Chinese
生欲生我国上品者须用慈心不杀爱护含灵具诸戒行读诵大乘解第一义谛理深明供养三宝孝敬双亲悲怜贫苦教化有情若能如是念佛者决定上品上生直至成佛其或力量未充且自坚持齐戒一心念佛若能念佛无间亦不在下品生矣况此法门不拣贤愚不择贵贱不在贫富不分男女不问老幼不拘僧俗不论久近皆可以念佛念佛轨则亦不拘或高声念低声念流水念顶礼念参究念观想念摄心念轮珠念行道念住立念静坐念侧卧念默念明念千念万念皆同一念唯要决定信心求生净土果能如是行持何用别寻知识可谓行船尽在把梢人达者同登安养国。 问世间之人多说家缘萦绊世务缠身且待老来然后念佛。 答曰苦哉苦哉岂不见死心禅师云世间之人财宝如山妻妾满室日夜欢乐他岂不要长生在世争奈前程有限暗里相催符到便行不容迟滞阎罗老子不顺人情无常鬼王有何面目且据诸人眼里亲见耳里亲闻前街后巷亲戚眷属朋友兄弟强壮后生死却多少岂不闻古人云莫待老来方学道孤坟尽是少年人又曰自从早年索妻养子经营家计受尽千辛万苦忽然三寸气断未免一旦皆休若是孝顺儿孙齐得几僧看得部经烧得陌纸春三秋九做得碗饭哭得树声犹是记忆爹娘的若是不肖之子父母方死骨头未冷作挞财产出卖田园恣意作乐以此较之着甚么急儿孙自有儿孙福莫与儿孙作马 现代汉语译本：若有人希望往生我国的上品，必须具备慈悲心，不杀生，爱护一切有情众生，持守各种戒律，读诵大乘经典，理解第一义谛的深刻道理，虔诚供养佛法僧三宝，孝敬父母双亲，怜悯贫困之人，教化有情众生。如果能够这样念佛，必定能上品上生，直至成就佛果。如果力量不足，也要坚持斋戒，一心念佛。如果能不间断地念佛，也不会堕入下品往生。何况这个法门不分贤愚，不择贵贱，不论贫富，不分男女，不问老幼，不拘僧俗，不论时间长短，都可以念佛。念佛的规则也不拘泥，可以高声念，低声念，流水念，顶礼念，参究念，观想念，摄心念，轮珠念，行走时念，站立时念，**时念，侧卧时念，默念，明念，念一千声，念一万声，都和念一声一样，最重要的是要有坚定的信心，求生净土。如果能够这样修行，何必另外寻找善知识？真可谓行船全靠掌舵人，觉悟者一同登上安乐的净土。 有人问：世间之人大多说家事缠身，俗务繁忙，要等到年老时才念佛。 回答说：可悲啊，可悲啊！难道没听过死心禅师说：‘世间之人，财宝堆积如山，妻妾成群，日夜享乐，他们难道不想长生在世吗？无奈生命有限，暗中催促，符到就要走，不容迟疑。阎罗王不讲人情，无常鬼王有什么面子可讲？’且看诸位亲眼所见，亲耳所闻，前街后巷，亲戚眷属，朋友兄弟，强壮的年轻人死去的有多少？难道没听过古人说：‘不要等到年老才学道，孤坟里埋葬的都是年轻人。’又说：‘自从早年娶妻生子，经营家业，受尽千辛万苦，忽然三寸气断，未免一旦皆休。’如果是孝顺的儿孙，能请几个和尚念经，烧几陌纸钱，在春三秋九做几碗饭，哭几声，还算记得爹娘的恩情。如果是不孝的子孙，父母刚死，尸骨未寒，就开始争夺财产，出卖田园，恣意作乐。以此比较，着什么急呢？儿孙自有儿孙福，莫要为儿孙做牛马！
English
English version: Those who desire to be reborn in the highest rank of My Land must possess a compassionate heart, refrain from killing, cherish all sentient beings, uphold all precepts, recite the Mahayana scriptures, deeply understand the profound truth of the First Principle (first and ultimate truth), sincerely make offerings to the Three Jewels (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha), be filial to parents, have compassion for the poor, and teach sentient beings. If one can practice mindfulness of the Buddha in this way, one will surely be reborn in the highest rank and ultimately attain Buddhahood. If one's strength is insufficient, one should still adhere to abstinence and wholeheartedly recite the Buddha's name. If one can recite the Buddha's name without interruption, one will not be reborn in the lower ranks. Moreover, this Dharma gate does not discriminate between the wise and the foolish, the noble and the lowly, the rich and the poor, male and female, young and old, monastic and lay, long or short periods of time; all can recite the Buddha's name. The rules for reciting the Buddha's name are also not rigid; one can recite loudly, softly, continuously like flowing water, while prostrating, while investigating, while visualizing, while focusing the mind, while using prayer beads, while walking, while standing, while **, while lying on one's side, silently, clearly, reciting a thousand times, reciting ten thousand times—all are the same as reciting once. The most important thing is to have firm faith and seek rebirth in the Pure Land. If one can practice in this way, why seek other spiritual teachers? It can be said