English
O excellent friends. After the Buddha finished speaking this sutra, at that time, Bodhisattva Maitreya (the future Buddha), Elder Ananda (one of the Buddha's ten great disciples), all the Bodhisattvas, Sravakas (Buddha's disciples), and the great assembly from the ten directions, were all delighted, and they believed, accepted, and practiced it. The Lower Scroll of the Sutra of the Buddha's Discourse on the Great Amitabha On the right is the text of the four translated sutras, collated by Layman Wang Xuzhong (Zi Rixiu) of Longshu, which he divided into fifty-six sections. The merits of the Venerable Limitless Life (Amitabha Buddha) in his causal stage (during practice) and the ocean of fruition (after enlightenment) are clearly arranged in order. The true scenery and beautiful features of the Land of Bliss (Pure Land) are as clear as pointing to the palm of one's hand. Opening the scroll and reading it carefully, sitting upright and contemplating, one will feel that the magnificent adornments of the seven treasures are merged with the entire universe, the assembly of sages and worthies, the teachings and rituals of the Dharma, are all quietly transferred to this world! How great is the power of the vows of the Venerable of Limitless Life! How marvelous are the scenes of the Pure Land! How beautiful is the grand aspiration of Xuzhong! In the fourteenth section, an account of the causes and conditions of King Ajatasatru's (an ancient Indian king) prince and five hundred sons of elders is added, from which it can be known that the Tathagata's (Buddha's) Dharma gate is vast, not rejecting any who come, and that all who have such aspirations can take refuge and receive teachings; unexpectedly, after Bodhisattva Dharmakara (Amitabha Buddha's previous life), this person is seen again, and beyond countless kalpas, the Pure Lands gaze at each other. Since he is a great man, so am I, and I should not belittle myself and retreat. When later students of Buddhism see such records, how can they not be inspired to rise up? In the thirty-ninth section, the two Dharma Princes (Bodhisattvas) in the present assembly, who have diligently practiced for countless kalpas, whose positions are close to Equal Enlightenment and Wonderful Enlightenment, will successively fill the Buddha's position and hold the power to transform sentient beings. One is called Universal Light Merit Mountain King, and the other is called Well-Dwelling Merit Treasure King. They will appear successively in countless future kalpas. At this point, the old name of the Land of Bliss is transformed into the Adornment of the Assembly of All Treasures! These are all recorded in other sutras. According to their dependent retribution (the environment they live in), it is probably in the fourth Tusita Heaven Palace of that world, which this book does not mention. In the thirty-second section, the two Dharma Princes, in that Buddha land, are the foremost in wisdom, majestic power, and the brilliance of their virtuous deeds; when they enter the Buddha's assembly, they sit and attend the Buddha, participating in the correct discussions, and when they go out, they transform others in other directions, not losing the present moment in that land; therefore, the Great Being of Perfect Penetration (Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva), originally lived in the Sea Mountain, and the Garland Boy (Manjusri Bodhisattva), once inherited the ancestral position, the Dharma arose from here, and the power of vows is connected with that land. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
