Chinese
我也形者我所舍也我有去来故舍有成坏然则生者非生也以神之来而形成耳死者非死也以神之去而形坏耳世之人不识其神徒见其形乃悦生而恶死可不悲乎且神之来也何自而来哉盖随业缘而来神之去何自而去哉盖随业缘而去业缘者何哉其所作者人间之业神则随之而生人间所作者天上之业神则随之而生于天上若作阿修罗之业神则随之生于阿修罗若作三恶道之业神则随之生于三恶道是轮回六趣无有出期然则神者自无始以来投胎易壳不得久留于一所所以然者何哉以吾所造之业非久而不尽者故神之舍于业也业尽则形坏形坏则神无所舍又随吾今世所造之业而往矣譬如人造屋宇必居其中人造饭食必享其味故造如是业必受如是报盖自然之理也然则吾今世所为岂可以不慎哉。 经云大医王能治一切病不能治命尽之人佛能度一切众生不能度不信之人盖信者一念也若人在生时心念要去身则随去心念要住身则随住是身常随念然犹有念欲去而身被牵系者身坏时惟一念而已一念到处则无不到是以一念在净土则必生净土况佛与菩萨又接引人往生乎。 知归子问善导和尚曰蒙开诲念佛之法但恐死至之时心识散乱仍虑他人惑动正念忘失净因师曰善哉问也凡一切人命终须是不得怕死常念此身多苦若得舍此起生净土受无量快乐乃是称意之事如脱敝衣 现代汉语译本： 我也只是形体的寄托之所，我所抛弃的。我因为有来有去，所以抛弃有成有坏的形体。那么，生不是真正的生，只是因为神识的到来而形成形体罢了；死也不是真正的死，只是因为神识的离去而形体坏灭罢了。世间的人不认识他们的神识，只看到他们的形体，于是喜欢生存而厌恶死亡，这难道不令人悲哀吗？而且神识的到来，是从哪里来的呢？大概是随着业缘而来的。神识的离去，又是到哪里去呢？大概是随着业缘而去的。什么是业缘呢？就是所做的事情。如果人做了人间的善业，神识就随着他而生在人间；如果人做了天上的善业，神识就随着他而生在天上；如果做了阿修罗（Ashura，非天，一种善斗的神）的业，神识就随着他而生在阿修罗道；如果做了三恶道（three evil paths，地狱、饿鬼、畜生）的业，神识就随着他而生在三恶道。这样轮回六趣（six realms of reincarnation，天道、人道、阿修罗道、地狱道、饿鬼道、畜生道），没有脱离的时候。那么，神识自从无始以来，投胎换壳，不能长久地停留在一个地方，这是什么原因呢？因为我所造的业，不是短时间就能完结的。所以神识舍弃这个业报之身，业报完结了，形体就坏灭了，形体坏灭了，神识就没有可以寄托的地方，又随着我今生所造的业而去了。譬如人建造房屋，必定住在里面；人制造饭食，必定享受它的美味。所以造作这样的业，必定承受这样的果报，这是自然的道理啊！那么，我今生所做的事情，难道可以不谨慎吗？ 经书上说，大医王（great doctor king，指佛）能医治一切疾病，却不能医治寿命将尽的人；佛能度化一切众生，却不能度化不相信的人。相信，只是一念之间的事情。如果人在临终的时候，心里想着要去，身体就随着心而去；心里想着要住，身体就随着心而住。这是身体常常随着念头。即使有念头想要离去，而身体被牵绊的情况，身体坏灭的时候，只剩下一个念头而已。一个念头到达的地方，没有不能到达的。因此，一个念头在净土（Pure Land），就必定往生净土，更何况佛与菩萨又接引人往生呢？ 知归子（Zhigui Zi，人名）问善导和尚（Shandao, a monk's name）说：‘蒙受您的开示，教诲我念佛的方法，只是恐怕临死的时候，心识散乱，仍然担心他人迷惑动摇我的正念，忘记了往生净土的善因。’善导和尚说：‘问得好啊！凡是所有的人，临命终时，必须不要害怕死亡，常常想着这个身体有很多痛苦，如果能够舍弃这个身体，往生净土，享受无量的快乐，才是称心如意的事情，就像脱掉破旧的衣服一样。’
English
English version: I am merely a temporary dwelling for the form, which I will eventually discard. Because I have coming and going, I discard the form that has formation and decay. Therefore, birth is not true birth, but merely the formation of the body due to the arrival of consciousness (神, shen); death is not true death, but merely the decay of the body due to the departure of consciousness. People in the world do not recognize their consciousness, only see their form, and thus delight in life and abhor death. Is this not lamentable? Moreover, where does the arrival of consciousness come from? It comes from karmic conditions (业缘, ye yuan). Where does the departure of consciousness go to? It goes according to karmic conditions. What are karmic conditions? They are the actions one performs. If one performs good deeds in the human realm, consciousness will follow and be born in the human realm; if one performs good deeds in the heavens, consciousness will follow and be born in the heavens; if one performs the deeds of an Ashura (阿修罗, Ashura, a type of fighting spirit), consciousness will follow and be born in the realm of Ashuras; if one performs the deeds of the three evil paths (三恶道, three evil paths, hell, hungry ghosts, animals), consciousness will follow and be born in the three evil paths. Thus, one reincarnates in the six realms (六趣, six realms of reincarnation, heavens, humans, Ashuras, hell, hungry ghosts, animals) without end. Therefore, consciousness, since beginningless time, has been reincarnating and changing shells, unable to stay in one place for long. Why is this so? Because the karma I create cannot be exhausted in a short time. Therefore, consciousness abandons this karmic body. When the karma is exhausted, the form decays. When the form decays, consciousness has nowhere to dwell, and it goes according to the karma I create in this life. It is like a person building a house, they will surely live in it; a person making food, they will surely enjoy its