English
English version In the tenth gate, there are two aspects of brief explanation: First, using similar examples from the *Larger Sutra* (Da Jing) to prove its truthfulness; Second, explaining the meaning of dedication (Ekońamukha). First, using similar examples from the *Larger Sutra* (Da Jing) to prove its truthfulness. All Buddhas in the ten directions invariably encourage beings to return to the West; all Bodhisattvas in the ten directions invariably aspire to be reborn there; people and devas in the ten directions all intend to return to the West together, so it can be known that this is an inconceivable matter. The *Hymn to the Larger Sutra* (Da Jing Zan) says: 'Amitabha (Amituo), with boundless divine power, is praised by countless Buddhas in the ten directions. Countless Bodhisattvas from the Buddha-lands of the Ganges' sands in the East all go to pay homage to Amitabha. They also make offerings to the Land of Peace and Bliss (Sukhavati), together with the great assembly of Bodhisattvas and Śrāvakas, listening to the teachings of the sutras and propagating the Dharma, and the same is true in the other nine directions.' Second, explaining the meaning of dedication (Ekońamukha). As long as all sentient beings have Buddha-nature (Buddha-nature), everyone has the aspiration to become a Buddha. However, according to the karma they cultivate, before fulfilling one myriad kalpas (kalpa), they have not yet escaped the burning house of the desire realm and cannot avoid reincarnation. Therefore, the sages, with compassion for this prolonged suffering, encourage beings to dedicate their merits towards the West, in order to achieve the greatest benefit. However, the merit of dedication does not exceed six aspects. What are the six aspects? First, dedicating all the good deeds one cultivates to Amitabha (Amitabha). After arriving in the Land of Bliss, one can obtain the six supernormal powers (six supernormal powers) to save and liberate sentient beings, which is not dwelling in the path of Nirvana. Second, dedicating the cause towards the result; third, dedicating the lower towards the higher; fourth, dedicating the slow towards the fast, which is not dwelling in the world. Fifth, dedicating to sentient beings, with compassion turning towards goodness; Sixth, dedicating to enter and eliminate the mind of discrimination. The merit of dedication only accomplishes these six aspects. Therefore, the *Larger Sutra* (Da Jing) says: 'Those sentient beings who are born in my land will naturally be supremely advanced, surpassing the practices of ordinary beings on all levels.' Until the attainment of Buddhahood, there will be no difficulty of regression. The *Hymn to the Larger Sutra* (Da Jing Zan) says: 'The Bodhisattvas and Śrāvakas in the Land of Peace and Bliss (Sukhavati) are incomparable in this world. Śākyamuni Buddha (Sakyamuni), with unobstructed great eloquence, even if using various metaphors to illustrate, can only express a very small portion. Comparing the most