English
English version: Therefore, Bodhisattva Nāgārjuna (a famous Buddhist philosopher) said: 'There are two paths to seeking avaivartika (non-retrogression): one is the difficult path; the other is the easy path.' The so-called difficult path refers to the difficulty of seeking avaivartika in the world of the five turbidities (the five corruptions of the age: kalpa turbidity, view turbidity, affliction turbidity, sentient being turbidity, and life turbidity) when there is no Buddha in the world. This difficulty has many aspects, and there are five that can be briefly described. What are they? First, external paths (religions other than Buddhism) appear to be virtuous, disturbing the practices of Bodhisattvas; second, Śrāvakas (followers of the Hearer Vehicle, or Hinayana Buddhism) seek only their own liberation, obstructing great compassion; third, unscrupulous evil people destroy the superior virtues of others; fourth, all humans and devas (gods) have inverted good results, destroying people's pure conduct; fifth, there is only self-power, without the support of other-power. Such things are everywhere. It is like walking on land, which is arduous, so it is called the difficult path. The so-called easy path refers to relying on the causes and conditions of faith in the Buddha, vowing to be reborn in the Pure Land, arousing the mind of virtue, establishing merit, and cultivating various virtuous deeds. Because of the Buddha's power of vows, one can be reborn in the Pure Land. Relying on the Buddha's power of sustenance, one immediately enters the assembly of the truly settled in the Mahāyāna (Great Vehicle); the assembly of the truly settled is the position of avaivartika, non-retrogression. It is like traveling by boat on water, which is pleasant, so it is called the easy path. Someone asks: 'Bodhi (enlightenment) is one, and the cause of cultivation should also be non-dual. Why is it that cultivating here, heading towards Buddhahood, is called difficult, while being reborn in the Pure Land, hoping to attain great Bodhi, is called the easy path?' The answer is: 'All the practices described in the various Mahāyāna sutras have self-power and other-power, self-gathering and other-gathering. What is self-power? For example, someone fears birth and death, resolves to leave home, cultivates samādhi (meditative concentration), attains supernatural powers, and travels through the four continents (the world in Buddhist cosmology), this is called self-power. What is other-power? For example, a weak person, with his own strength, cannot even throw a donkey up, but if he follows a Chakravartin (wheel-turning king), he can travel through the four continents in the sky. This is the power of the Chakravartin, so it is called other-power. Sentient beings are also like this. Here, they arouse the mind of virtue, establish virtuous deeds, and vow to be reborn in the Pure Land, this is self-power; when approaching the end of life, Amitābha Tathāgata (the Buddha of the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss) emits light to welcome them, and thus they are able to be reborn, this is other-power. Therefore, the Great Sutra (referring to the Larger Sutra of Immeasurable Life) says: 'Those humans and devas in the ten directions who wish to be born in my country, without exception, all rely on the great vows and karmic power of Amitābha Tathāgata as the supreme condition.' If not... --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
