English
English version: 'Does it regress?' Question: 'If a non-regressing Bodhisattva from the Western Pure Land were to return to the Saha World (Saha World, referring to the world we live in), would they still regress?' Answer: 'As explained above, the Trikaya (Trikaya, the three bodies of the Buddha: Dharmakaya, Sambhogakaya, and Nirmanakaya) and Four Wisdoms (Four Wisdoms, Great Perfect Mirror Wisdom, Equality Wisdom, Wonderful Observing Wisdom, and Accomplishing Wisdom) manifest in various ways. Moreover, with the protection of Amitabha (Amitabha, the lord of the Western Pure Land) and the reception of all Buddhas, how could there be any reason for regression? It is like returning home in brocade, rowing with the wind. There is nothing sought that is not obtained, and no going that is not advancing. The reason why Bodhisattvas must first seek rebirth in the Western Pure Land before returning to the Saha World to liberate beings is precisely this.' △3. Concluding the Second Vow. 'Such great vows, the world is endless, sentient beings are endless, karma and afflictions are all endless, and my vows are endless.' 'Such great vows' concludes the preceding text. 'The world is endless,' etc., are examples, and the phrase 'my vows are endless' encompasses and reveals endlessness. It is like saying, 'The world cannot be exhausted, and my vows cannot be exhausted; sentient beings cannot be exhausted, karma and afflictions cannot be exhausted, and my vows cannot be exhausted. If these four could be exhausted, then my vows could be exhausted.' Question: 'Why make these endless vows?' Answer: 'Because the mind is endless, the vows made according to the mind are also endless.' Furthermore, the four, such as the world, are all inherent in the mind. Even upon attaining Buddhahood, there is no reason for them to be exhausted. Question: 'Since the vows are endless, when will one attain Buddhahood?' Answer: 'Attaining Buddhahood simply means recognizing one's own mind as ultimately unarising and unceasing. As for the Thirty-two Marks of the Buddha (Thirty-two Marks of the Buddha, the thirty-two auspicious marks of a Buddha) and expedient actions, they are not ultimately real. What is there to discuss about attaining or not attaining?' The initial vow is completed. △4. Subsequent Dedication. 'May the merit of paying homage to the Buddha, making vows, and cultivating practice now be dedicated to sentient beings, repaying the Four Kinds of Grace (Four Kinds of Grace, the grace of parents, the grace of sentient beings, the grace of the king, and the grace of the Three Jewels) in full, benefiting the Three Realms of Existence (Three Realms of Existence, the Desire Realm, the Form Realm, and the Formless Realm) equally, and enabling all beings in the Dharmadhatu (Dharmadhatu, the totality of all dharmas) to perfect the Sarvajna (Sarvajna, all-knowing wisdom).' Bodhisattvas must first dedicate their merit because if they do not, it will only result in rewards in the realms of humans and gods. If they can dedicate their merit, it becomes the true cause for transcending the world. There are three types of dedication: 1. Dedicating oneself to others; 2. Dedicating the cause to the effect; 3. Dedicating the particular to the principle. What is dedicating oneself to others? It is because sentient beings, from beginningless time, have cultivated good karma for themselves and their families. Now, turning this mind towards sentient beings, giving all that one has cultivated to them, wishing them to benefit and not seeking one's own happiness, this is called dedicating oneself to others. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
