly not weep, causing the dying person's mind to be disturbed! I have also often seen people in the world who usually recite the Buddha's name, praise and make vows to be reborn in the West, but when illness comes, they fear death and do not speak of rebirth at all, waiting until their breath dissipates and their life enters the realm of darkness before beginning the ten recitations and ringing the bell, which is like closing the door after the thief has left; what good does it do? Birth and death are major matters, and one must exert oneself to succeed. If there is a single wrong thought, one will suffer for kalpas; who can take one's place? Think about it, think about it. The Master Cizhao's 'Ten Admonishments on the Pure Land' says that those who recite the Buddha's name must be cautious of three doubts and three barriers at the time of death. First, doubting that the karma created in my life is extremely heavy and my practice is shallow, fearing that I will not be reborn; second, doubting that I owe debts from past lives, or have unfulfilled wishes, and that greed, anger, and ignorance have not ceased, fearing that I will not be reborn; third, doubting that although I recite Amitabha (Amitabha, transliteration, meaning immeasurable light Buddha), at the time of death, the Buddha will not come to receive me. Having these three doubts, because doubt becomes an obstacle, one loses right mindfulness and cannot be reborn. Therefore, those who recite the Buddha's name must deeply believe in the Buddha's words and not give rise to doubt. The three barriers are: although ordinary people have faith and recite the Buddha's name, because of the heavy karmic obstacles from past lives, they should fall into hell, and at the time of death, they cannot avoid suffering from illness. If, because of the suffering of illness, one knows to repent, one's body and mind will surely be reborn in the Pure Land. It is only because people without wisdom do not understand this matter that they say, 'Now that I recite the Buddha's name, I still have the suffering of illness,' and instead slander Amitabha (Amitabha, transliteration, meaning immeasurable light Buddha), and therefore, with this one thought, they directly fall into hell; this is one barrier. Second, although one upholds the precepts and recites the Buddha's name, because one usually talks about the Pure Land but in one's heart clings to the Sahā world (Sahā world, transliteration, refers to the world we live in, full of imperfections and suffering), one suffers from illness at the time of death, fears death, clings to life, and believes in children calling upon spirits and ghosts, burning money and paper, and killing living beings. Because this mind is evil, without the Buddha's protection, one falls into the three evil realms; this is the second barrier. Third, at the time of death,
際系綴資財愛戀眷屬心放不下顧於家庭中墮鬼趣中或為慳犬或作蛇身守護家庭宛如在日是為三關也。
中峰祖師云娑婆苦娑婆苦娑婆之苦誰能數世人反以苦為樂甘住其中多失所臭皮袋裡出頭來長養無明病成蠱驀然三寸氣消亡化作寒灰埋下土五趣遷流不暫停百劫千生受悽楚諸仁者何如及早念彌陀舍此娑婆苦。
西方樂西方樂西方之樂誰能覺人民國土總殊勝了無寒暑並三惡蓮華胎里出頭來時聽法音與天樂琉璃地瑩絕纖塵金銀珠寶成樓閣化衣化食自然及壽命無量難籌度諸仁者何如急早念彌陀取彼西方樂。
白樂天頌云。
予年七十一 不復事吟峨 看經費眼力 作福畏奔波 何以度心目 一聲阿彌陀 行也阿彌陀 坐也阿彌陀 假饒忙似箭 不離阿彌陀 達人應笑我 多著阿彌陀 達又作么生 不達又如何 普勸世界眾 同念阿彌陀 要脫輪迴苦 快念阿彌陀
先德雲天堂地獄兩邊排任君修向那邊來誠哉是言也或曰如師之說實有六道三途輪迴受苦乎答若無六道輪迴三途八難老僧亦不肯持齋斷酒肉勤參禪苦唸佛矣因是有輪迴苦楚才肯唸佛修行愿舍娑婆愿生凈土我今直告仁者要見世上之人誰不愛色慾誰不好酒肉誰不貪名利誰不願富貴吾知此是輪迴苦本是以不謀
【現代漢語翻譯】 現代漢語譯本：總是牽掛著財產，愛戀著家人眷屬，心裡放不下，顧念著家庭，因此墮入鬼道之中，或者轉世為慳吝的狗，或者化作蛇身守護家庭，就像生前一樣。這就是所說的三關啊。
中峰祖師說：『娑婆世界（Saha world，指我們所居住的充滿痛苦的世界）苦啊，娑婆世界苦啊，娑婆世界的苦誰能數得清？世人反而把苦當作樂，甘願住在其中，大多迷失了方向。從這臭皮囊里出生，不斷滋養無明（ignorance）的病，最終變成毒蠱。忽然間，三寸氣息消散，化作寒冷的灰燼埋在地下。在五道（five realms）中不停地流轉，經歷百劫千生，遭受淒涼的痛苦。各位仁者，不如及早唸誦彌陀（Amitabha，阿彌陀佛的名號），捨棄這娑婆世界的苦難。』
『西方極樂世界（Western Paradise）樂啊，西方極樂世界樂啊，西方極樂世界的快樂誰能體會？那裡的人民和國土都非常殊勝，沒有寒冷和暑熱，也沒有三惡道（three evil paths）。從蓮花中化生，時常聽聞佛法，享受天樂。琉璃地面晶瑩剔透，沒有一絲塵埃，金銀珠寶構成樓閣。想要什麼衣服和食物，自然就會出現，壽命更是無量無邊，難以估量。各位仁者，不如趕快唸誦彌陀，往生到那西方極樂世界享受快樂。』
白居易的頌詩說：
『我今年七十一歲，不再吟詩作賦了。看佛經費眼睛，做善事又怕奔波勞累。用什麼來安定我的心神呢？一聲阿彌陀佛。走路時念阿彌陀佛，坐著時也念阿彌陀佛。即使忙得像箭一樣，也不離開阿彌陀佛。通達的人或許會笑我，念這么多阿彌陀佛。通達又怎麼樣呢？不通達又怎麼樣呢？我普遍勸告世上的人們，一同唸誦阿彌陀佛。想要脫離輪迴的苦海，就快念阿彌陀佛。』
先賢說：『天堂和地獄排列在兩邊，任憑你選擇走向哪一邊。』這話真是至理名言啊！有人問：『像您所說的，真的有六道（six realms）和三途（three evil paths）輪迴受苦嗎？』回答說：『如果沒有六道輪迴和三途八難（eight difficulties），老僧我也不會吃齋戒酒肉，勤奮地參禪，刻苦地念佛了。正因為有輪迴的苦楚，才肯唸佛修行，希望捨棄娑婆世界，往生凈土。我現在直接告訴各位，要看世上的人，誰不愛美色？誰不好酒肉？誰不貪圖名利？誰不希望富貴？我知道這就是輪迴的苦本，所以才不追求這些。』
【English Translation】 English version: Always attached to possessions, loving family and relatives, unable to let go in the heart, and concerned about the family, one falls into the realm of ghosts, or is reborn as a miserly dog, or transforms into a snake to guard the family, just as in life. This is what is meant by the three barriers.
Zen Master Zhongfeng said: 'The Saha world (Saha world, referring to the world we live in, full of suffering) is suffering, the Saha world is suffering, who can count the suffering of the Saha world? People, on the contrary, take suffering as pleasure, willingly dwell in it, and mostly lose their way. Born from this stinking skin bag, constantly nourishing the disease of ignorance, eventually turning into a poisonous gu. Suddenly, the three-inch breath dissipates, turning into cold ashes buried underground. Constantly flowing in the five realms, experiencing hundreds of kalpas and thousands of lives, suffering miserable pain. Kind people, why not recite Amitabha (Amitabha, the name of Amitabha Buddha) as early as possible, and abandon the suffering of this Saha world?'
'The Western Paradise (Western Paradise) is joyful, the Western Paradise is joyful, who can realize the joy of the Western Paradise? The people and lands there are all very wonderful, without cold and heat, and without the three evil paths. Born from a lotus flower, constantly hearing the Dharma and enjoying heavenly music. The crystal clear glass ground has not a speck of dust, and the pavilions are made of gold, silver, and jewels. Whatever clothes and food you want will naturally appear, and the lifespan is immeasurable and difficult to estimate. Kind people, why not quickly recite Amitabha and be reborn in that Western Paradise to enjoy happiness?'
Bai Juyi's verse says:
'I am seventy-one years old this year, and I no longer compose poems. Reading sutras strains my eyes, and doing good deeds makes me afraid of running around. What can I use to calm my mind? One recitation of Amitabha Buddha. Walking, I recite Amitabha Buddha; sitting, I also recite Amitabha Buddha. Even if I am as busy as an arrow, I do not leave Amitabha Buddha. Those who are enlightened may laugh at me for reciting so much Amitabha Buddha. What is enlightenment? What is non-enlightenment? I universally advise the people of the world to recite Amitabha Buddha together. If you want to escape the sea of suffering of reincarnation, quickly recite Amitabha Buddha.'
A former sage said: 'Heaven and hell are arranged on both sides, allowing you to choose which side to go to.' These words are truly profound! Someone asked: 'As you say, is there really suffering in the six realms (six realms) and the three evil paths (three evil paths) of reincarnation?' He replied: 'If there were no six realms of reincarnation and the eight difficulties (eight difficulties) of the three evil paths, I, an old monk, would not abstain from meat and alcohol, diligently practice Chan meditation, and diligently recite the Buddha's name. It is precisely because there is the suffering of reincarnation that I am willing to recite the Buddha's name and practice, hoping to abandon the Saha world and be reborn in the Pure Land. I now tell you directly, look at the people in the world, who does not love beauty? Who does not like wine and meat? Who does not covet fame and fortune? Who does not desire wealth and honor? I know that this is the root of the suffering of reincarnation, so I do not pursue these things.'
不求也法華經云諸苦所因貪慾為本若滅貪慾無所依止。
沈蓮池云滅諸覺觀實相念佛理則誠然但以心雖離念而無明染心念念相續茲欲勉強遏捺立使空寂而止動歸止止更彌動縱使粗念暫息細念猶存便謂相應錯謬非小既居凡地未能絕慮忘緣何不即緣慮而作進修故以念還攻于唸唸一佛名換彼百千萬億之雜念也而妄從真起波逐水生即念即空居然本體非於念外別得菩提故云萬法虛偽惟是一心了悟自心觸目菩提矣。
又曰單修禪定或起陰魔如楞嚴止觀諸經論中辨之甚悉唸佛者佛威神力佛本願力大光明中必無魔事然亦有宿障深厚或不善用心容有魔起固未可定須預辨識如經論說行人見佛辨之有二一不與修多羅合者是為魔事二不與本所修合者是為魔事所以然者以單修禪人本所修因惟心無境故外有佛現悉置不論以果不協因故今唸佛人一生憶佛臨終見佛因果相符何得疑為魔事。
或問凈土之說蓋表法耳智人宜直悟禪宗而今只管贊說凈土將執著事相不明理相答歸元性無二方便有多門曉得此意禪宗凈土殊途同歸子之所疑當下冰釋昔人於此遞互闡揚不一而足中峰大師道禪者凈土之禪凈土者禪之凈土而修之者必貴一門深入此數語猶萬世不易之定論也故大勢至菩薩得唸佛三昧而曰以唸佛心入無生忍普賢菩薩入華嚴不思議解脫而曰愿命
【現代漢語翻譯】 現代漢語譯本： 《不求也法華經》說，一切痛苦的根源在於貪慾，如果滅除了貪慾，痛苦就沒有了依憑之處。
沈蓮池說，滅除各種覺觀，以實相念佛的道理來說，確實是這樣。但是因為心雖然離開了妄念，無明染污的心卻唸唸相續不斷，現在想要勉強壓制，使它空寂下來，反而適得其反，動歸於止，止反而更加動。即使粗念暫時停止，細念仍然存在，就認為相應了，這是非常大的錯誤。既然身處凡夫之地，不能斷絕思慮和外緣，為什麼不就著這些思慮和外緣來進修呢？所以用念頭來對治念頭，用一句佛號來替換那千百萬億的雜念。妄念從真如本性中生起，就像波浪隨著水而生起一樣，當下念頭就是空性，本來就是本體，不是在念頭之外另外得到菩提。所以說，萬法虛幻不實，只有一心是真實的，了悟了自己的心，所見所觸都是菩提。
又說，單獨修習禪定，可能會產生陰魔，就像《楞嚴經》、《止觀》等經論中詳細辨析的那樣。唸佛的人，有佛的威神之力、佛的本願力，在大光明中必定沒有魔事。然而也有宿世的業障深厚，或者不善於用心，容易產生魔事，所以不能斷定一定沒有魔事，必須預先辨別認識。就像經論所說，修行人見到佛，辨別的方法有兩種：一是不符合修多羅（Sutra，佛經）的，就是魔事；二是不符合自己所修習的，就是魔事。之所以這樣，是因為單獨修習禪定的人，本來所修的因是唯心無境，所以外面有佛顯現，都置之不理，因為果不符合因。現在念佛的人，一生憶念佛，臨終見到佛，因果相符，怎麼能懷疑是魔事呢？
有人問，凈土的說法，大概只是表法而已，有智慧的人應該直接領悟禪宗，而現在只管贊說凈土，將執著於事相，不明白理相。回答說，歸根結底，自性沒有二致，只是方便有多門。明白了此意，禪宗和凈土殊途同歸，你的疑惑當下就會消除。過去的人對此互相闡揚，不勝枚舉。中峰大師說，禪是凈土的禪，凈土是禪的凈土，而修習的人必須注重一門深入，這幾句話仍然是萬世不易的定論。所以大勢至菩薩（Mahāsthāmaprāpta，一位菩薩）得到唸佛三昧（Samadhi，一種精神集中狀態），而說用唸佛心入無生忍（Anutpattika-dharma-kshanti，對事物不生不滅的深刻理解），普賢菩薩（Samantabhadra，一位菩薩）入《華嚴經》的不思議解脫，而說愿臨命終時
【English Translation】 English version: The Buqiu Ye Lotus Sutra says that the root of all suffering is greed. If greed is extinguished, there will be nothing for suffering to rely on.