taste. Therefore, creating such karma will surely receive such retribution. This is the natural principle! Then, should I not be cautious about what I do in this life? The sutra says that the great doctor king (大医王, great doctor king, referring to the Buddha) can cure all diseases, but cannot cure those whose lives are exhausted; the Buddha can liberate all sentient beings, but cannot liberate those who do not believe. Belief is only a matter of a single thought. If a person, at the time of death, thinks of going, the body will follow the mind and go; if they think of staying, the body will follow the mind and stay. This is because the body always follows the thought. Even if there is a situation where the thought wants to leave but the body is restrained, when the body decays, only one thought remains. Wherever that one thought reaches, there is nowhere it cannot reach. Therefore, if one thought is in the Pure Land (净土, Pure Land), one will surely be born in the Pure Land, let alone that the Buddha and Bodhisattvas also receive and guide people to be reborn there? Zhigui Zi (知归子, Zhigui Zi, a person's name) asked the Venerable Shandao (善导和尚, Shandao, a monk's name): 'I am grateful for your teachings, instructing me in the method of reciting the Buddha's name, but I fear that at the time of death, my consciousness will be scattered, and I am still worried that others will confuse and shake my right mindfulness, forgetting the good cause of being reborn in the Pure Land.' Venerable Shandao said: 'A good question! For all people, when approaching the end of life, one must not fear death, and often think that this body has much suffering. If one can abandon this body and be reborn in the Pure Land, enjoying immeasurable happiness, that is a satisfactory thing, like taking off old and worn-out clothes.' --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
得换珍服其于敝衣肯生恋着但遇病时便念无常一心待死叮嘱家人及看病往来问候之人凡到我前不得说眼前闲杂之话亦不须软言安慰祝愿安乐此皆空华无益若病重将终亲属不得垂泪哭泣嗟叹懊恼惑乱心神但当同声念佛助其往生待气尽了多时然后哀泣未晚若知死是归去能不哀泣尤为达理也况往生净土舍苦得乐慎不宜哭泣使死者乱心也予又多见世人平常念佛礼赞发愿求生西方及至病来却又怕死都不说着往生之事直待气消命尽识投冥界方始十念鸣钟却如贼去关门济何事也生死事大须是自家着力始得若一念差错历劫受苦谁人相代思之思之。 慈照宗主净土十门告诫云念佛人临终三疑三关不可不慎一者疑我生来作业极重修行日浅恐不得生二者疑我生来欠人债负或有心愿未了及贪嗔痴未息恐不得生三者疑我虽念阿弥临命终时恐佛不来接引有此三疑因疑成障失其正念不得往生故念佛之人切要谛信佛言勿生疑心三关者凡夫虽有信心念佛缘宿业障重应堕地狱临终不免病苦若因病苦盖知悔悟身心决生净土也只缘无智之人不了此事却言我今念佛又有病苦反谤阿弥因此一念径入地狱此是一关也二者虽则持戒念佛缘平日口谈净土意恋娑婆以致临终遭病怕死贪生信受童儿呼神唤鬼烧钱化纸杀戮生命缘此心邪无佛摄护堕落三涂是二关也三者临终之 现代汉语译本 如果得到了华丽的衣服，谁还愿意留恋破旧的衣服呢？但当生病的时候，就要想到无常，一心等待死亡，叮嘱家人以及来看病问候的人，凡是到我面前的，不得说眼前的闲杂话，也不需要用软言安慰，祝愿安乐，这些都是空花，没有益处。如果病重将要去世，亲属不得流泪哭泣，嗟叹懊恼，扰乱心神，但应当同声念佛，帮助他往生。等待断气很久之后，然后哀泣也不晚。如果知道死亡是归去，能不哀泣，就更为通达事理了。何况往生净土，舍弃痛苦得到快乐，千万不应该哭泣，使死者心神扰乱啊！我又多次见到世人，平常念佛礼赞，发愿求生西方，等到生病的时候，却又怕死，都不说往生的事情，一直等到气息消散，性命进入冥界，才开始十念鸣钟，却像贼走了才关门，有什么用呢？生死是大事，必须是自己着力才能成功，如果一念差错，历劫受苦，谁人能够代替呢？仔细想想，仔细想想。 慈照宗主的《净土十门告诫》说，念佛的人临终有三疑三关，不可不谨慎。一是怀疑我生来所造的业极重，修行时间短浅，恐怕不能往生；二是怀疑我生来欠人债负，或者有心愿未了，以及贪嗔痴没有止息，恐怕不能往生；三是怀疑我虽然念阿弥陀佛（Amitabha，音译，意为无量光佛），临命终时，恐怕佛不来接引。有这三种怀疑，因为怀疑成为障碍，失去正念，不能往生。所以念佛的人，一定要深信佛言，不要产生疑心。三关是：凡夫虽然有信心念佛，但因为宿世的业障深重，应该堕入地狱，临终不免遭受病苦。如果因为病苦而知道悔悟，身心决定往生净土。只因为没有智慧的人不了解这件事，却说我现在念佛，又有病苦，反而诽谤阿弥陀佛（Amitabha，音译，意为无量光佛），因此一念直接堕入地狱，这是一关。二是虽然持戒念佛，但因为平日口谈净土，心里却留恋娑婆世界（Sahā world，音译，指我们所居住的这个充满缺陷和痛苦的世界），以致临终遭受病痛，害怕死亡，贪恋生命，相信童儿呼神唤鬼，烧钱化纸，杀戮生命，因为这种心邪，没有佛的摄护，堕落到三恶道，这是第二关。三是临终的时候，
English
