English
English version: Question: Royal ministers who are reborn in the Pure Land do not relinquish their national affairs. Lay practitioners who are reborn do not relinquish their family affairs. If a lay practitioner single-mindedly recites the Buddha's name, there may be no other obstacles. However, a royal minister toils over state affairs, which cannot be easily dismissed like family matters. Yang Wuwei and others were not troubled by officialdom, yet they were greeted by manifested Buddhas. Does this mean that military campaigns, governance, and punishments do not hinder rebirth? Or does it mean that their every thought is in accord with the true nature of reality (Dharmakaya)? Answer: For those who understand the mind, myriad affairs and changes do not make national governance burdensome. For those attached to external objects, even a single spouse and child can be a burden. It is like a clear mirror reflecting objects, reflecting all day without fatigue, or an empty valley echoing sounds, transmitting many voices without exhaustion. Thus, the great ruler is no different from the World Honored One (Buddha), and the assembled officials are no different from the ocean-wide assembly (of Bodhisattvas). Praises and criticisms become the skillful means of propagating the wonderful Dharma. Rewards and punishments embody true compassion and equality. Royal affairs and Buddhist affairs become one. What difficulty is there in being reborn in the Pure Land? Question: Those who are reborn in the lowest grade of the lowest level (of the Pure Land) have deep karmic connections from past lives and encounter a wise teacher who helps them achieve ten recitations, thus attaining this grade. Having such karmic connections, they should not commit evil. Even if they do commit evil, a single thought in accordance with the Buddha can eradicate myriad sins, like obtaining light in long darkness, instantly radiating brilliance. The darkness does not go anywhere, and the light does not come from anywhere. Encountering this state, even if aspiring to the highest grade of the highest level, one still has to go through stages, yet they remain in the lowest of the lowest. Is it that sins cannot be eradicated, and merits and demerits must be weighed against each other? Those who doubt in the City of Doubt (a metaphor for a state of uncertainty) only have slight doubts and have not committed evil, yet they cannot attain a higher grade, which is truly unjust. Who are those who are born in the City of Doubt in ancient and modern times? Are there any specific names? Answer: In this world, there are indeed those whose evil thoughts are strong, yet they hear of the Pure Land and do not doubt. There are also those who cultivate meritorious deeds, yet suddenly do not believe in reciting the Buddha's name. Therefore, those who commit evil yet are reborn in the Pure Land are those people. However, their karmic obstacles have just been eliminated, and their pure causes have not yet been expanded. Rebirth is certain, but only in a lower position. Therefore, know that harboring doubts inwardly wastes previous merits. Maintaining steadfast faith allows one to be reborn even with karma. Thus, between doubt and faith, the benefits and harms are vastly different. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
