English
English version Traveling a road is like opening a new path. If there is no set direction, one must have a driver holding the reins and adding the whip before proceeding. The minds of sentient beings are like oxen, the Three Realms (Desire Realm, Form Realm, Formless Realm) are like familiar roads, and the Western Pure Land is like a newly opened road. Vows are like the driver, faith is like the hand, mindfulness is like the reins, and vows are like the whip. Rebirth in the West is like traveling a road. Without vows, one cannot be reborn, just as an ox cannot move without a driver, so making vows is essential. Someone asks: I have heard the teachings on faith, practice, and vows. But since there are Buddha lands in all ten directions, why must one vow to be reborn in the West alone? The answer is: Because Amitābha Buddha has a deep karmic connection with the sentient beings of this world, which is not the case with other Buddhas. Therefore, one specifically seeks rebirth in the Western Pure Land and does not wish to be reborn elsewhere. Moreover, the environmental rewards (the land and environment) and the retributive rewards (the dignified forms of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas) of the Western Pure Land surpass those of the ten directions and are praised by all Buddhas. Not only do ordinary people vow to be reborn there, but Bodhisattvas do as well. Not only does this world vow to be reborn there, but other worlds do as well. There, there are no Eight Difficulties (eight obstacles that prevent one from practicing the Dharma) and Three Evil Paths (hell, hungry ghosts, and animals), nor are there the Three Poisons (greed, hatred, and ignorance) and Eight Sufferings (birth, old age, sickness, death, etc.). Food and clothing are naturally abundant, and life is immeasurable. Water birds and forests can all expound the Dharma. There are a great number of Śrāvakas (Hearers) and great Bodhisattvas. All the most virtuous people gather in one place. Therefore, in the Amitābha Sūtra, Śākyamuni Tathāgata earnestly exhorts, 'You sentient beings should vow to be reborn in the Western Pure Land.' Someone also asks: A Patriarch said, 'The wise know that the mind is Buddha, while the foolish delight in going to the West.' From this, it seems that the foolish can only recite the Buddha's name, while the wise should naturally practice Chan (Zen) meditation. If one universally encourages rebirth, I fear it would violate the Patriarch's intention and not be a universally applicable teaching. The answer is: If you say that rebirth is foolish, then were all the Patriarchs of the past, the virtuous ones of the Lotus Society, and even Aśvaghoṣa, Nāgārjuna, Mañjuśrī, and Samantabhadra foolish? Did they not know that the mind is Buddha? You should know that, from the ultimate principle, only the Buddha can be called wise; the rest are all foolish. If we speak of phenomena, then there are thousands of differences; how easily can one discuss this? Alas! The Patriarch spoke these words to break people's attachment to 'existence.' Now you are attached to 'emptiness,' which is like becoming ill from the medicine. You do not know that it is easy to cure illness, but difficult to remove the illness of emptiness. Who is the most foolish person in the world if not you? Someone also asks: In ancient times, some vowed in their next life to be born in China, to meet a wise teacher when they grow up, to leave home with right faith, and to enter the path as a celibate. This is also --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