向他。云何回因向果。以无始来但为人天福报。不求出世实果。今回此心向于无上菩提。所修善业。悉用庄严佛果。是名回因向果。云何回事向理。若见有众生诸佛善法回向种种差别。则事不空。今回此心向于实际。能修所修。能向所向。二俱寂灭是名回事向理。今言恩有齐资。是回己向他。同圆种智。是回因向果。此二并是事相。理在事中。故三皆具足。种智者佛之智慧也。谓能知诸法一相。亦能知种种相无二无别。故名种智也。问。所修善业。虽有若无。名不住相。今一事甫毕。汲汲回向。不已着乎。答。汝言善不住相。为有后报否若无则堕断灭若有则虽不求福福还随汝。人天果报。固未免离。云何无著。今以此福回施众生及以诸佛。则成无漏胜因。何着之有。问回施众生。众生实得利益否。若无利益。则成虚妄。若有利益。则我作他受。焉有此理。答。菩萨福德。与众生共。现在虽无利益。未来成佛。则众生受赐。如弥陀佛国。凡未生者即同佛受用。并由世尊因地作福。回施我等。是故今日得其果报。如父财子用。孰曰不可乎。问。回向与不回向。功有胜劣。事有得失否。答。回向则少福成多。如一滴投海。不可分别。不回向则多福转少。如水灌漏卮。须臾即尽。又若能回向。则心能转福。迳往西方。若不回向 现代汉语译本 向他。什么是回因向果呢？因为从无始以来，人们只追求人天福报，不寻求出世的真实果实。现在将此心转向无上菩提（至高无上的觉悟），所修的善业，全部用来庄严佛果（成佛的果实），这叫做回因向果。什么是回事向理呢？如果看到众生、诸佛、善法回向有种种差别，那么事相就不空。现在将此心转向实际，能修的、所修的，能回向的、所回向的，二者都寂灭，这叫做回事向理。现在说恩有齐资，这是回己向他。同圆种智（佛的智慧），这是回因向果。这二者都是事相，理在事中，所以三者都具备。种智就是佛的智慧，是指能够知晓诸法一相，也能知晓种种相没有二致没有分别，所以叫做种智。问：所修的善业，虽然好像有又好像没有，叫做不住相。现在一件事刚刚做完，就急着回向，这不是执着吗？答：你说善不住相，那么有后报吗？如果没有，那就堕入断灭；如果有，那么即使不求福，福还是会跟随你。人天果报，终究不能避免，怎么能说没有执着呢？现在用这些福报回施给众生以及诸佛，就成为无漏的殊胜因缘，有什么执着呢？问：回施给众生，众生真的能得到利益吗？如果没有利益，那就成了虚妄；如果有利益，那就是我做的事情别人受益，哪有这样的道理？答：菩萨的福德，与众生共有。现在虽然没有利益，未来成佛的时候，众生就能得到恩赐。比如阿弥陀佛国，凡是未出生的众生就和佛一样享受，都是由于世尊在因地（修行时）作福，回施给我们，所以今天才能得到这样的果报。就像父亲的财产儿子使用，谁说不可以呢？问：回向与不回向，功德有胜劣，事情有得失吗？答：回向就能使少福变成多福，像一滴水投入大海，无法分辨。不回向就会使多福变成少福，像用水灌注漏水的杯子，很快就会漏光。而且如果能够回向，心就能转化福报，直接前往西方（极乐世界）。如果不回向
English
English version Directing it to him. What is 'returning the cause towards the effect'? It is because from beginningless time, one only seeks blessings of humans and devas (gods), not seeking the real fruit of transcending the world. Now, turning this mind towards Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi (unsurpassed complete enlightenment), all the good deeds cultivated are used to adorn the Buddha-fruit (the fruit of Buddhahood). This is called 'returning the cause towards the effect'. What is 'returning the matter towards the principle'? If one sees various differences in the dedication of merits by sentient beings, Buddhas, and good dharmas, then the phenomena are not empty. Now, turning this mind towards reality, the one who cultivates, what is cultivated, the one who dedicates, and what is dedicated, both are extinguished. This is called 'returning the matter towards the principle'. Now, saying that kindness has equal resources is 'returning oneself towards others'. Together perfecting the seed-wisdom (Buddha's wisdom) is 'returning the cause towards the effect'. These two are both phenomena. The principle is within the phenomena, so all three are complete. Seed-wisdom is the wisdom of the Buddha, which means being able to know the one aspect of all dharmas, and also being able to know that the various aspects are not different or separate, so it is called seed-wisdom. Question: The good deeds cultivated, although seemingly existent and non-existent, are called 'not dwelling in characteristics'. Now, as soon as one thing is finished, one eagerly dedicates the merits. Isn't this attachment? Answer: You say that good does not dwell in characteristics. Is there a later retribution or not? If there is none, then one falls into annihilation. If there is, then even if you do not seek blessings, blessings will still follow you. The fruits of humans and devas are ultimately unavoidable. How can you say there is no attachment? Now, using these blessings to dedicate to sentient beings and all Buddhas, it becomes a flawless and supreme cause. What attachment is there? Question: Dedicating merits to sentient beings, do sentient beings really receive benefits? If there are no benefits, then it becomes false. If there are benefits, then I do the work and others receive the benefits. How can there be such a principle? Answer: The blessings of a Bodhisattva are shared with sentient beings. Although there are no benefits now, when