English
English version: Whether it be the Bodhisattva of Great Virtue (a Bodhisattva with extremely high virtue), or down to the ordinary mortal (referring to those with mediocre qualities), or even evil people, as long as they recite the Buddha's name, they can all be reborn (referring to rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss). These good men and women encompass all people, regardless of their sharp or dull faculties. Hearing and speaking of Amitabha Buddha (Amitabha Buddha). This indicates the object of recitation. Amitabha Buddha has accomplished myriad virtues and uses the Pure Land (Pure Land) to gather sentient beings. Therefore, the resounding name of 'Amitabha Buddha' is used as the object of recitation. Moreover, for beginners who are ordinary mortals with deep karmic obstacles, they rely entirely on the supreme realm to awaken the wonderful true mind in their hearts. These four words of the Buddha's name are truly an essential method for cultivation. Holding and maintaining the name. This explains the method of reciting the Buddha's name. 'Holding' means not being shaken or taken away, and 'maintaining' means not forgetting. There are several ways to 'maintain': first, vocal recitation, which is reciting aloud; second, silent recitation, which is reciting silently in the heart; third, semi-vocal and semi-silent recitation, which is reciting with slight lip movements, known as Vajra recitation in mantras. One can also count the recitations or not count them. The Prajna Sutra (Prajna Sutra) says: The Buddha told Manjusri (Manjusri) that those who wish to enter the Samadhi of Oneness (Samadhi of Oneness) should stay in a quiet place, abandon all distracting thoughts, not cling to any appearances, focus their minds on one Buddha, and wholeheartedly recite his name. The Vibhasa (Vibhasa) says: The Buddhadharma has countless gates, easy to practice and quickly reaching the goal. One should recite the Buddha's name, reciting the name of Amitabha Buddha. Such is the original vow of Amitabha Buddha. Note: There are four types of Buddha recitation: first, reciting the name, which is what this sutra refers to; second, contemplating the image, setting up a Buddha image and focusing on it; third, visualizing, using my mind's eye to visualize the image of the Buddha; fourth, the true form, which is reciting the Buddha inherent in one's own nature. However, with image contemplation, the image is gone when it's removed, thus forming interruptions; with visualization, the mind is coarse and the realm is subtle, making it difficult to achieve wonderful visualization; the Buddha of true form, although said to be inherently complete, is rarely understood and awakened to by sentient beings due to their heavy karmic obstacles. Only this method of holding and reciting the name is simple and direct. If one day, if two days, if three days, if four days, if five days, if six days, if seven days. This sets a time limit for reciting the Buddha's name. Those with sharp faculties, one day; those with dull faculties, seven days; those with medium faculties, perhaps three or four days, can achieve single-mindedness. This is a necessary time limit for beginners. Also, those with sharp faculties, seven days; those with dull faculties, one day. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