English version If one obtains splendid clothes, who would still cherish the worn-out ones? But when one is ill, one should contemplate impermanence, single-mindedly await death, and instruct family members and those who come to visit and inquire. Whoever comes before me must not speak of idle matters at hand, nor offer soft words of comfort or wishes for peace and happiness; these are all empty flowers, of no benefit. If the illness is severe and one is about to pass away, relatives must not weep and wail, sigh and fret, disturbing the mind. Instead, they should recite the Buddha's name in unison, helping the dying person to be reborn in the Pure Land. Wait a long time after the breath has ceased before grieving; it is not too late then. If one knows that death is a return, and can refrain from weeping, that is even more understanding of the truth. Moreover, being reborn in the Pure Land means leaving suffering and attaining joy; one should certainly not weep, causing the dying person's mind to be disturbed! I have also often seen people in the world who usually recite the Buddha's name, praise and make vows to be reborn in the West, but when illness comes, they fear death and do not speak of rebirth at all, waiting until their breath dissipates and their life enters the realm of darkness before beginning the ten recitations and ringing the bell, which is like closing the door after the thief has left; what good does it do? Birth and death are major matters, and one must exert oneself to succeed. If there is a single wrong thought, one will suffer for kalpas; who can take one's place? Think about it, think about it. The Master Cizhao's 'Ten Admonishments on the Pure Land' says that those who recite the Buddha's name must be cautious of three doubts and three barriers at the time of death. First, doubting that the karma created in my life is extremely heavy and my practice is shallow, fearing that I will not be reborn; second, doubting that I owe debts from past lives, or have unfulfilled wishes, and that greed, anger, and ignorance have not ceased, fearing that I will not be reborn; third, doubting that although I recite Amitabha (Amitabha, transliteration, meaning immeasurable light Buddha), at the time of death, the Buddha will not come to receive me. Having these three doubts, because doubt becomes an obstacle, one loses right mindfulness and cannot be reborn. Therefore, those who recite the Buddha's name must deeply believe in the Buddha's words and not give rise to doubt. The three barriers are: although ordinary people have faith and recite the Buddha's name, because of the heavy karmic obstacles from past lives, they should fall into hell, and at the time of death, they cannot avoid suffering from illness. If, because of the suffering of illness, one knows to repent, one's body and mind will surely be reborn in the Pure Land. It is only because people without wisdom do not understand this matter that they say, 'Now that I recite the Buddha's name, I still have the suffering of illness,' and instead slander Amitabha (Amitabha, transliteration, meaning immeasurable light Buddha), and therefore, with this one thought, they directly fall into hell; this is one barrier. Second, although one upholds the precepts and recites the Buddha's name, because one usually talks about the Pure Land but in one's heart clings to the Sahā world (Sahā world, transliteration, refers to the world we live in, full of imperfections and suffering), one suffers from illness at the time of death, fears death, clings to life, and believes in children calling upon spirits and ghosts, burning money and paper, and killing living beings. Because this mind is evil, without the Buddha's protection, one falls into the three evil realms; this is the second barrier. Third, at the time of death, --------------------------------------------------------------------------------