English
English version: Alas, the realm of darkness, though the path is secluded and obstructed, can be traversed unhindered like the opening of a royal seal. However, those learners who only know to carve a boat to find a lost sword, and those who only know to wait for a rabbit by a stump, doubt the truthful words spoken by the Buddha's tongue, which is as vast as covering a thousand worlds, and believe the one-sided words of a frog in a well. Isn't this like treasuring hidden Yan stones while doubting the value of the Sui Marquis's pearl? How sad and lamentable! Seventh, resolving doubts and removing obstacles. Question: 'If the *Mahāyānasaṃgraha* (Compendium on the Great Vehicle, a treatise explaining the doctrines of Mahayana) explains it as 'different time intention' (bié shí yì), doesn't it perceive the problem in it?' Answer: 'What that treatise clarifies is that there is 'different time' and 'not different time'. If it is only empty vows, then it is 'different time'; if practice and vows are combined, it is not 'different time'. If Bodhisattva Vasubandhu judges the ten recitations practice as 'different time intention', then why did he create the *Wangsheng Lun* (Treatise on Rebirth) to encourage people to be reborn? Moreover, the *Guan Jing* (Contemplation Sutra, i.e., *Amitāyurdhyāna Sūtra*) teaches the arising of intention because Lady Vaidehi, due to her son King Ajatasattu's rebellion, detested the five defilements and vowed to be reborn in the Pure Land. The Buddha then spoke to her about the three meritorious deeds and the sixteen contemplations, encouraging rebirth through the principle of non-birth, and even those who commit the ten evils and five rebellious acts are encouraged to be reborn. Since the petitioner of the Pure Land, residing in the five defilements, and giving birth to a rebellious son, the Buddha said that all can be reborn, it is known that ordinary people currently residing in the five defilements can all be reborn.' Question: 'Vaidehi is a great Bodhisattva, manifesting as a woman to transform sentient beings, giving birth to a rebellious son. Is she really an ordinary person?' Answer: 'Even if she is truly a Bodhisattva, manifesting as a woman to transform sentient beings, she must conceal her true abilities and appear the same as ordinary people in order to gather and transform those of the same kind. That is, appearing the same as ordinary people, residing in the five defilements, so that she can guide ordinary people in the five defilements to be reborn in the Pure Land. The *Mahāyānasaṃgraha* says: 'Because it is only vows, it is 'different time intention'.' Therefore, it is known that the three meritorious deeds, the sixteen contemplations, the seven days of reciting the Buddha's name, etc., are not 'different time intention'!' Question: 'If the *Wangsheng Lun* says: 'Women, those with incomplete faculties, and those of the Two Vehicles cannot be reborn.' Then why can women and the other two types of people also be reborn?' Answer: 'In principle, it is indeed so; if there is no right cause, one certainly cannot be reborn. The so-called right cause is: first, in this land' --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
，或有男子，或有女人种，于女人因决定招女根者，此人纵修净土行，亦不得往生。以净土中无女人故，此是定业，不可复劝，即是业障也。盲、聋等缺根，可知亦尔也。若有悔除，不入其类。二乘者，种二乘因，不信大乘及十方净土，亦不得生也。彼论所明种者，定业种也。” 问：“若尔，何故《观经》曰：‘受持五戒，即生至彼。闻说四谛，悟罪汉果等。’” 答：“此不愚法人，信有十方诸佛，及净土发愿往生。若悟果竟，佛为说《法华经》，并回心向大，是《智度论》之所判也。” 问：“众生恶业甚重，能障于净土，非小善能除，何故《观经》云：‘临终十念即往生得也。’？” 答：“心是业主，受生之本。临终之心，犹如眼目，能导一切业。若临终心恶，能引一切恶业；若心善者，能引一切善业。如龙所行，云即随之，心若西逝，业亦随之。” 问：“如《弥勒所问经》说十念中云：‘非凡夫念，不杂结使念。’今此众生体是凡夫，结使不断，云何念佛而得生耶？” 答：“或云：‘若如彼经，唯佛一人得生，余皆不得，以十地后心菩萨独有二种无明故。’今解彼经，云凡夫念者，若不发菩提心，求出三界作佛，而直尔但念佛求生者，是凡夫念，彼不得生。故 现代汉语译本：或者有男子，或者有女人，因为性行为而决定了招感女性性别的，这个人即使修行净土法门，也不能往生。因为净土中没有女人，这是确定的业力，无法改变，就是业障。