that sailing a boat depends entirely on the helmsman, and the enlightened together ascend to the Land of Bliss (Sukhavati). Someone asks: Most people in the world say that they are entangled in family affairs and burdened by worldly matters, and they will wait until old age to recite the Buddha's name. The answer is: Alas, alas! Have you not heard what Zen Master Sixin (Died-Heart Zen Master) said: 'People in the world have wealth piled up like mountains, wives and concubines filling their rooms, enjoying themselves day and night. Do they not want to live forever in this world? But their lifespan is limited, and they are secretly urged on. When the summons arrives, they must go, allowing no delay. Yama (King of the Underworld) does not accommodate human feelings, and what face does the impermanent ghost king have to show?' Look at what you have seen with your own eyes and heard with your own ears—how many strong young people in the front and back streets, relatives, friends, and brothers have died? Have you not heard the ancients say: 'Do not wait until old age to learn the Way; the lonely graves are all of young people.' It is also said: 'Since early years, marrying wives, raising children, and managing the family business, enduring all kinds of hardships, suddenly when the three inches of breath are cut off, everything will come to an end. 'If they are filial children and grandchildren, they can hire a few monks to recite scriptures, burn some paper money, make a few bowls of rice in spring, summer, autumn and winter, and cry a few times, still remembering the kindness of their parents. If they are unfilial descendants, as soon as their parents die, before their bones are cold, they begin to fight over property, sell fields and gardens, and indulge in pleasure. Comparing it this way, what is the hurry? Children and grandchildren have their own blessings; do not be horses for children and grandchildren!' --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
牛复引古德云冷笑富家翁营生忙似箭囤圆米生虫库中钱烂贯日里把秆称夜里点灯算形骸如傀儡莫教绳索断死心如此苦口劝人曾许你且做世间事待老来念佛乎当思人生在世能有几时石火电光眨眼便过趁此未老未病之前抖擞身心拨弃尘事得一日光景念一日佛名得一时工夫修一时净业由他临命终时好死恶死我之盘缠预辨了也我之前程稳稳当当了也若不如此后悔何追思之思之。 天台智者十疑论 净土指归选 世或以念佛往生为难乎使愚夫愚妇执持圣号谛信而不疑无不得生者或以为易乎非夫宿植深厚洞达玄旨不滞于偏小者莫窥其阃奥大本经说疑心修善不了佛智生彼胎宫寿五百岁不见三宝而上品生因实枉乎解第一义故知明宗得旨乃万行之前导修净业者其可缓哉。 十六妙观 观无量寿佛经云如来今者教韦提希及未来世一切众生观于西方极乐世界以佛力故当得见彼清净国土如执明镜自见面像见彼国土极妙乐事心欢喜故应时即得无生法忍。 一心三观 四明尊者云三观者一念即空即假即中也所谓空者一切皆空三观悉彰荡相之用也假者一切皆假三观悉明立法之功也中者一切皆中三观悉是绝待之体也是则终日荡相而诸法皆成终日立法而纤尘必尽终日绝待而二谛炽然此不可思议之妙观也。 现代汉语译本： 牛复引用古德的话说，那些富家翁整天冷笑着，营生忙得像箭一样。他们囤积的圆米生了虫，仓库里的钱都烂成了串。白天忙着把稻秆称重，夜里点着灯算账。他们的形骸就像傀儡一样，千万不要让牵线的绳索断了。要像这样苦口婆心地劝人，曾经答应过别人先做世间事，等老了再念佛吗？应当想想人生在世能有几时？就像石火电光一样，眨眼就过去了。趁着现在还没老没病的时候，抖擞精神，抛弃尘世俗事，得一日光景就念一日佛名，得一时工夫就修一时净业。任他临命终时是好死还是恶死，我的盘缠已经预先准备好了，我的前程也稳稳当当了。如果不是这样，后悔也来不及了，要好好想想啊。 出自天台智者大师的《十疑论》 选自《净土指归》 世人或许认为念佛往生很难，但即使是愚夫愚妇，只要执持圣号，真诚相信而不怀疑，没有不能往生的。或许又有人认为很容易，但如果不是宿世就种下深厚的善根，洞达玄妙的旨意，不执着于偏颇狭小的见解，就无法窥探其中的奥妙。《大本经》说，心怀疑惑地修善，不能了达佛的智慧，就会生在边地胎宫，寿命五百岁，见不到三宝，这样上品往生的因就白白浪费了，因为没有理解第一义谛。所以说，明白宗门的道理，领会其中的旨意，是所有修行的先导。修净土法门的人，怎么可以懈怠呢？ 出自《十六妙观》 《观无量寿佛经》说，如来现在教导韦提希夫人以及未来世的一切众生，观想西方极乐世界。因为佛的加持力，应当能够见到那清净的国土，就像拿着明亮的镜子，能够看到自己的面容一样。见到那国土极其美妙快乐的事情，心中欢喜的缘故，应时就能得到无生法忍（anutpattika-dharma-ksanti）。 出自《一心三观》 四明尊者说，三观就是一念之间即是空、即是假、即是中。所谓空，就是一切皆空，三观都彰显荡除一切相的作用；所谓假，就是一切皆假，三观都阐明建立一切法的功用；所谓中，就是一切皆中，三观都是绝对待的本体。这样就是终日荡除一切相，而诸法都能成就；终日建立一切法，而细微的尘埃也必定消尽；终日处于绝待之中，而二谛（satya-dvaya）光明炽盛。这就是不可思议的妙观。
