English
English version: There is no need for further persuasion. It is better to have the light of Master Shandao emanating from the mouth, rather than having virtuous teachers exhaust their words and wear out their feet to guide people to believe. That is a true virtuous teacher. I have heard that in this world, when one recites the Buddha's name, the lotus flower in the Pure Land blooms brightly; when the mind slackens in reciting the Buddha's name, the lotus flower in the Pure Land withers. Amitabha Buddha (Amituo Fo) widely opens the door of expedient means, why not show the flourishing and withering of this lotus flower before this person? If, while living in the world, one's eyes are open or closed, one is accompanied by the lotus flower, and at the end of life, one rides this lotus flower throne and is reborn in the Pure Land in an instant, what is impossible? If it is not so, is it because the Buddha's skillful means are not sufficient? Answer: Seeking fame and profit is a function that can be seen in this life, and people commonly witness it. Rebirth in the Pure Land through reciting the Buddha's name is a cause and effect of a future life, which is difficult for people to know. However, the flourishing and withering of the lotus flower are actually before one's eyes, but the deluded do not perceive it. With a pure mind, doing good will bring mental clarity and inner peace; with a defiled mind, doing evil will bring a coarse breath and a dull spirit, and inner frustration. Is the flourishing and withering of the lotus flower not obvious? Moreover, personally seeing the holy image is the sincere word of the distant ancestors; the silver platform descending in the pond is the story of Zhen Gong. There are even stories of bodies floating on red lotuses, like the story of the eminent monk Hao Xiang. And there have been such people in every era. Who says there are no signs in this life? Question: The 'silent worship' (mo chao) mentioned by Taoists is similar to contemplating the Buddha. The Heavenly Emperor (Tiandi) they speak of is a Bodhisattva (Pusa). Going to the Heavenly Emperor may also lead to non-retrogression. Confucius (Kongzi) is also a 'Child Bodhisattva' (Rutong Pusa). I have thought that King Wen (Wen Wang) of Zhou could even see his dark appearance, which is similar to contemplating the Buddha. King Wen is on the left and right of the Heavenly Emperor, and Confucius should live with him. Now, using the method of thinking of King Wen to think of Confucius, thinking of Confucius is thinking of a Bodhisattva. Going to Confucius is going to a Bodhisattva, and one should also be able to obtain non-retrogression. Then, for Taoism and Confucianism, why must we guide them to the Western Pure Land? Answer: Although the Heavenly Emperor is said to be a Bodhisattva, the form he manifests is that of a king of the desire realm. Even if Confucius is called a 'Child Bodhisattva', the deeds he manifested are those of a gentleman in the human world. This is like a prime minister being temporarily sent out to serve in another post, and those seeking office go elsewhere; a ruler suddenly travels in disguise, and those who would pay homage do not go. Therefore, know that the compassionate father of the four kinds of beings, the great teacher of the three realms, the 'heaven above heavens', the 'sage among sages', is only the Buddha. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