Shen Lianchi said, 'To extinguish all perceptions and observations, according to the principle of contemplating the real mark through mindfulness of the Buddha, is indeed true. However, although the mind is free from thoughts, the defilement of ignorance continues from thought to thought. Now, if one tries to forcibly suppress it, causing it to become empty and still, it will backfire, and stillness will become even more agitated. Even if coarse thoughts temporarily cease, subtle thoughts still remain, and to consider this as being in accordance is a great mistake. Since one is still in the realm of ordinary beings and cannot sever thoughts and external conditions, why not use these thoughts and conditions to advance in cultivation? Therefore, use thoughts to counter thoughts, and replace those hundreds of millions of miscellaneous thoughts with a single Buddha's name. False thoughts arise from the true nature, just as waves arise with water. The very thought is emptiness, inherently the original substance, not obtaining Bodhi separately outside of thoughts. Therefore, it is said that all phenomena are false and unreal, only the one mind is true. When one understands one's own mind, everything one sees and touches is Bodhi.'
It is also said, 'Practicing dhyana (禪定, meditation) alone may give rise to demonic obstacles, as explained in detail in the Surangama Sutra (楞嚴經) and Zhi Guan (止觀) and other scriptures and treatises. For those who practice nianfo (唸佛, Buddha-name recitation), there is the power of the Buddha's majestic spirit, the power of the Buddha's original vows, and in the great light, there will certainly be no demonic events. However, there are also those with deep-rooted karmic obstacles or those who do not use their minds skillfully, and demonic events may arise. Therefore, it cannot be definitively said that there will be no demonic events, and one must be able to recognize them in advance. As the scriptures and treatises say, when a practitioner sees a Buddha, there are two ways to distinguish it: first, if it does not accord with the Sutras (修多羅, Buddhist scriptures), it is a demonic event; second, if it does not accord with what one is practicing, it is a demonic event. The reason for this is that those who practice dhyana alone, the cause they cultivate is only mind without object, so if a Buddha appears externally, they disregard it, because the result does not accord with the cause. Now, those who practice nianfo, remember the Buddha throughout their lives and see the Buddha at the time of death, the cause and effect are in accordance, so how can they doubt that it is a demonic event?'
Someone asked, 'The teachings of Pure Land are probably just symbolic representations. Wise people should directly understand Chan (禪宗, Zen Buddhism), but now you only praise Pure Land, clinging to phenomena and not understanding the principle.' The answer is, 'Ultimately, there is no difference in self-nature, but there are many expedient means. Understanding this meaning, Chan and Pure Land lead to the same goal by different paths, and your doubts will immediately be dispelled. In the past, people have elaborated on this mutually, endlessly. Great Master Zhongfeng said, 'Chan is the Chan of Pure Land, and Pure Land is the Chan of Chan, and those who cultivate must value going deep into one path.' These few words are still an immutable conclusion for all ages. Therefore, Mahāsthāmaprāpta Bodhisattva (大勢至菩薩, a Bodhisattva) attained the nianfo samadhi (唸佛三昧, a state of meditative concentration) and said, 'Using the mind of nianfo to enter anutpattika-dharma-kshanti (無生忍, the patient acceptance of the non-arising of all dharmas),' and Samantabhadra Bodhisattva (普賢菩薩, a Bodhisattva) entered the inconceivable liberation of the Avatamsaka Sutra (華嚴經) and said, 'I vow that at the moment of death'
終時生安樂剎是二大士一侍娑婆教主一侍安養導師宜應各立門戶而乃和會圓融兩不相礙此皆人所常聞習知那得尚執偏見且爾云凈土表法者豈不以凈心即是凈土豈復更有七寶世界則亦將謂善心即是天堂豈復更有𦦨摩忉利噁心即是地獄豈復更有刀劍鑊湯愚癡心即是畜生豈復更有被毛戴角等耶又爾喜談性理厭說事相都緣要顯我是高僧怕人說我不通性理若真是理性洞明便知事外無理相外無性本自交徹何須定要舍事求理離土覓心況土分四種汝謂只有寂光真土更無實報莊嚴等土乎若一味說無相話以圖高妙則心為凈土之說新學後生看得兩分經論便能言之何足為難且汝既心凈土凈隨處凈土吾試問汝還肯即廁溷中作住止否還肯就犬豕牛馬同槽而飲啖否還肯入丘冢與臭屍骸同眠睡否還肯洗摩飼哺伽摩羅疾膿血屎尿諸惡疾人積月累年否於斯數者歡喜安穩略不介意許汝說高山平地總西方其或外為忍勉內起疑嫌則是凈穢之境未空憎愛之情尚在而乃開口高談大聖人過量境界撥無佛國蔑視往生可謂欺天誑人甘心自味苦哉苦哉又汝若有大力量大誓願愿于生死海中頭出頭沒行菩薩行更無畏怯則凈土之生吾不汝強如或慮此土境風浩大作主不得慮諸佛出世難值修學無由慮忍力未固不能於三界險處度脫眾生慮盡此報身未能永斷生死不受後有慮後有既在捨身受身前
路茫茫未知攸往則棄凈土而不生其失非細此凈土法門似淺而深似近而遠似難而易似易而難他日汝當自知今但諦信速應謹言毋恣口業自禍禍人貽苦報于無窮也。
月川禪師曰螟蛉非是有羽翅者也蜾𧕳葬而咒之咒之無間蛉螟隨聲而化翅羽生焉此言雖小可以喻大十方佛土皆是眾生想綱所持染凈果報隨想轉變如想青時大地皆青心想佛時豈不大地即是佛耶。
袁居士西方合論云有狂僧自負見地余問之曰汝信得出家否信得身在長安否僧愕然曰惡得不信余曰汝夢中或夢未出家時見父母兄弟時或為稚子嬉戲時是時知身在客否僧曰不知余曰論汝信得出家及與行腳可是極明極徹爾見道明白當不過此然才到枕上返僧為俗易客為家己自不知何況生死長夜靠汝些子見地焉能保其不顛倒耶時僧悚然。
凈土決曰所謂唸佛者非口唸之念乃心念之念也心之所念者想之所注也志之所趨也愛之所鐘也情之所繫也思之所極而謀之所必得也觀於人世可見矣世有以好色為心者則唸唸惟色色之外百不上心矣有以營生為心者則唸唸生財財之外百不上心矣此等終日亦何嘗口唸於是然期而至望而企日夜不休鮮不副其念者則以心念之者確也雖或雜以他事然終不足以易其正念則唸佛者可知矣蓋人之念頭所繫最急如水之必赴海如火之必炎上如利刃之必傷如毒藥
【現代漢語翻譯】 現代漢語譯本：道路茫茫，不知該往何處，如果因此捨棄凈土而不求往生，那損失可就太大了。這凈土法門，看似淺顯卻實則深奧，看似很近卻實則遙遠，看似容易卻又困難，看似簡單卻又不易。將來你自然會明白。現在只要虔誠相信，迅速回應，謹言慎行，不要放縱口業，否則會給自己和他人帶來無盡的痛苦報應。
月川禪師說：『螟蛉（一種寄生蜂，常被誤認為沒有翅膀）並非天生就有翅膀。蜾蠃（一種寄生蜂，會捕捉螟蛉幼蟲）埋葬螟蛉並對其唸咒，咒語不停，螟蛉便隨聲音而化生出翅膀。』這個小例子可以用來比喻大的道理。十方佛土都是眾生心想所維繫。染凈果報隨著心想而轉變。如果心想青色，大地就都是青色；如果心想佛，那豈不是大地就是佛嗎？
袁居士在《西方合論》中說：『有個狂妄的僧人自以為見地高明，我問他：『你相信自己已經出家了嗎？相信自己身在長安嗎？』僧人愕然說：『怎麼會不相信？』我說：『你在夢中，或者夢見自己未出家時，見到父母兄弟，或者還是個嬉戲的孩童，那時你還知道自己身在異鄉嗎？』僧人說：『不知道。』我說：『說你相信自己已經出家，並且四處行腳，這可以說是非常明白透徹了。你見道的明白程度，大概也不過如此。然而一旦到了枕頭上，就容易返僧為俗，易客為家，自己都不知道了。更何況生死長夜，依靠你這點見地，又怎麼能保證自己不顛倒呢？』當時那個僧人感到非常恐懼。
《凈土決》中說：『所謂唸佛，不是口頭上的念，而是心裡的念。心裡所念的，就是心想所專注的，意志所趨向的，愛戀所集中的，情感所繫唸的，思慮所窮盡而謀劃必定要得到的。』觀察人世間就可以明白了。世上有的人以貪戀女色為心，那麼念念不忘的就只有**，其他什麼都不放在心上。有的人以經營生計為心，那麼念念不忘的就是生財，除了錢財什麼都不放在心上。這些人整天又何嘗口頭唸叨這些事呢？然而他們所期望的，所企圖的，日夜不停地追求，很少有不符合他們心念的。這是因為心裡的念頭是確定的。即使有時夾雜著其他事情，但終究不足以改變他們的正念。那麼唸佛的道理就可以明白了。人的念頭所繫，最為迫切，就像水必定流向大海，火必定向上燃燒，利刃必定傷人，毒藥
【English Translation】 English version: The road is vast and unknown where to go. If one abandons the Pure Land and does not seek rebirth there, the loss would be significant. This Pure Land Dharma-door seems shallow but is actually profound, seems near but is actually far, seems difficult but is actually easy, and seems easy but is actually difficult. You will naturally understand in the future. Now, just believe sincerely, respond quickly, be careful in speech, and do not indulge in verbal misconduct, otherwise you will bring endless suffering and retribution to yourself and others.
Zen Master Yuechuan said: 'The mud dauber (螟蛉, mínglíng, a type of parasitic wasp, often mistaken as having no wings) is not born with wings. The potter wasp (蜾蠃, guǒluǒ, a type of parasitic wasp that captures mud dauber larvae) buries the mud dauber and chants over it. As the chanting continues, the mud dauber transforms and grows wings.' This small example can be used to illustrate a greater principle. All the Buddha-lands in the ten directions are sustained by the collective thoughts of sentient beings. The karmic retributions of purity and defilement transform according to these thoughts. If one thinks of blue, the earth will be blue; if one thinks of the Buddha, wouldn't the earth be the Buddha?
Layman Yuan said in 'A Comprehensive Treatise on the Western Pure Land': 'There was a mad monk who boasted of his profound understanding. I asked him: 'Do you believe that you have renounced the world? Do you believe that you are in Chang'an (長安, Cháng'ān, ancient capital of China)?' The monk was stunned and said: 'How could I not believe?' I said: 'In your dreams, or when you dream of being before you renounced the world, seeing your parents and siblings, or being a playful child, do you know that you are in a foreign land then?' The monk said: 'I do not know.' I said: 'To say that you believe you have renounced the world and are traveling around, that can be said to be extremely clear and thorough. The clarity of your understanding of the Way is probably no more than this. However, once you are on your pillow, it is easy to revert from monk to layman, to change from guest to home, and you are not even aware of it. Moreover, in the long night of birth and death, relying on your little bit of understanding, how can you guarantee that you will not be deluded?' At that time, the monk was terrified.