盲人、聋人等有生理缺陷的人，情况也是一样。如果有人忏悔改过，就不属于这一类。修二乘法的人，种下二乘的因，不相信大乘佛法以及十方净土，也不能往生。彼论所说的‘种’，是指决定的业力之种。 问：‘如果这样，为什么《观经》（《观无量寿经》）说：‘受持五戒，就能往生到净土。听闻四谛，就能证悟声闻果位等。’？’ 答：‘这是指不愚昧佛法的人，相信有十方诸佛，以及净土，并且发愿往生。如果证悟果位之后，佛为他们说《法华经》，并且回心向大乘，这是《智度论》（《大智度论》）所判定的。’ 问：‘众生的恶业非常重，能够障碍往生净土，不是小的善业能够消除的，为什么《观经》说：‘临终十念就能往生？’？’ 答：‘心是业主，是受生的根本。临终的心，就像眼睛一样，能够引导一切业力。如果临终的心是恶的，就能牵引一切恶业；如果心是善的，就能牵引一切善业。就像龙飞行时，云彩跟随它一样，心如果向往西方，业力也会跟随它。’ 问：‘如《弥勒所问经》（《弥勒菩萨所问经》）所说十念中说：‘不是凡夫的念，不是夹杂烦恼的念。’现在这些众生本身是凡夫，烦恼没有断除，怎么念佛就能往生呢？’ 答：‘有人说：‘如果按照那部经的说法，只有佛一个人能够往生，其余的人都不能往生，因为只有十地菩萨之后的心才有两种无明。’现在解释那部经，说凡夫念，是指如果不发菩提心，求出离三界成佛，而只是念佛求往生的人，这是凡夫念，这样的人不能往生。’
English
English version: If there is a man or a woman who, through sexual activity, determines the acquisition of a female gender, even if this person cultivates the Pure Land practice, they will not be able to be reborn there. This is because there are no women in the Pure Land. This is fixed karma, which cannot be changed, and is therefore a karmic obstacle. The same applies to those who are blind, deaf, or have other physical defects. If someone repents and reforms, they will not be included in this category. Those who cultivate the Two Vehicles, planting the seeds of the Two Vehicles, and do not believe in the Mahayana teachings and the Pure Lands of the ten directions, will also not be able to be reborn there. The 'seed' mentioned in that treatise refers to the seed of fixed karma. Question: 'If that is the case, why does the *Contemplation Sutra* (*Amitayurdhyana Sutra*) say: 'Upholding the Five Precepts leads to rebirth there. Hearing the Four Noble Truths leads to the realization of the Arhat fruit, etc.'?' Answer: 'This refers to those who are not ignorant of the Dharma, who believe in the Buddhas of the ten directions and the Pure Lands, and who make vows to be reborn there. If, after realizing the fruit, the Buddha teaches them the *Lotus Sutra* and they turn their minds towards the Mahayana, this is what is determined in the *Great Perfection of Wisdom Treatise* (*Mahaprajnaparamita-sastra*).' Question: 'Sentient beings' evil karma is very heavy and can obstruct rebirth in the Pure Land. Small acts of goodness cannot eliminate it. Why does the *Contemplation Sutra* say: 'Even ten recitations at the time of death lead to rebirth'?' Answer: 'The mind is the master of karma and the root of rebirth. The mind at the time of death is like the eyes, which can guide all karma. If the mind at the time of death is evil, it can attract all evil karma; if the mind is good, it can attract all good karma. Just as clouds follow the dragon's path, if the mind yearns for the West, karma will follow it.' Question: 'As the *Maitreya's Questions Sutra* (*Maitreya-pariprccha*) says about the ten recitations: 'It is not the recitation of an ordinary person, nor is it a recitation mixed with afflictions.' Now, these sentient beings are inherently ordinary people, and their afflictions have not been severed. How can they be reborn by reciting the Buddha's name?' Answer: 'Some say: 'If it were according to that sutra, only the Buddha alone could be reborn, and no one else could, because only the mind after the Tenth Ground Bodhisattva has two kinds of ignorance.' Now, explaining that sutra, the recitation of an ordinary person means that if one does not generate the Bodhi mind, seeking to escape the Three Realms and become a Buddha, but simply recites the Buddha's name seeking rebirth, this is the recitation of an ordinary person, and such a person cannot be reborn.' --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