一人。无与等者。岂可默朝欲界。企想人间。便得拟万亿佛土外之西方。恒沙贤圣中之化主。二教不宗于佛。将谁宗耶。 问。或谓佛逼众生。抛离骨肉。弃舍形骸。近别家乡。远投外国。魂爽幽幽。入此梦境。梦中获宝。色色非真。闻之惨然。有何极乐。又云。在生亦是梦境。既全是梦。益复可悲。将谓菩萨先醒。却行如梦六波罗密。则实报庄严。更成恍忽矣。我其归常寂光乎。寂光无色。莽渺安依。不如寓世梦间。一任献吉憎恶。 答。虚浮界内。是梦非真。常寂光中。是真非梦。世人以梦为真。以真为梦。颠倒如斯。良可悲矣。岂知骨肉之即仇冤。形骸之为桎梏。得生净土。是则脱沉疴而再获天年。释狴犴而荣归故里。名之极乐。讵不然乎。若夫菩萨行门。虽云如梦。譬之大喜将临。夜现吉祥之境。岂比重昏失晓。魂招凶恶之徴。盖菩萨在梦而将苏。凡夫繇梦而入梦。至于寂光。则朗然大寐之得醒矣。 问。净刹去此方十万亿佛土。是有数量者矣。但最为遥远。非舟车人力之所及耳。窃意鹦鹉鸜鹆。既知念佛。纵令迅飞。似亦可至。设使寿命短促。中道而殪。飞仙固不能至乎。飞仙或不能至。但修神足通。何患不至乎。然则欲往西方者。以目犍连为本师可也。 答。目连遥闻说法。循 现代汉语译本： （指）没有可以与之相比的人，怎么可以默默地朝向欲界，企图在人间，就想要比拟万亿佛土之外的西方极乐世界，以及恒河沙数贤圣之中的教化之主（阿弥陀佛）呢？如果这两个教派（指禅宗和净土宗）不以佛为宗，那又将以谁为宗呢？ 问：有人说，佛逼迫众生，抛弃骨肉亲情，舍弃身体，近处离开家乡，远处投奔外国，魂魄幽暗，进入这种梦境。在梦中获得珍宝，并非真实。听了让人感到悲惨，哪里有什么极乐可言？又说，在世时也是梦境，既然全是梦，更加可悲。如果说菩萨先觉醒，却像在梦中一样修行六波罗蜜（六度），那么实报庄严（指实报庄严土）岂不更加虚幻了吗？我还是归于常寂光（指常寂光净土）吧。常寂光没有形色，茫茫渺渺，依靠什么呢？不如寄身于世间的梦境中，任凭别人献媚或憎恶。 答：虚幻漂浮的境界内，是梦而非真实；常寂光中，是真实而非梦。世人把梦当作真实，把真实当作梦，颠倒如此，实在可悲啊！哪里知道骨肉就是仇怨，形骸就是枷锁。能够往生净土，就是摆脱了长久的疾病而再次获得天年，从监狱中释放出来而光荣地回到故乡。称之为极乐，难道不是这样吗？至于菩萨的修行，虽然说是像梦一样，比如大喜事将要来临，夜晚出现吉祥的景象，怎么能比得上重度昏迷而失去知觉，魂魄招来凶恶的征兆呢？菩萨是在梦中而将要醒来，凡夫是从梦中而进入梦中。至于常寂光，那就是清醒地从大睡中醒来啊。 问：极乐净土距离此方世界有十万亿佛土之遥，这是有数量的。只不过最为遥远，不是舟船人力所能到达的。我私下认为，鹦鹉、鸜鹆（均为鸟名），既然知道念佛，即使让它们快速飞行，似乎也可以到达。假设它们寿命短促，中途死亡，飞仙（指有神通的仙人）难道也不能到达吗？飞仙或许不能到达，但是修习神足通（六神通之一），还怕不能到达吗？那么想要前往西方极乐世界的人，以目犍连（佛陀十大弟子之一，以神通著称）为老师就可以了。 答：目连（目犍连的简称）在遥远的地方听到佛陀说法，循
English
English version: How can one, without equal, silently turn towards the desire realm, hoping in the human world to compare to the Lord of Transformation (Amitabha Buddha) in the Western Pure Land beyond countless Buddha lands, amidst countless sages? If these two schools (Zen and Pure Land) do not take the Buddha as their foundation, then who will they rely on? Question: Some say that the Buddha forces sentient beings to abandon their flesh and blood, discard their bodies, leave their homes, and travel to foreign lands, their souls wandering in this dreamlike state. Obtaining treasures in a dream is not real. Hearing this is saddening; where is the bliss? Furthermore, they say that life itself is a dream. Since everything is a dream, it is even more tragic. If Bodhisattvas are said to be awakened, yet they practice the Six Paramitas (Six Perfections) as if in a dream, then the Real Reward Adornment (Real Reward Land) becomes even more illusory. Should I return to the Eternal Tranquil Light (Eternal Tranquil Light Land)? The Eternal Tranquil Light has no form, vast and boundless; what can I rely on? It is better to dwell in the dream of the world, letting others flatter or despise me. Answer: Within the realm of illusion, it is a dream and not real; in the Eternal Tranquil Light, it is real and not a dream. Worldly people take dreams as reality and reality as dreams, such inversion is