English
English version: Question: Why is that? Answer: People and gods who recite the Buddha's name all attain rebirth [in the Pure Land]. To show the cause of rebirth, they still retain their old names. They are all companions in non-action, leading a life of meditation and tranquility. Why would they, like this world, curry favor with the gods above and manage human affairs below? Question: When Dharmākara (法藏, 'Treasure of Dharma') made his forty-eight vows, he said, 'If these vows are not fulfilled, I vow not to become a Buddha.' Now, Dharmākara (法藏) has been a Buddha for ten kalpas (劫, eons). He has fulfilled his vows for a long time. Yet, he still urgently leads sentient beings to return to [the Pure Land], as if filling a river or blocking a well, as if his vows have not been completely fulfilled. Why is that? If the vows have not been fulfilled, it cannot be said that he has become a Buddha. If the vows have not been fulfilled, he should not have become a Buddha. Could it be that he first manifests as a nirmāṇakāya Buddha (应化佛, transformation body), and then vows to liberate sentient beings, until his nirvana (涅槃, cessation of suffering) and return to the dharmakāya Buddha (本佛, the essential body), only then does he truly become a Buddha? Answer: The path of a Bodhisattva, when he is in the stage of cause, progresses from cause to effect. When he dwells in the stage of effect, he again carries the effect to practice the cause. Therefore, although he has fulfilled his vows, his mind is still as if he has not fulfilled them. He propagates his vows, and although he is called a Buddha, he does not dwell on the side of Buddhahood. The true Buddha is here. How can this be compared to the small practices of humans and gods, or the Arhats (罗汉, enlightened disciples) who are attached to emptiness? If you say that the nirmāṇakāya Buddha (迹佛) liberates sentient beings, and only nirvana (涅槃) can achieve the true Buddha, then the nirvana (涅槃) of all past Buddhas would be annihilation. The assembly on Vulture Peak (灵山, sacred mountain), as if it has not yet dispersed, how can this be explained? Question: Some say that the West is the direction where the sky inclines and things grow old. Only when a person dies and their thoughts cease can they be reborn there. Others say that where the sky inclines, the earth will have surplus. With surplus, it can broadly accommodate the multitude of those reborn there. Still others say that Geng (庚) and Xin (辛) belong to metal in the Five Elements, and metal does not decay, thus indicating the meaning of non-retrogression. Yet others say that all things mature in the West, and all fruits ripen in autumn. Practitioners cultivate causes in the East and realize fruits in the West. I privately think that rebirth should be a matter of vitality. Why not enter the place of creation in the East, but instead enter the place of killing and decline? If you proclaim the First Principle (第一义谛, ultimate truth), why not directly absorb it in the center? Could it be that it is only discussed in response to a temporary situation, and the so-called West has no actual meaning? Answer: A single word of the Tathagata (如来, 'Thus Gone One', Buddha) contains multiple meanings, but the paths of evil and righteousness are different, and should be distinguished. If you say that thoughts cease... --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