'The Essentials of Pure Land' says: 'So-called mindfulness of the Buddha (唸佛, niànfó), is not the mindfulness of the mouth, but the mindfulness of the mind. What the mind is mindful of is what the thought is focused on, what the will is directed towards, what love is concentrated on, what emotions are attached to, what thoughts are exhausted and what plans must be obtained.' Observing the human world, one can understand this. There are people in the world who take lust as their heart, then they are mindful of nothing but **, and nothing else enters their mind. There are people who take making a living as their heart, then they are mindful of nothing but making money, and nothing else enters their mind. These people never verbally recite these things all day long, yet what they expect, what they strive for, they pursue day and night without ceasing, and rarely does it not conform to their thoughts. This is because the thoughts of the mind are certain. Even if they are sometimes mixed with other things, they are ultimately not enough to change their right mindfulness. Then the principle of mindfulness of the Buddha can be understood. What the thoughts of people are attached to is most urgent, like water that must flow to the sea, fire that must burn upwards, a sharp blade that must injure, poison
之必殺無空過者唸佛之念亦如是也則雖終日不念一聲佛固終日唸佛也若或將信將疑未知的有西方與否則雖唸佛以為工課千聲以為法則亦徒以為勞耳。
三大聖人現身勸人修凈業
唐洛陽罔極寺釋慧日中宗朝得度日見義凈三藏躬詣竺干遂生羨慕誓游西域始泛舶渡海經三載乃達天竺尋求梵本訪善知識獨影孤征雪嶺胡鄉無所不到既經多苦深厭閻浮乃嘆曰何國何方有樂無苦何法何行能速見佛遍問天竺三藏學者皆贊凈土合千金口日聞已頂受漸至北印土健䭾羅國王城東北有一大山山有觀音像日遂七日叩頭祈請以斷食畢命為期至七日夜觀音空中現紫金色相垂右手摩日頂曰汝若傳法自利利他惟有西方阿彌陀國勸令唸佛誦經回愿往生到彼國已見佛及我自當知凈土法門勝過諸行說已忽滅日斷食既困聞此加壯及登嶺東歸計行七十餘國總一十八年開元七年方達長安進帝佛真容梵筴等賜號慈愍三藏王法師。
又唐大曆二年法照大師棲止衡州云峰寺勤修不懈惟以勸人唸佛為急一日僧堂粥缽內兩次現五臺勝景景中復現有寺寺有金榜題曰大聖竹林寺於是心懷渴仰欲禮五臺四年八月十三日發行至五年四月到五臺縣遙見佛光寺南數道白光六日到佛光寺其夜四更見一道光從北山下來射照照忙入室內問眾云此何祥也有僧答言此大聖不思議光常
【現代漢語翻譯】 現代漢語譯本：如果確定無疑地相信念佛一定不會落空，那麼唸佛的念頭也應該是這樣的。這樣，即使整天沒有唸一聲佛，實際上也等同於整天都在念佛。如果將信將疑，不知道是否有西方極樂世界，那麼即使唸佛作為功課，唸誦千聲作為法則，也只是徒勞而已。
三大聖人現身勸人修凈業
唐朝洛陽罔極寺的釋慧日，在中宗時期得度。慧日見到義凈三藏親自前往天竺，於是心生羨慕，發誓要遊歷西域。他開始乘船渡海，經過三年才到達天竺，尋求梵文經典，拜訪善知識。他獨自一人，孤身跋涉，雪山胡地，無所不到。經歷了諸多苦難后，他深感厭倦這個世界，於是嘆息道：『哪個國家哪個地方有快樂而沒有痛苦？哪種法門哪種修行能夠快速見到佛？』他遍問天竺的三藏學者，大家都讚歎凈土法門。慧日聽聞后，非常信服，逐漸到達北印度健䭾羅（Gandhara）國王城的東北方，那裡有一座大山，山上有觀音像。慧日於是七日叩頭祈請，以斷食畢命為期。到了第七天晚上，觀音在空中顯現紫金色相，垂下右手摩慧日的頭頂，說：『你如果傳法，自利利他，唯有西方阿彌陀（Amitabha）國，勸人唸佛誦經，迴向發願往生。到那個國家后，見到佛和我，自然會知道凈土法門勝過其他修行。』說完忽然消失。慧日斷食已經非常困頓，聽到這些話后更加精神。他於是登上山嶺，向東返回，總共行走了七十多個國家，一共十八年。開元七年才到達長安，進獻了佛的真容和梵文經典等，皇帝賜號慈愍三藏王法師。
又，唐朝大曆二年，法照大師居住在衡州云峰寺，勤奮修行不懈怠，只以勸人唸佛為急務。一天，僧堂的粥缽內兩次顯現五臺山的勝景，景象中還顯現寺廟，寺廟有金榜題寫著『大聖竹林寺』。於是他心懷渴望仰慕，想要朝拜五臺山。大曆四年八月十三日出發，到五年四月到達五臺縣，遠遠地看見佛光寺南邊有數道白光。六日後到達佛光寺，當天夜裡四更時分，看見一道光從北山下來照射。法照急忙進入室內，問眾人說：『這是什麼祥瑞？』有僧人回答說：『這是大聖不可思議的光芒，經常...
【English Translation】 English version: If one has unwavering faith that reciting the Buddha's name will certainly not be in vain, then the thought of reciting the Buddha's name should be like that. In this way, even if one does not utter a single Buddha's name all day, it is actually equivalent to reciting the Buddha's name all day long. If one is doubtful, not knowing whether there is a Western Pure Land or not, then even if reciting the Buddha's name is taken as a daily task, and reciting it a thousand times is taken as a rule, it is only in vain.
Three Great Sages Appear to Encourage Cultivation of Pure Land Practices
During the Tang Dynasty, the monk Hui Ri (Wisdom Sun) of Wangji Temple in Luoyang was ordained during the reign of Emperor Zhongzong. Hui Ri saw the Tripitaka Master Yijing (Righteous Purity) personally going to India (Tianzhu), and thus developed admiration and vowed to travel to the Western Regions. He began to cross the sea by boat, and after three years, he arrived in India, seeking Sanskrit scriptures and visiting virtuous teachers. He traveled alone, traversing snowy mountains and barbarian lands, reaching everywhere. After experiencing many hardships, he became deeply weary of this world, and sighed: 'Which country or place has happiness without suffering? Which Dharma or practice can quickly see the Buddha?' He asked all the Tripitaka scholars in India, and they all praised the Pure Land Dharma. After hearing this, Hui Ri was very convinced and gradually reached the northeast of the King's city of Gandhara (健䭾羅). There was a large mountain there, and on the mountain was an image of Avalokiteshvara (觀音). Hui Ri then prostrated and prayed for seven days, vowing to end his life by fasting. On the seventh night, Avalokiteshvara appeared in the air with a purple-golden appearance, lowered his right hand and touched Hui Ri's head, saying: 'If you transmit the Dharma, benefiting yourself and others, there is only the Western Land of Amitabha (阿彌陀), encouraging people to recite the Buddha's name and recite scriptures, dedicating the merit and vowing to be reborn there. After arriving in that country, seeing the Buddha and me, you will naturally know that the Pure Land Dharma surpasses other practices.' After saying this, he suddenly disappeared. Hui Ri was already very tired from fasting, but after hearing these words, he became even more energetic. He then climbed the mountain and returned eastward, traveling through more than seventy countries in total, for a total of eighteen years. In the seventh year of the Kaiyuan era, he arrived in Chang'an, presenting the Buddha's true image and Sanskrit scriptures, etc. The emperor bestowed the title of Compassionate and Sorrowful Tripitaka Master.
Also, in the second year of the Dali era of the Tang Dynasty, Great Master Fazhao (法照) resided in Yunfeng Temple in Hengzhou, diligently cultivating without懈怠, only taking encouraging people to recite the Buddha's name as an urgent matter. One day, the scenery of Mount Wutai (五臺山) appeared twice in the congee bowl of the monks' hall. In the scenery, temples also appeared, and the temples had golden plaques inscribed with 'Great Sage Bamboo Forest Temple (大聖竹林寺)'. Therefore, he yearned with longing and wanted to pay homage to Mount Wutai. He set off on the thirteenth day of the eighth month of the fourth year of Dali, and arrived in Wutai County in the fourth month of the fifth year, seeing several white lights south of Foguang Temple (佛光寺) from afar. Six days later, he arrived at Foguang Temple. On that night, at the fourth watch, he saw a light coming down from the north mountain and shining. Fazhao hurriedly entered the room and asked everyone, 'What is this auspicious sign?' A monk replied, 'This is the inconceivable light of the Great Sage, which often...
覺有緣照聞已即具威儀尋光至寺東北五十里間果有山山下有澗澗北有一石門見二青衣可年八九歲顏貌端正立於門首一稱善財一曰難陀相見歡喜問訊設禮引照入門向北五六里見一金門樓至門乃是一寺寺前金榜題曰大聖竹林寺一如缽中所見者方圓可二十里一百二十院皆是寶塔莊嚴其地純是黃金流渠華樹充滿其內照入寺至講堂見文殊在西普賢在東各據獅子之座說法之音歷歷可聽文殊左右菩薩萬餘普賢亦有無數菩薩圍繞照至二菩薩前作禮問言末代凡夫去聖時遙知識轉劣垢障尤深佛法浩瀚未審修行於何法門最為捷要文殊報言汝今唸佛今正是時諸修行門無過唸佛所以者何我於過去劫中因唸佛故得一切種智是故一切諸佛法般若波羅蜜甚深禪定乃至諸佛皆從唸佛而生故知唸佛是諸法之王汝當念無上法王令無休息照又問當云何念文殊言此世界西有阿彌陀佛彼佛願力不可思議汝當繫念令無間斷命終之後決定往生永不退轉說是語已二大聖各舒金手摩照頂為授記䇷照聞已歡喜踴躍禮謝而退。
西方直指卷之中 卍新續藏第 61 冊 No. 1163 西方直指
西方直指卷之下
一念居士 編
往生證驗
誦經往生(見蓮池疏鈔)
誦此經者如舌根不壞天樂西迎方解冤而往生未終卷而坐脫歸如入定
【現代漢語翻譯】 現代漢語譯本：覺有緣照聞之後，立刻整理好儀容，尋找光芒來到寺廟東北五十里處，果然有一座山，山下有一條澗，澗的北面有一扇石門，看見兩個青衣童子，大約八九歲，容貌端正，站在門前，一個名叫善財（Sudhana），一個名叫難陀（Nanda）。他們相見歡喜，互相問候行禮，引領覺有緣進入石門。向北走了五六里，看見一座金門樓，到達門前，原來是一座寺廟，寺廟前的金榜上題寫著『大聖竹林寺』，與缽中所見完全一樣。寺廟方圓大約二十里，有一百二十座院落，都是寶塔莊嚴，地面純粹是黃金，流動的渠水和華麗的樹木充滿其間。覺有緣進入寺廟，來到講堂，看見文殊菩薩（Manjusri）在西邊，普賢菩薩（Samantabhadra）在東邊，各自坐在獅子座上說法，說法的聲音清晰可聽。文殊菩薩左右有萬餘菩薩，普賢菩薩也有無數菩薩圍繞。覺有緣走到兩位菩薩前，作禮問道：『末法時代的凡夫，距離聖人時代遙遠，知識越來越差，業障越來越深，佛法浩瀚，不知道修行什麼法門最為便捷重要？』文殊菩薩回答說：『你現在念佛，現在正是時候。各種修行法門沒有超過唸佛的。』為什麼呢？『我在過去劫中，因爲念佛的緣故，得到一切種智（sarva-akarajnana）。因此，一切諸佛法、般若波羅蜜（Prajnaparamita）、甚深禪定，乃至諸佛，都是從唸佛而生。所以知道唸佛是諸法之王。你應該念無上法王，令其沒有休息。』覺有緣又問：『應當如何唸佛？』文殊菩薩說：『此世界西方有阿彌陀佛（Amitabha），彼佛的願力不可思議，你應該繫念阿彌陀佛，令其沒有間斷，命終之後決定往生，永遠不會退轉。』說完這些話后，兩位大聖各自伸出金手，摩覺有緣的頭頂，為他授記。覺有緣聽后歡喜踴躍，禮謝而退。 西方直指卷之下 一念居士 編 往生證驗 誦經往生(見蓮池疏鈔) 誦此經者如舌根不壞天樂西迎方解冤而往生未終卷而坐脫歸如入定
【English Translation】 English version: Jue Youyuan, upon hearing this, immediately arranged his attire and followed the light, arriving at a mountain fifty li northeast of the temple. Indeed, there was a mountain, and at the foot of the mountain was a stream. North of the stream was a stone gate. He saw two boys in green robes, about eight or nine years old, with dignified appearances, standing at the gate. One was named Sudhana (善財), and the other was named Nanda (難陀). They greeted each other joyfully, exchanged courtesies, and led Jue Youyuan through the stone gate. After walking five or six li to the north, he saw a golden gate tower. Arriving at the gate, it was a temple. On the golden plaque in front of the temple was written 'Great Sage Bamboo Forest Temple,' exactly as he had seen in the bowl. The temple was about twenty li in circumference, with one hundred and twenty courtyards, all adorned with pagodas. The ground was pure gold, and flowing streams and magnificent trees filled the area. Jue Youyuan entered the temple and arrived at the lecture hall, where he saw Manjusri Bodhisattva (文殊菩薩) on the west and Samantabhadra Bodhisattva (普賢菩薩) on the east, each seated on a lion throne, expounding the Dharma. The sound of their teachings was clearly audible. Manjusri Bodhisattva was surrounded by over ten thousand Bodhisattvas, and Samantabhadra Bodhisattva was also surrounded by countless Bodhisattvas. Jue Youyuan approached the two Bodhisattvas, prostrated, and asked: 'In this degenerate age, ordinary people are far removed from the time of the sages, knowledge is increasingly poor, and karmic obstacles are increasingly deep. The Buddha Dharma is vast, and I do not know which Dharma gate is the most expedient and important to practice?' Manjusri Bodhisattva replied: 'You should now recite the Buddha's name; now is the right time. No practice surpasses reciting the Buddha's name.' Why? 'In past kalpas, because of reciting the Buddha's name, I attained all-knowing wisdom (sarva-akarajnana). Therefore, all Buddha Dharmas, Prajnaparamita (般若波羅蜜), profound samadhi, and even all Buddhas, arise from reciting the Buddha's name. Therefore, know that reciting the Buddha's name is the king of all Dharmas. You should recite the name of the unsurpassed Dharma King, without ceasing.' Jue Youyuan then asked: 'How should I recite the Buddha's name?' Manjusri Bodhisattva said: 'In the west of this world is Amitabha Buddha (阿彌陀佛). The power of that Buddha's vows is inconceivable. You should focus your mind on Amitabha Buddha, without interruption, and after death, you will surely be reborn in the Pure Land and never regress.' After saying these words, the two great sages each extended their golden hands and touched Jue Youyuan's head, bestowing a prophecy upon him. Jue Youyuan, upon hearing this, rejoiced and danced, bowed in gratitude, and withdrew. Western Direct Pointer, Volume Down Compiled by Layman Yinian Verifications of Rebirth Rebirth Through Sutra Recitation (See Lianchi's Commentary) Those who recite this sutra, if their tongues do not decay, will be welcomed by heavenly music from the West, resolving grievances and attaining rebirth. Some pass away sitting upright before finishing the scroll, returning as if entering samadhi.
