English
English version: The aspiration and dedication of merit mentioned in the Contemplation Sutra cannot be generated without great compassion. This is merely a difference in name but the same in meaning. Since the three minds in the Awakening of Faith are generated at the end of the ten faiths, it can be known that those of the highest level of the highest grade in the Contemplation Sutra have already understood at the initial aspiration of the ten understandings. As for 'reaching that land and attaining the non-origination forbearance', this is attaining the non-origination forbearance through contemplation of conditions. If, as Dharma Master Yuan judged, the bodhisattvas of the fourth ground are those of the highest level of the highest grade, how could they attain the non-origination forbearance without experiencing time upon reaching that land? It takes half an asamkhya kalpa from the fourth ground to the eighth ground. Those of the middle level of the highest grade are at the initial aspiration of the ten faiths, as the sutra says, 'deeply believing in cause and effect, and not slandering the Mahayana'. If one has not yet reached the ten faiths and is in the assembly of wrong views, they do not believe in cause and effect and slander the Mahayana. Moreover, there are ten minds in the faith position, the first of which is the mind of faith. As for 'being born in that land and attaining the non-origination forbearance after one small kalpa', this is attaining the non-origination forbearance through contemplation of principle. Because the days and nights there are long, the sutra says, 'one day and night in the Land of Ultimate Bliss is like one kalpa in the Saha world'. If, as Dharma Master Yuan judged, they are bodhisattvas of the first ground, how could they reach the eighth ground after one small kalpa? It takes one great asamkhya kalpa from the first ground to the eighth ground. Those of the lowest level of the highest grade are all ordinary beings who are inclined towards goodness before the ten faiths, but all those who can take refuge in the Three Jewels and receive the Bodhisattva precepts are included. The sutra says, 'also believing in cause and effect, not slandering the Mahayana, but generating the unsurpassed mind of enlightenment'. This means generating the initial Bodhi mind of the ten faith positions, thereby entering the non-fixed position. Being born in that land and reaching the first ground after three small kalpas refers to calculating the kalpas in that place, not calculating the kalpas in this place. As one kalpa in the Saha world is equivalent to one day and night in the Land of Peace and Bliss, it is reasonable to reach the first ground after three small kalpas. If, as Dharma Master Yuan judged, they are of the ten understandings, how could they reach the first ground after three small kalpas? It is the first asamkhya kalpa from the ten understandings to the first ground. The preceding three grades are all Mahayana practitioners, while the three grades of the middle level are mostly Hinayana practitioners. Those of the highest level of the middle grade are among the seven expedients of the Hinayana. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
