English
English version: A man, drawing his sword and full of courage, came straight at me, wanting to kill me. I immediately ran away, saw a river, and before I even reached the riverbank, I thought: 'When I get to the riverbank, should I take off my clothes to cross? Or should I float across with my clothes on? If I take off my clothes to cross, I'm afraid there won't be enough time; if I float across with my clothes on, I fear I won't be able to save my life.' At that time, I only had one thought in my mind, which was to find a way to cross the river, with no other distracting thoughts. Practitioners are the same; when reciting Amitabha Buddha's (Amitabha Buddha) name, they should be like that person thinking about crossing the river, with each thought following the previous one, without any other distracting thoughts. Or contemplate the Dharmakaya (Dharmakaya) of the Buddha, or contemplate the Buddha's divine power, or contemplate the Buddha's wisdom, or contemplate the Buddha's urna (Urna), or contemplate the Buddha's excellent marks and characteristics, or contemplate the Buddha's original vows; reciting the Buddha's name is also the same. As long as one can be focused and sincere, continuously and without interruption, one will definitely be reborn in the presence of the Buddha. Now I advise later generations of scholars, if you want to understand the two truths, just know that each thought is unattainable, which is the gate of wisdom; and being able to maintain continuous mindfulness is the gate of merit. Therefore, the sutra says: 'Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas (Bodhisattva-Mahasattva) constantly cultivate their minds with merit and wisdom.' If beginners are not yet able to break through attachment to forms, as long as they can rely on the Buddha's form and be focused and sincere, there is no one who cannot be reborn in the Pure Land, there is no need to doubt. Someone also asked: 'The Larger Sutra of Immeasurable Life says: 'Sentient beings of the ten directions, with sincere faith and joy, wishing to be born in my land, even with ten recitations, if they are not born there, I will not attain perfect enlightenment.' Now there are people in the world who, hearing these sacred teachings, do not take them to heart at all during their lifetime, planning to cultivate mindfulness only at the time of death. What about this matter?' The answer is: 'This matter is unreliable. Why? The sutra says: 'Ten continuous recitations.' It seems not difficult. However, the minds of ordinary people are like wild horses, and their consciousness is like leaping monkeys, galloping through the six sense objects (form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma), never stopping. Each person should develop faith, restrain their thoughts in advance, so that accumulated habits become their nature, and their roots of goodness become firm. Just as the