終睹白蓮銀臺而易金臺粗樂而來細樂。
舌根不壞者智論云有比丘誦彌陀經命欲終時語弟子言阿彌陀佛與諸大眾俱來迎我后從火化舌根不灰色相自若天樂西迎者宋唐世良誦彌陀經十萬過一日謂家人曰佛來迎我言已作禮坐逝其夜有利行人在道味山上夢西方異光幡華繽紛音樂嘹喨空中聲云唐世良已生凈土解冤往生者宋上虞民馮珉少事遊獵見巨蛇持稍將往刺之時蛇在巖下欲噬黃犢珉推巖石壓之至死蛇屢為崇珉修懺唸佛經年蛇不能害一日請同社凈侶誦彌陀經合掌而化未終坐脫者晉智仙法師號真教住白蓮寺十三年西向十念十二時不暫廢一夕微疾命觀堂行人誦彌陀經未終卷安然坐脫歸如入定者宋釋處謙精修凈土一夕誦彌陀經畢稱讚凈土告眾曰吾以無生而生凈土如入禪定奄然而化終睹白蓮者宋嘉禾郡鐘嫗日誦彌陀經十遍唸佛不輟一日語其子曰見白蓮華無數眾聖迎我遂端坐聳身化去銀臺金臺者懷玉禪師臺州人布衣一食常坐不臥精進唸佛誦彌陀經三十萬遍一日見西方聖眾多若恒沙一擎銀臺從窗而入玉曰吾一生精進誓取金臺何為得此銀臺遂隱玉感激倍復精進三七日後見佛滿空中乃謂弟子曰金臺來迎吾生凈土矣說偈含笑而逝郡守段公異之作詩讚美有枝低只為掛金臺之句云粗樂細樂者元子華禪師大曆九年于潤州觀音寺誦彌陀經六月忽得疾
【現代漢語翻譯】 現代漢語譯本：最終得見白蓮銀臺，捨棄金臺，如同捨棄粗糙的快樂而選擇精細的快樂。
『舌根不壞』出自《智論》，記載有位比丘誦讀《彌陀經》，臨終時告訴弟子說：『阿彌陀佛與諸位菩薩大眾一同前來迎接我。』後來火化后，舌根沒有燒壞，顏色如常。『天樂西迎』說的是宋朝的唐世良，誦讀《彌陀經》十萬遍，有一天告訴家人說：『佛來迎接我了。』說完，作禮後坐化。當晚，有位行人在道味山上，夢見西方出現奇異的光芒，幡旗鮮艷，音樂嘹亮，空中傳來聲音說唐世良已經往生凈土。『解冤往生』說的是宋朝上虞的百姓馮珉，年輕時喜歡遊獵，看見一條巨蛇，拿著矛準備去刺殺它，蛇在巖石下想要吞噬一頭小牛，馮珉推下巖石壓死了蛇。蛇多次作祟，馮珉修懺唸佛經年，蛇不能加害。有一天，他邀請同社的凈侶誦讀《彌陀經》，合掌而化，沒有完全斷氣就坐著往生了。『未終坐脫』說的是晉朝的智仙法師，號真教，住在白蓮寺十三年，面向西方，每天十二時辰不間斷地念佛。一天晚上，稍微有些疾病，命令觀堂的行人誦讀《彌陀經》，還沒讀完一卷，就安然坐化，如同進入禪定一般。『歸如入定』說的是宋朝的釋處謙，精進修習凈土法門，一天晚上誦讀完《彌陀經》，稱讚凈土，告訴眾人說：『我以無生而生凈土，如同進入禪定一般。』說完就安然而化。『終睹白蓮』說的是宋朝嘉禾郡的鐘嫗，每天誦讀《彌陀經》十遍，唸佛從不間斷。有一天告訴她的兒子說：『看見無數的白蓮華，眾聖來迎接我。』於是端坐挺直身體化去。『銀臺金臺』說的是懷玉禪師，臺州人，穿著粗布衣服，每天只吃一頓飯，經常坐著不睡覺，精進唸佛，誦讀《彌陀經》三十萬遍。有一天看見西方聖眾多如恒河沙數，一位菩薩手持銀臺從窗戶進來，懷玉說：『我一生精進，發誓要取得金臺，為什麼得到的是銀臺？』於是懷玉禪師更加精進，過了二十一天後，看見佛充滿空中，於是告訴弟子說：『金臺來迎接我，我要往生凈土了。』說完偈語，含笑而逝。郡守段公異為此作詩讚美，其中有『有枝低只為掛金臺』的句子。『粗樂細樂』說的是元子華禪師，在大曆九年于潤州觀音寺誦讀《彌陀經》，六月忽然得了疾病。
【English Translation】 English version: Finally seeing the White Lotus Silver Platform, relinquishing the Gold Platform is like forsaking coarse pleasures for refined ones.
'Tongue Root Undecayed' comes from the Mahaprajnaparamita-sastra, which records that a Bhikshu, while reciting the Amitabha Sutra, told his disciples as he was dying: 'Amitabha Buddha, together with all the Bodhisattvas, has come to welcome me.' Later, after cremation, his tongue root was not burned, and its color remained as usual. 'Celestial Music Welcoming from the West' refers to Tang Shiliang of the Song Dynasty, who recited the Amitabha Sutra 100,000 times. One day, he told his family: 'The Buddha has come to welcome me.' After saying this, he made a prostration and passed away while seated. That night, a traveler on Daowei Mountain dreamed of extraordinary light appearing in the West, with vibrant banners and flags, and melodious music. A voice in the sky said that Tang Shiliang had already been reborn in the Pure Land. 'Resolving Grievances and Being Reborn' refers to Feng Min, a commoner from Shangyu in the Song Dynasty, who enjoyed hunting in his youth. He saw a giant snake and, holding a spear, prepared to stab it. The snake was under a rock, wanting to devour a calf. Feng Min pushed a rock down, crushing the snake to death. The snake repeatedly caused trouble, but Feng Min practiced repentance and recited Buddhist scriptures for many years, and the snake could not harm him. One day, he invited fellow Pure Land practitioners to recite the Amitabha Sutra. He passed away while seated, with his palms together, not completely expired. 'Sitting and Passing Away Before the End' refers to Dharma Master Zhixian of the Jin Dynasty, also known as Zhenjiao, who lived in White Lotus Temple for thirteen years, facing the West, reciting the Buddha's name continuously for twelve hours a day. One night, he had a slight illness and ordered the practitioners in the meditation hall to recite the Amitabha Sutra. Before the scroll was finished, he passed away peacefully while seated, as if entering Samadhi. 'Returning as if Entering Samadhi' refers to Shi Chuqian of the Song Dynasty, who diligently practiced the Pure Land Dharma. One night, after reciting the Amitabha Sutra, he praised the Pure Land and told the assembly: 'I am born in the Pure Land through non-birth, as if entering Samadhi.' After saying this, he passed away peacefully. 'Finally Seeing the White Lotus' refers to Zhong Yu of Jiahe Prefecture in the Song Dynasty, who recited the Amitabha Sutra ten times a day, constantly reciting the Buddha's name. One day, she told her son: 'I see countless White Lotus flowers, and the saints are coming to welcome me.' Then she sat upright and passed away. 'Silver Platform and Gold Platform' refers to Zen Master Huaiyu, a native of Taizhou, who wore coarse clothing, ate only one meal a day, often sat without sleeping, and diligently recited the Buddha's name, reciting the Amitabha Sutra 300,000 times. One day, he saw countless saints from the West, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges River. A Bodhisattva held a Silver Platform and entered through the window. Huaiyu said: 'I have been diligent throughout my life, vowing to obtain the Gold Platform. Why have I received this Silver Platform?' So Huaiyu Zen Master became even more diligent. After twenty-one days, he saw the Buddha filling the sky, and then told his disciples: 'The Gold Platform has come to welcome me. I am going to be reborn in the Pure Land.' After reciting a verse, he passed away with a smile. Prefect Duan Gongyi wrote a poem in praise of this, including the line 'A branch lowers only to hang the Gold Platform.' 'Coarse Pleasures and Refined Pleasures' refers to Zen Master Yuan Zihua, who recited the Amitabha Sutra at Guanyin Temple in Runzhou in the ninth year of the Dali era. In June, he suddenly fell ill.