如是，四十八愿便是徒设。语后学者，既有他力可乘，不得自局己分，徒在火宅也。” 第二、明劫之大、小者。如《智度论》云：“劫有三种：谓一小、二中、三大。如方四十里城，高下亦然，满中芥子。有长寿诸天，三年去一，乃至芥子尽，名一小劫；或八十里城，高下亦然，芥子满中，如前取尽，名一中劫；或百二十里城，高下亦然，芥子满中，取尽一同前说，方名大劫。或八十里石，高下亦然，有一长寿诸天，三年以天衣一拂，天衣重三铢，为拂不已，此石乃尽，名为中劫。”其小石、大石类前中劫可知，不劳具述。 第三门中有五番：第一、明从无始劫来，在此轮回无穷，受身无数者。如《智度论》云：“在于人中，或张家死、王家生；王家死、李家生。如是尽阎浮提界，或重生或异家生，或南阎浮提死，西拘耶尼生。如阎浮提，余三天下亦如是。如四天下死，生四天王天亦如是；或四天王天死，忉利天生；忉利天死，生余上四天亦如是。色界有十八重天，无色界有四重天，此死生彼，一一皆遍亦如是。或色界死，生阿鼻地狱；阿鼻地狱中死，生余轻系地狱；轻系地狱中死，生畜生中；畜生中死，生饿鬼道中；饿鬼道中死，或生人、天中。如是轮回六道，受苦、乐二报，生死无穷，胎生既尔， 如是说来，如果这样，阿弥陀佛的四十八大愿岂不成了白设？告诉后来的学佛之人，既然有阿弥陀佛的愿力可以依靠，就不要局限于自己的力量，白白地困在火宅之中。（'火宅'比喻充满烦恼和痛苦的世间） 第二、说明劫的大小。《智度论》中说：‘劫有三种：一是小劫，二是中劫，三是大劫。比如，有一个边长四十里的城，高低也是四十里，里面装满了芥子。有长寿的天人，每三年取出一粒芥子，直到芥子全部取完，这叫做一个小劫；或者有一个边长八十里的城，高低也是八十里，里面装满了芥子，像前面一样取完，这叫做一个中劫；或者有一个边长一百二十里的城，高低也是一百二十里，里面装满了芥子，取完的方法和前面一样，这叫做一个大劫。或者有一块边长八十里的石头，高低也是八十里，有一位长寿的天人，每三年用天衣拂拭一次，天衣的重量是三铢（古代重量单位），不停地拂拭，直到这块石头完全磨尽，这叫做一个中劫。’小石头、大石头的情况类似于前面的中劫，可以推知，就不详细叙述了。 第三门中有五个方面：第一、说明从无始劫以来，我们在此轮回无穷，受身无数。《智度论》中说：‘在人间，或者在张家死了，在王家生；在王家死了，在李家生。这样遍及整个阎浮提界（Jambudvipa，指我们所居住的这个世界），或者重新生在人道，或者生在不同的家族。或者在南阎浮提（南赡部洲，指我们所居住的大陆）死了，生在西拘耶尼（西牛贺洲，四大部洲之一） 。像阎浮提一样，其余三大天下也是如此。像在四大天下死了，生在四天王天（Cāturmahārājika-deva，佛教欲界第一层天）也是如此；或者在四天王天死了，生在忉利天（Trāyastriṃśa，佛教欲界第二层天）；在忉利天死了，生在其余上面的四天也是如此。有十八重天，没有**有四重天，在此处死了，生到彼处，一一都遍及也是如此。或者**死了，生到阿鼻地狱（Avīci，八大地狱中最苦之处）；在阿鼻地狱中死了，生到其余较轻的地狱；在较轻的地狱中死了，生到畜生道中；在畜生道中死了，生到饿鬼道中；在饿鬼道中死了，或者生到人道、天道中。这样在六道中轮回，承受苦、乐两种果报，生死没有穷尽，胎生是这样，
English
Thus, the forty-eight vows would be in vain. Tell later learners that since there is the power of Amitābha's (Amitābha, the Buddha of Infinite Light and Life) vows to rely on, do not limit yourselves to your own strength and be trapped in the burning house in vain. ('Burning house' is a metaphor for the world full of troubles and suffering.) Second, explaining the size of a kalpa (kalpa, an aeon, a long period of time). As the *Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra* (智度论) says: 'There are three types of kalpas: one small, two medium, and three large. For example, there is a city forty *li* (里, a Chinese unit of distance) in length on each side, and the height is also forty *li*, filled with mustard seeds. There are long-lived devas (devas, gods or deities) who take out one mustard seed every three years, until all the mustard seeds are taken out, this is called a small kalpa; or there is a city eighty *li* in length on each side, and the height is also eighty *li*, filled with mustard seeds, taken out in the same way as before, this is called a medium kalpa; or there is a city one hundred and twenty *li* in length on each side, and the height is also one hundred and twenty *li*, filled with mustard seeds, taken out in the same way as before, this is called a large kalpa. Or there is a stone eighty *li* in length on each side, and the height is also eighty *li*, there is a long-lived deva who wipes it with a heavenly robe every three years, the heavenly robe weighs three *zhu* (铢, an ancient Chinese unit of weight), wiping continuously, until this stone is completely worn away, this is called a medium kalpa.' The situations of small stones and large stones are similar to the previous medium kalpa, which can be inferred, so I will not describe