Buddha told the king: 'People who accumulate good deeds will have no evil thoughts at the time of death; like a tree that leans to one side first, it will definitely fall in the direction it leans.' If the wind of the sword (death) arrives, and all kinds of suffering rush upon the body, if the habit of mindfulness has not been cultivated in the heart beforehand, how can it be done at the time of death? Each person should make an agreement in advance with three or five like-minded people, so that at the time of death --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
，迭相开晓，为称弥陀名号，愿生安乐国，声声相次，使成十念也。譬如蜡印印泥，印坏文成。此命断时，即是生安乐国时。一入正定聚，更何所忧？各宜量此大利，何不预克念也？” 又问曰：“诸大乘经、论皆言：‘一切众生毕竟无生，犹若虚空。’云何天亲、龙树菩萨皆愿往生也？” 答曰：“言众生毕竟无生如虚空者，有二种义：一者、如凡夫人所见，实众生、实生死等；若据菩萨往生，毕竟如虚空、如兔角。二者、今言生者，是因缘生；因缘生故，即是假名生；假名生故，即是无生。不违大道理也。非如凡夫谓有实众生、实生死也。” 又问曰：“夫生为有本，乃是众累之元。若知此过，舍生求无生者，可有脱期。今既劝生净土，即是弃生求生，生何可尽？” 答曰：“然彼净土乃是阿弥陀如来清净本愿，无生之生。非如三有众生爱染，虚妄执着生也。何以故？夫法性清净毕竟无生，而言生者，得生者之情耳。” 又问曰：“如上所言：‘知生无生，当上品生者。’若尔，下品生人乘十念往生者，岂非取实生也？若实生者，即堕二疑：一、恐不得往生；二、谓此相善，不能与无生为因也。” 答曰：“释有三番：一、譬如净摩尼珠置之浊水，以珠威力水即澄清。若人 现代汉语译本：互相开导晓喻，为他称念阿弥陀（Amitabha）名号，愿他往生安乐国（Sukhavati），一声声相连不断，使之成就十念。譬如用蜡印盖在泥上，印章坏了，文字却成了。此人命终之时，就是往生安乐国之时。一旦进入正定聚（assured of enlightenment），还有什么可忧虑的？各位应当衡量这巨大的利益，为何不预先立下克念往生的志愿呢？ 又有人问：‘诸大乘经论都说：“一切众生毕竟无生，犹如虚空。”为何天亲（Vasubandhu）、龙树（Nagarjuna）菩萨都发愿往生呢？’ 回答说：‘说众生毕竟无生如虚空，有两种含义：一是，如凡夫所见，认为有真实的众生、真实的生死等；若从菩萨往生的角度来看，毕竟如虚空、如兔角般不存在。二是，现在所说的生，是因缘生；因缘生故，即是假名生；假名生故，即是无生。这并不违背大乘的道理。并非如凡夫认为有真实的众生、真实的生死。’ 又有人问：‘生是存在的根本，乃是各种烦恼的根源。如果知道这个过患，舍弃生而追求无生，或许还有解脱的希望。现在既然劝人往生净土，就是舍弃一种生而追求另一种生，这样生怎么能穷尽呢？’ 回答说：‘然而那净土乃是阿弥陀如来（Amitabha Tathagata）清净本愿所成就的，是无生之生。并非像三有众生那样，因爱染而虚妄执着于生。为什么呢？因为法性清净，毕竟无生，而说生，只是为了顺应得生者的心愿罢了。’ 又有人问：‘如上面所说：“知道生即无生，就能上品往生。”如果这样，下品往生的人，通过十念往生，岂不是执取了真实的生吗？如果真是实生，就陷入两种疑惑：一、恐怕不能往生；二、认为这种相善，不能作为无生的因。’ 回答说：‘对此有三种解释：一、譬如将清净的摩尼宝珠放入浊水中，凭借宝珠的威力，水立刻变得清澈。如果人
English
English version: They encourage and enlighten each other, reciting the name of Amitabha (Amitabha), wishing to be reborn in the Land of Bliss (Sukhavati), with each recitation following the next, so as to complete the ten recitations. It is like pressing a wax seal into mud; the seal is ruined, but the impression is made. When this life ends, it is the time of rebirth in the Land of Bliss. Once entered into the Stage of Non-retrogression (assured of enlightenment), what is there to worry about? Each should consider this great benefit; why not resolve to focus on mindfulness of rebirth beforehand?' Someone also asked: 'The Great Vehicle sutras and treatises all say: 'All beings ultimately have no birth, like empty space.' Why do Vasubandhu (Vasubandhu) and Nagarjuna (Nagarjuna) Bodhisattvas all vow to be reborn?' The answer is: 'Saying that beings ultimately have no birth like empty space has two meanings: First, as seen by ordinary people, there are real beings, real birth and death, etc.; if viewed from the perspective of the Bodhisattvas' rebirth, it is ultimately like empty space, like a