行海虽未之逮，而实有志焉。方法藏菩萨之发是愿也，先佛世尊勉而谓曰：“譬如大海，一人斗量，历劫不止，尚可见底；况人志心求道，精进不止，何求不得？何愿不遂？”至哉斯言。与今释尊所以劝驾阿阇王子、五百同盟之意，则一而已矣！ 然第六分中，尚有一字阙文，所当校正而增修者。案释尊所述，无量寿如来本起因地，正以然灯出兴之时，为彼佛发心起行劫数久近之准。盖溯然灯而上，经涉五十三重过量劫数，乃至古佛世自在王；则然灯以往，当更增次前二字以别之，然后知其世数悬远，位序着明；若但言次有某佛，则是沿然灯而下，所历劫数四十九重，方至世自在王；则佛出之后先，发心之久近，舛误多矣！故愚以谓，当于光远佛以上，各加一前字，共加五十二前字；则五十三觉皇兴世之序，无量寿如来因地之的，时分条理，井然不紊，事相颠末，了无舛差。传之久远，以诏无穷，真可以会人天于圣域，闭恶道于永劫矣！ 余得此书，喜不能寐，手不停披，但读至此犹有遗恨。是用斋心炷熏，对越玄元圣母，及紫府先生，白华老人，而题其后焉。虚中居士，神迁净域，必已位登上地，天眼智证，必已洞烛，此间九原，可作同声相应，必有契于斯文。 淳祐己酉建日除夕，海山旧住空 现代汉语译本：虽然我未能完全达到像大海一样深广的境界，但我确实有这样的志向。方法藏菩萨发愿时，先佛世尊勉励他说：‘譬如大海，即使一个人用斗来量，经历无数劫也不停止，尚且可以看到底；何况人如果专心求道，精进不懈，有什么求不到的？有什么愿望不能实现的？’ 这话真是至理名言。这和现在释迦牟尼佛劝勉阿阇王子和五百同盟的用意，其实是一样的！ 然而，在第六分中，还有一个字缺失，应该校正并增补。根据释迦牟尼佛所说，无量寿如来（Amitayus Buddha）本初发心的地方，正是以燃灯佛（Dipankara Buddha）出现的时候，作为他发心修行劫数长短的标准。追溯燃灯佛之前，经历了五十三重过量劫数，才到古佛世自在王（Lokanatha Buddha）；那么在燃灯佛之前，应当再增加‘前’字来区分，这样才能知道他们出世的年代久远，位次清晰；如果只说‘次有某佛’，那就是沿着燃灯佛之后，所经历的劫数四十九重，才到世自在王；那么佛出世的先后，发心时间的长短，就错乱太多了！所以我认为，应当在光远佛（Prabhasa Buddha）以上，各加一个‘前’字，共加五十二个‘前’字；这样五十三位觉皇（Buddha）出世的顺序，无量寿如来因地的确切时间，就能条理清晰，井然不紊，事情的来龙去脉，就不会有任何差错。这样流传久远，昭告无穷，真的可以使人天会聚于圣域，关闭恶道于永劫！ 我得到这本书，高兴得睡不着觉，手不停地翻阅，但读到这里仍然感到遗憾。因此我斋戒沐浴，点燃熏香，向玄元圣母（Xuan Yuan Sheng Mu），紫府先生（Zi Fu Xian Sheng），白华老人（Bai Hua Lao Ren）祷告，并在书后题写这些文字。虚中居士（Xu Zhong Ju Shi）神识迁往净土，必定已经位登高地，天眼智证，必定已经洞察一切，此间九泉之下，可以同声相应，必定能与此文契合。 淳祐己酉年建日除夕，海山旧住空（Hai Shan Jiu Zhu Kong）
English
English version: Although I have not yet attained the vastness of the ocean, I do indeed aspire to it. When Bodhisattva Dharmagarbha made his vows, the previous Buddha encouraged him, saying, 'It is like the great ocean; even if one person were to measure it with a bushel, ceaselessly for countless kalpas, one would still be able to see the bottom. How much more so if a person single-mindedly seeks the Way, diligently and unceasingly, what could they not attain? What wish could not be fulfilled?' These words are truly profound. This is the same intention as when Shakyamuni Buddha encouraged Prince Ajatasatru and his five hundred allies! However, in the sixth section, there is still a missing character that should be corrected and added. According to what Shakyamuni Buddha said, the original place where Amitayus Buddha (无量寿如来) made his initial aspiration is based on the time when Dipankara Buddha (燃灯佛) appeared, as the standard for the length of kalpas he spent cultivating. Tracing back before Dipankara Buddha, there were fifty-three excessive kalpas before reaching the ancient Buddha Lokanatha (世自在王); therefore, before Dipankara Buddha, the word 'previous' should be added to distinguish them, so that we can know the remoteness of their eras and the clarity of their order. If it is only said 'next there was a certain Buddha,' then that would be tracing along after Dipankara Buddha, through forty-nine kalpas, before reaching Lokanatha; then the order of the Buddhas' appearances and the length of their initial aspirations would be greatly confused! Therefore, I believe that before Prabhasa Buddha (光远佛), the word 'previous' should be added to each, adding a total of fifty-two 'previous' words; in this way, the order of the fifty-three Buddhas' appearances, and the precise time of Amitayus Buddha's initial aspiration, will be clear, orderly, and without any confusion. The beginning and end of the matter will be without any error. If this is passed down for a long time, it will proclaim to infinity, and truly enable humans and devas to gather in the sacred realm, and close the evil paths for eternity! I obtained this book and was so happy that I could not sleep. I kept reading it, but I still felt regret when I reached this point. Therefore, I fasted and bathed, lit incense, and prayed to Xuan Yuan Sheng Mu (玄元圣母), Zi Fu Xian Sheng (紫府先生), and Bai Hua Lao Ren (白华老人), and wrote these words at the end of the book. The spirit of Layman Xu Zhong (虚中居士) has moved to the Pure Land, and he must have already ascended to a high position. With his divine eye and wisdom, he must have already seen everything. In the nine springs below, we can resonate with each other, and he must be in agreement with this text. On the eve of the New Year's Day of the Jiyou year of Chunyou, Hai Shan Jiu Zhu Kong (海山旧住空). --------------------------------------------------------------------------------