细矣。虽然。生疑城者。当是净业勤修。止以心无决定。今世人疑则不勤。勤则不疑。且疑且勤。万中一二。安所指其人乎。 问。放鸟雀鱼鳖等。为之诵咒念佛。愿彼往生。此物为当承力即生。为当舍此业报。生在人中。更师放生者。依法勤念。乃得生耶。 答。咒愿禽畜者。若业轻缘熟。承法力而亦得往生。业重缘疏。止灭罪而改形善趣。然禽畜未必生。而放生咒愿之人。福不唐捐矣。来生度化。终酬宿因。目连度蜂。足为明镜。 问。以净秽二土。较胜劣而诱人者。诱凡夫之人也。凡夫所极乐者。女人。所极不乐者。无女人。与眷属之睽离也。今使弃眷属而入无女人之国。且坚拒不入矣。佛何无方便如此。或曰。生彼国而六通。天眼彻于闺闼。讵有离忧耶。既身居净土。而目中常见女人。奚异彼国之有女人。那得实无女人乎。又雅士性耽质素。不宝金玉。故抵璧投珠。挥金焚锦者。往往有之。无惑其闻珍域之名而勿愿耳。 答。净土虽诱凡夫。然当其始诱之时。已详陈女色之害矣。华箭革囊。种种譬喻。正言女人之为秽。无女人之为净也。女人之为不乐。无女人之为极乐也。焉得反生坚拒。不愿西归乎。且六通远彻。皆繇心地开明。则九族森陈。何啻空华闪烁。目见女人。奚足为碍。 现代汉语译本： 细致的提问。即使如此，对于那些在往生净土这件事上心存疑虑的人来说，他们应当是那些精勤修习净业，但只是因为内心没有坚定信念的人。现在的人如果心存疑虑，就不会精勤修习；如果精勤修习，就不会心存疑虑。像这样既有疑虑又肯精勤修习的人，一万个人中也难有一两个，又该如何去指望这些人呢？ 问：放生鸟雀、鱼鳖等动物，为它们诵咒念佛，希望它们往生。这些动物是会凭借佛法的力量立即往生，还是会舍弃现在的业报，转生到人间，然后再拜放生者为师，依法精勤念佛，最终才能往生呢？ 答：为禽畜诵咒祈愿，如果它们的业障较轻，因缘成熟，就能凭借佛法的力量而往生。如果业障深重，因缘疏远，就只能消除罪业，改变形体，转生到好的去处。然而，禽畜未必能往生，但放生和诵咒祈愿的人，所修的福报不会白费。来世度化它们，最终会偿还宿世的因缘。目连尊者度化蜜蜂的故事，可以作为明鉴。 问：用清净的净土和污秽的秽土来比较优劣，以此来引导人们，这只是在引导凡夫俗子。凡夫俗子最贪恋的是女人，最不喜欢的则是没有女人，以及与亲人眷属分离。现在如果让他们抛弃亲人眷属，前往一个没有女人的国度，他们一定会坚决拒绝前往。佛陀为什么没有更方便的法门来引导他们呢？或者有人说，往生到极乐世界后，就能获得六神通，天眼可以看穿任何地方，难道还会有离别的忧愁吗？既然身处清净的净土，却仍然能亲眼看见女人，这和那个国家有女人又有什么区别呢？又怎么能说是真正没有女人呢？而且，高雅之士天性喜欢朴素，不看重金玉，所以抵璧投珠、挥金焚锦的人，也常常有。所以，不要奇怪他们听说了珍宝遍地的净土之名，却不愿意前往。 答：净土虽然是为了引导凡夫，但是在最初引导的时候，就已经详细地阐述了女色的危害。用华箭、革囊等种种譬喻，正是为了说明女人是污秽的，没有女人才是清净的。有女人是不快乐的，没有女人才是极乐的。怎么会反而产生坚决拒绝，不愿意往生西方的想法呢？而且，六神通的远彻，都是由于心地开明。那么，即使九族亲人都在眼前，也只不过像是空中的花朵一样虚幻。亲眼看见女人，又有什么妨碍呢？
English
English version: A detailed question. Even so, those who doubt the Pure Land should be those who diligently cultivate pure karma, but only because their minds lack firm conviction. People today, if they doubt, will not cultivate diligently; if they cultivate diligently, they will not doubt. Those who both doubt and cultivate diligently are rare, perhaps one or two in ten thousand. How can we expect to find such people? Question: When releasing birds, fish, turtles, and other animals, and chanting mantras and reciting Buddha's name for them, hoping they will be reborn in the Pure Land, will these creatures be reborn immediately by the power of the Dharma, or will they abandon their current karmic retribution, be reborn as humans, and then take the one who released them as their teacher, diligently reciting Buddha's name according to the Dharma, and only then be reborn? Answer: For those who chant mantras and make vows for birds and animals, if their karma is light and their conditions are ripe, they can be reborn in the Pure Land by the power of the Dharma. If their karma is heavy and their conditions are unfavorable, they can only eliminate their sins, change their form, and be reborn in good realms. However, these birds and animals may not necessarily be reborn in the Pure Land, but the merit of those who release them and chant mantras will not be in vain. In future lives, they will be able to liberate them and eventually repay their past karmic debts. The story of Maudgalyayana (目连) liberating the bees serves as a clear example. Question: Using the comparison of the pure and impure lands to induce people is only for guiding