rabbit's horn, non-existent. Second, the birth now spoken of is birth from conditions; because it is birth from conditions, it is nominal birth; because it is nominal birth, it is no-birth. This does not contradict the great principle. It is not like ordinary people who think there are real beings and real birth and death.' Someone also asked: 'Birth is the root of existence, the source of all suffering. If one knows this fault and abandons birth to seek no-birth, there may be hope for liberation. Now, since you encourage rebirth in the Pure Land, it is abandoning one kind of birth to seek another; how can birth ever be exhausted?' The answer is: 'However, that Pure Land is accomplished by the pure original vow of Amitabha Tathagata (Amitabha Tathagata), it is the birth of no-birth. It is not like the beings of the Three Realms who are attached to birth through love and delusion. Why? Because the Dharma-nature is pure and ultimately without birth, and to speak of birth is merely to accommodate the feelings of those who wish to be born.' Someone also asked: 'As mentioned above: 'Knowing that birth is no-birth leads to rebirth in the upper grades.' If so, do those who are reborn in the lower grades through ten recitations grasp onto real birth? If it is real birth, then two doubts arise: First, they may fear that they cannot be reborn; second, they may think that this virtuous act cannot be the cause of no-birth.' The answer is: 'There are three explanations for this: First, it is like placing a pure Mani jewel in muddy water; by the power of the jewel, the water immediately becomes clear. If a person --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
虽有无量生死罪浊，若闻阿弥陀如来至极无生清净宝珠名号，投之浊心，念念之中罪灭心净，即便往生。二、如净摩尼珠，以玄黄帛裹，投之于水，水即玄黄，一如物色。彼清净佛土有阿弥陀如来，无上宝珠名号，以无量功德成就帛裹，投之所往生者心水之中，岂不能转生为无生智乎？三、亦如冰上然火，火猛则冰液，冰液则火灭。彼下品往生人虽不知法性无生，但以称佛名力作往生意，愿生彼土，既至无生界时，见生之火自然而灭也。” 又问曰：“依何身故说往生也？” 答曰：“于此间假名人中修诸行门，前念与后念作因，秽土假名人，净土假名人，不得决定一，不得决定异；前心、后心亦如是。何以故？若决定一则无因果，若决定异则非相续。以是义故，横竖虽别，始终是一行者也。” 又问曰：“若人但能称佛名号，能除诸障者。若尔，譬如有人以指指月，此指应能破闇也。” 答曰：“诸法万差，不可一概。何者？自有名即法，自有名异法。有名即法者，如诸佛、菩萨名号，禁咒音辞，修多罗章句等是也。如禁咒辞曰：‘日出东方，乍赤、乍黄，假令酉亥行禁，患者亦愈。’又如有人被狗所啮，灸虎骨𤈫之，患者即愈；或时无骨，好攋掌摩之，口中唤言：‘虎来！虎来！’患者 现代汉语译本：即使有无量生死罪业的污浊，如果听闻阿弥陀如来至极无生的清净宝珠名号（阿弥陀如来的名号，是无生无灭的清净法宝），将其投入污浊的心中，在念念之间罪业消灭，心也清净，就能往生净土。第二，就像一颗清净的摩尼宝珠（能发出光明，消除黑暗的宝珠），用玄黄色的丝绸包裹，投入水中，水立刻变成玄黄色，颜色与宝珠相同。那清净的佛土有阿弥陀如来，无上宝珠的名号，用无量功德成就的丝绸包裹，投入所要往生者的心水之中，难道不能将生死之心转变为无生智慧吗？第三，也像在冰上点燃火焰，火焰猛烈则冰融化，冰融化则火焰熄灭。那些下品往生的人虽然不知道法性无生（一切法的本性是无生灭的），但以称念佛名（阿弥陀佛的名号）的力量作为往生的意愿，愿望往生到那个净土，既然到达无生界时，见生之火自然就会熄灭。 又有人问：‘依据什么样的身说往生呢？’ 回答说：‘在此世间假名的人中修习各种修行法门，前念与后念作为因，秽土的假名人，净土的假名人，不能决定说是一个，也不能决定说是不同的；前心、后心也是这样。为什么呢？如果决定说是一个，就没有因果关系，如果决定说是不同的，就不是相续不断。因为这个缘故，横向和纵向虽然有区别，但始终是一个修行者。’ 又有人问：‘如果人只是能够称念佛的名号，就能消除各种业障。如果是这样，譬如有人用手指指月亮，这手指应该也能破除黑暗了。’ 回答说：‘诸法千差万别，不能一概而论。为什么呢？有的名就是法，有的名与法不同。有名即是法的情况，如诸佛、菩萨的名号，禁咒的音辞，修多罗（佛经）的章句等就是。如禁咒辞说：‘太阳从东方升起，一会儿红，一会儿黄，假如在酉时、亥时（指傍晚）施行禁咒，患者也会痊愈。’又如有人被狗咬伤，用虎骨灰涂抹，患者立刻痊愈；或者有时没有虎骨，好好地用手掌摩擦，口中喊着说：‘虎来！虎来！’患者