English
English version: 'But discussing various good causes and conditions, one is then encouraged to learn by those who diligently practice. Whether detailed or brief, the principles do not contradict each other.' Commentary on the Sutra of Amitābha Spoken by the Buddha, Vol. Middle Taishō Tripiṭaka, Vol. 37, No. 1758, Commentary on the Sutra of Amitābha Commentary on the Sutra of Amitābha, Vol. Lower Composed by the Śrāmaṇa Kuiji of the Great Ci'en Monastery The Sutra says: 'Śāriputra! If there are good men or good women who hear of Amitābha (Amitābha, the Buddha of the Western Pure Land), holding to his name, whether for one day, two days, three days, four days, five days, six days, or seven days, with a single, undistracted mind.' The commentary says: The second speaks of multiple causes. 'Good men,' in Sanskrit, is Upāsaka (Upāsaka, a male lay Buddhist), which here is translated as 'men who closely attend'; 'sa' is the masculine sound, upholding the five precepts and being worthy of closely attending to the Bhikṣu Sangha. 'Good women,' in Sanskrit, is Upāsikā (Upāsikā, a female lay Buddhist); 'sī' is the feminine sound, also upholding the five precepts and being worthy of attending to the Bhikṣuṇī Sangha. The Western Lands (India) distinguish between masculine and feminine sounds. 'Hearing of Amitābha' refers to hearing about the matters of rebirth in the Amitābha teachings from a good friend, or personally seeking and reading the scriptures. 'Holding to the Buddha's name for one to seven days with a single mind' means without any interruption, hence it is called 'single mind.' 'Undistracted' means focused without scattering. Question: 'The Treatise on the Pure Land (possibly referring to the Rebirth Treatise) says: Women and those with deficient faculties (those with incomplete six senses), the seeds of the Two Vehicles (Śrāvakayāna and Pratyekabuddhayāna) do not arise (in the Pure Land). How is this contradictory?' Answer: 'Just as a woman reciting the Buddha's name, with utmost sincerity and focus, when her life ends and she is about to be reborn, she transforms into a man and is then reborn in the Pure Land. What is impossible about that? It is the same for those with deficient faculties. The Mañjuśrī Prajñā Sūtra says: If a person wishes to be reborn in another present, pure, and wonderful land, they should follow the Buddha's name of that land, recite it with a single mind, and vow to be reborn there; they will certainly be reborn. The Sutra of the Samadhi of Visualizing the Buddha says: This Samadhi of reciting the Buddha's name, if one wishes to achieve it, has five causes and conditions: first, upholding the precepts without transgression; second, not arising with wrong views; third, not generating flattery or arrogance; fourth, not being angry or jealous; fifth, being courageous and diligent.' --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