them in detail. There are five aspects in the third section: First, explaining that from beginningless kalpas, we have been endlessly reincarnating here, receiving countless bodies. As the *Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra* says: 'In the human realm, one dies in the Zhang family and is born in the Wang family; one dies in the Wang family and is born in the Li family. This is the case throughout the entire Jambudvipa (Jambudvipa, the continent where we live), either being reborn in the human realm or being born in different families. Or one dies in South Jambudvipa (南赡部洲, the continent where we live) and is born in West Godānīya (西牛贺洲, one of the four continents). Just like Jambudvipa, the other three great continents are also like this. Just like dying in the four great continents and being born in the Heaven of the Four Great Kings (Cāturmahārājika-deva, the first heaven in the desire realm of Buddhism) is also like this; or dying in the Heaven of the Four Great Kings and being born in the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven (Trāyastriṃśa, the second heaven in the desire realm of Buddhism); dying in the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven and being born in the remaining four heavens above is also like this. There are eighteen heavens, without ** there are four heavens, dying here and being born there, everything is pervasive like this. Or ** dies and is born in Avīci Hell (Avīci, the most painful place in the eight great hells); dying in Avīci Hell and being born in the other lighter hells; dying in the lighter hells and being born in the animal realm; dying in the animal realm and being born in the hungry ghost realm; dying in the hungry ghost realm and being born in the human or heavenly realms. In this way, one reincarnates in the six realms, enduring the two retributions of suffering and joy, and birth and death are endless, and birth from the womb is like this,' --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
余三生亦如是。”是故《正法念经》云：“菩萨化生，告诸天众云：‘凡人经此百千生，着乐放逸不修道，不觉往福侵已尽，还堕三涂受众苦。’”是故《涅槃经》云：“此身苦所集，一切皆不净，扼缚痈疮等，根本无义利。上至诸天身，皆亦复如是。”是故又彼经云：“劝修不放逸。何以故？夫放逸者，是众恶之本；不放逸者，乃是众善之源。如日、月光，诸明中最；不放逸法，亦复如是，于诸善法，为最为上。亦如须弥山王，于诸山中为最为上；不放逸法亦复如是，于诸善法中，为最为上。何以故？一切恶法，犹放逸而生；一切善法，不放逸为本。” 第二、问曰：“虽云无始劫来，六道轮回无际，而未知一劫之中受几身数，而言流转？” 答曰：“如《涅槃经》说：‘取三千大千世界草木，截为四寸筹，以数一劫之中所受身父母头数，犹自不澌。’或云：‘一劫之中所饮母乳，多于四大海水。’或云：‘一劫之中所积身骨，如毗富罗山。’如是远劫已来，徒受生死，至于今日犹作凡夫之身，何曾思量伤叹不已？” 第三、又问曰：“既云旷大劫来，受身无数者，为当直尔总说令人生厌？为当亦有经文来证？” 答曰：“皆是圣教明文。何者？如《法华经》云：‘过去不可说久远大劫， 现代汉语译本： ‘其余的三种生命形式也是如此。’因此，《正法念经》（Saddharma-smṛty-upasthāna Sūtra）中说：‘菩萨示现化生，告诉诸天众说：‘凡人经历这百千次生命，贪恋享乐放纵懈怠不修习佛法，不觉察到过去所积累的福报已经耗尽，还会堕入地狱、饿鬼、畜生三恶道中遭受各种痛苦。’’因此，《涅槃经》（Nirvana Sutra）中说：‘这个身体是痛苦聚集而成，一切都是不洁净的，如同被束缚、痈疮等，根本没有意义和利益。上至诸天的身体，也都是如此。’因此，那部经又说：‘劝勉修行不要放逸。为什么呢？因为放逸是各种罪恶的根本；不放逸则是各种善行的根源。就像太阳和月亮的光芒，在各种光明中最亮；不放逸的法，也是如此，在各种善法中，是最为殊胜的。也像须弥山王（Sumeru），在各种山中最为高大；不放逸的法也是如此，在各种善法中，最为殊胜。为什么呢？一切恶法，都由放逸而生；一切善法，都以不放逸为根本。’ 第二、有人问：‘虽然说从无始劫以来，在六道（地狱、饿鬼、畜生、人、阿修罗、天）中轮回没有尽头，但不知道一个劫（kalpa）中会受多少次身体，才说是在流转？’ 回答说：‘如《涅槃经》所说：‘取三千大千世界（trisāhasra-mahāsāhasra-lokadhātu）的草木，截成四寸长的筹码，用来计算一个劫中所受身体的父母头数，还是数不完。’或者说：‘一个劫中所喝的母乳，比四大海水还要多。’或者说：‘一个劫中所积累的身体骨头，像毗富罗山（Vipula）一样高。’像这样从遥远的劫以来，白白地承受生死轮回，直到今天还是凡夫之身，何曾思量伤心叹息过呢？’ 第三、又有人问：‘既然说在旷远的大劫以来，所受的身体无数，是只用总括的话让人心生厌恶呢？还是有经文可以证明？’ 回答说：‘都是圣教（Buddha's teachings）的明确经文。什么经文呢？如《法华经》（Lotus Sutra）中说：‘过去不可说久远的大劫，’