日。中根或五六等日。而能不乱。此久学炼习法。上二种。如七日未办。乃至多七。一一七中。咸分利钝。此长期克办法。又法藏云。一心系念于我。虽止一昼夜不绝。必生我刹。观经下下品云。其人苦迫。不遑念佛。十声称佛等。则知一日至七。随日多少。但有定力。皆往生期。顾力行何如耳。 一心不乱。 言执持之极也。一心者。专注万德洪名之正境也。不乱者。不为贪嗔烦恼诸念之所杂乱也。如成具光明定意经所谓。空闲寂寞。而一其心。在众烦恼。而一其心。乃至褒讪利失。善恶等处。皆一其心者是也。又云。即寂照难思。若言其有。则能念之心本体自空。所念之佛了不可得。若言其无。则能念之心灵灵不昧。所念之佛历历分明。若言亦有亦无。则有念无念俱泯。若言非有非无。则有念无念俱存。非有则常寂。非无则常照。非双亦。非双非。则不寂不照。而照而寂。言思路绝。无可名状。有何杂乱。 其人临命终时。阿弥陀佛。与诸圣众。现在其前。 其人指持名者。承上但能一心不乱。临终之时。佛必现前也。佛兼报化言。圣众兼菩萨声闻言。凡人命终。平生善恶。自然现前。如十恶五逆。地狱现前。悭贪嫉妒。饿鬼现前。乃至五戒十善。人天现前。今专念佛。一心不乱。则净 现代汉语译本： 如果念佛能持续五六天，或者更短的时间，而心不散乱，这是长期学习和练习的方法。以上两种情况，如果七天内没有完成，可以延长到多个七天。在每个七天中，根据根性的利钝程度来安排。这是长期克期取证的方法。此外，法藏菩萨说：‘一心系念于我，即使只持续一昼夜不间断，必定往生我的刹土。’《观经》下下品中说：‘其人遭受痛苦逼迫，没有时间念佛，（只要）十声称念佛名等。’由此可知，从一天到七天，根据时间的长短，只要有定力，都可以往生，关键在于努力修行如何。 一心不乱（指念佛时心不散乱）。 这是指执持名号的极致状态。‘一心’是指专注于万德洪名的正境。‘不乱’是指不被贪嗔烦恼等各种念头所扰乱。如同《成具光明定意经》所说：‘在空闲寂寞之处，一心不乱；在众人烦恼之中，一心不乱；乃至面对赞扬、诽谤、得利、失利、善、恶等境况，都能一心不乱。’又说：‘即寂照难思，如果说它有，那么能念佛的心其本体是空性的，所念的佛也是了不可得的；如果说它无，那么能念佛的心灵灵不昧，所念的佛历历分明。如果说它亦有亦无，那么有念无念都泯灭；如果说它非有非无，那么有念无念都存在。非有，所以是常寂；非无，所以是常照。非双亦，非双非，所以是不寂不照，而照而寂。’言语思路断绝，无可名状，哪里还有什么杂乱呢？ 其人临命终时，阿弥陀佛（Amitabha Buddha），与诸圣众，现在其前。 ‘其人’指的是持名念佛的人。承接上文，只要能一心不乱，临终之时，佛必定会显现在他面前。‘佛’兼指报身佛和化身佛，‘圣众’兼指菩萨（Bodhisattvas）和声闻（Śrāvakas）。凡人临命终时，平生所作的善恶业，自然会显现出来。例如，造作十恶五逆的，地狱景象会显现；悭贪嫉妒的，饿鬼景象会显现；乃至奉行五戒十善的，人天景象会显现。现在专心念佛，一心不乱，那么净
English
English version: If one can maintain mindfulness of the Buddha for five or six days, or even less, without being distracted, this is a method of long-term learning and practice. Regarding the above two situations, if it is not accomplished within seven days, it can be extended to multiple sevens. Within each seven-day period, arrangements are made according to the sharpness or dullness of one's faculties. This is a method for achieving realization within a set period of time. Furthermore, Bodhisattva Dharmākara said, 'If one single-mindedly focuses on me, even if it only lasts for one day and night without interruption, one will surely be reborn in my Buddha-land.' In the Lower Grade of the Lower Level in the Contemplation Sutra, it says, 'If that person is suffering and oppressed, and has no time to recite the Buddha's name, (as long as they) recite the Buddha's name ten times, etc.' From this, we know that from one day to seven days, depending on the length of time, as long as one has samādhi power, one can be reborn, the key lies in how diligently one practices. Single-mindedness without distraction (referring to the mind not being scattered when reciting the Buddha's name). This refers to the ultimate state of upholding the name. 'Single-mindedness' refers to focusing on the correct object of the myriad virtues of the Great Name. 