进。《鼓音声经》云：令念彼佛名号，七日七夜六时礼拜。《贤愚经》云：持戒专念七日，亦得往生。《平等觉经》及《大阿弥陀经》并说三辈得生，如彼中说。” 经曰：“其人临命终时，阿弥陀佛与诸圣众现在其前”。 赞曰：第三圣众来迎也。其人者，既七日念佛行人也。临命终时者，此一报寿命临欲终时，即彼佛与诸圣众，即彼国菩萨声闻等，现身于念佛修行人前，如梁朝珍禅师见白银台或见化佛来迎也。 经云：“是人终时，心不颠倒，即得往生阿弥陀佛极乐国土”。 赞曰：第四众生往生。不颠倒者，不移正念也，即得往彼国也，莲华化生颜貌端正如诸菩萨，心无颠倒意想正修，便别秽方顿生净土，故云即得往生。 问：“众生恶业无量，如何念佛灭除业障便得往生净土？” 答：“《十疑论》说有三义故能敌恶业：一者在心，为造罪是虚妄心，念佛是真实心，以实除虚有何不可，如千年之闇不能拒朝日之光；二者在境，谓造罪缘于颠倒境界，念佛缘于胜妙功德，以真遣伪有何不可；三者在净，谓造罪是染意，念佛是净心，净胜染劣讵可相比，如童子[木*为]刀能断千丈之索，一星之火能烧万束之薪。又《观经》云：于念念中灭除八十亿劫生死之罪。罪业既除， 现代汉语译本 进。《鼓音声经》说：‘要人念诵阿弥陀佛（Amitabha）的名号，七天七夜六个时辰礼拜。’《贤愚经》说：‘持戒专心念佛七天，也能往生。’《平等觉经》和《大阿弥陀经》都说了三辈往生的情况，就像那些经文里说的那样。” 经文说：‘那人临命终时，阿弥陀佛（Amitabha）与诸位圣众会出现在他面前。’ 赞语说：这是第三种圣众前来迎接的情况。‘那人’，就是指七天念佛的修行人。‘临命终时’，就是指这一世的寿命快要结束的时候，阿弥陀佛（Amitabha）与诸位圣众，也就是极乐国土的菩萨、声闻等等，会显现在念佛修行人的面前，就像梁朝的珍禅师看到白银台，或者看到化佛前来迎接一样。 经文说：‘这人在临终时，心不颠倒，就能往生到阿弥陀佛（Amitabha）的极乐国土。’ 赞语说：这是第四种众生往生的情况。‘不颠倒’，就是不改变正确的念头，就能往生到那个极乐世界。在莲花中化生，容貌端正，就像诸位菩萨一样，心中没有颠倒的意念，意想端正的修行，就能告别污秽的世间，立刻往生到清净的净土，所以说立刻就能往生。 问：‘众生的恶业无量无边，为什么念佛就能消除业障，从而往生净土呢？’ 答：‘《十疑论》里说了三种原因，所以能够抵挡恶业：第一，从心来说，造罪是用虚妄的心，念佛是用真实的心，用真实的心去除虚妄的心，有什么不可以的呢？就像千年的黑暗不能阻挡早晨的阳光一样；第二，从境界来说，造罪是缘于颠倒的境界，念佛是缘于殊胜美妙的功德，用真实的去除虚假的，有什么不可以的呢？第三，从清净来说，造罪是染污的心意，念佛是清净的心，清净胜过染污，怎么可以相比呢？就像小孩子用木刀也能砍断千丈长的绳索，一点星火也能烧掉万捆柴火。《观经》又说：在念念之中灭除八十亿劫生死轮回的罪过。’罪业既然消除了
English
English version Further, the *Drum Voice Sutra* says: ‘Cause [people] to recite that Buddha’s name, for seven days and seven nights, worshiping [him] at six times [of the day].’ The *Sutra of the Wise and Foolish* says: ‘Upholding precepts and single-mindedly reciting [the Buddha’s name] for seven days, one can also be reborn [in the Pure Land].’ The *Sutra of Equal Awakening* and the *Larger Sutra of Amitabha* both speak of the three grades [of beings] attaining rebirth, as described in those [sutras].’ The sutra says: ‘When that person is approaching the end of their life, Amitabha Buddha (Amitabha) and all the noble assembly will appear before them.’ The commentary says: This is the third [instance of the] noble assembly coming to greet [the dying person]. ‘That person’ refers to the practitioner who has recited the Buddha’s name for seven days. ‘Approaching the end of their life’ means that when the lifespan of this one retribution body is about to end, that Buddha and all the noble assembly, that is, the Bodhisattvas and Shravakas of that land, will appear before the practitioner who recites the Buddha’s name, just as Chan Master Zhen of the Liang Dynasty saw a silver platform or saw a manifested Buddha coming to greet him. The sutra says: ‘When this person dies, their mind will not be inverted, and they will immediately be reborn in the Land of Ultimate Bliss of Amitabha Buddha (Amitabha).’ The commentary says: This is the fourth [instance of] sentient beings being reborn. ‘Not inverted’ means not changing from right mindfulness, and one will immediately be reborn in that land. [One will be] born from a lotus flower, with a countenance as upright and proper as the Bodhisattvas. With no inverted thoughts in the mind and with right mindfulness in intention and practice, one can bid farewell to the defiled realm and immediately be born in the pure land, hence the saying ‘immediately be reborn.’ Question: ‘Sentient beings have immeasurable evil karma. How can reciting the Buddha’s name eradicate karmic obstacles and enable one to be reborn in the Pure Land?’ Answer: ‘The *Treatise on the Ten Doubts* says that there are three reasons why one can counteract evil karma: First, in terms of the mind, creating offenses is done with a false mind, while reciting the Buddha’s name is done with a true mind. What is impossible in using the true to eliminate the false? It is like a thousand years of darkness being unable to resist the light of the morning sun. Second, in terms of the object, creating offenses is due to inverted states, while reciting the Buddha’s name is due to supreme and wonderful merit. What is impossible in using the true to dispel the false? Third, in terms of purity, creating offenses is with a defiled intention, while reciting the Buddha’s name is with a pure mind. How can purity, which is superior, be compared to defilement, which is inferior? It is like a child’s wooden knife being able to cut a thousand-foot rope, or a single spark being able to burn ten thousand bundles of firewood. Furthermore, the *Contemplation Sutra* says: ‘In each and every thought, one eradicates the sins of eighty billion kalpas of birth and death.’ Since karmic offenses are eradicated --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
得生何惑？西域之人临命终时皆以幡像前引，亲友知识助念弥陀令发往生之意，是此教也。又《华严》云：将欲没者令其忆念想见如来，命终得生净土。见有临命欲终，劝念佛名，又示尊像，令其瞻敬，令生善念即得往生。” 问：“临终作善便得往生，何假预前修诸胜业？” 答：“人生寿夭难测短长，或即病因昏迷、或即非时奄逝，既阙生前之善，难逃后世之殃，预作善缘恐防斯咎。” 问：“往生之人有中有身否？” 答：“《群疑论》中有二师义：一师云极善极恶无中有；二、不拣善恶，但有舍报受生者皆有中有，为传识故，除现世变身即无中有。净土既是极善，中有定有，有者为正。” 经曰：“舍利弗！我见是利故说此言，若有众生闻是说者，应当发愿生彼国土”。 赞曰：第五结劝往生。我见是利者，我者世尊称我也，见是利者见是殊常胜利益，故劝生彼国也。 经曰：“舍利弗！如我今者赞叹阿弥陀佛不可思议功德”。 赞曰：第三诸佛证明。文分为三：初、陈自赞言；二、引他佛证；三、释经名字。此即初也。如我今者，自指也，彼佛功德不可以心思言议故也。 经曰：“东方亦有阿閦鞞佛、须弥相佛、大须弥佛、须弥光佛、妙音佛”。 现代汉语译本 问：得生是凭借什么力量？西域的人在临终时都用幡像在前面引导，亲友和善知识帮助念诵阿弥陀佛（Amitabha Buddha，梵文音译，意为无量光佛或无量寿佛）的名号，使他发起往生西方极乐世界的心愿，这是他们的教法。而且《华严经》（Avatamsaka Sutra）中说：‘将要去世的人，让他忆念并观想如来（Tathagata，佛的称号之一），命终后就能往生净土。’见到有人临命终时，劝他念佛的名号，又展示佛像，让他瞻仰恭敬，使他生起善念，就能往生。 问：临终时行善就能往生，为什么还要预先修行各种殊胜的善业呢？ 答：人生的寿命长短难以预测，或许因为疾病而昏迷，或许突然意外死亡，既然缺少生前的善行，就难以逃脱后世的灾祸，预先修作善缘是为了防止这种过失。 问：往生的人有中有身（antarabhava-kaya，指死亡到投胎之间的过渡状态）吗？ 答：《群疑论》（Qun Yi Lun）中有两种说法：一种说法是极善或极恶的人没有中有身；另一种说法是不论善恶，只要有舍弃旧身接受新生的，都有中有身，为了传递意识的缘故，除了现世转变身体的情况，就没有中有身。净土既然是极善之处，中有身必定存在，有中有身的说法是正确的。 经中说：‘舍利弗（Sariputra，佛陀十大弟子之一）！我见到这种利益，所以说这些话，如果有人听到这些话，应当发愿往生那个国土。’ 赞曰：第五是总结劝人往生。‘我见是利’中的‘我’，是世尊（释迦牟尼佛的尊称）自称，‘见是利’是见到这种殊胜的利益，所以劝人往生那个国土。 经中说：‘舍利弗！就像我现在这样赞叹阿弥陀佛（Amitabha Buddha）不可思议的功德。’ 赞曰：第三是诸佛的证明。文分为三部分：第一，陈述自己赞叹的话语；第二，引用其他佛的证明；第三，解释经的名字。这里是第一部分。‘如我今者’，是自指，因为阿弥陀佛（Amitabha Buddha）的功德不可以心思来思考，用言语来议论。 经中说：‘东方也有阿閦鞞佛（Akshobhya Buddha，不动佛）、须弥相佛（Sumeru-samanta Buddha，须弥山相佛）、大须弥佛（Maha-sumeru Buddha，大须弥山佛）、须弥光佛（Sumeru-prabha Buddha，须弥山光佛）、妙音佛（Subhusita-ghosa Buddha，妙音佛）。’