。后四方便。谓燸顶忍世第一法位中也。经云。受持五戒。乃至无诸过恶也。此人由得四达分。及未来禅。伏欲界惑。故不起破戒烦恼及恶业也。由破戒烦恼恶业在欲界中也。生到彼土即得罗汉者。一身获得四沙门果。即是现般人也。如远法师判。是须陀洹等三果学人。小乘得果。虽无定时节。终判太高也。中品中生者。在五停心观已去。前三方便中也。经云。一日一夜持八戒斋。乃至一日一夜持具足戒。威仪无缺。由此人在散心位中。未得定故。破戒烦恼无有对治。不能长时持戒。威仪无缺极小须经一日一夜。后时纵犯小戒。亦得往生也。生到彼土经半劫。得阿罗汉。此亦是现般人。由彼寿命长故也。如远法师释。是燸等四位中。此四中。此四位人。得未来禅。伏欲界惑。云何持戒。唯得一日一夜不犯。此亦太高也。中品下生者。在小乘五停心观前。受五戒已去。一切趣善凡夫。经云。孝养父母。行世仁慈。既未有入道观行。正可行世仁慈也。余如前判。如远法师判。是五停心观。至总相念处。此三位人。或得闻慧。或得思慧。或得修慧。云何但行世仁慈。孝养父母。此亦太高也。若论下辈三品。总是一切起恶凡夫。唯造十恶五逆。乃至用常住僧物。无有惭愧。纵令学他受戒。随受即破。此等临终若遇善知识。极发 后四方便，指的是燸顶忍世第一法位中（指修行者在修行道路上的不同阶段）。经中说：‘受持五戒，乃至没有各种过错。’这样的人因为获得了四达分（指四种能通达真理的智慧），以及未来的禅定，能够降伏欲界的迷惑，所以不会产生破戒的烦恼和恶业。因为破戒的烦恼和恶业存在于欲界之中。往生到净土后立即证得阿罗汉果位的人，一生获得四种沙门果位（指须陀洹果、斯陀含果、阿那含果、阿罗汉果），就是现世证得涅槃的人。如远法师的判决，这些人是须陀洹等三果的学人。小乘得果，虽然没有固定的时间，但最终的判决还是太高了。 中品中生的人，在五停心观（指佛教的五种禅修方法，用于对治不同的烦恼）之后，前三方便（指资粮位、加行位、见道位）之中。经中说：‘一日一夜持八戒斋，乃至一日一夜持具足戒，威仪没有缺失。’因为这些人处于散乱的心境中，没有获得禅定，所以破戒的烦恼没有对治的方法，不能长时间持戒，威仪没有缺失最多只能坚持一日一夜。之后即使犯了小戒，也能往生。往生到净土后经过半劫（指极长的时间），证得阿罗汉果位，这也是现世证得涅槃的人，因为净土的寿命很长。如远法师解释，这些人是燸等四位（指四加行位，即燸位、顶位、忍位、世第一位）中的人。这四位的人，获得了未来的禅定，降伏了欲界的迷惑，怎么会持戒只能坚持一日一夜不犯呢？这种说法也太高了。 中品下生的人，在小乘五停心观之前，受持五戒之后，一切趣向善良的凡夫。经中说：‘孝养父母，行世间的仁慈。’既然还没有入道的观行，正是可以实行世间的仁慈。其余的判断如前所述。如远法师判决，这些人是五停心观到总相念处（指四念处观中的一种观法）的人。这三位的人，或者获得闻慧（通过听闻佛法获得的智慧），或者获得思慧（通过思考佛法获得的智慧），或者获得修慧（通过修行佛法获得的智慧）。怎么会只是实行世间的仁慈，孝养父母呢？这种说法也太高了。 如果说下辈三品（指下品上生、下品中生、下品下生），总的来说是一切造作恶业的凡夫。专门造作十恶（指杀生、偷盗、邪淫、妄语、两舌、恶口、绮语、贪欲、嗔恚、邪见）、五逆（指杀父、杀母、杀阿罗汉、出佛身血、破和合僧），甚至使用常住僧物（指寺庙的公共财产），没有惭愧之心。即使学习他人受戒，随即就破戒。这些人临终时如果遇到善知识（指能够引导人们走向正道的良师益友），极大地...
English
The latter four upāyas (skillful means) refer to those in the stages of Kshānti (patience), Murdhāna (peak), Anulomika (acceptance), and Lokāgradharma (highest mundane dharma). The Sutra says: 'Receive and uphold the five precepts, even to the point of having no faults.' Such a person, because they have attained the four kinds of penetrating wisdom (catasro vyavadānikāh), and future dhyāna (meditation), can subdue the delusions of the desire realm (kāmadhātu), and therefore will not generate the afflictions of breaking precepts or evil karma. This is because the afflictions of breaking precepts and evil karma exist within the desire realm. Those who are born into that land and immediately attain Arhatship (arahatva), attain the four śrāmaṇa fruits (srotaāpanna, sakrdāgāmin, anāgāmin, arhat) in one lifetime, and are those who attain nirvāṇa in this life. As judged by Dharma Master Yuan, these people are learners of the Srotaāpanna (stream-enterer) and other three fruits. Although there is no fixed time for attaining the fruits in the Hinayana (Small Vehicle), the final judgment is still too high. Those born in the middle grade of the middle class are in the stage after the five contemplations for stopping the mind (pañca cittasthāpanāni), within the first three upāyas (skillful means). The Sutra says: 'For one day and one night, uphold the eight precepts and fast, even to the point of upholding the complete precepts for one day and one night, with flawless deportment.' Because these people are in a scattered state of mind, and have not attained samādhi (concentration), the afflictions of breaking precepts have no antidote, and they cannot uphold the precepts for a long time. Flawless deportment can only be maintained for a maximum of one day and one night. Even if they commit minor precepts later, they can still be reborn. After being born into that land, they attain Arhatship after half a kalpa (an extremely long period of time). This is also someone who attains nirvāṇa in this life, because the lifespan in that land is very long. As explained by Dharma Master Yuan, these people are in the four stages of Kshānti (patience) and so on. These four people have attained future dhyāna and subdued the delusions of the desire realm. How could they uphold the precepts and only be able to maintain them for one day and one night without