夜聞香氣樂音空中告曰粗樂已過細樂續來君當往生良久唸佛而化異香連日不散。
又若書寫則化被蒼生講演則祥符白鶴。
書寫者唐善導大師凡得嚫施用寫彌陀經十萬卷勸人受持亦有讀誦至十萬遍者五十萬遍者僧俗歸仰至有感極焚身供養得唸佛三昧者不可勝紀講演者宋沈三郎晚歲迴心唸佛因病請僧講彌陀經易衣而終縮膝欲起二子局于名教以易龕為難曳其脛直之將入殮忽舉首出衣被矍然而坐舉家大驚二子急前扶衛乃以肘節捶之子曰助父坐脫耳竟坐逝茶毗有白鶴二十九隻飛鳴雲表久之西去。
現前感應則寶地遙觀克取往生則涅槃非比如斯感應屢見古今。
寶地遙觀者唐大行禪師初修普賢懺后入大藏隨手取捲得彌陀經日夜誦詠至三七日睹琉璃地上佛及二大士現前僖宗聞其事詔入內庭賜號常精進菩薩后琉璃地復見即日命終異香經旬肉身不壞涅槃非比者梁道珍法師講涅槃經天監中憩錫廬山慕遠公凈業禪坐中忽見海上數百人乘寶舫前邁師問何之答曰往極樂國因求附載報云法師雖善講涅槃經亦大不可思議然未誦彌陀經豈得同往師遂廢講唸佛誦彌陀經及二萬遍將終四七日前夜四更見西方銀臺來至空中皎如白日聲云法師當乘此臺往生時眾咸聞天樂異香數日香猶未散其夜峰頂寺僧遙見谷口火炬數十明燎徹夜次日乃
【現代漢語翻譯】 現代漢語譯本： 夜裡聞到奇異的香氣和美妙的音樂，空中傳來聲音說：『粗俗的音樂已經過去，精細的音樂即將到來，你應當往生。』於是他長時間唸佛，最終在異香繚繞中安詳去世，香氣連日不散。 又比如，書寫佛經可以教化眾生，講演佛經則有祥瑞的白鶴出現。 書寫佛經的例子有唐朝的善導大師，凡是得到的佈施，都用來書寫《彌陀經》十萬卷，勸人受持。也有人讀誦《彌陀經》達到十萬遍、五十萬遍的，僧人和俗人都歸心仰慕。甚至有人感動至極，焚燒自身供養，從而得到唸佛三昧，這樣的例子數不勝數。講演佛經的例子有宋朝的沈三郎，晚年迴心唸佛，因病請僧人講解《彌陀經》，更換衣服後去世。他去世時雙膝彎曲想要起身，他的兩個兒子拘泥於名教，認為更換棺材很麻煩，就拉直了他的腿。即將入殮時，沈三郎忽然抬頭，從被子里出來，驚恐地坐了起來，全家大驚。他的兩個兒子急忙上前攙扶，他卻用肘關節捶打他們，說：『幫助父親坐著脫離塵世罷了。』說完就坐著去世了。火化時有二十九隻白鶴在空中飛鳴，很久之後才向西方飛去。 現世的感應有遙觀極樂寶地，剋期取證往生凈土，涅槃的境界也無法比擬。這樣的感應在古今屢見不鮮。 遙觀極樂寶地的例子有唐朝的大行禪師，最初修習普賢懺，後來進入藏經閣，隨意取出一卷，得到《彌陀經》，日夜誦讀。到二十一天時，他看見琉璃地上有佛和兩位大士顯現。僖宗皇帝聽說了這件事，詔他進入內廷，賜號『常精進菩薩』。後來他又再次看見琉璃地，當天就去世了，異香持續了十幾天，肉身不壞。涅槃無法比擬的例子有梁朝的道珍法師，講授《涅槃經》。天監年間，他在廬山休息，仰慕慧遠大師的凈土事業，禪坐中忽然看見海上有數百人乘坐寶船向前行駛。道珍法師問他們去哪裡，他們回答說：『前往極樂國。』道珍法師請求搭乘，對方回答說：『法師雖然善於講解《涅槃經》，也十分不可思議，但是沒有誦讀《彌陀經》，怎麼能一同前往呢？』於是道珍法師停止講經，專心念佛，誦讀《彌陀經》達到兩萬遍。臨終前二十八天，夜裡四更時分，他看見西方有銀臺來到空中，光亮如同白晝，聲音說：『法師應當乘坐此臺往生。』當時眾人都能聽到天樂和異香，數日不散。當天晚上，峰頂寺的僧人遙遠地看見谷口有數十個火炬明亮地照耀了一夜，第二天才知道是道珍法師往生了。
【English Translation】 English version: At night, a strange fragrance and beautiful music were heard, and a voice from the air said, 'The coarse music has passed, and the fine music is about to come; you should be reborn.' Then he recited the Buddha's name for a long time, and finally passed away peacefully amidst the lingering fragrance, which did not dissipate for days. Furthermore, writing scriptures can enlighten sentient beings, and lecturing on scriptures can bring auspicious white cranes. An example of writing scriptures is the Tang Dynasty's Master Shandao (Shandao: a prominent Pure Land Buddhist monk), who used all the donations he received to write 100,000 copies of the 'Amitabha Sutra' (Amitabha Sutra: a central text of Pure Land Buddhism) and encouraged people to uphold it. There were also those who recited the 'Amitabha Sutra' 100,000 times or 500,000 times, and both monks and laypeople admired him. Some were even so moved that they burned themselves as an offering, thereby attaining the Samadhi (Samadhi: a state of meditative consciousness) of Buddha-recitation. Such examples are countless. An example of lecturing on scriptures is the Song Dynasty's Shen Sanlang, who turned to Buddha-recitation in his later years. Due to illness, he asked a monk to lecture on the 'Amitabha Sutra' and passed away after changing his clothes. When he died, his knees were bent as if trying to get up. His two sons, bound by worldly conventions, thought it troublesome to change the coffin, so they straightened his legs. As they were about to put him in the coffin, Shen Sanlang suddenly raised his head, came out of the bedding, and sat up in fright, shocking the whole family. His two sons rushed forward to support him, but he struck them with his elbow, saying, 'I am merely helping my father to sit and depart from this world.' After saying that, he passed away sitting. During the cremation, twenty-nine white cranes flew and cried in the sky, and after a long time, they flew westward. Present-day responses include remotely viewing the Pure Land (Pure Land: the realm of Amitabha Buddha) and achieving rebirth by a set date, which is incomparable to Nirvana (Nirvana: the ultimate state of enlightenment). Such responses have been seen frequently throughout history. An example of remotely viewing the Pure Land is the Tang Dynasty's Great Practice Chan Master (Chan Master: a master of Chan Buddhism), who initially practiced the Universal Worthy Repentance (Universal Worthy Repentance: a Buddhist practice) and later entered the Tripitaka (Tripitaka: the collection of Buddhist scriptures), randomly taking out a scroll and obtaining the 'Amitabha Sutra', which he recited day and night. After twenty-one days, he saw the Buddha and two great Bodhisattvas (Bodhisattvas: enlightened beings who postpone their own enlightenment to help others) manifest on the crystal ground. Emperor Xizong (Emperor Xizong: an emperor of the Tang Dynasty) heard of this and summoned him to the inner court, bestowing upon him the title 'Constant Diligence Bodhisattva'. Later, he saw the crystal ground again and passed away that day, with a strange fragrance lasting for more than ten days and his physical body remaining intact. An example of being incomparable to Nirvana is the Liang Dynasty's Dharma Master Daozhen, who lectured on the 'Nirvana Sutra' (Nirvana Sutra: a Mahayana Buddhist scripture). During the Tianjian era, he rested at Mount Lu (Mount Lu: a mountain in China), admiring Master Huiyuan's (Master Huiyuan: a founder of Pure Land Buddhism) Pure Land practice. In meditation, he suddenly saw hundreds of people riding a treasure ship forward on the sea. Dharma Master Daozhen asked them where they were going, and they replied, 'We are going to the Land of Ultimate Bliss (Land of Ultimate Bliss: another name for the Pure Land).' Dharma Master Daozhen requested to board the ship, and they replied, 'Although Dharma Master is good at lecturing on the 'Nirvana Sutra' and is also very inconceivable, you have not recited the 'Amitabha Sutra', so how can you go with us?' Thereupon, Dharma Master Daozhen stopped lecturing on the scriptures and focused on reciting the Buddha's name, reciting the 'Amitabha Sutra' 20,000 times. Twenty-eight days before his death, at four o'clock in the night, he saw a silver platform coming from the west in the sky, as bright as day, and a voice said, 'Dharma Master should ride this platform to be reborn.' At that time, everyone heard heavenly music and a strange fragrance, which did not dissipate for several days. That night, the monks of Fengding Temple (Fengding Temple: a Buddhist temple) remotely saw dozens of torches brightly illuminating the valley entrance all night, and the next day they learned that it was Dharma Master Daozhen who had been reborn.
知師逝如上所錄皆修因證果此感彼應疊見層出自古及今未易列舉。
持名往生
若持名者或一念而飛一光或一聲而出一佛或響彌林谷或音徹宮闈或六時繫念而依正盈空或十字標心而聖賢入會洎于昭代續有名流。
此正明執持名號也凈業諸賢多不繁載姑舉昭灼世人耳目者一二以為激勸飛光者唐善導大師人問唸佛得生凈土否答曰如汝所念遂汝所愿於是導乃自念阿彌陀佛一聲則有一光從其口出十聲至百光亦如之光明滿室帝聞其事來所居為光明寺后登柳樹端坐而化出佛者少康法師在鳥龍山建凈土道場勸人唸佛眾見師唸佛一聲口出一佛至於十念十佛次出猶若連珠臨終之日口旋異光數道奄然而逝響彌者唐道綽禪師平居為眾講無量壽經將二百遍人各掏珠口稱佛號或時散席聲播林谷音徹者唐法照于并州五會念佛感代宗皇帝宮中聞唸佛聲遣使遙尋見師勸化之盛遂詔入宮宮人唸佛亦及五會號五會法師六時者晉慧遠法師居廬山制蓮華漏六時念佛澄心繫想后十九年七月晦夕于般若臺方從定起見阿彌陀佛身遍虛空圓光之中無量化佛及菩薩眾水流光明演說妙法佛言我以本願力故來安慰汝汝七日後當生我國至期端坐而逝十字者宋長蘆宗賾禪師禪理洞悟宗說兼通而遠遵廬阜之規建蓮華勝會其法日念阿彌陀佛或千聲萬聲各千日下以十字
【現代漢語翻譯】 現代漢語譯本： 正如上面所記載的，所有修行都是爲了證得果位，這種感應是相互的，層層疊疊地顯現，自古至今，這樣的例子數不勝數。 持名往生 如果有人執持名號，或者唸一聲佛號就飛出一道光，或者唸一聲佛號就出現一尊佛，或者聲音響徹山谷，或者聲音傳到宮廷之中，或者六時（晝夜六個時段）繫念佛號，使得依報和正報都充滿虛空，或者以十字作爲念佛的標記，使得聖賢都來參與法會。到了昭代（指清朝），仍然有名人遵循這種方法。 這裡正是說明執持名號的重要性。凈業的賢者很多，不能一一記載，姑且舉出幾個在世人耳目中非常顯著的例子，以此來激勵勸勉大家。所謂『飛光』，指的是唐朝的善導大師，有人問他念佛能否往生凈土，他回答說：『如你所念，遂你所愿。』於是善導大師自己念阿彌陀佛一聲，就有一道光從他口中出來，念十聲乃至百聲，光也像這樣，光明充滿房間。皇帝聽說了這件事，把大師居住的地方改為光明寺。後來，大師登上柳樹頂端，端坐而化。所謂『出佛』，指的是少康法師，他在鳥龍山建立凈土道場，勸人唸佛，眾人看見法師唸佛一聲，口中就出現一尊佛，念十聲就出現十尊佛，依次出現，就像連珠一樣。臨終之日，口中旋轉出奇異的光芒，數道光芒忽然消失。所謂『響彌』，指的是唐朝的道綽禪師，他平時為大眾講解《無量壽經》將近兩百遍，人們各自拿著念珠，口中稱念佛號，有時散席后，聲音仍然傳播在山谷之中。所謂『音徹』，指的是唐朝的法照，他在并州五會念佛，感應到代宗皇帝在宮中聽到唸佛的聲音，派遣使者遙遠地尋找，見到了法師勸化的盛況，於是詔請法師入宮，宮人也念佛，並且學習五會念佛的方法，法照因此號稱五會法師。所謂『六時』，指的是晉朝的慧遠法師，他居住在廬山，製作蓮華漏，六時念佛，澄心繫想。十九年後，七月最後一天晚上，在般若臺，正從禪定中起來，看見阿彌陀佛身遍虛空，圓光之中有無量化佛以及菩薩眾，水流光明，演說妙法。佛說：『我以本願力的緣故，來安慰你，你七日後應當往生我的國度。』到了約定的日期，慧遠法師端坐而逝。所謂『十字』，指的是宋朝的長蘆宗賾禪師，他禪理洞悟，宗門和教理都通達，並且遠遠地遵循廬山的規矩，建立蓮華勝會，其方法是每天念阿彌陀佛，或者念一千聲，或者念一萬聲，各自念滿一千日，下面以十字作為標記。
【English Translation】 English version: As recorded above, all cultivation is for the sake of attaining fruition. This kind of mutual influence and layered manifestation has been seen countless times from ancient times to the present. Rebirth Through Recitation of the Name If one upholds the name, perhaps a single thought emits a ray of light, or a single recitation produces a Buddha, or the sound resonates through the forests and valleys, or the sound penetrates the palace chambers, or the six periods (six divisions of day and night) are devoted to mindfulness, causing the environment and the being to be filled with emptiness, or the 'ten' character is used as a mark of mindfulness, causing sages and worthies to join the assembly. Even in the enlightened era (referring to the Qing Dynasty), there were still famous individuals who followed this method. This precisely clarifies the importance of upholding the name. There are many virtuous individuals in Pure Land practice, and they cannot all be recorded. Let us cite one or two examples that are very prominent in the eyes and ears of the world, in order to encourage and exhort everyone. The 'emitting light' refers to Master Shandao (Shandao) of the Tang Dynasty. Someone asked him if reciting the Buddha's name could lead to rebirth in the Pure Land. He replied, 'As you recite, so shall your wish be fulfilled.' Thereupon, Master Shandao himself recited 'Amitabha Buddha' once, and a ray of light came out of his mouth. When he recited ten times, or even a hundred times, the light was the same, filling the room with light. The emperor heard of this and changed the place where the master lived into the Guangming Temple (Temple of Light). Later, the master ascended to the top of a willow tree, sat upright, and passed away. The 'producing a Buddha' refers to Dharma Master Shao Kang (Shaokang). He established a Pure Land practice center on Niaolong Mountain and encouraged people to recite the Buddha's name. The people saw that when the master recited the Buddha's name once, a Buddha appeared from his mouth. When he recited ten times, ten Buddhas appeared, appearing in succession, like a string of pearls. On the day of his passing, strange lights rotated from his mouth, and several rays of light suddenly disappeared. The 'resonating' refers to Chan Master Daochuo (Daochuo) of the Tang Dynasty. He usually lectured on the Infinite Life Sutra to the masses nearly two hundred times. People each held prayer beads and recited the Buddha's name. Sometimes after the assembly dispersed, the sound still spread through the valleys. The 'penetrating' refers to Dharma Master Fazhao (Fazhao) of the Tang Dynasty. He recited the Buddha's name in the Five Assemblies in Bingzhou, and Emperor Daizong (Daizong) in the palace heard the sound of reciting the Buddha's name. He sent envoys to search from afar and saw the flourishing state of the master's conversion. Thereupon, he summoned the master to the palace, and the palace people also recited the Buddha's name and learned the method of reciting the Buddha's name in the Five Assemblies. Fazhao was therefore known as the Five Assemblies Dharma Master. The 'six periods' refers to Dharma Master Huiyuan (Huiyuan) of the Jin Dynasty. He lived on Mount Lu (Mount Lu) and made a lotus clock, reciting the Buddha's name in the six periods, clarifying his mind and focusing his thoughts. Nineteen years later, on the last night of July, at the Prajna Terrace, just as he was rising from meditation, he saw Amitabha Buddha's body pervading the empty space, and within the circle of light were countless manifested Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, the flowing water was light, expounding the wonderful Dharma. The Buddha said, 'Because of the power of my original vows, I have come to comfort you. You shall be reborn in my land in seven days.' On the appointed date, Dharma Master Huiyuan sat upright and passed away. The 'ten' refers to Chan Master Zongze (Zongze) of Changlu (Changlu) of the Song Dynasty. He had a thorough understanding of Chan principles, and was proficient in both the Chan school and the doctrinal school. He followed the rules of Mount Lu from afar, and established the Lotus Victorious Assembly. The method was to recite Amitabha Buddha every day, either one thousand times or ten thousand times, each reciting for one thousand days, and below, the character 'ten' was used as a mark.
