English
Furthermore, one can plant the causes and conditions for seeing the Buddha. Thirdly, due to constant mindfulness, one becomes familiar and skilled through practice, so that at the moment of death, right mindfulness will appear. Fourthly, one must observe the Pure Land of Sukhavati (极乐世界, the Land of Ultimate Bliss) in its entirety, such as its land, its ponds, its pavilions, its forests and trees, Amitabha (阿弥陀佛, meaning Infinite Light or Infinite Life) Buddha's flower seat, such excellent marks and characteristics (lakshana, the 32 major and 80 minor marks of a Buddha), such assembly of disciples, and such Dharma teachings. (This is the method of teaching sentient beings in the Mahasamgraharaksasutra (大集贤护经)). Such overall contemplation will definitely lead to rebirth [in Sukhavati], because the Three Realms are only manifestations of the mind. Fifthly, one should dedicate all the merits one has accumulated, whether in the past or in this life, and vow to be reborn in the Land of Peace and Bliss. If one can fulfill the aforementioned five practices, one will definitely be reborn [in Sukhavati]. Please do not doubt it. As the Lotus Sutra says, 'I now guarantee this matter for you, and it will never be false.' The other sutras are also like this, vowing to guarantee that it will never be false. Treatise on the Pure Land, Volume 1 Taisho Tripitaka, Volume 47, No. 1963, Treatise on the Pure Land Treatise on the Pure Land, Volume 2 Composed by Sakyacai of Hongfa Temple in the Imperial Capital Fourth, Explanation of the Reason (Explaining by what reason one can be reborn in the Pure Land through two questions and answers, separately explaining and eliminating doubts) Question: The actions of karma are complex and confusing, and ordinary people cannot understand their intricacies; the differences between suffering and happiness, the Two Vehicles (Sravaka, the Hearer Vehicle and Pratyekabuddha, the Solitary Realizer Vehicle) have not yet reached their source. In the world, karmic forces are divided into the Six Realms (Gati, the six realms of rebirth); in transcending the world, the path is divided into the Three Vehicles (Triyana, the Hearer Vehicle, the Solitary Realizer Vehicle, and the Bodhisattva Vehicle). In terms of principle, all dharmas converge to the same rule; in terms of teachings, there are provisional and definitive teachings. Now, the Pure Land of the West is established by the great vows of Dharmakara (法藏比丘, the Bhiksu Dharmakara), the Dharma King (Buddha) dwells there securely, and the world is adorned with countless treasures. The Sage is the subject, possessing myriad wonderful forms. Such a person and land are not accessible to those in the lower realms. Although the sutras and treatises say that rebirth is possible, I fear that these are expedient words for another time. Now, according to what reason can it be determined that one can be reborn? This is a common doubt among both monastics and laity, and I wish to hear the meaning of it. Answer: The texts of the sacred teachings are vast and