则念绝谁生。若云地容。则地容有限。金性不变。秋位司成。二义为近。据实而论。亦不尽然。盖虚空无尽。世界何穷。今此极乐之邦。东观则西。西观则东。南北二方。亦复类是。释迦劝往。故说西方。别佛赞生。必标他向。那得执西立义。胶固不融。不然。童子遍参。何复南为正位。药师示现。乃令东亦净方。但归心一处。专念斯成已耳。 问。兜率。弥勒宫也。昔人往往发愿求生。具有仪法。至唐道昂。专修西方。而临终兜率来迎。夫兜率可不愿而致。西方似亦可不愿而致矣。又或誓取铜轮。反得铁轮。誓取金台。反得银台。则誓取西方净土。反得东方净土。亦未可知。 答。十善戒定。生天之正因也。发愿回向。生净土之正因也。故生天者。容有不资于愿。而生净土者。无愿则不成也。盖净土非无善力。而愿乃居先。生天亦假慕求。而善为之主。世有初修天业。后知非。而一意西方。是以殁现玉京。俄隐迹。而重彰佛国。正专求之所感。岂漫修而可成。至如铜铁未符。金银稍隔。则是求上仅得其中。然而终竟必如其愿。志西方而功未就。要于人天善道受生耳。若能纯一用心。坚诚发愿。西则必西。何东生之足虑。 问。忏中所礼佛。乃尽三世。而所念佛。独一弥陀。固谓三世诸佛无称名之 现代汉语译本：如果说念佛终结于何处，是谁产生的呢？如果说是地容纳了念佛，那么地的容纳是有限的。金的性质不变，秋季主管肃杀，这两种解释比较接近。但根据实际情况来论，也不完全是这样。因为虚空没有穷尽，世界又怎么会有尽头呢？现在这个极乐世界，从东边看是西边，从西边看是东边，南北两个方向，也都是这样。释迦牟尼佛劝人往生，所以说西方。别的佛赞叹往生，必定标明其他的方向。怎么能执着于西方来立论，固执而不变通呢？不然的话，善财童子遍参善知识，为什么还要以南方为正位呢？药师佛示现，就让东方也成为清净的国土。只要归心于一处，专心念佛就能成就。 问：兜率天是弥勒菩萨的宫殿。过去的人常常发愿求生兜率天，有相应的仪轨法度。到了唐朝的道昂法师，专门修西方净土，但临终时却是兜率天来迎接。那么兜率天可以不发愿而达到，西方净土似乎也可以不发愿而达到。又或者发誓要得到铜轮王，反而得到铁轮王；发誓要得到金台，反而得到银台。那么发誓要往生西方净土，反而得到东方净土，也是未可知的事情。 答：修持十善业、持戒和禅定，是往生天界的正因。发愿回向，是往生净土的正因。所以往生天界的人，或许可以不依靠发愿；而往生净土的人，没有发愿就不能成就。因为净土并非没有善的力量，而是发愿居于首位。往生天界也需要仰慕追求，而善业是主导。世上有人最初修持天界的业，后来知道不对，而一心向往西方净土，因此去世后显现于玉京（天界），不久又隐去踪迹，而重新彰显于佛国。这正是专心求往生的感应，哪里是随便修修就能成就的呢？至于铜轮和铁轮不符，金台和银台稍有差别，这是求上等的却只得到中等的。然而最终必定会如其所愿。立志往生西方净土而功德还没有成就，就要在人天善道中受生了。如果能够纯一地用心，坚定诚恳地发愿，往生西方就必定是西方，哪里还用担心往生到东方呢？ 问：在忏悔中所礼拜的佛，是尽虚空遍法界三世一切诸佛，而所念的佛，却只有一尊阿弥陀佛。既然说三世诸佛没有称名之
English
English version: If the thought ceases, from whom does it arise? If it is said that the earth contains it, then the earth's capacity is limited. The nature of gold is unchanging, and autumn governs completion. These two interpretations are closer to the truth. However, realistically speaking, this is not entirely the case. Because space is endless, how can the worlds be finite? Now, in this Land of Ultimate Bliss (Sukhavati), looking east, it is west; looking west, it is east. The north and south directions are similar. Shakyamuni Buddha encourages rebirth there, so he speaks of the West. Other Buddhas praise rebirth, and they must indicate other directions. How can one cling to the West and establish a rigid, inflexible doctrine? Otherwise, why would Sudhana (Shancai Tongzi) visit teachers everywhere, and still regard the South as the proper direction? The Medicine Buddha (Bhaisajyaguru) manifests and makes the East also a pure land. Simply direct your heart to one place, and single-mindedly reciting will accomplish it. Question: Tushita (兜率) is Maitreya's (弥勒) palace. In the past, people often made vows to be reborn there, with corresponding rituals and practices. But Daoang of the Tang Dynasty, who specialized in the Western Pure Land, was greeted by Tushita at the time of his death. So, Tushita can be attained without a vow, and the Western Pure Land seems to be attainable without a vow as well. Furthermore, one might vow to obtain a copper wheel (cakravartin), but instead obtain an iron wheel; vow to obtain a golden dais, but instead obtain a silver dais. So, vowing to be reborn in the Western Pure Land, but instead being reborn in the Eastern Pure Land, is also a possibility. Answer: Practicing the ten good deeds, upholding precepts, and practicing meditation are the direct causes for rebirth in the heavens. Making vows and dedicating merit are the direct causes for rebirth in the Pure Land. Therefore, those who are reborn in the heavens may not rely on vows, but those who are reborn in the Pure Land cannot succeed without vows. Because the Pure Land is not without the power of good deeds, but vows come first. Rebirth in the heavens also requires admiration and seeking, but good deeds are the main factor. There are people in the world who initially cultivate heavenly karma, but later realize it is not right, and wholeheartedly aspire to the Western Pure Land. Therefore, after death, they appear in Jade Capital (heaven), but soon disappear and reappear in the Buddha-land. This is the response of single-mindedly seeking rebirth there; how can it be accomplished by casual cultivation? As for the copper and iron wheels not matching, and the gold and silver daises being slightly different, this means seeking the highest but only obtaining the middle. However, in the end, it will surely be as one wishes. Aspiring to the Western Pure Land but not yet achieving the merit, one must be born in the good paths of humans and devas. If one can use the mind purely and sincerely make vows, then rebirth in the West will surely be in the West. Why worry about being born in the East? Question: The Buddhas worshiped in repentance are all the Buddhas of the three times, while the Buddha recited is only Amitabha (弥陀). Since it is said that the Buddhas of the three times have no name to be --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
愿耳。然弥陀亦有多名。具在经中。随取一名持之。得否。据小弥陀经。翻为无量寿。无量光。而观经独称无量寿者。岂能观之智。所观之光。即为光耶。六方佛中。其西亦有无量寿者。即是此佛自赞否耶。 答。如来名号。诚曰多端。但取偏熟众生耳根。于中实无差别。惟彼弥陀之号。普遍十方。故令称念之人。皆归一致。且无量寿是唐言。阿弥陀乃梵语。而寿量现等虚空。光明自遍宇宙。举体该用。但云无量寿足矣。若夫十方诸佛。核之历有同名。释迦尊称。多之至于无算。极乐教主。何独不然。非佛自赞。亦无疑矣。今时有人执念释迦而不念弥陀者。自以为是。拗众称高。噫。释迦使汝师弥陀。而汝不从教。譬之子违父命。而不就明师。虽日呼其父。安得不云忤逆。 问。观音绍位时。彼世界中。固知必念彼佛之号矣。不知法藏当时念何佛名而成净土。使其无所念。固不当以己之所不为者强人。使其遍念诸佛。尤不当使人专持而独私于己。又复此门之开。自弥陀始。则诸佛何以徒知赞羡。而闭其门。略不为众生地耶。 答。古佛出世。已经无量。则后佛之念先佛。谁复能数计而知。但当机教主。开启法门。必出自一佛之口。犹礼乐征伐自天子出耳。非诸侯之不言念佛也。且法海无边。非谓止 现代汉语译本： 问：好的。然而阿弥陀佛也有很多名号，都记载在经书中。随便选取一个名号来持念，可以吗？根据《小弥陀经》，翻译为无量寿、无量光。而《观经》只称无量寿，难道是能观的智慧，所观的光，就是光吗？六方佛中，西方也有一尊无量寿佛，这是阿弥陀佛自己赞叹自己吗？ 答：如来的名号，确实有很多。只是选取与众生耳根最熟悉的那个，其中实际上没有差别。唯独阿弥陀佛的名号，普遍十方，所以让称念的人，都归于一致。而且无量寿是汉语，阿弥陀是梵语。而寿命的量如同虚空，光明自然遍布宇宙。整体包含作用，只说无量寿就足够了。至于十方诸佛，核实起来也有同名的。释迦牟尼佛的尊称，多到数不清。极乐世界的教主，为什么就不能这样呢？不是佛自己赞叹自己，这一点毫无疑问。现在有人执着于念释迦牟尼佛而不念阿弥陀佛，自以为是，违背大众，抬高自己。唉！释迦牟尼佛让你以阿弥陀佛为师，而你不听从教诲，好比儿子违背父亲的命令，而不去向明师学习。即使每天呼喊他的父亲，怎么能说不是忤逆呢？ 问：观音菩萨继承佛位时，那个世界中，当然知道必定念阿弥陀佛的名号了。不知道法藏比丘（Dharmākara）当时念什么佛的名号而成就净土。如果让他什么都不念，本来就不应该用自己不去做的事情强求别人。如果让他遍念诸佛，尤其不应该让人专持一个名号而独自偏爱自己。而且这个法门的开启，从阿弥陀佛开始，那么诸佛为什么只是知道赞叹，而关闭这个法门，一点也不为众生开启呢？ 答：过去的佛出世，已经无数了，那么后来的佛念先前的佛，谁又能数得清呢？只是当机教主，开启法门，必定出自一佛之口，好比礼乐征伐出自天子一样。不是说诸侯不念佛啊。而且法海无边，不是说只