皆须发菩提心也。不杂结使念者，唯须一心相续，观佛相好，而若口念佛，心缘五欲者，是杂结念也。念佛是淳净心，与结使相违也。或有异义见前同。” 问：“众生罪业，大积如山，何得十念须灭尔许恶业。假令百千万遍，犹是太少，若不灭恶业，复何得往生净土乎？” 答：“有三义：一者、若临终时正念现前者，此心能引无始以来，及一生所作善业，共相资助，即得往生也；二者、诸佛名号，总万德成，但能一念念佛名者，即一念之中总念万德，则灭罪业，恶业碍往，除罪何系？故下品生中云：‘称佛名故，于念念中除八十亿劫生死之罪。’三者、无始恶业，从妄心生；念佛功德，从真心起。真心如日，妄心如闇。真心暂起，妄念即除；如日始出，众暗悉除。由此三义，乃至临命终时十念成就者，定得往生。” 问：“净土胜妙，是法王所居，莲华藏，非凡夫行处。理须凡行凡地，圣践圣场，宁得底下凡夫，生斯妙处？” 答：“是凡夫，即不得游于净土；既是法王，何得践于五浊？虽是法王，为化众生故，游于五浊；亦虽是凡夫，为供养佛故，生于净土。又四十八大愿，初先为一切凡夫，后兼为三乘圣人，故知净土宗意，本为凡夫，兼为圣人也。又十解以去，不畏生恶道，故可愿 皆须发菩提心也（Bodhicitta，觉悟之心）。不杂结使念者，唯须一心相续，观佛相好，而若口念佛，心缘五欲者，是杂结念也。念佛是淳净心，与结使相违也。或有异义见前同。 问：‘众生罪业，大积如山，何得十念须灭尔许恶业。假令百千万遍，犹是太少，若不灭恶业，复何得往生净土（Pure Land，阿弥陀佛的净土）乎？’ 答：‘有三义：一者、若临终时正念现前者，此心能引无始以来，及一生所作善业，共相资助，即得往生也；二者、诸佛名号，总万德成，但能一念念佛名者，即一念之中总念万德，则灭罪业，恶业碍往，除罪何系？故下品生中云：‘称佛名故，于念念中除八十亿劫生死之罪。’三者、无始恶业，从妄心生；念佛功德，从真心起。真心如日，妄心如闇。真心暂起，妄念即除；如日始出，众暗悉除。由此三义，乃至临命终时十念成就者，定得往生。’ 问：‘净土胜妙，是法王所居，莲华藏，非凡夫行处。理须凡行凡地，圣践圣场，宁得底下凡夫，生斯妙处？’ 答：‘是凡夫，即不得游于净土；既是法王，何得践于五浊？虽是法王，为化众生故，游于五浊；亦虽是凡夫，为供养佛故，生于净土。又四十八大愿，初先为一切凡夫，后兼为三乘圣人，故知净土宗意，本为凡夫，兼为圣人也。又十解以去，不畏生恶道，故可愿’
English
English version: All must generate Bodhicitta (Bodhicitta, the mind of enlightenment). Those who do not mix thoughts with afflictions only need to focus their minds continuously, contemplating the auspicious marks of the Buddha. However, if one recites the Buddha's name while the mind is attached to the five desires, this is a mixed thought. Reciting the Buddha's name is a pure mind, which is contrary to afflictions. Similar meanings can be found earlier. Question: 'The sins of sentient beings accumulate like mountains. How can ten recitations eliminate so much evil karma? Even hundreds of millions of recitations would still be too few. If evil karma is not eliminated, how can one be reborn in the Pure Land (Pure Land, the Pure Land of Amitabha Buddha)?' Answer: 'There are three reasons: First, if the right thought appears at the time of death, this mind can draw upon the good deeds accumulated from beginningless time and throughout one's life, mutually assisting each other, and one will be reborn. Second, the names of all Buddhas are composed of all virtues. If one can recite the Buddha's name even once, in that one thought, one is reciting all virtues, thus eliminating sinful karma. Evil karma obstructs rebirth; if sins are removed, what remains to hinder? Therefore, it is said in the Lower Grade of Rebirth: 'By reciting the Buddha's name, in each thought, one eliminates the sins of eighty billion kalpas of birth and death.' Third, beginningless evil karma arises from the deluded mind; the merit of reciting the Buddha's name arises from the true mind. The true mind is like the sun, and the deluded mind is like darkness. When the true mind arises even briefly, deluded thoughts are immediately eliminated, just as when the sun begins to rise, all darkness is dispelled. Because of these three reasons, even if one achieves ten recitations at the time of death, one will certainly be reborn.' Question: 'The Pure Land is supremely wonderful, the abode of the Dharma King, the Lotus Treasury, not a place for ordinary beings. It is reasonable that ordinary practices are for ordinary realms, and holy beings tread holy grounds. How can lowly ordinary beings be born in such a wonderful place?' Answer: 'If one is an ordinary being, one cannot roam in the Pure Land; if one is a Dharma King, how can one tread in the five turbidities? Although one is a Dharma King, one roams in the five turbidities to transform sentient beings; likewise, although one is an ordinary being, one is born in the Pure Land to make offerings to the Buddha. Furthermore, the forty-eight great vows were initially made for all ordinary beings, and later extended to the holy beings of the three vehicles. Therefore, it is known that the intention of the Pure Land school is primarily for ordinary beings, and secondarily for holy beings. Moreover, after the tenth understanding, one is not afraid of being born in evil realms, so one can aspire.' --------------------------------------------------------------------------------