difficult to exhaustively examine; the entanglements of karmic actions, who can fathom and seek them out? Now, let us still examine the sacred teachings and investigate the reasons within them, so that the path to rebirth is as clear as in the palm of one's hand. (The content of the sacred teachings will be discussed later, and the content of the reasons will be discussed now.) As the Mahayana-samgraha (摄大乘论) says --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
。夫为证者。必须经论二教。阿毗达磨。以理为胜。修多罗。以教为胜。教必有理。理必顺教。今且究理。后引其教。究理者捡诸经藏。有隐显二说。谓了义经不了义经。了义经者。毕竟不破。不了义经。至涅槃会上。并引未决破。唯净土一教。不入破限。当知。即是了义经也。又菩萨造论。解释佛经。其不了义经即破。了义经之即赞。此土一教。于论中赞。无有破处。故知。是了义经也。 问曰。如摄大乘论释。作别时意。岂不是破耶。 答曰。彼论所明。有别时有不别时。若唯空发愿。即是别时。若行愿兼修。非是别时。若天亲菩萨判。作别时意者何故。摄论后文。将造论功德。回向众生。愿往生净土也。又何故更造往生论。劝人往生也。复次如观经教兴意者。缘韦提希生阿阇世五逆之子。因厌五浊。愿生极乐。佛遂为说三福净业十六观门。劝众生往生。乃至十恶五逆。悉劝往生。即既净土请主。身居五浊。复生逆子。佛说皆得往生。即知。现居五浊。凡夫悉得往生。此理明矣。 问曰。韦提希是大菩萨。为化众生。现受女身。生于逆子。岂实是凡夫耶。 答曰。纵令实是菩萨。现受女身化众生者。必须隐其实德。现同凡夫摄化同类。如五百侍女佛记得往生。并未来一切女人。及诸男子 现代汉语译本：所谓‘证’，必须依据经和论这两种教法。阿毗达磨（Abhidharma，论藏）以理证为胜，修多罗（Sutra，经藏）以教证为胜。教法必然包含理证，理证必然顺应教法。现在先探究理证，之后再引用教证。探究理证，考察各种经藏，有隐显两种说法，即了义经和不了义经。了义经，最终不会被破斥；不了义经，到了涅槃法会上，都会被引用未决之义而破斥。只有净土这一教法，不进入被破斥的范围。应当知道，这就是了义经。此外，菩萨造论，解释佛经，其中不了义经会被破斥，了义经则会被赞扬。净土这一教法，在论中被赞扬，没有被破斥的地方。所以知道，这是了义经。 问：如《摄大乘论释》（She Dasheng Lun Shi）中，有‘作别时意’的说法，这难道不是破斥吗？ 答：该论所阐明的，有‘别时’和‘不别时’两种情况。如果只是空泛地发愿，那就是‘别时’；如果修行和愿力兼顾，就不是‘别时’。如果天亲菩萨（Vasubandhu）判为‘作别时意’，那又为何在《摄论》（She Lun）的后文中，将造论的功德，回向给众生，愿他们往生净土呢？又为何还要再造《往生论》（Wang Sheng Lun），劝人往生呢？再者，如考察《观经》（Guan Jing）教法的兴起之意，是因为韦提希（Vaidehi）生了阿阇世（Ajatasatru）这个忤逆之子，因此厌恶五浊世间，愿生极乐世界。佛陀于是为她说三福净业和十六观门，劝众生往生，乃至十恶五逆之人，都劝他们往生。既然韦提希是净土的请法之人，身居五浊世间，又生了逆子，佛陀却说都可以往生。由此可知，现居五浊世间的凡夫，都可以往生，这个道理很明显。 问：韦提希是大菩萨，为了教化众生，示现受女身，生下逆子，难道真的是凡夫吗？ 答：即使她真的是菩萨，示现受女身教化众生，也必须隐藏她真实的功德，示现与凡夫相同，摄受教化同类。比如五百侍女被佛陀记说可以往生，以及未来的一切女人和男子。
English
English version: 'Proof' must be based on the two teachings of Sutra and Shastra. Abhidharma (论藏) excels in reasoning, while Sutra (经藏) excels in teaching. Teaching must contain reasoning, and reasoning must align with teaching. Now, let's first explore the reasoning and then cite the teachings. Examining the reasoning, we find two types of statements in the various Sutra collections: explicit and implicit, namely, definitive and provisional teachings. Definitive teachings are ultimately not refuted; provisional teachings are refuted at the Nirvana assembly by citing unresolved meanings. Only the Pure Land teaching is not subject to refutation. Know that this is the definitive teaching. Furthermore, when Bodhisattvas create treatises to explain the Buddha's teachings, provisional teachings are refuted, while definitive teachings are praised. This Pure Land teaching is praised in the treatises, with no refutation. Therefore, know that this is the definitive teaching. Question: In the commentary on the Treatise on the Summary of the Great Vehicle (摄大乘论释), there is the concept of 'intention at a different time.' Isn't this a refutation? Answer: What that treatise clarifies is that there are 'different times' and 'not different times.' If one only makes vows emptily, that is 