English
English version: Enjoying heavenly bliss, ensuring no fall. If there is no fall, why not directly cultivate the deeds of this heaven? Answer: The late blooming of the lotus is precisely because, during one's lifetime, one does not understand the principles of impermanence, suffering, and emptiness. If one had understood these principles earlier, how could one have remained in the lotus bud for so long? Therefore, it is said that if one does not cling to form (rupa), then the golden lotus will bloom; if one does not cling to characteristics (lakshana), then the wondrous Buddha will appear. The way to nurture the lotus lies in this; what use is there in discussing the elimination of the lotus? If one says that the bliss can be compared to the heavens, one might fall. But one does not know that using heaven as a metaphor, those who are reborn in the Pure Land no longer envy the heavenly palaces. Therefore, even in bliss, they are not deluded; those who aspire to the Great Path, how could they merely cultivate heavenly bliss? Or one might say, since the enjoyment is equal to the heavens, why is the position in the lower grades? This precisely shows that the high Three Realms are not as good as the low Nine Grades of Lotus. Although the fruit attained is humble, the karmic reward is already superior. The crown prince is still in swaddling clothes, yet he surpasses many officials; the Kalavinka bird has not yet emerged from the womb, yet its sound surpasses all birds. Therefore, rebirth in the lower realms is still superior to the heavenly palaces; the ancient teachings are clear, there is no need for further discussion. Question: People fear the great matter of birth and death, and impermanence is swift, so they begin to vehemently seek liberation, not daring to rest even for a moment. Upon hearing the principle of transcending the Three Realms horizontally, the teaching of the shortcut to practice, the texts on reciting the Buddha's name to eliminate sins, and the vow to be reborn after ten recitations, they believe that there is a Buddha to rely on and no karma to fear, so they become complacent and ultimately fail to gain strength, and many enter the hands of Yama (the King of Death). Is it then that the Lotus School has misled them? Those other two schools of teachings, investigation is very difficult, and they do not allow for quick results; the two words 'birth' and 'death' are constantly on their minds, how could this happen? Answer: Generally, people who cultivate the Way, some stop when they hear it is difficult and act when they hear it is easy; some are diligent when they hear it is difficult and become lazy when they hear it is easy. The ancient sages taught according to the times; those who use their minds well depend on themselves. The path of reciting the Buddha's name directly transcends the Three Realms; it is the extreme of great compassion, so this Dharma gate was opened. As for negligence and waste leading to faults, it is sentient beings who mislead themselves, not the Buddha who misleads sentient beings. If I desire benevolence, benevolence will immediately arrive; benevolence is right before my eyes. If a madman can restrain his thoughts, a sage can be accomplished; a sage is not far away. This is also because ease misleads people. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