'Without distraction' means not being disturbed by greed, anger, afflictions, and various other thoughts. As the Sutra on Attaining the Samādhi of Light says, 'In empty and quiet places, be single-minded; in the midst of the afflictions of the crowd, be single-minded; even when facing praise, slander, gain, loss, good, and evil, be single-minded.' It also says, 'It is both still and illuminating, difficult to conceive. If you say it exists, then the very nature of the mind that is reciting is empty, and the Buddha being recited is ultimately unattainable. If you say it does not exist, then the mind that is reciting is clear and unobscured, and the Buddha being recited is vividly distinct. If you say it both exists and does not exist, then both the thought of existence and the thought of non-existence are extinguished. If you say it is neither existent nor non-existent, then both the thought of existence and the thought of non-existence remain. Not existent, therefore it is eternally still; not non-existent, therefore it is eternally illuminating. Neither both, nor neither both, therefore it is neither still nor illuminating, yet illuminating and still.' Words and thoughts are cut off, indescribable, where is there any distraction? When that person is about to die, Amitābha Buddha (阿弥陀佛), together with all the holy assembly, will appear before them. 'That person' refers to the one who upholds the name of the Buddha. Continuing from the above, as long as one can be single-minded without distraction, at the time of death, the Buddha will surely appear before them. 'Buddha' refers to both the Reward Body Buddha and the Manifestation Body Buddha, and 'holy assembly' includes both Bodhisattvas (菩萨) and Śrāvakas (声闻). When ordinary people are about to die, the good and evil deeds they have done in their lives will naturally appear. For example, those who have committed the ten evils and five rebellious acts will see the hellish realms appear; those who are stingy and jealous will see the hungry ghost realms appear; and those who have observed the five precepts and practiced the ten good deeds will see the human and heavenly realms appear. Now, if one focuses on reciting the Buddha's name, single-mindedly and without distraction, then the pure --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
念成就。清净心中。岂不佛现前乎。楞严经云。忆佛念佛。现前当来。必定见佛是也。法藏愿云。我作佛时。诸天人民。有发菩提心。修诸功德。愿生我刹。临寿终时。我与大众。现其人前。观经九品。或言阿弥陀佛。至行者前。或云至其人所。皆现前意。 是人终时。心不颠倒。 上言临者。是将欲命终。此言终时。正暖尽识去时也。颠倒者。由平日随顺妄想。不修正念。心多散乱。应入地狱者。刀山剑树。视作园林。应堕畜生者。马腹驴胎。认为堂宇。所谓颠倒也。乘此颠倒。三界七趣。随业受生。今既一心不乱。则内凝正念。外感佛迎。故不颠倒。 即得往生阿弥陀佛极乐国土。 此言往生也。即得言其速也。智者云。临终在定之心。即净土受生之心。动念即往生净土时也。大本谓上辈生者。发菩提心。专念阿弥陀佛。修诸功德。愿生彼国。便于七宝池内。莲华化生。住不退转。智慧勇猛。神通自在。所居七宝宫宇。在虚空中。去佛为近。中辈生者。不能大修功德。而亦发菩提心。专念回向。命终生彼。功德智慧。次于中辈。下辈生者。不能作诸功德。而亦发菩提心。一向专念。乃至十念。生彼宫宇。惟在于地。又次于中辈。观经又有九品往生。与三辈例。那先经云。王问那先。人生 现代汉语译本：念成就，清净心中，岂不是佛就显现在眼前吗？《楞严经》说：‘忆佛念佛，现前当来，必定见佛’就是这个意思。法藏愿说：‘我成佛时，诸天人民，有发菩提心，修各种功德，愿生到我的刹土，临命终时，我与大众，显现在这个人面前。’《观经》九品往生，或者说阿弥陀佛，来到修行人面前，或者说到那个人所在的地方，都是显现在眼前的意思。 这个人临终时，心不颠倒。 上面说的‘临’，是将要命终的时候。这里说的‘终时’，是正当身体的温暖散尽，意识离去的时候。‘颠倒’，是因为平日里随顺妄想，不修正念，心中多是散乱。应该下地狱的人，把刀山剑树，看作是园林。应该堕落为畜生的人，把马腹驴胎，认为是堂宇。这就是所谓的颠倒。凭借这种颠倒，在三界七趣中，随着业力而受生。现在既然一心不乱，那么内心凝聚正念，外在感应佛来迎接，所以不会颠倒。 就能够往生到阿弥陀佛的极乐国土。 这是说往生。‘即得’，是说速度很快。智者说：‘临终时在禅定中的心，就是净土受生的心。’动念就是往生净土的时候。《大本》说上辈往生的人，发菩提心，专念阿弥陀佛，修各种功德，愿生到那个国度，就在七宝池中，莲花化生，住于不退转的境界，智慧勇猛，神通自在，所居住的七宝宫宇，在虚空中，离佛很近。中辈往生的人，不能大修功德，但也发菩提心，专念回向，命终后往生到那里，功德智慧，次于上辈。下辈往生的人，不能做各种功德，但也发菩提心，一心专念，乃至十念，往生到那个国度，宫宇只在地上，又次于中辈。《观经》又有九品往生，与三辈往生类似。《那先经》说，国王问那先，人死后