lowly beggar with the emperor, and the emperor with the Cakravartin (cakravartin), comparing in this way layer by layer up to the Sixth Heaven (Paranimmita-vasavatti), comparing in sequence is all like the beginning. Using the appearance of the devas to compare with the Land of Bliss, even tens of millions of times cannot compare, all of this is accomplished by the power of the vows of Dharmakara (Dharmakara) Amitabha (Amitabha).' -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ，稽首顶礼大心力。”
Chinese
第十一大门中，略作两番料简：第一、劝一切众生，托善知识，作向西意；第二、死后辨生缘胜、劣。 第一、劝托善知识者。依《法句经》，与众生作善知识，有宝明菩萨白佛言：“世尊！云何名为善知识也？”佛言：“善知识者，能说深法，谓空、无相、无愿，诸法平等，无业、无报，无因、无果，究竟如如，住于实际；然于毕竟空中，炽然建立一切诸法。是为善知识。善知识者，是汝父母，养育汝等菩提身故；善知识者，是汝眼目，能见一切善、恶道故；善知识者，是汝大船，运度汝等出生死海故；善知识者是汝縆绳，能挽拔汝等出生死故也。” 又劝虽与众生作善知识，必须归西。何以故？由住斯火界违、顺境多，多有退没，难出故也。是故舍利弗于此发心，修菩萨行，已经六十劫。逢恶知识乞眼因缘，遂即退转。故知火界修道甚难，故劝归西方，一得往生，三学自然胜进万行普备。故《大经》云：“弥陀净国，无造恶之地如毛发许也。” 第二、次辨众生死后，受生胜、劣者。此界众生寿尽命终，莫不皆乘善、恶二业，恒为司命狱率，妄爱烦恼，相与受生。乃从无数劫来，未能免离。若能生信，归向净土，策意专精，命欲终时，阿弥陀佛与观音圣众光台迎 ，稽首顶礼大心力（向具有伟大力量的心灵致以最高的敬意和顶礼）。” 第十一大门中，略作两番料简（在第十一大门中，简要地进行两方面的阐述）：第一、劝一切众生，托善知识，作向西意（劝导一切众生，依靠善知识，生起向往西方的意念）；第二、死后辨生缘胜、劣（辨别死后往生因缘的殊胜与否）。 第一、劝托善知识者（劝导依靠善知识）。依《法句经》，与众生作善知识，有宝明菩萨白佛言：‘世尊！云何名为善知识也？’（根据《法句经》，与众生作为善知识，宝明菩萨对佛说：‘世尊！什么叫做善知识呢？’）佛言：‘善知识者，能说深法，谓空、无相、无愿，诸法平等，无业、无报，无因、无果，究竟如如，住于实际；然于毕竟空中，炽然建立一切诸法（佛说：‘善知识，能够宣说甚深的佛法，即空性、无相、无愿，诸法平等，没有业、没有报应，没有原因、没有结果，最终达到如如不动的境界，安住于真实的实相；然而在毕竟空性中，炽盛地建立一切诸法’）。是为善知识（这就是善知识）。善知识者，是汝父母，养育汝等菩提身故（善知识，是你们的父母，养育你们的菩提之身）；善知识者，是汝眼目，能见一切善、恶道故（善知识，是你们的眼睛，能够看见一切善恶之道）；善知识者，是汝大船，运度汝等出生死海故（善知识，是你们的大船，运载你们脱离生死苦海）；善知识者是汝縆绳，能挽拔汝等出生死故也（善知识是你们的绳索，能够拉拔你们脱离生死轮回）。’ 又劝虽与众生作善知识，必须归西（又劝导即使与众生作为善知识，也必须归向西方）。何以故？由住斯火界违、顺境多，多有退没，难出故也（为什么呢？因为居住在这个充满烦恼的世界，违逆和顺境很多，容易退失，难以脱离）。是故舍利弗于此发心，修菩萨行，已经六十劫（所以舍利弗在此发心，修行菩萨道，已经六十劫）。逢恶知识乞眼因缘，遂即退转（遇到恶知识乞求眼睛的因缘，于是就退转了）。故知火界修道甚难，故劝归西方，一得往生，三学自然胜进万行普备（所以知道在这个充满烦恼的世界修道非常困难，所以劝导归向西方，一旦往生，戒定慧三学自然增进，万行普遍具备）。故《大经》云：‘弥陀净国，无造恶之地如毛发许也（所以《大经》说：‘阿弥陀佛的清净国土，没有像毛发那样微小的作恶之地’）。’ 第二、次辨众生死后，受生胜、劣者（第二、接下来辨别众生死后，受生的殊胜与否）。此界众生寿尽命终，莫不皆乘善、恶二业，恒为司命狱率，妄爱烦恼，相与受生（这个世界的众生寿命终结死亡后，没有谁不是凭借善恶两种业力，经常被司命狱卒，虚妄的爱和烦恼，相互作用而受生）。乃从无数劫来，未能免离（从无数劫以来，都未能免除）。若能生信，归向净土，策意专精，命欲终时，阿弥陀佛与观音圣众光台迎接（如果能够生起信心，归向净土，努力专精，寿命将要终结时，阿弥陀佛与观音等圣众以光明宝台来迎接）。
English
‘I bow my head and pay homage to the great power of mind.’ In the eleventh great gate, two aspects are briefly discussed: First, to encourage all sentient beings to rely on virtuous teachers and cultivate the intention to go westward; second, to distinguish the superiority and inferiority of the conditions for rebirth after death. First, encouraging reliance on virtuous teachers. According to the *Dharmapada Sutra*, regarding being a virtuous teacher to sentient beings, Bodhisattva Baoming said to the Buddha: ‘World Honored One! What is called a virtuous teacher?’ The Buddha said: ‘A virtuous teacher is one who can speak of profound Dharma, namely emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, the equality of all dharmas, no karma, no retribution, no cause, no effect, ultimately suchness, abiding in reality; yet in the ultimate emptiness, vigorously establishing all dharmas. This is a virtuous teacher. A virtuous teacher is your parents, nurturing your Bodhi body; a virtuous teacher is your eyes, able to see all good and evil paths; a virtuous teacher is your great ship, transporting you out of the sea of birth and death; a virtuous teacher is your rope, able to pull you out of birth and death.’ Furthermore, it is advised that although one acts as a virtuous teacher to sentient beings, one must return to the West. Why? Because living in this world of fire, there are many adverse and favorable circumstances, many opportunities for regression and sinking, making it difficult to escape. Therefore, Shariputra generated the aspiration here and practiced the Bodhisattva path for sixty kalpas. Encountering an evil teacher who begged for his eyes, he immediately regressed. Thus, it is known that cultivating the path in this world of fire is very difficult, so it is advised to return to the West. Once reborn there, the three learnings naturally advance and all practices are universally perfected. Therefore, the *Larger Sutra* says: ‘In Amitabha's Pure Land, there is no place for creating evil, not even as small as a hair.’ Second, distinguishing the superiority and inferiority of sentient beings' rebirth after death. When sentient beings in this world reach the end of their lifespan and die, none do not rely on both good and evil karma, constantly being led by the officers of death and prison wardens, with deluded love and afflictions, mutually undergoing rebirth. From countless kalpas, they have been unable to escape. If they can generate faith, turn towards the Pure Land, focus their minds diligently, when their life is about to end, Amitabha Buddha and the holy assembly of Avalokiteshvara will welcome them with a platform of light. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
接。行者欢喜随从，合掌乘台，须臾即到，无不快乐，乃至成佛。又复一切众生造业不同，有其三种：谓上、中、下，莫不皆诣阎罗取判。若能信佛因缘，愿生净土，所修行业并皆回向，命欲终时，佛自来迎，不于死王也。 第十二大门中有一番，就《十往生经》为证劝往生也。如佛说生阿弥陀佛国，为诸大众说观身，正念解脱。《十往生经》云：“阿难白佛言：‘世尊！一切众生观身之法，其事云何？唯愿说之。’佛告阿难：‘夫观身之法者，不观东西、不观南北，不观四维、上下，不观虚空，不观外缘、不观内缘，不观身色，不观色声、不观色像，唯观无缘，是为正真观身之法。除是观身，十方谛求，在在处处更无别法而得解脱。’佛复告阿难：‘但自观身，善力自然，正念自然，解脱自然。何以故？譬如有人，精进直心，得正解脱。如是之人，不求解脱，解脱自至。’阿难复白佛言：‘世尊！世间众生，若有如是正念解脱，应无一切地狱、饿鬼、畜生三恶道也。’佛告阿难：‘世间众生不得解脱。何以故？一切众生皆由多虚少实，无一正念。以是因缘，地狱者多，解脱者少。譬如有人，于自父、母及以师僧，外现孝顺，内怀不孝，外现精进，内怀不实，如是恶人报虽未至，三涂不远。无有正念，不得解脱 现代汉语译本：于是，修行者欢喜地跟随，合掌登上莲台，片刻之间便到达净土，无不快乐，最终成就佛果。而且，一切众生所造的业各有不同，分为上、中、下三种，都免不了要到阎罗王那里接受审判。如果能够信仰佛陀的因缘，发愿往生净土，将所修的善行全部回向，那么在寿命将尽的时候，佛陀会亲自前来迎接，而不会落入死王的手中。 第十二大门中有一段话，引用《十往生经》作为证据，劝人往生净土。正如佛陀所说，为了大众宣说观身，以正念获得解脱。《十往生经》中说：‘阿难问佛说：世尊！一切众生观身的方法是怎样的呢？希望您能为我们解说。’佛告诉阿难：‘所谓观身的方法，就是不观东西南北，不观四维上下，不观虚空，不观外缘内缘，不观身色，不观色声色像，只观无缘，这才是真正观身的方法。除了这种观身的方法，在十方世界仔细寻找，任何地方都没有其他方法可以获得解脱。’佛又告诉阿难：‘只要自己观身，善的力量自然产生，正念自然产生，解脱自然到来。为什么呢？譬如有人，精进且心怀正直，就能获得真正的解脱。这样的人，不刻意追求解脱，解脱也会自然而至。’阿难又问佛说：‘世尊！如果世间众生都有这样的正念解脱，那么应该不会有地狱、饿鬼、畜生这三恶道了。’佛告诉阿难：‘世间众生无法获得解脱。为什么呢？因为一切众生大多虚伪而少真实，没有一丝正念。因为这个原因，堕入地狱的人多，获得解脱的人少。譬如有人，对自己的父母以及师长，表面上孝顺恭敬，内心却怀着不孝顺的想法，表面上精进修行，内心却虚假不实，这样的恶人虽然报应还没到来，但离三恶道已经不远了。没有正念，就无法获得解脱。’