乎。若夫一言顿悟。立地成佛。宗门言易。抑又甚矣。安得亦谓之误。 问。丰干。弥陀化身也。寒山拾得。文殊普贤也。弥陀之现。不领观音势至。而挟文殊普贤以游。至所属词。又多宗门语耳。将无以念佛观佛为局。而转如来禅成祖师禅乎。抑常寂光土之人。匪是莫繇接乎。 答。观音势至。固称日侍导师。文殊普贤。何曾暂离安养。故释迦乃娑婆化主。会有观音。黄檗非儒教宗师。席延裴相。融通摄化。宁有定乎。至谓语涉宗门。似乎更翻净业。殊不知九莲华蕊。枝枝开迦叶之颜。七宝栏楯。步步入善财之阁。八楞毫相。楞楞观中道真诠。六字名称。字字示西来密意。何待转小为大。变局为通。然后接彼上根。演斯玄化。故知念佛一路。即是入理妙门。圆契五宗。弘该诸教。精微莫测。广大无穷。钝根者得之而疾免苦轮。利智者逢之而直超彼岸。似粗而细。若易而难。普愿深思。慎勿忽也。 答净土四十八问(终) 现代汉语译本：如果说一句话就能顿悟，立刻成佛，禅宗就太容易了，难道也可以说是错的吗？ 问：丰干（唐代天台山国清寺僧人，相传为阿弥陀佛化身）是阿弥陀佛的化身，寒山（唐代诗僧）和拾得（唐代诗僧）是文殊菩萨和普贤菩萨的化身。阿弥陀佛显现，不带领观音菩萨和势至菩萨，却挟带着文殊菩萨和普贤菩萨游历，而且所说的言语，又多是禅宗的语言。这难道不是把念佛观佛看得太局限，而把如来禅转变成了祖师禅吗？还是说常寂光土（佛的法身所居之净土）的人，不是这样就无法接引呢？ 答：观音菩萨和势至菩萨，固然被称为日夜侍奉的导师，文殊菩萨和普贤菩萨，又何曾暂时离开过安养（极乐净土）？所以释迦牟尼佛是娑婆世界（我们所居住的这个世界）的教化之主，也会有观音菩萨的示现。黄檗禅师不是儒教的宗师，却在席间款待裴休宰相，这是融通摄受教化，难道有什么定规吗？至于说言语涉及禅宗，似乎更是颠覆了净业（修习净土法门）。殊不知九品莲花的蕊，每一枝都开放着迦叶尊者（释迦摩尼十大弟子之一，以头陀第一著称）的微笑，七宝栏杆，每一步都进入善财童子（《华严经》中人物，历参五十三位善知识）的楼阁。八楞毫相（佛的三十二相之一），棱棱角角都显现着中道真谛，六字名号（南无阿弥陀佛），每一个字都昭示着西来（达摩祖师从西方来到中国）的秘密心意。何必等待转小为大，变局限为通达，然后才能接引那些上等根器的人，演说这种玄妙的教化。所以要知道念佛这一条路，就是入理的妙门，圆满地契合五宗（禅宗五个主要流派），广泛地涵盖各种教义，精微深奥不可测度，广大无边没有穷尽。愚钝的人得到它，就能迅速免除痛苦的轮回，聪慧的人遇到它，就能直接超越到彼岸。看似粗浅却很精细，好像容易却很困难。希望大家深入思考，千万不要轻忽啊。 《净土四十八问》终
English
English version: If a single word can bring sudden enlightenment and instant Buddhahood, then Zen is far too easy. Can it also be said to be wrong? Question: Fenggan (a monk of Guoqing Temple on Mount Tiantai in the Tang Dynasty, traditionally believed to be an incarnation of Amitabha Buddha) is an incarnation of Amitabha Buddha, and Hanshan (a Tang Dynasty poet-monk) and Shide (a Tang Dynasty poet-monk) are incarnations of Manjushri Bodhisattva and Samantabhadra Bodhisattva. When Amitabha Buddha appears, he does not lead Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva and Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva, but instead travels with Manjushri Bodhisattva and Samantabhadra Bodhisattva. Moreover, the words he speaks are mostly Zen language. Isn't this limiting the practice of Buddha-recitation and Buddha-contemplation, and transforming Tathagata Zen into Patriarchal Zen? Or is it that people in the Land of Eternal Tranquility cannot be reached in any other way? Answer: Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva and Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva are indeed called the guiding teachers who attend day and night, but when have Manjushri Bodhisattva and Samantabhadra Bodhisattva ever temporarily left Sukhavati (the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss)? Therefore, Shakyamuni Buddha is the teaching master of the Saha world (the world we live in), and Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva will also manifest. Zen Master Huangbo was not a Confucian master, yet he hosted Prime Minister Pei Xiu at his seat, harmonizing and embracing teachings. Are there any fixed rules? As for saying that the language involves Zen, it seems to be even more of an overturning of Pure Land practice. Little do people know that each branch of the nine-grade lotus flower opens with the smile of Venerable Kashyapa (one of the ten great disciples of Shakyamuni Buddha, known for being foremost in ascetic practices), and each step of the seven-jeweled railing enters the pavilion of Sudhana (a figure in the Avatamsaka Sutra who visited fifty-three good advisors). The eight-faceted marks of excellence (one of the thirty-two marks of a Buddha), with their distinct angles, reveal the true meaning of the Middle Way, and each word of the six-syllable name (Namo Amitabha Buddha) indicates the secret intention of the Westward transmission (Bodhidharma's arrival in China from the West). Why wait to transform the small into the great, and change limitations into thorough understanding, before being able to receive those of superior capacity and expound this profound teaching? Therefore, know that the path of Buddha-recitation is the wonderful gateway to entering principle, perfectly aligning with the five schools (the five major schools of Zen), and broadly encompassing all teachings. It is subtle and immeasurable, vast and without end. Those of dull faculties obtain it and quickly escape the cycle of suffering, while those of sharp intellect encounter it and directly transcend to the other shore. It seems coarse but is refined, and appears easy but is difficult. May everyone contemplate deeply and not neglect it! The Forty-Eight Questions on the Pure Land (End) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------