云何。答。在昔像教方隆。人根尚利。明师易得。入道非难。纵现世未明。来生可望。故发此愿也。今则不然。佛法愈衰。人根愈钝。邪多正少。退易进难。内障外魔。无人不具。明师善友。希世难逢。但见出家满地。未闻得道何人。累劫未成。后生宁致。青公喆老。败辙昭然。大集悬记。可为诚证(大集经云后五百岁中亿亿人修行。无有一人得道。唯依念佛法门得度生死)。乃有不知利害。妄效古人。仍发此愿者。过矣。且言中国。则孰如安养。言明师。则孰愈弥陀。言出家。则孰若横超三界。言入道。则孰若华开见佛。悟无生忍。不是之愿而愿娑婆。我信是人诚为愚执。问。求生西方。固所愿也。但我下劣凡夫。罪业深重。福善轻微。如何容易得生安养。答。余门学道。须赖行人自力。念佛往生全赖弥陀愿力。自力难。故累劫未成。他力易故。一生可致。是以一日七日。便得往生。十念一念。亦能见佛。纵十恶罪人。佛亦不弃。况十善凡夫。一生发愿。念佛。而不得往生乎。且一称洪名。灭罪八十亿劫。何疑业重。暂。持圣号。胜于布施百年。何虑福轻。但办信心。决不相赚。又问。兜率内院。近在此界。又有补处菩萨于中说法。亦可上升。亲近大士。何须近越此方。远超他土。答。西方净土。是仗弥陀愿力。接 现代汉语译本： 问：为什么呢？ 答：从前佛法兴盛的时候，人们的根器还很锐利，容易找到明师，进入佛道也不难。即使今生不能开悟，来世还有希望，所以才发这样的愿。 现在则不同了，佛法越来越衰微，人们的根器越来越迟钝，邪知邪见多而正知正见少，后退容易前进难。内在的业障和外在的魔难，没有人不具备。明师和善友，世间难得一见。只见出家的人遍地都是，却没听说有谁得道。累劫都不能成就，来世怎么能达到呢？青公喆老（指古代修行者），失败的教训昭然可见。《大集经》的悬记，可以作为真实的证明（《大集经》说，后五百岁中，亿亿人修行，没有一个人得道，只有依靠念佛法门才能脱离生死）。 竟然有人不知道利害，妄自效仿古人，仍然发这样的愿，就太错误了。而且说起中国，哪里比得上安养（西方极乐世界）？说起明师，哪里比得上阿弥陀佛（西方极乐世界的教主）？说起出家，哪里比得上横超三界？说起入道，哪里比得上花开见佛，证悟无生法忍？不愿往生西方极乐世界，却愿留在娑婆世界，我相信这个人真是愚痴执着。 问：求生西方极乐世界，固然是我的愿望。但我只是下劣的凡夫，罪业深重，福德善根轻微，怎么能够容易地往生安养呢？ 答：其他法门学道，必须依靠修行人自己的力量。念佛往生完全依靠阿弥陀佛的愿力。自力很难，所以累劫都不能成就。他力容易，所以一生就可以达到。因此，一日七日，就能往生。十念一念，也能见到佛。即使是十恶不赦的罪人，佛也不会抛弃，何况是行十善的凡夫，一生发愿念佛，而不能往生呢？而且一声称念阿弥陀佛的洪名，就能灭除八十亿劫的罪业，何必怀疑罪业深重？暂时持念圣号，胜过布施百年，何必忧虑福德轻微？只要具足信心，决不会被欺骗。 又问：兜率内院（弥勒菩萨的净土），离此界很近，又有补处菩萨（指弥勒菩萨）在其中说法，也可以上升，亲近大士，何必舍近求远，超越此方，远生他土呢？ 答：西方净土，是依靠阿弥陀佛的愿力接引。
English
English version: Question: Why is that? Answer: In the past, when the Buddha's teachings were flourishing, people's faculties were still sharp, it was easy to find enlightened teachers, and entering the path was not difficult. Even if one did not attain enlightenment in this life, there was hope for the next life, so they made this vow. Now it is different. The Buddha's teachings are becoming more and more decadent, people's faculties are becoming more and more dull, evil views are many and right views are few, it is easy to regress and difficult to advance. Inner obstacles and outer demons, everyone possesses them. Enlightened teachers and good friends are rare in the world. All one sees are monks and nuns everywhere, but one has not heard of anyone attaining the Way. Having failed for countless kalpas, how can one achieve it in the next life? The failed examples of Qing Gong and Zhe Lao (referring to ancient practitioners) are clearly evident. The prophecy in the Great Collection Sutra can serve as a true testament (The Great Collection Sutra says that in the last five hundred years, billions of people will practice, but not one will attain the Way; only by relying on the Pure Land Dharma door of mindfulness of the Buddha can one be liberated from birth and death). It is a mistake for those who do not know the advantages and disadvantages to blindly imitate the ancients and still make this vow. Moreover, speaking of China, where can compare to Sukhavati (the Western Pure Land)? Speaking of enlightened teachers, who can surpass Amitabha Buddha (the lord of the Western Pure Land)? Speaking of leaving home, what is better than transcending the Three Realms horizontally? Speaking of entering the Way, what is better than