記之一夕夢一男子烏巾白衣風貌清美謂賾曰欲入公彌陀會乞書一名賾問公何名曰普慧又云家兄普賢亦乞登名言訖遂隱賾覺而語諸尊宿皆雲華嚴離世間品有二菩薩名乃知聖賢幽贊以二大士書于錄首昭代者今代也如西齊空谷天奇毒峰等皆近世高僧篤信精修匹休前古相續不絕稍詳往生集中蓋千萬中紀其一二而已。
至於感護則宿冤得度惡鬼不侵靈應則瞽目重明俘囚脫難。
冤度者唐邵彪鎮江人為諸生時夢至一公府主者問汝知所以不第否彪對不知因使人引彪前行見大鑊中有蛤蜊作人語呼彪名彪怖遂念阿彌陀佛蛤蜊變黃雀飛去彪后及第官至安撫使鬼卻者佛世有一國鄰于羅剎羅剎食人無度王約自今國中家以一人次第送與勿得枉殺有奉佛家止生一子次第充行父母哀號囑令至心念佛以佛威力鬼不得近明晨往視見子尚在將之而還自是羅剎之患遂息目明者宋崇氏女雙瞽唸佛三年精勤不替雙目重明如故難脫者元末張士誠攻湖州江浙丞相與戰擒四十人囚檻送戮夜宿西湖烏巢寺大猷謀禪師徐步廊下囚見師神觀閑雅持誦不輟因求救㧞師教令至心念南無救苦救難阿彌陀佛中有三人信受其語念不絕口天曉發囚易枷鎖至三人刑具不足惟系以繩既而審鞫知良民被虜者遂得釋。
又復惡人則善和十念地獄現而化佛空迎畜生則鴝鵒稱名形骸掩
【現代漢語翻譯】 現代漢語譯本： 我記得一天晚上做夢，夢見一個男子，頭戴烏巾，身穿白衣，風度清雅俊美，對我說：『我想加入您的彌陀會，請您為我登記一個名字。』我問他叫什麼名字，他說：『我叫普慧。』又說：『我的哥哥普賢，也請您為他登記。』說完就消失了。我醒來后，把這件事告訴了各位尊宿，他們都說《華嚴經·離世間品》中有這兩位菩薩的名字。我這才知道是聖賢在暗中贊助。用這兩位大士的名字寫在名錄的最前面，昭示當今時代。像西齊的空谷、天奇、毒峰等，都是近世的高僧，他們篤信精修，可以和前代的高僧相媲美，這種傳承相續不斷。詳細情況可以查閱《往生集》，其中記載的不過是千萬分之一二而已。
至於感應護佑方面，有宿世的冤家得以超度，惡鬼不能侵擾；在靈驗方面，有失明的眼睛重見光明，被俘的囚犯脫離災難。
冤家得以超度的事例：唐朝的邵彪，是鎮江人，做學生的時候，夢見到了一個官府，主事的人問他：『你知道你為什麼考不中嗎？』邵彪回答不知道。於是主事的人派人引導邵彪向前走，看見一個大鍋里有蛤蜊，蛤蜊發出人的聲音呼喊邵彪的名字。邵彪非常害怕，於是唸誦阿彌陀佛，蛤蜊就變成黃雀飛走了。邵彪後來考中了進士，官做到安撫使。惡鬼退卻的事例：佛陀在世的時候，有一個國家與羅剎國相鄰，羅剎吃人沒有節制，國王約定從今以後，國內每家輪流送一個人給羅剎吃，不得枉殺。有一戶奉佛的人家，只生了一個兒子，輪到他們送去。父母哀號，囑咐兒子要至心念佛。憑藉佛的威力，鬼不能靠近。第二天早晨去看，見兒子還在，就把他帶了回來。從此，羅剎的禍患就平息了。眼睛復明的事例：宋朝崇氏的女兒，雙目失明，唸佛三年，精勤不懈，雙眼重新恢復光明，和原來一樣。脫離災難的事例：元朝末年，張士誠攻打湖州，江浙丞相與他作戰，抓獲了四十個人，囚禁在囚車裡，準備處死。晚上住在西湖的烏巢寺，大猷謀禪師在走廊下慢慢行走，囚犯看見禪師神態安詳，持誦佛號不停，於是向他求救。禪師教他們至心念誦『南無救苦救難阿彌陀佛』。其中有三個人信受他的話，唸誦不停。天亮后，押解囚犯更換枷鎖，到這三個人時，刑具不夠，只用繩子捆綁。等到審問的時候，才知道他們是被俘虜的良民，於是得以釋放。
還有，對於惡人，因為善和的十念，地獄景象顯現，化佛前來迎接；對於畜生，因為鴝鵒稱念佛名，形骸掩藏。
【English Translation】 English version: I remember one night I had a dream. In the dream, a man with a black turban and white clothes, with a refined and handsome appearance, said to me, 'I wish to join your Amitabha assembly. Please register a name for me.' I asked him what his name was, and he said, 'My name is Puhui (Universal Wisdom).' He also said, 'Please also register my brother, Puxian (Universal Virtue).' After speaking, he disappeared. When I woke up, I told this to the venerable monks, and they all said that in the 'Leaving the World' chapter of the Avatamsaka Sutra, there are the names of these two Bodhisattvas. Only then did I realize that the sages were secretly assisting. Writing the names of these two great beings at the beginning of the register is to show the present era. Like Konggu (Empty Valley), Tianqi (Heavenly Wonder), and Dufeng (Poison Peak) of Western Qi, they are all eminent monks of recent times. They firmly believed and diligently practiced, comparable to the eminent monks of previous generations. This lineage continues uninterrupted. More details can be found in the 'Collections on Rebirth,' which only record one or two out of ten million.
As for the aspects of being moved and protected, past karmic enemies are delivered, and evil ghosts cannot invade; in terms of miraculous responses, blind eyes regain sight, and captured prisoners escape from difficulties.
An example of karmic enemies being delivered: Shao Biao of the Tang Dynasty, a native of Zhenjiang, dreamed when he was a student that he arrived at an official's residence. The person in charge asked him, 'Do you know why you cannot pass the examination?' Shao Biao replied that he did not know. So the person in charge sent someone to guide Shao Biao forward, and he saw clams in a large pot. The clams spoke in human voices, calling Shao Biao's name. Shao Biao was very frightened, so he recited Amitabha Buddha, and the clams turned into yellow sparrows and flew away. Shao Biao later passed the imperial examination and became an Pacification Commissioner. An example of evil ghosts retreating: In the time of the Buddha, there was a country neighboring the Rakshasa country. The Rakshasas ate people without restraint. The king agreed that from now on, each family in the country would take turns sending one person to the Rakshasas to eat, and no one should be killed unjustly. A Buddhist family had only one son, and it was their turn to send him. The parents wailed and instructed their son to recite the Buddha's name wholeheartedly. By the power of the Buddha, the ghosts could not approach. The next morning, they went to see, and the son was still there, so they brought him back. From then on, the calamity of the Rakshasas subsided. An example of eyes regaining sight: The daughter of the Chong family in the Song Dynasty, who was blind in both eyes, recited the Buddha's name for three years, diligently and tirelessly, and her eyes regained their sight as before. An example of escaping from difficulties: At the end of the Yuan Dynasty, Zhang Shicheng attacked Huzhou, and the Jiangzhe Prime Minister fought against him, capturing forty people, imprisoning them in prison carts, and preparing to execute them. At night, they stayed at the Wuchao Temple in West Lake. Chan Master Dayoumou walked slowly under the corridor. The prisoners saw that the Chan Master had a peaceful demeanor and recited the Buddha's name without stopping, so they asked him for help. The Chan Master taught them to recite wholeheartedly 'Namo Save-from-Suffering-and-Disaster Amitabha Buddha'. Among them, three people believed and accepted his words, reciting without stopping. At dawn, the prisoners were escorted to change their shackles. When it came to these three people, there were not enough instruments of torture, so they were only tied with ropes. When they were interrogated, it was learned that they were good people who had been captured, so they were released.
Furthermore, for evil people, because of Shanhe's ten recitations, the scene of hell appeared, and the manifested Buddha came to greet them; for animals, because the myna bird recited the Buddha's name, the physical body was concealed.
而蓮華地發何況身無重慝報在最靈信愿薰脩寧成虛棄。
惡人者唐張善和屠牛為業臨終見群牛索命於是大怖喚其妻云速延僧為我念佛僧至論云經中說臨終惡相現者至心念佛即得往生和云地獄至急取香爐來即以右手擎火左手拈香面西專切唸佛未滿十聲自言佛來迎我即化去畜生者宋黃巖正等寺觀公畜鴝鵒常唸佛不絕一日立化籠上觀葬之已而土土出紫蓮華一朵尋土中則華從舌端而發靈芝照律師為之贊有立亡籠閑渾閒事化紫蓮華也太奇之句慝者惡之匿於心者也最靈者人爲萬物之靈也未復結言惡人唸佛尚得往生何況惡未必如善和畜生唸佛尚得往生何況靈而號為人類以此比況知必生也信愿熏修所作唐捐無有是處。
往生持戒
口業勸戒
龍舒王居士曰人生不過身口意業殺盜淫為身三業妄言綺語兩舌惡口為口四業貪嗔癡為意三業總之十惡若持而不犯乃謂之十善據佛所言口業果報多於身意二業以發意則未必形於外出口則遂見矣舉身為惡猶有時而難阻不若口之易發故也未問隔世之事且以現世言之今人有一言稱人其人終身受賜福及子孫者有一言陷人其人終身受害累及子孫者口業豈不重哉。
永嘉集淫戒
于諸女色心無染著凡夫顛倒為欲所醉耽荒迷亂不知其過如提華莖不悟毒蛇智人觀之毒蛇之口熊豹之
【現代漢語翻譯】 現代漢語譯本： 蓮花地都能生髮，更何況自身沒有嚴重的罪惡？唸佛的果報在於最具有靈性的生命，真誠的信仰和願力熏習修行，怎麼會是虛假的拋棄呢？
惡人，比如唐朝的張善和，以屠牛為業，臨終時看見一群牛來索命，於是非常害怕，呼喚他的妻子說：『快請僧人為我念佛！』僧人來了，說：『經中說臨終時出現惡相的人，至誠唸佛就能往生。』張善和說：『地獄的景像已經非常緊急了！』趕緊取來香爐，用右手拿著火，左手拈香，面向西方，專心切意地念佛，還沒念滿十聲，就說：『佛來迎接我了！』隨即化去。畜生，比如宋朝黃巖正等寺的觀公所養的鴝鵒，常常唸佛不絕，有一天站立著往生在籠子上。觀公埋葬了它，不久之後，墳墓上長出一朵紫色的蓮花，尋找蓮花的根源，發現花是從鴝鵒的舌頭上長出來的。靈芝照律師為此讚歎說：『站立著死在籠子里，本來是很平常的事情，卻化生出紫色的蓮花，真是太神奇了！』『慝』的意思是隱藏在心中的罪惡。『最靈』的意思是人是萬物中最具有靈性的。前面已經總結說，惡人唸佛尚且能夠往生，更何況罪惡未必像張善和那樣深重的人呢？畜生唸佛尚且能夠往生，更何況具有靈性而被稱作人類的人呢？用這些來比較，就知道必定能夠往生。以真誠的信仰和願力熏習修行，所作的努力絕不會白費，沒有這樣的道理。
往生與持戒
口業與勸戒
龍舒王居士說：人的一生不過是身口意三業。殺盜淫是身的三種惡業，妄語、綺語、兩舌、惡口是口的四種惡業，貪嗔癡是意的三種惡業。總而言之就是十惡。如果能夠持守而不犯，就叫做十善。根據佛所說，口業的果報比身意二業要多。因為發出的意念未必會表現于外，而說出口的話就一定會顯現出來。即使是身體作惡，有時還難以阻止，不如口那麼容易發出。暫且不問隔世的事情，就以現世來說，現在的人，有一句話稱讚別人，那個人終身都會受到恩賜，福澤及於子孫；有一句話陷害別人，那個人終身都會受到損害，禍及子孫。口業難道不重要嗎？
永嘉集 淫戒
對於各種女色，心中沒有染著。凡夫顛倒，被慾望所迷惑，沉溺於荒唐迷亂之中，不知道其中的過錯。就像拿著花莖，卻不明白那是毒蛇。有智慧的人看來，女人的身體就像毒蛇的口，熊和豹子的爪子。
【English Translation】 English version: How much more so can one be reborn in the Land of Lotus Flowers if one's body is free from grave evils? The retribution for reciting the Buddha's name lies in the most sentient beings. How could sincere faith and vows cultivated through practice be a futile abandonment?