truly lamentable! How can they not know that flesh and blood are the source of enmity, and the body is a shackle? Being born in the Pure Land is like recovering from a long illness and regaining one's lifespan, being released from prison and returning gloriously to one's homeland. Is it not right to call it ultimate bliss? As for the practice of Bodhisattvas, although it is said to be like a dream, it is like the auspicious signs that appear at night when great joy is about to come. How can it be compared to being deeply unconscious and losing awareness, with the soul attracting ominous signs? Bodhisattvas are in a dream but about to awaken, while ordinary people enter deeper into dreams from dreams. As for the Eternal Tranquil Light, it is like awakening from a great sleep. Question: The Pure Land is said to be hundreds of thousands of millions of Buddha lands away from this world, which is a quantifiable distance. However, it is extremely far, beyond the reach of boats, vehicles, and human power. I privately think that parrots and mynahs, since they know how to recite the Buddha's name, even if they fly swiftly, seem capable of reaching it. Supposing their lives are short and they die midway, can't flying immortals (referring to immortals with supernatural powers) reach it? If flying immortals cannot reach it, then by cultivating the power of spiritual feet (one of the six supernatural powers), what is there to fear in not reaching it? In that case, those who wish to go to the Western Pure Land should take Maudgalyayana (one of the Buddha's ten great disciples, known for his supernatural powers) as their teacher. Answer: Maudgalyayana (abbreviated as Maudgalyayana) heard the Buddha expounding the Dharma from afar, following --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
声至一佛邦。已越娑婆无边无量。欲回本土而不能得。盖至彼者。繇彼佛之神力。非声闻之神通也。今此极乐世界。姑陈其远。聊存十万亿刹之名。究极其归。实超情量数目之外。众生生此。一则佛摄受力不可思议。二则已发愿力不可思议也。而神通何与焉。 问。离妄身而求法身。更无法身。则今此妄身即法身也。彼佛便摄此身。致之净土。不亦可乎。若净土应现丈六等躯。不取革囊旧质。当似星陨为石。鸠化为鹰。至此而变。不亦可乎。嗟夫。浮黎始青之境。且许白日飞升。乐邦清泰之域。顾使幽魂暗度。世之迷流。舍九品而取七趣者。无足怪矣。 答。据佛神力。举大千世界而归净土。轻若鸿毛。况复色身。摄之弥易。顾神仙家所以不能解脱者。以其恋著于形神也。色身等乎泡露。不应将此往生。法性遍在虚空。何须至彼而变。盖是密移凡质。超圣境以同归。岂比暗度幽魂。作鬼家之活计。但求生彼。莫论身心。 问。世之求往生者。非即欲往生者也。就使正礼念时。佛现其前。引之西往。必辞以化缘未周。婚嫁未毕。幸少须臾无死耳。复有一人。异于前人。力修三昧。无间六时。虑后倦勤。失此机会。便乃投身自毙。纵火自焚。既匪舍报安详。如入禅定。佛怜其愚。亦肯手相接否。 现代汉语译本 声音传到一佛的国土（佛邦）。已经超越了娑婆世界无边无量的距离。想要回到原来的本土却不能够。这是因为到达那个地方，是凭借那尊佛的神力，而不是声闻乘（Sravaka）的神通。现在这个极乐世界，姑且陈述它的遥远，暂且保留十万亿佛土的名号。探究它的最终归宿，实际上超出了情识和数量的衡量之外。众生往生到这里，一是佛的摄受力不可思议，二是已经发下的愿力不可思议。而神通又有什么关系呢？ 问：离开虚妄之身而寻求法身，如果再没有法身，那么现在这个虚妄之身就是法身了。那么佛就应该摄取这个身体，送到净土去，不也可以吗？如果净土应该显现丈六金身等身躯，不取用这革囊般的旧躯壳，应当像是星星陨落变成石头，斑鸠变化成老鹰一样。到了那里就发生变化，不也可以吗？唉！浮黎始青的境界，尚且允许白日飞升，极乐清泰的区域，反而要让幽魂暗中渡过。世上的迷惑之人，舍弃九品莲花而选择六道轮回，就不值得奇怪了。 答：根据佛的神力，举起大千世界而归于净土，轻得像鸿毛一样，更何况是色身呢，摄取它更加容易。只是神仙家之所以不能解脱，是因为他们贪恋执着于形体和精神。色身等于泡沫和露水，不应该将这个带去往生。法性遍布在虚空之中，何须到了那里才变化呢？这实际上是秘密地转移凡夫的体质，超越圣人的境界而一同归向净土，哪里能比得上暗中超度幽魂，做鬼道的活计呢？只要祈求往生到那里，不要讨论身体和心。 问：世上求往生的人，并非真正想要往生的人。就算在认真念佛的时候，佛显现在他的面前，引导他向西方去，他一定会推辞说化缘还没有完成，婚嫁还没有结束，希望稍微等待一会儿再死。又有一个人，不同于前面的人，努力修习三昧（Samadhi），没有间断地在六个时辰精进，担心以后懈怠，失去这个机会，于是就投身自杀，纵火自焚。既然不是舍弃报身安详地像进入禅定一样，佛怜悯他的愚蠢，也肯伸手接引吗？