English
English version: Because one is capable, it highlights Amitabha's (Amitabha: The Buddha of Infinite Light) strengths, desiring to make all sentient beings without exception turn towards [the Pure Land], therefore Shakyamuni (Shakyamuni: The historical Buddha) Buddha praises turning towards [the Pure Land] everywhere, one must know this intention. Therefore, Master Tanluan (Tanluan: A Chinese Buddhist monk and scholar) takes turning towards the Western Pure Land as the correct intention, so beside the *Larger Sutra* (Larger Sutra: Short for the *Larger Sutra of Immeasurable Life*, a central text in Pure Land Buddhism), he reverently praises, saying: 'The *śrāvakas* (śrāvakas: Disciples who hear and follow the teachings of the Buddha) and *bodhisattvas* (bodhisattvas: Individuals on the path to Buddhahood) in the Land of Bliss, their wisdom penetrates all *devas* (devas: Gods or celestial beings) and humans, their physical forms are adorned and without difference, only because they accord with other worlds are their names listed. Their countenances are upright and incomparable, their refined and subtle bodies are not of humans or *devas*, their empty bodies are the ultimate substance, therefore I prostrate to the power of equality.' Third, explaining the meaning of rebirth [in the Pure Land]. Within this, there are two parts: first, explaining the meaning of rebirth; second, questions and answers for explanation. First, [the] question: 'Now I vow to be reborn in the Pure Land, but I do not know what intention I should have?' Answer: 'Simply desiring to quickly accomplish self-benefit and benefiting others, benefiting beings deeply and broadly, from the Ten Faiths to the Three Sages, embracing the Correct Dharma, uniting with non-duality, witnessing the Buddha-nature, understanding reality. Contemplating the mind of radiance, the two truths of existence and non-existence, the sequence of cause and effect, the superiority and inferiority of the Ten Grounds, the Three Forbearances and Three Paths, diamond-like unobstructedness, attaining Great Nirvana, the vast movement of the Great Vehicle, desiring to dwell for limitless time, for the sake of exhausting the boundless ocean of birth and death.' There are three rounds of questions. Question: 'Vowing to be reborn in the Pure Land, intending to benefit beings. If that is so, the beings to be saved are here now. Having already been able to generate this mind, one should only be here, saving suffering beings. Why, after obtaining this mind, first vow to be reborn in the Pure Land? It seems like abandoning beings and seeking the joy of *bodhi* (bodhi: Enlightenment) for oneself.' Answer: 'This reasoning is not similar. Why? As the *Treatise on the Great Perfection of Wisdom* (Treatise on the Great Perfection of Wisdom: A major commentary on the *Prajnaparamita Sutra*) says: 'It is like two people, both seeing their parents and relatives submerged in a deep abyss. One person goes straight in, exerting all their strength to save them, but their strength is insufficient, and they sink together; the other person runs far away, seeking a boat, and comes to rescue them, and together they escape the difficulty.' *Bodhisattvas* are also like this, if they have not yet generated the *bodhi* mind, their cycle of birth and death is no different from sentient beings; but having already generated the *bodhi* mind, they first vow to be reborn in the Pure Land, obtain the boat of great compassion, and riding on unobstructed eloquence, enter --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