ordinary people. What ordinary people crave most is women, and what they dislike most is the absence of women and separation from their families. Now, if they are asked to abandon their families and go to a land without women, they will definitely refuse. Why doesn't the Buddha have more expedient methods to guide them? Or some say that after being reborn in the Land of Ultimate Bliss, one will attain the six supernormal powers (六通), and the divine eye (天眼) can see through everything. How can there be any sorrow of separation? Since one dwells in the pure land, yet can still see women with one's eyes, what difference is there from that land having women? How can it be said that there are truly no women there? Moreover, refined scholars by nature love simplicity and do not value gold and jade. Therefore, there are often those who reject jade for a piece of clay, and burn gold and brocade. So, do not be surprised that they hear of the name of the land of treasures but are unwilling to go. Answer: Although the Pure Land is to induce ordinary people, when it first began to induce, it had already explained in detail the harm of female beauty. The metaphors of flowery arrows (华箭), leather bags (革囊), and so on, are precisely to say that women are impure, and the absence of women is pure. Having women is unhappiness, and the absence of women is ultimate happiness. How can they instead firmly refuse and be unwilling to return to the West? Moreover, the far-reaching of the six supernormal powers all comes from the opening of the mind. Then, even if the nine generations of relatives are all present, they are only like illusory flowers in the sky. Seeing women with one's eyes, what obstacle is there? --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
至如无求廉士。不羡宝邦。是未知宝有同名。实非一体。此宝乃顽福所致。触目而生贪。彼宝是净德所成。久居而不染。执清修之小节。失圣境之伟观。亦犹性恶淫声。并点瑟回琴而共弃。心憎野史。与尧谟舜典而俱焚。贱金玉而舍西方。何以异于是。 问。极乐国中。一宝以至四宝。诸多奇丽。充灿其间。可谓富矣。然而取之不为贪者。曰。吾家业也。今人皆是富人之乍失业。与久失业者耳。尝谓富即吾有。委而弃之。若此方庞居士辈者。岂不清高。不然。辛苦经营。早夜积着。虽复旧物。亦几贪恋。况守钱虏哉。彼誓取净土者。何以异此。 答。净心本具。故云宝是家珍。净愿求生。实乃复其故有。夫欲仁得仁尚非贪。吾复吾心胡名染。若夫实报庄严。则亦因净果净。理自如是。又何慕焉。如其顾旧业而求生。心之垢亦甚矣。何以得生净土。 问。法藏恐人之惮烦而不求往生也。曰。十念足矣。释迦恐人之惮烦而不求往生也。曰。七日足矣。见夫妇数米而念者。教以三十六万亿九千五百之号。从约也。而释迦又以闻毫相名。与一称名之效诱人。其意一耳。至远公。与式公。而六时。而忏仪。备也。士攒眉去焉。夫使七日十念而不然也。佛语诳。信然也。何为峻净国之城而拒人耶。 答。 现代汉语译本： 至于那些自命清高的廉士，不羡慕极乐宝邦（指阿弥陀佛的净土），是因为他们不知道宝有不同的含义，实际上并非一体。世俗的宝是因顽固的福报所致，容易让人触目而生贪念；而极乐世界的宝是清净功德所成就，即使长久居住也不会被污染。他们执着于清修的小节，却失去了圣境的宏伟景象，就像厌恶淫靡的音乐，连同瑟和琴一起抛弃；憎恨不实的野史，连同尧舜的典籍一起焚烧。轻贱金玉而舍弃西方极乐世界，这和上述行为有什么区别呢？ 问：极乐国中，从一宝到四宝，各种奇妙华丽的宝物，充满其间，可以说是非常富有了。然而取用这些宝物却不算是贪婪，这是为什么呢？ 答：因为这些宝物本来就是‘吾家业也’（指本自具足的清净功德）。现在的人都是富人乍然失去家业，或者长期失去家业的人罢了。曾经说过，富有就是‘吾有’（指本自具足），舍弃它就如同此方的庞居士之流，难道不清高吗？不然的话，辛苦经营，早晚积攒，即使是恢复旧物，也难免贪恋，更何况是守财奴呢？那些发誓要往生净土的人，和这些人又有什么区别呢？ 答：清净心本来就具足，所以说宝是‘家珍’（指本自具足的清净功德）。以清净的愿力求生净土，实际上是恢复自己本来就有的东西。想要得到仁就得到仁，尚且不能说是贪婪，我恢复我本有的清净心，怎么能说是被污染呢？至于实报庄严土（指证得真实果报的菩萨所居住的净土），也是因为清净的因才能得到清净的果，道理自然是这样。又有什么可羡慕的呢？如果顾恋旧业而求生净土，心中的污垢就太严重了，怎么能得生净土呢？ 问：法藏菩萨（指阿弥陀佛的前身）恐怕人们因为怕麻烦而不求往生，所以说：‘十念足矣’（指临终十念即可往生）。释迦牟尼佛恐怕人们因为怕麻烦而不求往生，所以说：‘七日足矣’（指念佛七日即可往生）。看到夫妇数着米粒念佛，就教他们念三十六万亿九千五百之号（指《观无量寿经》中的念佛方法），这是从简要处着眼。而释迦牟尼佛又用听闻佛的眉间白毫相的名字，与一声称念佛号的功效来诱导人们，他们的意思是一样的。到了慧远大师和道式法师，就有了六时念佛和各种忏仪，非常完备。士人却皱着眉头离开了。如果说七日十念不能往生，那么佛说的话就是谎言，确实是这样。为什么要筑起高高的净土之城来拒绝人们呢？ 答：