Consider the evil person Zhang Shanhe of the Tang Dynasty, who made a living slaughtering oxen. As he approached death, he saw a multitude of oxen demanding his life, and he was greatly terrified. He called out to his wife, saying, 'Quickly invite a monk to recite the Buddha's name for me!' When the monk arrived, he said, 'The sutras say that those who manifest evil signs at the time of death can be reborn in the Pure Land by sincerely reciting the Buddha's name.' Zhang Shanhe said, 'The visions of hell are pressing!' He quickly took the incense burner, held the fire with his right hand, and held the incense with his left hand. Facing west, he single-mindedly and earnestly recited the Buddha's name. Before he had recited ten times, he said, 'The Buddha is coming to welcome me!' and then he passed away. Consider the animal, the myna bird raised by Guan Gong at Zhengguan Temple in Huangyan of the Song Dynasty, which constantly recited the Buddha's name without ceasing. One day, it stood and passed away on its cage. Guan Gong buried it, and soon after, a purple lotus flower grew from the grave. Upon examining the source of the flower, it was found to have sprouted from the bird's tongue. Lawyer Lingzhi Zhao praised it, saying, 'To die standing in a cage is an ordinary thing, but to transform into a purple lotus flower is truly extraordinary!' 'Te (慝)' means evil hidden in the heart. 'Zui Ling (最靈)' means that humans are the most sentient of all beings. It has already been concluded that even evil people can be reborn in the Pure Land by reciting the Buddha's name, how much more so those whose evil is not as grave as Zhang Shanhe's? Even animals can be reborn in the Pure Land by reciting the Buddha's name, how much more so those who are sentient and called humans? By comparing these, we know that rebirth is certain. Cultivating practice with sincere faith and vows will never be in vain; there is no such principle.
Rebirth and Precepts
Verbal Karma and Exhortation
Layman Wang of Longshu said: A person's life is nothing more than the karma of body, speech, and mind. Killing, stealing, and sexual misconduct are the three evil karmas of the body; false speech, embellished speech, divisive speech, and harsh speech are the four evil karmas of speech; greed, anger, and delusion are the three evil karmas of the mind. In short, these are the ten evils. If one can uphold and not violate them, it is called the ten virtues. According to the Buddha, the retribution for verbal karma is greater than that of bodily and mental karma. This is because thoughts may not manifest externally, but words spoken will certainly appear. Even bodily actions of evil are sometimes difficult to prevent, unlike speech, which is easily uttered. Leaving aside matters of future lives, let's talk about the present life. If a person praises another with a single word, that person will receive blessings throughout their life, benefiting their descendants; if a person harms another with a single word, that person will suffer harm throughout their life, affecting their descendants. Is verbal karma not important?
Yongjia Collection - Precept Against Lust
Regarding all female forms, the mind should be free from attachment. Ordinary people are deluded, intoxicated by desire, indulging in wild confusion, unaware of their faults. It is like holding a flower stem, not realizing it is a poisonous snake. To the wise, a woman's body is like the mouth of a poisonous snake, the claws of a bear and leopard.
手猛火熱鐵不以為喻銅柱鐵床燋背爛腸血肉縻潰痛徹心髓作如是觀唯苦無樂革囊盛糞膿血之聚外假香涂內惟臭穢不凈流溢蛆蟲住處鮑肆廁孔亦所不及 智者觀之但見發毛爪齒薄皮厚皮血肉汗淚涕唾膿脂筋脈腦膜黃痰白痰肝膽骨髓肺脾腎胃心膏膀胱大腸小腸生藏熟藏屎尿臭處如是等物一一非人識風鼓擊妄生言語 詐為親友其實怨妒敗德障道為過至重應當遠離如避冤賊 是故智者觀之如毒蛇想寧近毒蛇不親女色何以故毒蛇殺人一死一生女色系縛百千萬劫種種楚毒苦痛無窮諦察深思難可附近。
經云若更有一惑如淫慾大地眾生無一人得道。
戒殺臆說
云棲和尚曰天地生物以供人食如種種谷種種果種種蔬果可謂千足萬足何苦復將同有血氣同有子母同有知覺覺痛覺癢覺生覺死之物而殺食之豈理也哉尋常說只要心好不在齋素嗟乎戮其身而啖其肉天下之言兇心慘心毒心噁心孰甚焉好心當在何處此數語最為痛切余請申之夫釋氏之所為齋者以眾生造殺業者定招殺報故於十戒中首重戒殺即救此殺命之人非特慈心於物己也且六畜總皆我屢世眷屬不應以物命視之故不應食肉今且就世情論之人非木石豈不知愛惜物命亦非不念及輪迴乃不能持素其故有二一者耽芻豢之悅口二者慮藜藿之損身(此二語出蓮池師)豈知養德養身皆宜
【現代漢語翻譯】 現代漢語譯本 手被猛烈的火燒灼，熱鐵加身，不應以此來比喻地獄之苦。銅柱鐵床，焦灼後背，腐爛腸子，血肉糜爛潰散，痛苦直達心髓。應當這樣觀想，地獄唯有痛苦而沒有快樂。如同用皮革袋子盛裝糞便，膿血聚集在一起，外表用香塗抹，內部卻只有臭穢不潔，不斷流溢，蛆蟲居住其中，即使是賣魚的店舖和廁所的臭味也比不上。智者觀察這些，只能看到頭髮、毛髮、指甲、牙齒、薄皮、厚皮、血液、肌肉、汗水、眼淚、鼻涕、膿、脂肪、筋、脈、腦膜、黃痰、白痰、肝臟、膽囊、骨髓、肺臟、脾臟、腎臟、胃、心、脂肪、膀胱、大腸、小腸、生的內臟、熟的內臟、屎尿等污穢之物。這些東西沒有一樣是『人』，只是風在其中鼓動，才虛妄地產生語言。 假裝是親友，實際上心懷怨恨嫉妒，敗壞德行，阻礙修道，這種過失極其嚴重，應當遠離他們，如同躲避仇敵。 因此，智者觀察女色，應當像看待毒蛇一樣。寧可接近毒蛇，也不要親近女色。為什麼呢？因為毒蛇殺人，只死一次，而女色會使人被束縛百千萬劫，遭受種種楚毒，痛苦無窮。仔細觀察，深入思考，難以接近女色。 經書上說，如果再有一種迷惑像淫慾一樣，那麼大地上就沒有一個眾生能夠得道。 戒殺臆說 云棲和尚（Yunqi Heshang，云棲寺的僧人）說：天地產生萬物，是爲了供給人們食用，如各種穀物、各種水果、各種蔬菜瓜果，可謂是千足萬足，何苦還要將同樣有血氣、同樣有子母之情、同樣有知覺，能感覺到疼痛、感覺到癢、感覺到生存和死亡的動物殺害並吃掉呢？這難道合乎道理嗎？平常人們說只要心好，不必拘泥於吃齋。唉！戮殺它們的身體，吃它們的肉，天下的兇狠之心、慘無人道之心、惡毒之心，還有什麼能超過這種行為呢？好心又在哪裡呢？這幾句話最為痛切。我再進一步闡述，佛教徒之所以要吃齋，是因為眾生造下殺業，必定會招致殺報，所以在十戒中，首先重視戒殺，這實際上是在救助那些被殺害的生命，不僅僅是對萬物懷有慈悲之心，而且六畜總的來說都是我們累世的眷屬，不應該把它們看作是物品。所以不應該吃肉。現在就世俗人情來說，人非木石，難道不知道愛惜物命嗎？也並非不考慮到輪迴，只是不能堅持吃素，其中的原因有兩個：一是貪圖吃肉的快樂，二是顧慮吃素會損害身體（這兩句話出自蓮池大師）。豈不知修養德行和保養身體都應該適宜。
【English Translation】 English version Being burned by fierce fire and hot iron, one should not use this as a metaphor for the suffering of hell. Copper pillars and iron beds, scorching the back, rotting the intestines, flesh and blood decaying and disintegrating, pain piercing the very marrow of the heart. One should contemplate in this way, that hell has only suffering and no joy. It is like using a leather bag to hold feces, pus and blood gathered together, the outside smeared with fragrance, but the inside only foul and unclean, constantly overflowing, maggots dwelling within, even the stench of a fish market and a toilet cannot compare. The wise, observing these, can only see hair, fur, nails, teeth, thin skin, thick skin, blood, flesh, sweat, tears, mucus, pus, fat, tendons, veins, meninges, yellow phlegm, white phlegm, liver, gallbladder, bone marrow, lungs, spleen, kidneys, stomach, heart, fat, bladder, large intestine, small intestine, raw organs, cooked organs, excrement, urine, and other filthy things. None of these things is a 'person'; it is only the wind blowing within them that falsely produces speech. Pretending to be friends, but actually harboring resentment and jealousy, ruining virtue, obstructing the path of cultivation, this kind of fault is extremely serious, and one should stay away from them as if avoiding enemies. Therefore, the wise, observing female allure, should regard it as they would a poisonous snake. One would rather approach a poisonous snake than be intimate with female allure. Why? Because a poisonous snake kills a person only once, while female allure will bind a person for hundreds of thousands of kalpas, suffering all kinds of tortures, endless pain. Observe carefully, think deeply, it is difficult to approach female allure. The sutra says, if there is another delusion like lust, then not a single being on earth will be able to attain enlightenment. Presumptuous Words on Abstaining from Killing Venerable Yunqi (Yunqi Heshang, a monk of Yunqi Temple) said: Heaven and earth produce all things to provide for people's food, such as various grains, various fruits, various vegetables and melons, which can be said to be more than sufficient. Why bother to kill and eat animals that also have blood and qi, also have the affection of mothers and offspring, also have consciousness, and can feel pain, feel itching, feel life and death? Is this reasonable? People usually say that as long as the heart is good, there is no need to be strict about vegetarianism. Alas! To slaughter their bodies and eat their flesh, what in the world is more cruel, more inhumane, more poisonous, and more evil than this? Where is the good heart to be found? These few words are most poignant. I will further elaborate that the reason why Buddhists abstain from eating meat is that sentient beings create the karma of killing, which will inevitably lead to retribution of killing. Therefore, among the ten precepts, the first and foremost is to abstain from killing, which is actually to help those lives that are being killed, not only to have compassion for all things, but also because the six domestic animals are generally our relatives from past lives, and we should not regard them as mere objects. Therefore, we should not eat meat. Now, in terms of worldly affairs, people are not made of wood or stone, how can they not know to cherish life? It is not that they do not consider reincarnation, but that they cannot adhere to vegetarianism. There are two reasons for this: one is to indulge in the pleasure of eating meat, and the other is to worry that eating vegetarian food will harm the body (these two sentences are from Master Lianchi). How can they know that cultivating virtue and nourishing the body are both appropriate?