生死海，济运众生。二、《大论》复云：‘菩萨生净土，具大神通，辩才无碍，教化众生时，尚不能令众生生善、灭恶，增道进位，称菩萨意。若即在秽土拔济者，阙无此益，如似逼鸡入水，岂能不湿也？’三、《大经赞》云：‘安乐佛国诸菩萨，夫可宣说随智慧，于己万物亡我所，净若莲华不受尘。往来进止若泛舟，利安为务舍适莫，彼己犹空断二想，然智慧炬照长夜。三明六通皆已足，菩萨万行观心眼，如是功德无边量，是故至心愿生彼。’” 第九大门中，有两番料简：第一、苦乐、善恶相对；第二、明彼此寿命长短比挍。 就初段中有二：一、苦乐、善恶相对；二、引《大经》为证。 初、言苦乐、善恶相对者。在此娑婆世界，虽有苦、乐二报，恒以乐少苦多，重则三涂痛烧；轻则人、天刀兵、疾病相续连注，远劫已来无有断时。纵有人、天少乐，犹如泡沫、电光，速起速灭，是故名为唯苦、唯恶。弥陀净国水鸟、树林常吐法音，明宣道教，具足清白，能令悟入。 二、引圣教为证者。《净土论》云：“十方人、天生彼国者，即与净心菩萨无二，净心菩萨即与上地菩萨，毕竟同得寂灭忍，故更不退转。”又引《大经》四十八愿中有五番大益：第一、《大经》云：“有十方人天来生我 现代汉语译本：生死之海，救济和运送众生。《大智度论》（《大论》）又说：‘菩萨生于净土，具备大神通，辩才无碍，在教化众生的时候，尚且不能使众生生起善念、灭除恶行，增长道业、提升品位，以符合菩萨的心意。如果直接在污秽的国土中救拔众生，就缺少这种益处，就像逼迫鸡进入水中，怎么可能不被打湿呢？’《无量寿经赞》（《大经赞》）说：‘安乐佛国（指极乐世界）的诸位菩萨，可以宣说符合智慧的道理，对于自身和万物没有执着，清净得像莲花一样不沾染尘埃。往来进退就像乘船一样，以利益安乐为目标，舍弃舒适安逸，将彼和己都看作空，断除二元对立的念头，用智慧的火炬照亮漫长的黑夜。三明六通都已经圆满具足，菩萨的万种修行都用观心的智慧之眼来观察，这样的功德无量无边，所以要至诚恳切地发愿往生到那里。’ 在第九大门中，有两方面的简要分析：第一，苦和乐、善和恶的相对性；第二，阐明彼此寿命长短的比较。 在第一段中，包含两点：一，苦和乐、善和恶的相对性；二，引用《无量寿经》（《大经》）作为证明。 首先，谈论苦和乐、善和恶的相对性。在这娑婆世界，虽然有苦和乐两种果报，但总是乐少苦多，严重的情况是堕入地狱、饿鬼、畜生三恶道遭受痛苦的焚烧；轻微的情况是人间和天上的刀兵劫、疾病等灾难接连不断，从遥远的过去到现在都没有停止过。即使人间和天上有一些快乐，也像泡沫和闪电一样，迅速产生又迅速消失，所以说这里只有痛苦和罪恶。阿弥陀佛（弥陀）的清净国土中，水鸟和树林常常发出佛法的声音，明白地宣扬佛的教诲，具足清净和光明，能够使人觉悟而证入。 其次，引用圣教作为证明。《净土论》说：‘十方世界的人和天往生到极乐净土，就和净心菩萨没有差别，净心菩萨就和高阶菩萨一样，最终都能获得寂灭忍，所以不再退转。’又引用《无量寿经》（《大经》）四十八愿中有五种大的利益：第一，《无量寿经》（《大经》）说：‘有十方世界的人天来往生到我的
English
English version: The sea of birth and death, delivering and transporting sentient beings. The *Mahaprajnaparamita-sastra* (*Da Lun*) further states: 'Bodhisattvas born in pure lands, possessing great supernatural powers and unimpeded eloquence, are still unable to cause sentient beings to generate good, extinguish evil, increase their progress on the path, and advance in their spiritual rank according to the Bodhisattva's intention when teaching and transforming sentient beings. If one directly rescues beings in a defiled land, this benefit is lacking, like forcing a chicken into water, how can it not get wet?' The *Hymn to the Sutra of Immeasurable Life* (*Da Jing Zan*) says: 'The Bodhisattvas in the Land of Bliss (*Anle Foguo* - referring to the Pure Land), can proclaim according to their wisdom, without attachment to self or possessions, pure like a lotus flower untouched by dust. Coming and going like sailing in a boat, they prioritize benefit and peace, abandoning comfort and ease, viewing both self and others as empty, severing dualistic thoughts, and illuminating the long night with the torch of wisdom. Having fully attained the Three Clear Knowledges and Six Supernatural Powers, the Bodhisattvas observe the myriad practices with the eye of wisdom, such merit and virtue are immeasurable, therefore, sincerely vow to be born there.' In the Ninth Great Gate, there are two