English
English version Etiquette: If it is a sage who attains the freedom of swift report, there is no need to discern directions. However, ordinary people's bodies and minds follow each other, and if facing other directions, rebirth in the West will surely be difficult. Therefore, the *Mahaprajnaparamita Sastra* says: 'There was a Bhiksu who, while healthy, recited the *Amitabha Sutra* and chanted the Prajnaparamita. When approaching death, he told his disciples: 'Amitabha Buddha and all the holy assembly are now before me.' He joined his palms in reverence, and soon gave up his life. Thereupon, the disciples followed the cremation method, burning his body with fire. Everything was burned away, except for the tongue root, which remained unchanged. So they collected it and built a stupa for offering.' Nagarjuna Bodhisattva explained: 'Because he recited the *Amitabha Sutra*, the Buddha himself came to greet him at the end of his life; because he chanted the Prajnaparamita, the tongue root was not consumed.' Based on this textual evidence, it is known that all actions, as long as they are dedicated, will lead to rebirth. Therefore, the *Sumeru Four Regions Sutra* says: 'When heaven and earth were first created, there were no sun, moon, or stars. Even if gods and humans came down, they only used the light from their heads to illuminate. At that time, the people mostly suffered. Therefore, Amitabha Buddha sent two Bodhisattvas—one named Bao Yingsheng, and the other named Bao Jixiang—who are Fuxi and Nüwa. These two Bodhisattvas discussed together, took the seven treasures from the Seventh Brahma Heaven, and came to this world to create the sun, moon, stars, and twenty-eight constellations to illuminate the world and determine the four seasons: spring, autumn, winter, and summer. At that time, the two Bodhisattvas said together: 'The reason why the sun, moon, stars, and twenty-eight constellations move westward is because all the gods and people together bow to Amitabha Buddha. Therefore, the sun, moon, and stars all incline their hearts towards the West, and thus flow westward.'' Third, distinguishing the duration of the Sutras' presence and extinction. Sakyamuni Buddha's era of the Correct Dharma lasts for five hundred years, the Semblance Dharma for one thousand years, and the Declining Dharma for ten thousand years. When sentient beings are exhausted, all the Sutras will become extinct. The Tathagata, grieving for sentient beings, specially leaves this Sutra to remain for one hundred years. Based on this textual evidence, it is known that although the Land of Ultimate Bliss is a Pure Land, its essence connects above and below. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