'different times'; if practice and vows are combined, it is not 'different times.' If Vasubandhu Bodhisattva (天亲菩萨) judges it as 'intention at a different time,' then why, in the later part of the Treatise on the Summary (摄论), does he dedicate the merit of creating the treatise to sentient beings, wishing them rebirth in the Pure Land? And why does he create the Treatise on Rebirth (往生论) to encourage people to be reborn there? Furthermore, examining the intention behind the arising of the teachings in the Contemplation Sutra (观经), it is because Vaidehi (韦提希) gave birth to the rebellious son Ajatasatru (阿阇世), and therefore detested the five turbidities and wished to be born in the Land of Ultimate Bliss. The Buddha then spoke to her about the three blessings, pure karma, and sixteen contemplations, encouraging sentient beings to be reborn there, even those who commit the ten evils and five heinous crimes. Since Vaidehi is the one who requested the Pure Land teachings, residing in the five turbidities and giving birth to a rebellious son, yet the Buddha said that all can be reborn there. From this, it is known that ordinary beings currently residing in the five turbidities can all be reborn there. This principle is clear. Question: Vaidehi is a great Bodhisattva who manifested in a female body to transform sentient beings and gave birth to a rebellious son. Is she really an ordinary being? Answer: Even if she is truly a Bodhisattva who manifested in a female body to transform sentient beings, she must conceal her true virtues and appear the same as ordinary beings, embracing and transforming those of the same kind. For example, the five hundred attendants were predicted by the Buddha to be reborn there, as well as all future women and men. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
。悉是凡夫。并是所摄。亦得往生。如诸菩萨。或现地狱身。即引地狱众生也。如方等经中婆薮仙人等。或现畜生身。即引畜生众生。如涅槃经中蜂王鹅王蚁王等。或现作五逆。即引五逆众生。如阿阇世王提婆达多等。此并能化者是假。所化者实也。韦提希既现在凡夫身。居五浊。当知。即引五浊凡夫。往生极乐也。故观经云。佛告韦提希。汝是凡夫。未得天眼。不能远观。如来有异方便。令汝得见也。复次法藏比丘四十八大愿。初先为一切凡夫。后始兼为三乘圣人。故知。净土宗意。本为凡夫。兼为圣人也。复次如十解已上菩萨。留惑受生恶道。愿救苦众生。不生净土。以任自业力更不堕恶道中故。即知凡夫由未勉恶道故。须生净土中。十解已去。不畏生恶道故。不愿生净土也。故知。净土兴意。本为凡夫。非为菩萨也。又此净土一门。经经中说。论论中明。若是不了说者。何故佛及菩萨。作此殷勤也。乃至十方诸佛。各出广长舌相。证释迦所说。及劝众生。此岂是不了说也。复次如上古已来大德名僧及俗中聪明儒士。并修净土行。谓庐山远法师。睿法师。刘遗民。谢灵运乃至近世。绰禅师。此等临终并感得光台异相。圣众来迎。录在别传。此等大德智人。既欣净土。后之学者。但可逐他先匠不须疑也。又前问云。 现代汉语译本：都是凡夫，都被（阿弥陀佛）所摄受，也能往生（西方极乐世界），如同诸位菩萨一样。菩萨有时示现地狱之身，以此引导地狱众生；如《方等经》中的婆薮仙人等。有时示现畜生之身，以此引导畜生众生；如《涅槃经》中的蜂王、鹅王、蚁王等。有时示现作五逆之罪，以此引导五逆众生；如阿阇世王、提婆达多等。这些都是能教化者是假（示现），所教化者是真（实受苦）。韦提希夫人既然现在是凡夫之身，居住在五浊恶世，应当知道，（阿弥陀佛）就是引导五浊恶世的凡夫，往生极乐世界。所以《观经》说：‘佛告诉韦提希，你是凡夫，没有得到天眼，不能远观。如来有特别的方便，让你能够见到（极乐世界）。’ 其次，法藏比丘（阿弥陀佛的前身）的四十八大愿，最初是为一切凡夫而发，后来才兼顾三乘圣人。所以知道，净土宗的宗旨，本来是为了凡夫，兼顾圣人。再次，如十地以上的菩萨，为了救度受苦的众生，而留下惑业，受生于恶道，他们不往生净土，因为他们凭借自己的业力，不再堕入恶道之中。由此可知，凡夫因为还没有脱离恶道的危险，所以需要往生净土。十地以上的菩萨，不畏惧堕入恶道，所以不愿往生净土。所以知道，提倡净土的用意，本来是为了凡夫，不是为了菩萨。 而且，这净土一门，在各部经典中都有述说，在各部论著中都有阐明。如果是不了义的说法，为什么佛和菩萨，要如此殷勤劝导呢？乃至十方诸佛，都伸出广长舌相，证明释迦牟尼佛所说，并且劝导众生（信受净土法门），这难道是不了义的说法吗？再次，如上古以来，大德名僧以及世俗中聪明的儒士，都修习净土法门，如庐山慧远法师、慧睿法师、刘遗民、谢灵运，乃至近世的道绰禅师。这些人临终时，都感得光台异相，圣众前来迎接，记录在其他传记中。这些大德智人，既然欣求净土，后来的学者，只要追随他们的榜样，不必怀疑。 又，前面提问说：