breaking them? This explanation is also too high. Those born in the lower grade of the middle class are before the five contemplations for stopping the mind in the Hinayana, after receiving and upholding the five precepts, all ordinary people who are inclined towards goodness. The Sutra says: 'Be filial to parents and practice worldly kindness.' Since they have not yet had the contemplation and practice of entering the path, they can only practice worldly kindness. The remaining judgments are as before. As judged by Dharma Master Yuan, these people are from the five contemplations for stopping the mind to the contemplation of the general characteristics (samānya-lakṣaṇa-smṛtyupasthāna). These three people either attain hearing wisdom (śruta-mayā prajñā), or thinking wisdom (cintā-mayā prajñā), or cultivation wisdom (bhāvanā-mayā prajñā). How could they only practice worldly kindness and be filial to parents? This explanation is also too high. If we talk about the three grades of the lower class (lower grade of the upper class, lower grade of the middle class, lower grade of the lower class), generally speaking, they are all ordinary people who create evil karma. They specialize in creating the ten evils (killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, divisive speech, harsh speech, idle chatter, greed, hatred, wrong views) and the five heinous crimes (killing one's father, killing one's mother, killing an Arhat, shedding the blood of a Buddha, creating disunity in the Sangha), and even use the property of the permanent Sangha (monastic community) without any sense of shame. Even if they learn from others and receive precepts, they immediately break them. If these people encounter a good teacher (kalyāṇa-mitra) at the time of their death, they will greatly... --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
菩提心。正念相续现前。即得往生。若不遇善知识。不能极发菩提心。定堕地狱也。故观经云。此人应堕地狱经历多劫受苦无穷也。然众生报尽之时。恶业怨家。众苦竞集。十念极难成就。若成就。定得往生净土也。又善恶两道。峻如转掌。仰即得往生。覆即入地狱。于此时中。唯须善知识力也。若人破戒。心生惭愧。依大乘经忏悔。得灭罪相。专心念佛。及作观行者。并在前二辈中生。不入下辈中论也。如远法师判。是常俗凡夫也。 问曰。净土之门。凡圣齐往。未知宗意。正是何人。 答曰。观韦提希请及如来答意。唯言为未来世一切凡夫。为烦恼贼之所害者。说清净业处。劝人往生。不论菩萨。若论菩萨发心。愿生恶道。不愿生净土中也。如十解已上菩萨。尚自留惑受生。愿生恶道救苦众生。不愿生净土也。留惑文者。如维摩经云。是有疾菩萨。无所受而受诸受。未具佛法。亦不灭受。而取证也。此是菩萨留惑受生文。又地持论。摄大乘论。并有留惑受生文。举要言之。三乘圣人及三乘七方便中人。乃至方便道前。若男若女。无根二根。至于龙鬼八部。但能发菩提心。专念阿弥陀佛。厌恶秽刹。欣乐净土。临命终时。正念现前者。皆得往生也。若勇猛精进。观行分明。临终最后心不乱者。并得上生 现代汉语译本：菩提心（bodhicitta，觉悟之心），正念（samyak-smṛti，正确的念头）相续不断地显现于眼前，就能往生（rebirth）净土（Pure Land）。如果不能遇到善知识（kalyāṇa-mitra，良师益友），就不能真正发起菩提心，必定会堕入地狱（naraka）。所以《观经》（Visualization Sutra）说：‘这个人应当堕入地狱，经历多劫，遭受无尽的痛苦。’然而众生（sentient beings）寿命将尽的时候，恶业（akarma）和怨家（enemies）以及各种痛苦一齐到来，要成就十念（ten recitations）非常困难。如果能成就，一定能往生净土。而且善道（good realms）和恶道（evil realms）之间的转换，就像手掌翻转一样迅速。仰面就能往生，覆面就堕入地狱。在这个时候，唯独需要善知识的力量啊！如果有人破戒（precepts），心中生起惭愧，依靠大乘（Mahayana）经典忏悔，就能消除罪业的相状，专心念佛（Buddha-anusmṛti），以及修习观想，这些人都能在前两类人中往生，不属于下等往生。如同远法师（Master Yuan）所判定的，他们是普通的凡夫。 问：净土法门（Pure Land），凡夫（ordinary people）和圣人（saints）都能往生，不知道您的意思，究竟是针对什么样的人？ 答：观看韦提希（Vaidehi）的请求以及如来的回答，只是为了未来世的一切凡夫，为了那些被烦恼贼（kleśa，烦恼的盗贼）所伤害的人，宣说清净业处（pure karma），劝人往生。不包括菩萨（bodhisattva）。如果说菩萨发心（bodhicitta），是愿意往生恶道，不愿意往生净土。比如十解以上的菩萨，尚且自己保留迷惑而受生，愿意往生恶道救度受苦的众生，不愿意往生净土。保留迷惑的文句，比如《维摩经》（Vimalakirti Sutra）说：‘这是有疾病的菩萨，没有承受却承受各种感受，没有完全具备佛法，也不灭除感受，而取得证悟。’这是菩萨保留迷惑而受生的文句。还有《地持论》（Bodhisattvabhumi Sutra）、《摄大乘论》（Mahāyānasaṃgraha）等，都有保留迷惑而受生的文句。总而言之，三乘（Three Vehicles）的圣人以及三乘七方便中的人，乃至方便道前，无论是男人还是女人，无根或者二根之人，甚至龙（nāga）、鬼（preta）等八部（eight kinds of non-human beings），只要能够发起菩提心，专心念诵阿弥陀佛（Amitābha），厌恶污秽的国土（impure lands），欣乐清净的净土，临命终时，正念现前的人，都能往生。如果勇猛精进，观想修行分明，临终最后的心不散乱的人，都能上品往生。