知相、无相，当生上位；凡夫火宅，一向乘相往生也。 第七大门中有两番料简：第一、门中此彼取相，料简缚脱；第二、次明此彼修道用功轻重而获报真、伪，故劝向彼。 第一、此彼取相，料简缚脱者。若取西方净相，疾得解脱，纯受极乐，智眼开朗；若取此方秽相，唯有妄乐，痴盲厄缚忧怖。 问曰：“依大乘诸经，皆云：‘无相乃是出离要道，执相拘碍不免尘累。’今劝众生舍秽、忻净，是义云何？” 答曰：“此义不类。何者？凡相有二种：一者、于五尘欲境，妄爱贪染，随境执着，此等是相名之为缚；二者、爱佛功德，愿生净土，虽言是相，名为解脱。何以得知？如《十地经》云：‘初地菩萨尚自别观二谛，励心作意，先依相求，终则无相，以渐增进体大菩提；尽七地终心，相心始息；入其八地，绝于相求，方名无功用也。’是故论云：‘七地已还恶贪为障，善贪为治；八地已上善贪为障，无贪为治。’况今愿生净土，现是外凡，所修善根皆从爱佛功德生，岂是缚也？故《涅槃经》云：‘一切众生有二种爱：一者、善爱；二者、不善爱。不善爱者，唯愚求之；善法爱者，诸菩萨求。’是故《净土论》云：‘观佛国土清净味，摄受众生大乘味，类事起行愿取佛土味，毕竟住持不虚 现代汉语译本：了解有相和无相的差别，才能提升到更高的境界；凡夫俗子身处火宅般的世间，一心依靠观想佛的相好才能往生净土。 第七大门中包含两层意思：第一，辨析在此土和彼土执着于相的区别，从而区分束缚和解脱；第二，阐明在此土和彼土修道用功的轻重与所获果报的真实与虚假，因此劝导人们向往净土。 第一，辨析在此土和彼土执着于相的区别，从而区分束缚和解脱。如果观想西方极乐世界的清净庄严之相，就能迅速得到解脱，完全享受极乐世界的快乐，智慧之眼得以开启；如果执着于此方世界的污秽之相，所得到的只是虚妄的快乐，最终只会陷入愚痴、盲目、困厄、束缚和忧虑恐惧之中。 有人问：‘依据大乘佛教的经典，都说‘无相’才是脱离轮回的关键，执着于相反而会被尘世所累。现在劝导众生舍弃污秽、欣慕清净，这又是什么道理呢？’ 回答说：‘这两种情况不能相提并论。为什么呢？因为相有两种：第一种，对于五欲六尘的境界，产生虚妄的爱恋和贪染，随着外境而执着不放，这种相被称为束缚；第二种，爱慕佛的功德，发愿往生净土，虽然也说是相，但这种相名为解脱。’凭什么知道是解脱呢？如《十地经》（Dasa-bhūmika Sūtra）所说：‘初地菩萨尚且需要分别观察世俗谛（saṃvṛti-satya）和胜义谛（paramārtha-satya）这二谛，努力用心，先依靠有相的修行，最终达到无相的境界，从而逐渐增进，证得广大的菩提（bodhi）；直到七地菩萨修行的终点，有相之心才逐渐止息；进入八地菩萨的境界，完全断绝了有相的追求，才称为无功用行。’所以《净土论》（Commentary on the Pure Land Sutra）说：‘七地菩萨之前，恶的贪欲是障碍，善的贪欲是治疗；八地菩萨之后，善的贪欲是障碍，无贪欲才是治疗。’更何况现在发愿往生净土的人，还只是外凡夫，所修的善根都是从爱慕佛的功德而生，怎么能说是束缚呢？所以《涅槃经》（Nirvana Sutra）说：‘一切众生有两种爱：第一种是善爱；第二种是不善爱。不善爱，只有愚人才会追求；善法爱，是诸位菩萨所追求的。’因此《净土论》（Commentary on the Pure Land Sutra）说：‘观察佛国土的清净之味，摄受众生的大乘之味，通过类似的事情发起修行，愿求佛土之味，最终安住而不虚假’
English
English version: Understanding the difference between 'with-form' (saākāra) and 'without-form' (nirākāra) leads to higher states; ordinary beings in the burning house of the mundane world rely on visualizing the Buddha's forms to be reborn in the Pure Land. The seventh major section contains two analyses: first, distinguishing between attachment to forms in this world and the Pure Land, thereby differentiating bondage from liberation; second, clarifying the varying degrees of effort in cultivating the path in this world and the Pure Land, and the authenticity of the resulting rewards, thus encouraging aspiration towards the Pure Land. First, distinguishing between attachment to forms in this world and the Pure Land, thereby differentiating bondage from liberation. If one visualizes the pure and adorned forms of the Western Pure Land, one quickly attains liberation, fully enjoys the bliss of the Pure Land, and opens the eye of wisdom; if one clings to the defiled forms of this world, one only experiences illusory happiness, ultimately falling into ignorance, blindness, distress, bondage, worry, and fear. Someone asks: 'According to the Mahayana sutras, it is said that 'formlessness' (nirākāra) is the key to escaping samsara, while clinging to forms only leads to worldly entanglements. Now you are encouraging beings to abandon defilement and rejoice in purity. What is the meaning of this?' The answer is: 'These two situations are not comparable. Why? Because there are two types of forms: the first type involves false love and attachment to the objects of the five desires (pañca kāmaguṇāḥ), clinging to external circumstances, which is called bondage; the second type involves loving the Buddha's merits and vowing to be reborn in the Pure Land, which, although also called a form, is named