analyses: first, the relativity of suffering and happiness, good and evil; second, clarifying the comparison of the length of each other's lifespans. In the first section, there are two points: one, the relativity of suffering and happiness, good and evil; two, citing the *Sutra of Immeasurable Life* (*Da Jing*) as proof. First, discussing the relativity of suffering and happiness, good and evil. In this *Saha* world, although there are two kinds of retribution, suffering and happiness, there is always more suffering than happiness. In severe cases, one falls into the three evil paths of hell, hungry ghosts, and animals to suffer the burning of pain; in mild cases, the calamities of war and disease in the human and heavenly realms continue incessantly, without ceasing from the distant past until now. Even if there is some happiness in the human and heavenly realms, it is like foam and lightning, quickly arising and quickly disappearing, therefore it is said that there is only suffering and evil here. In the pure land of Amitabha (*Mituo*), the water birds and trees often emit the sound of the Dharma, clearly proclaiming the Buddha's teachings, possessing purity and brightness, and able to awaken and enter. Second, citing the sacred teachings as proof. The *Treatise on the Pure Land* (*Jingtu Lun*) says: 'Those people and devas from the ten directions who are born in that land are no different from the Bodhisattvas with pure minds, and the Bodhisattvas with pure minds are ultimately the same as the Bodhisattvas of higher stages, and they all attain the *ksanti* of extinction, so they no longer regress.' It also cites five great benefits from the forty-eight vows in the *Sutra of Immeasurable Life* (*Da Jing*): First, the *Sutra of Immeasurable Life* (*Da Jing*) says: 'If beings from the ten directions are born in my --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
国，不悉真金色者，不取正觉；二云、十方人天来生我国，若形色不同有好丑者，不取正觉；三云、十方人天来生我国，不得宿命智，下至不知百千亿那由他诸劫事者，不取正觉；四云、十方人天来生我国，不得天耳通，下至不闻百千亿那由他诸佛所说，不悉受持者，不取正觉；五云、十方人天来生我国，不得他心智，下至不知百千亿那由他诸佛国中众生心念者，不取正觉。”欲论彼国利益之事，难可具陈。但当愿生，必不可思议。是故彼方唯善、唯乐，无苦、无恶也。 第二、明寿命长、短者。此方寿命大期不过百年，百年之内少出多减。或生年夭丧，乃至童子身亡，或腹胞胎伤堕。何意然者？良由众生作因时杂，是以受报亦不得齐同也。是故《涅槃经》云：“作业时黑，果报亦黑；作业时白，果报亦白。净杂亦尔。”又据《净度菩萨经》云：“人寿百岁，夜消其半，即是减却五十年也；就五十年内，十五已来未知善、恶，八十已去昏耄、虚劣，故受老苦。自此之外唯有十五年在，于中，外则王官逼迫，长征远防，或系在牢狱；内则门户吉、凶，众事牵缠，𠙦𠙦忪忪，常求不足。”如斯推计，可有几时得修道业？如此思量，岂不哀哉？何得不厌？ 又彼经云：“人生世间，凡经一日一夜，有八亿四千万 现代汉语译本：如果我成佛时，我的国土里的人们不能全部认识真正的金色，我就不成佛。如果十方世界的人天众生往生到我的国土，他们的形貌颜色各不相同，有好有丑，我就不成佛。如果十方世界的人天众生往生到我的国土，不能获得宿命智，甚至不能知道百千亿那由他劫以前的事情，我就不成佛。如果十方世界的人天众生往生到我的国土，不能获得天耳通，甚至不能听闻百千亿那由他诸佛所说，并且完全接受和领悟，我就不成佛。如果十方世界的人天众生往生到我的国土，不能获得他心智，甚至不能知道百千亿那由他诸佛国土中众生的心念，我就不成佛。’想要详细论述那个极乐世界的利益，实在难以完全说尽。只要发愿往生，必定会得到不可思议的利益。因此，那个地方只有善良和快乐，没有痛苦和罪恶。 第二，说明寿命的长短。我们这个世界的寿命，最长也不过百年，而且活到一百年的人很少，大部分都活不到。有的人刚出生就夭折，甚至童年就死亡，或者在母胎中就流产。为什么会这样呢？这是因为众生在造作善恶业因时混杂不清，所以得到的果报也不一样。《涅槃经》说：‘造作恶业时是黑色的，得到的果报也是黑色的；造作善业时是白色的，得到的果报也是白色的。善恶混杂也是如此。’又根据《净度菩萨经》所说：‘人的寿命即使有一百岁，夜晚睡觉就消耗了一半，也就是减少了五十年；在剩下的五十年里，十五岁以前不懂得善恶，八十岁以后昏聩衰老，饱受老苦。这样算下来，真正能自主的时间只有十五年。在这十五年里，对外有王法官府的逼迫，长期的征战戍守，或者被关在牢狱；对内有家庭的吉凶祸福，各种事情的牵缠，忙忙碌碌，常常感到不满足。’这样推算下来，还有多少时间可以用来修行佛道呢？如此思量，难道不令人悲哀吗？怎么能不厌离这个娑婆世界呢？ 又《净度菩萨经》说：‘人活在世间，每一日一夜，有八亿四千万