食素蓋滋養胃氣全憑水谷魚肉動火本草言之甚詳孫真人著衛生歌流行於世並未齒及於肉如雲雁有序兮犬有義黑鯉朝北知臣禮人無禮義反食之天地神明皆不喜此等議論為何如乎近時好事者藉口養老廣述殺命等事刊完成的書冊混行於世殊可痛恨蓋七十非肉不飽之說乃孟夫子論王道中之一語非如本草等書專門之論也不然七十者不應衣帛耶五十者不應食肉耶其意若謂衣帛食肉後生家不可享用惟五十以上乃可耳然未嘗教人恣意殺戮極窮口腹如今人之所為者縱使殺命養命壽過彭祖然且仁者不為況無益而有損乎究竟而論人與萬物皆屬上帝生靈上帝好生豈有生物養人之理惟是洪荒之世禽獸逼人天生人以養萬物者不知幾世代矣後世聖人始教人網罟以歒禽獸不意流毒至今殺害無厭有俗人所不忍聞者詎可令聖人見耶且人食虎虎亦食人人食鮑鮑亦傷人今日且然何論洪荒生物養人之說不辨而自明矣余嘗竊思末劫瘟疫流行痘癥酷烈皆是殺氣上于天知亦是殺冤業報而人猶不悟苦哉苦哉或曰汝極陳殺生之戒似矣惟肉不養人之說實難遷就蓋食肉人肥食菜人瘦汝不能食肉便禁人食肉人誰汝信予曰非肉能肥人以肥人能食肉耳譬之健漢能行淫非淫慾能健人也又不見山中有辟榖神仙市井無百歲屠行世人一日不再飯則餓終年不食肉未死此予所自信者雖聖人復起不易吾言矣
【現代漢語翻譯】 現代漢語譯本 吃素是爲了滋養胃氣，這完全依賴於水谷。魚肉是動火之物，本草書籍對此有詳細的論述。孫思邈（Sun Simiao）真人的《衛生歌》流傳於世，但其中並未提及肉食。例如，書中說大雁遷徙有秩序，犬有忠義之心，黑鯉魚朝北，懂得臣子的禮節。人如果沒有禮義，反而吃它們，天地神明都會不高興。這些議論怎麼樣呢？ 近來有些好事者，借口養老，大肆宣揚殺生之事，刊印完成的書，混淆視聽，實在令人痛恨。所謂『七十歲非肉不飽』的說法，只是孟子（Mencius）在論述王道時的一句話，並非像本草等書籍那樣專門的論述。不然的話，七十歲的人就不應該穿絲綢衣服了嗎？五十歲的人就不應該吃肉了嗎？孟子的意思好像是說，穿絲綢衣服、吃肉，年輕人不應該享用，只有五十歲以上的人才可以。然而，孟子並沒有教人恣意殺戮，極盡口腹之慾，像現在的人所做的那樣。縱然殺害生命來滋養自己，壽命超過彭祖（Peng Zu），但仁者也不會這樣做，更何況這樣做無益反而有害呢？ 歸根結底，人和萬物都屬於上帝（Shangdi）的生靈，上帝有好生之德，怎麼會有創造生物來供養人類的道理呢？只是在洪荒時代，禽獸逼迫人類，天生人類來制服萬物，不知經歷了多少世代。後世的聖人開始教人使用網罟來捕捉禽獸，不料這種做法流毒至今，殺害無厭。有些事情連普通人都不忍心聽，怎麼能讓聖人看到呢？況且人吃老虎，老虎也吃人；人吃鮑魚，鮑魚也會傷人。今天尚且如此，更何況洪荒時代生物供養人類的說法呢？不辨自明瞭。 我曾經私下思考，末劫時期瘟疫流行，痘癥肆虐，都是殺氣上達于天，也是殺生的冤業報應，而人們仍然不覺悟，真是可悲啊！ 有人說：『你極力陳述戒殺生的道理，似乎很有道理。但是，肉不養人的說法實在難以接受。因為吃肉的人肥胖，吃菜的人瘦弱。你不能吃肉，就禁止別人吃肉，誰會相信你呢？』 我回答說：『不是肉能使人肥胖，而是肥胖的人能吃肉。這就像健壯的男子能行淫慾，而不是淫慾能使人健壯一樣。你沒看見山中有辟榖的神仙，而市井中沒有百歲的屠夫嗎？世人一天不吃飯就會餓，但終年不吃肉也不會死。』這是我所堅信的，即使聖人復生，也改變不了我的觀點。
【English Translation】 English version Eating vegetarian food is to nourish the stomach qi (vital energy), which relies entirely on water and grains. Fish and meat are fire-inducing substances, and herbal books have detailed discussions on this. Sun Simiao's (a famous doctor in ancient China) 'Hygienic Song' is popular in the world, but it does not mention meat. For example, the book says that geese migrate in order, dogs have loyalty, and black carp face north, understanding the etiquette of a subject. If people have no etiquette and eat them instead, the gods of heaven and earth will be unhappy. What about these arguments? Recently, some people with ulterior motives, using the excuse of providing for the elderly, have vigorously promoted the killing of lives, printed them into books, and confused the public, which is really hateful. The saying 'Seventy years old cannot be satisfied without meat' is just a sentence Mencius (a famous philosopher in ancient China) said when discussing the way of kings, not a specialized discussion like herbal books. Otherwise, should people in their seventies not wear silk clothes? Should people in their fifties not eat meat? Mencius's meaning seems to be that young people should not enjoy wearing silk clothes and eating meat, only people over fifty can. However, Mencius did not teach people to kill arbitrarily and indulge in the desires of the mouth, as people do now. Even if you kill lives to nourish yourself and live longer than Peng Zu (a legendary long-lived person in China), a benevolent person would not do this, let alone if it is useless and harmful? In the final analysis, people and all things belong to the spirits of Shangdi (God), and Shangdi has the virtue of loving life. How can there be a reason to create creatures to support humans? It's just that in the prehistoric era, birds and beasts forced humans, and humans were born to subdue all things. I don't know how many generations it took. Later sages began to teach people to use nets to catch birds and beasts. Unexpectedly, this practice has been poisoning the world to this day, killing without satisfaction. Some things that even ordinary people can't bear to hear, how can they let the saints see? Moreover, people eat tigers, and tigers also eat people; people eat abalone, and abalone also hurts people. It is still the case today, let alone the saying that creatures support humans in the prehistoric era? It is self-evident without discrimination. I once thought privately that the epidemic in the last days, and the rampant smallpox, are all the killing air reaching the sky, and also the retribution of the killing karma, but people are still not aware of it, it is really sad! Someone said: 'You have tried your best to state the principle of abstaining from killing, which seems to make sense. However, the saying that meat does not nourish people is really difficult to accept. Because people who eat meat are fat, and people who eat vegetables are thin. You can't eat meat, so you forbid others to eat meat, who will believe you?' I replied: 'It is not that meat can make people fat, but that fat people can eat meat. It's like a strong man can have lust, but lust can't make people strong. Haven't you seen the immortals who practice abstinence in the mountains, but there are no centenarian butchers in the city? People will be hungry if they don't eat for a day, but they won't die if they don't eat meat all year round.' This is what I firmly believe, and even if the saint is resurrected, it will not change my point of view.
惟是富貴之家習慣不能遽革一飯無肉便覺氣餒此由自心非關肉故如藥本對癥而病人惑於人言自起疑惑則藥便不靈無肉覺餒亦復如是豈惟飲食一切山河大地皆由心變如大河水人視為水鬼視為火水族如居宅諸天如琉璃即自人論病熱則思水病寒則惡水水性本同而眾生業感不同故所見亦異須知一切世間可愛憎物原無可愛憎者作如是觀名為正觀古今戒殺文字不啻牛毛繭絲慚余狂瞽無能宣揚萬一惟諸名公進而教之。
西方直指卷之下
No. 1163-C 題西方直指
余病痰晝寢而應門忽以淥田一念居士所撰西方直指三卷傳來曰子其弁之蓋病夫當強艾年亦大有意于西方而今久荒此課得居士此提真於我心有慼慼焉雖不斐亦當出遊夏一讚詞夫此經不但以帶業往生下品歆博地凡夫亦究竟一生補處菩薩多從此出而近有執著六祖壇經及方山合論之權說者輒小凈土一門等諸禪門之空觀菩薩以為未入最上一乘則古德既有四料簡矣曰有禪無凈土十人九蹉路無禪有凈土萬修萬人去有禪有凈土猶如帶角虎現世為人師將來作佛祖此不易之論也然此案固重修凈尤重禪凈兼修以愚膚見竊有味于孔門志於道志於仁兩案真見其一而二二而一也道非毗盧性海乎仁者道中之一德而仁外實無餘道也故曰元者善之長也舍唯心凈土之外別求毗盧性海亦
【現代漢語翻譯】 現代漢語譯本：只是富貴人家習慣難以立刻改變，一頓飯沒有肉就覺得氣力不足，這是因為自己的心，與肉本身無關。就像藥本來是對癥的，但病人因為聽信別人的話而自己產生懷疑，那麼藥就不靈驗了。沒有肉就覺得氣力不足也是這樣。豈止是飲食，一切山河大地都是由心變化而來。比如大河的水，人看作是水，鬼看作是火，水族則像住在住宅里，諸天看作是琉璃。就人來說，生病發熱就想喝水，生病發寒就厭惡水，水的性質本來相同，但眾生因為業力感應不同，所以看到的也不同。要知道一切世間可愛或可憎的事物，原本就沒有什麼可愛或可憎的。這樣觀察就叫做正觀。自古以來勸誡戒殺的文字，多得像牛毛繭絲一樣，慚愧我昏聵無能，不能宣揚其中的萬分之一，希望各位名公大力弘揚教化。
《西方直指》卷下
No. 1163-C 題《西方直指》
我因為痰病白天睡覺，應門的人忽然送來淥田一念居士（Lutian Yinian Jushi，作者名）所撰寫的《西方直指》三卷，說：『你來作序吧。』我這個病人正當壯年，也很有意于西方凈土，現在荒廢這件事很久了，得到居士的這本書，確實與我的心有相通之處。雖然我不擅長寫作，也應當勉力寫一篇讚詞。這部經書不僅以帶業往生（daiye wangsheng）來接引下品凡夫，也最終讓一生補處（yisheng buchu）的菩薩從此成就。而近來有人執著於六祖壇經（Liuzu Tan Jing）及方山合論（Fangshan Helun）的權巧之說，就輕視凈土一門，等同於諸禪門的空觀菩薩，認為還沒有進入最上一乘（zui shang yi cheng）。古德早有四料簡（si liaojian）的說法：『有禪無凈土，十人九蹉路；無禪有凈土，萬修萬人去；有禪有凈土，猶如帶角虎，現世為人師，將來作佛祖。』這實在是不易的定論。然而這本書本來就重視修凈土，尤其重視禪凈雙修，以我淺薄的見解，私下覺得它與孔門所說的『志於道，志於仁』兩方面，確實是見其一而二，二而一的。道不就是毗盧性海（piluxinghai）嗎？仁是道中的一種德行，而仁之外實際上沒有其餘的道。所以說『元者善之長也』。捨棄唯心凈土（weixin jingtu）之外，另外去尋求毗盧性海，也是
【English Translation】 English version: It's just that the habits of wealthy families are hard to change immediately. They feel weak if they don't have meat in a meal. This is due to their own minds and has nothing to do with the meat itself. It's like medicine that is originally right for the illness, but if the patient doubts it because of listening to others, then the medicine will not work. Feeling weak without meat is also like this. Not only food and drink, but all mountains, rivers, and the earth are transformed by the mind. For example, the water of a great river, people see it as water, ghosts see it as fire, aquatic creatures see it as a residence, and the heavens see it as crystal. As for people, if they are sick with fever, they want to drink water, and if they are sick with cold, they hate water. The nature of water is the same, but sentient beings have different karmic responses, so what they see is also different. You must know that all lovable or hateful things in the world are originally neither lovable nor hateful. Observing in this way is called right observation. Since ancient times, texts admonishing against killing are as numerous as cow hairs and silkworm threads. I am ashamed of my ignorance and inability to promote even one ten-thousandth of them. I hope that all famous officials will advance and teach them.
Western Direct Point, Volume 2
No. 1163-C Title: Western Direct Point
I was sleeping during the day because of phlegm, and suddenly someone at the door brought three volumes of 'Western Direct Point' written by Layman Lutian Yinian (Lutian Yinian Jushi, name of the author), saying, 'Please write a preface for it.' I, this sick man, am in my prime and also very interested in the Western Pure Land. I have neglected this matter for a long time now. Receiving this book from the layman, it truly resonates with my heart. Although I am not good at writing, I should try my best to write a eulogy. This scripture not only uses 'carrying karma to be reborn' (daiye wangsheng) to receive inferior ordinary people, but also ultimately allows 'one-life-to-be-Buddha' (yisheng buchu) Bodhisattvas to achieve enlightenment from it. Recently, some people are attached to the expedient teachings of the Sixth Patriarch's Platform Sutra (Liuzu Tan Jing) and Fangshan's Combined Treatise (Fangshan Helun), and they belittle the Pure Land school, equating it with the emptiness-observing Bodhisattvas of various Chan schools, thinking that they have not yet entered the 'supreme vehicle' (zui shang yi cheng). The ancient masters already had the 'Four Distinctions' (si liaojian): 'With Chan but without Pure Land, nine out of ten go astray; without Chan but with Pure Land, ten thousand cultivate and ten thousand go; with Chan and with Pure Land, like a tiger with horns, in this life a teacher of men, in the future a Buddha and an ancestor.' This is truly an immutable conclusion. However, this book originally emphasizes cultivating Pure Land, especially emphasizing the dual cultivation of Chan and Pure Land. In my shallow view, I privately feel that it is similar to what Confucius said, 'Aspiring to the Way, aspiring to benevolence,' truly seeing its oneness and duality. Is the Way not the 'Vairocana nature-sea' (piluxinghai)? Benevolence is one of the virtues in the Way, and there is actually no other Way outside of benevolence. Therefore, it is said, 'The origin is the chief of goodness.' Abandoning the 'mind-only Pure Land' (weixin jingtu) and seeking the Vairocana nature-sea elsewhere is also
無是處故孔聖之教志仁乃所以志於道也志於道者恐道其所道入于外道小道而志仁卻有實德可據況據德而依仁人則必無道其所道之虞西方直指一書其出世依仁之案乎在吾儒則不但是志於道之大因亦游于藝之一助也當知居士學道愛人仕優而提此指蓋有深至之意云。
萬曆丙午孟冬乙卯管志道子登甫題
【現代漢語翻譯】 現代漢語譯本：因為沒有確定的目標，所以孔子的教誨以立志于仁作為通向道的途徑。立志于道的人，擔心自己所追求的道誤入外道或小道，而立志于仁卻有實在的德行可以依據。更何況依據德行而傚法仁人，那麼一定不會有誤入歧途的憂慮。《西方直指》一書的問世，是依據仁的案例嗎？在儒家看來，這不僅是立志于道的重大原因，也是游于藝的一種輔助。應當知道管居士學習道、愛護他人，在仕途有餘力的時候提出這些，一定有深刻的用意。
萬曆丙午年孟冬乙卯日，管志道子登甫題。
【English Translation】 English version: Because there is no fixed destination, the teachings of Confucius regard aspiring to benevolence (Ren) as the way to aspire to the Dao. Those who aspire to the Dao fear that the Dao they pursue may stray into external or minor paths, while aspiring to benevolence has tangible virtues to rely on. Moreover, relying on virtue and following benevolent people, there will certainly be no worry of straying from the path. Is the emergence of the book 'Western Direct Pointing' a case based on benevolence (Ren)? In Confucianism, this is not only a major reason for aspiring to the Dao but also an aid to 'wandering in the arts'. It should be understood that Layman Guan, in learning the Dao, loving others, and having surplus energy in his official career, put forward these points with profound intentions.
In the winter of the Bingwu year of the Wanli era, on the Yimao day, inscribed by Guan Zhidao Zidengfu.