seeing the Buddha when the lotus flower opens and realizing the non-origination forbearance? Not wishing to be reborn in the Western Pure Land, but wishing to remain in the Saha world, I believe that this person is truly foolish and attached. Question: Seeking rebirth in the Western Pure Land is indeed my wish. But I am just an inferior ordinary being, with deep karmic debts and meager blessings and virtues. How can I easily be reborn in Sukhavati? Answer: Learning the Way through other Dharma doors requires relying on the practitioner's own power. Rebirth in the Pure Land through mindfulness of the Buddha relies entirely on the power of Amitabha Buddha's vows. Self-power is difficult, so one cannot achieve it for countless kalpas. Other-power is easy, so one can achieve it in one lifetime. Therefore, in one day or seven days, one can be reborn. With ten念 or one念, one can also see the Buddha. Even a person who has committed the ten evil deeds, the Buddha will not abandon. How much more so a ordinary person who practices the ten good deeds, makes a vow, and recites the Buddha's name throughout their life, and cannot be reborn? Moreover, one utterance of Amitabha Buddha's great name can eradicate the sins of eighty billion kalpas. Why doubt that one's karmic debts are deep? Temporarily upholding the sacred name is better than giving alms for a hundred years. Why worry that one's blessings are meager? As long as one has faith, one will never be deceived. Question: The inner court of Tushita (Maitreya Bodhisattva's Pure Land) is close to this realm, and there is also a successor Bodhisattva (referring to Maitreya Bodhisattva) preaching the Dharma there. One can also ascend and be close to the great being. Why abandon what is near and seek what is far, transcending this realm and being reborn in another land far away? Answer: The Western Pure Land is where Amitabha Buddha receives and guides beings through the power of his vows. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
引往生。故虽远而易届。兜率内院。要赖行人定力。方得上升。故虽近而难生。苟无禅定。是无翅欲飞。求升反坠矣。且彼天欲乐。初心尚迷。西域三人。可为殷鉴(西域记云。无著世亲师子觉兄第三人。发愿同生兜率见弥勒佛。约以先去上生必来相报。后师子觉先逝杳无消息。世亲继歾复隔一年方来报语。无著问曰生兜率否。答曰已生亲见弥勒。又问师子觉何在。答曰彼生外院耽着欲乐不见菩萨。是以不来相报。故知小菩萨尚尔。何况凡夫。安可不知利害)。又问。东方药师佛国。依正庄严。与西方。无异。又有八大菩萨临终示路。亦可往生。何须定愿西方净土。答。药师一经。主于消灾延寿。不专劝往生。其言菩萨示路。是为一类不定。善根众生。欲随方受生供佛闻法者。此人福慧具足。所愿皆得。故闻药师佛名。随念即生彼国。八大菩萨。特为示路。指归其处耳。亦非一定。往生彼国也。故曰。或有因此生于天上。及生人间。为轮王而摄四洲。安四民于十善。此非福慧具足而能之乎。今弥陀佛国。专劝往生。诸经广谈。十方咸往。弥陀圣众。垂手提携。释迦诸佛。赞叹护念。而乃舍通途而行局路。执暂语以废常谈。东西既无定向。持念又复不一。既无福慧。又鲜神通。未得随生。翻成莽荡。可弗审欤。今欲一其 现代汉语译本 引导往生西方极乐世界。所以虽然遥远却容易到达。兜率内院（弥勒菩萨的居所），要依靠修行人禅定的力量，才能上升。所以虽然很近却难以往生。如果没有禅定，就像没有翅膀却想飞，求上升反而会坠落。而且兜率天的享乐容易使人迷惑初心。西域三兄弟的故事，可以作为深刻的借鉴（《西域记》记载：无著（Asanga）、世亲（Vasubandhu）、师子觉（Simhaksha）三兄弟，发愿一同往生兜率天，见弥勒佛（Maitreya）。约定先去的人，上生后必定回来告知。后来师子觉先去世，却杳无音讯。世亲接着去世，过了一年才来告知无著。无著问他是否已生兜率天。世亲回答说：‘我已经往生，亲眼见到了弥勒菩萨。’又问师子觉在哪里。世亲回答说：‘他生在外院，沉溺于享乐，没有见到菩萨，所以没有来相告。’因此可知小菩萨尚且如此，何况凡夫。怎能不知其中的利害）。 又问：东方药师佛国（Bhaisajyaguru），依报和正报都庄严，与西方极乐世界没有差别。又有八大菩萨临终时前来指路，也可以往生。为什么一定要发愿往生西方净土？答：药师经主要在于消灾延寿，不专门劝人往生。其中所说的菩萨指路，是为了一类没有决定善根的众生，想要随方受生，供佛闻法的人。这种人福慧具足，所愿都能实现。所以听到药师佛的名号，随念就能往生彼国。八大菩萨，特地为他们指路，指明方向而已，也不是一定往生彼国。所以说：‘或者有人因此生于天上，或者生于人间，成为转轮王而统治四洲，使百姓安居乐业。’这难道不是福慧具足才能做到的吗？现在阿弥陀佛国（Amitabha），专门劝人往生，诸经广泛谈论，十方众生都可前往。阿弥陀佛和圣众，伸出援手接引，释迦牟尼佛（Sakyamuni）和诸佛，赞叹护念。却舍弃通途而走狭路，执着暂时的说法而废弃常久的教诲。东西方既然没有定向，持念又不能专一。既没有福慧，又缺少神通，没有得到随愿往生，反而变得茫然无措。难道不应该仔细审察吗？现在想要统一其