liberation.' How do we know it is liberation? As the *Ten Stages Sutra* (Dasa-bhūmika Sūtra) says: 'Even bodhisattvas on the first ground (prathamā bhūmi) still need to separately observe the two truths (satya-dvaya), the conventional truth (saṃvṛti-satya) and the ultimate truth (paramārtha-satya), striving diligently, first relying on form-based practice, and ultimately attaining formlessness, thereby gradually progressing and realizing vast bodhi; until the end of the seventh ground, the mind of form gradually ceases; entering the eighth ground, completely severing the pursuit of form, is called effortless practice.' Therefore, the *Treatise on the Pure Land* (Commentary on the Pure Land Sutra) says: 'Before the seventh ground, evil greed is an obstacle, while wholesome greed is a remedy; after the eighth ground, wholesome greed is an obstacle, while non-greed is the remedy.' Moreover, those who now vow to be reborn in the Pure Land are still ordinary beings, and the roots of goodness they cultivate all arise from loving the Buddha's merits. How can this be bondage? Therefore, the *Nirvana Sutra* (Nirvana Sutra) says: 'All beings have two kinds of love: the first is wholesome love; the second is unwholesome love. Unwholesome love is only sought by fools; wholesome love is sought by all bodhisattvas.' Therefore, the *Treatise on the Pure Land* (Commentary on the Pure Land Sutra) says: 'Observing the pure taste of the Buddha's land, embracing the Mahayana taste of sentient beings, initiating practice through similar events, vowing to take the taste of the Buddha's land, ultimately abiding without falsehood.' --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
作味。’有如是等无量佛道味，故虽是取相，非当执缚也。又彼净土所言相者，即是无漏相、实相相也。” 第二段中，明此彼修道用功轻、重，而获报真、伪者。若欲发心归西者，单用少时礼、观、念等，随寿长、短，临命终时，光台迎接，迅至彼方，位阶不退。是故《大经》云：“十方人、天来生我国，若不毕至灭度、更有退转者，不取正觉。”此方多时，具修施、戒、忍、进、定、慧，未满一万劫已来，恒未免火宅，颠倒坠堕，故名用功至重，获报伪也。《大经》复云：“生我国者，横截五恶趣。”今此约对弥陀净刹，娑婆五道齐名恶趣，地狱、饿鬼、畜生，纯恶所归名为恶趣；娑婆人、天杂业所向，亦名恶趣。若依此方修治断除，先断见惑，离三涂因，灭三涂果；后断修惑，离人、天因，绝人、天果。此皆渐次断除，不名横截；若得往生弥陀净国，娑婆五道一时顿舍，故名横截。五恶趣者，截其果也；恶趣自然闭者，闭其因也，此明所离。升道无穷极者，彰其所得。若能作意，回愿向西，上尽一形，下至十念，无不皆往。一到彼国，即入正定聚，与此修道一万劫齐功也。 第八大门中有三番料简：第一、略举诸经，来证劝舍此、忻彼；第二、弥陀、释迦二佛比挍；第三、释往生意。 第一 ‘产生滋味。’有如此等等无量的佛道滋味，所以即使是取相，也不应当执着于它。而且那净土所说的相，就是无漏相、实相相啊。” 第二段中，说明在此土和彼土修道用功的轻重，以及所获得的果报是真实还是虚假的。如果想要发心归向西方极乐世界，仅仅用很少的时间礼拜、观想、念佛等等，无论寿命长短，临命终时，阿弥陀佛的光明台就会来迎接，迅速到达彼方，位阶达到不退转。所以《大经》（《无量寿经》）说：‘十方的人天众生来往生到我的国度，如果不能完全达到灭度、还有退转的，我就不成正觉。’此方（指娑婆世界）需要长时间，具足修习布施、持戒、忍辱、精进、禅定、智慧，即使不到一万劫的时间，仍然不能免于火宅（比喻充满烦恼和痛苦的世间），颠倒坠落，所以说用功非常重，获得的果报却是虚假的。《大经》又说：‘往生到我的国度的人，横截断五恶趣。’现在这里是针对弥陀净刹（阿弥陀佛的清净国土）而言，娑婆世界的五道（地狱、饿鬼、畜生、人、天）都可以称为恶趣，地狱、饿鬼、畜生，纯粹是恶业所归之处，所以称为恶趣；娑婆世界的人、天，是善恶杂业所趋向的地方，也可以称为恶趣。如果按照此方（娑婆世界）的修行方法来修治断除烦恼，首先要断除见惑，脱离三涂（地狱、饿鬼、畜生）的因，灭除三涂的果；然后断除修惑，脱离人、天的因，断绝人、天的果。这些都是逐渐断除的，不能称为横截；如果能够往生到阿弥陀佛的清净国土，娑婆世界的五道一时顿然舍弃，所以称为横截。截断五恶趣，是截断其果报；恶趣自然关闭，是关闭其因。这里说明了所要脱离的。升往的道路没有穷尽，彰显了所得到的。如果能够作意（专心致志），回向发愿往生西方极乐世界，上至一生，下至十念，没有不往生的。一旦到达彼国，立即进入正定聚（必定证得正果的群体），与在此方修道一万劫的功德相等。 第八大门中有三番料简：第一、简略地列举诸经，来证明劝人舍弃此土（娑婆世界）、欣慕彼土（极乐世界）；第二、将阿弥陀佛和释迦牟尼佛进行比较；第三、解释往生的意义。 第一