one becomes a Buddha in the future, sentient beings will receive the gift. For example, in Amitabha Buddha's land, all those who are not yet born enjoy the same as the Buddha. This is all because the World Honored One (Buddha) cultivated blessings in the causal stage (time of practice), dedicating them to us, so today we can receive such retribution. Like a father's wealth being used by his son, who can say it is not allowed? Question: Is there superiority or inferiority in merit, or gain or loss in affairs, between dedicating merits and not dedicating merits? Answer: Dedicating merits can turn small blessings into great blessings, like a drop of water entering the ocean, indistinguishable. Not dedicating merits will turn great blessings into small blessings, like pouring water into a leaky cup, which will soon be empty. Moreover, if one can dedicate merits, the mind can transform the blessings, going directly to the West (the Pure Land of Amitabha Buddha). If one does not dedicate merits --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
。则心被福牵。还生三界。是以修净业人。凡有一善。必先回向西方者盖以此也。问。回向西方则自求快乐。回向佛果。则自求尊胜。由来为己。何与众生。答。苟不为人。则何须作佛。如不因治乱。焉用求王。当知利人必先自利。成己即是成他。尚何彼此分别之有哉。问。众生本空。菩提非有。不见善法。将何回向。答虽知三事俱空。而众生不解。妄造诸业。妄受诸苦。是故菩萨以善法而回向之。又欲成佛而度脱之。不废修持因果耳。若执俱空。则反成偏见。堕入二乘断灭深坑矣。是知具足三种回向。是菩萨修行要行。不可不知。略释愿文竟。 西方发愿文注(终) 现代汉语译本：那么心就会被福报牵引，仍然会生于三界之中。因此，修习净业的人，凡是做了一件善事，必定先回向西方极乐世界，大概就是这个原因。问：回向西方是为自己求快乐，回向佛果是为自己求尊贵殊胜，终究是为了自己，与众生有什么关系呢？答：如果不为了人，又何必成佛呢？如果不是因为天下大乱，哪里需要求做国王呢？应当知道利益他人必定先要利益自己，成就自己就是成就他人，哪里还有彼此分别呢？问：众生本来是空，菩提（bodhi，觉悟）并非实有，不见有善法，将用什么来回向呢？答：虽然知道三事（能回向的人、所回向的法、所回向的处所）都空，但是众生不了解，虚妄地造作各种恶业，虚妄地承受各种痛苦。所以菩萨用善法来回向，又想成就佛果来度脱他们，不废弃修持因果。如果执着于一切皆空，反而会成为偏见，堕入二乘（声闻乘和缘觉乘）断灭的深坑。因此，要知道具足三种回向，是菩萨修行的重要行为，不可不知。简略解释发愿文完毕。 《西方发愿文注》终
English
English version: Then the mind will be drawn by blessings and will still be born in the Three Realms. Therefore, those who cultivate Pure Land practice, whenever they do a good deed, must first dedicate the merit to the Western Pure Land, and this is probably the reason. Question: Dedicating merit to the West is to seek happiness for oneself, and dedicating merit to Buddhahood is to seek honor and victory for oneself. In the end, it is for oneself, so what does it have to do with sentient beings? Answer: If it were not for the sake of people, why would one need to become a Buddha? If it were not for the chaos in the world, where would the need to seek to be a king come from? One should know that benefiting others must first benefit oneself, and accomplishing oneself is accomplishing others. Where is there any distinction between self and others? Question: Sentient beings are fundamentally empty, and bodhi (觉悟, enlightenment) is not real. If one does not see any good deeds, what will one dedicate? Answer: Although one knows that the three things (the person who dedicates, the dharma that is dedicated, and the place to which the dedication is made) are all empty, sentient beings do not understand and falsely create various evil karmas and falsely endure various sufferings. Therefore, Bodhisattvas dedicate merit with good deeds and also want to achieve Buddhahood to liberate them, without abandoning the cultivation of cause and effect. If one clings to the idea that everything is empty, it will instead become a biased view and one will fall into the deep pit of annihilation of the Two Vehicles (声闻乘和缘觉乘, Śrāvakayāna and Pratyekabuddhayāna). Therefore, one should know that possessing the three kinds of dedication is an important practice for Bodhisattvas, and one must not be ignorant of it. A brief explanation of the Vow Text is completed. Commentary on the Western Vow Text (End) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------