English
English version: Niu Fu quoted an ancient virtuous person as saying, 'Those wealthy people smile coldly all day long, their business is as busy as an arrow. The round rice they hoard grows worms, and the money in their warehouses rots into strings. During the day, they are busy weighing rice stalks, and at night they light lamps to calculate accounts. Their bodies are like puppets, and the strings that control them must not be broken. One must earnestly advise people like this: Have you ever promised others to do worldly affairs first and then recite the Buddha's name when you are old? You should think about how long life is in this world. It is like a spark of flint, passing in the blink of an eye. While you are not yet old or sick, rouse your spirit, abandon worldly affairs, and use one day to recite the Buddha's name for one day, and use one moment to cultivate pure karma for one moment. Let it be a good death or a bad death at the time of your death, my travel expenses have been prepared in advance, and my future is secure. If it is not like this, it will be too late to regret, think about it carefully.' From the 'Ten Doubts about Pure Land' by Tiantai Zhiyi (Tiantai Master Zhiyi) Selected from 'Direct Guidance to Pure Land (Jingtu Zhi Gui)' The world may think that rebirth in the Pure Land through reciting the Buddha's name is difficult, but even foolish men and women, as long as they hold the sacred name with sincere faith and without doubt, none will fail to be reborn. Perhaps some think it is easy, but if one has not planted deep roots of goodness in past lives, thoroughly understands the profound meaning, and is not attached to biased and narrow views, one cannot glimpse its mysteries. The 'Larger Sutra (Dàběn jīng)' says that cultivating goodness with a doubtful mind, failing to understand the Buddha's wisdom, one will be born in the borderland womb, living for five hundred years, unable to see the Three Jewels (Triratna), and the cause for upper-grade rebirth will be wasted because one has not understood the first principle. Therefore, knowing the principles of the school and understanding its meaning is the guide for all practices. How can those who cultivate the Pure Land Dharma be lazy? From 'Sixteen Contemplations (Sixteen Wonderful Contemplations)' The 'Contemplation Sutra (Amitāyurdhyāna Sūtra)' says, 'The Tathagata (Tathāgata) now teaches Vaidehi (Vaidehi) and all sentient beings in the future to contemplate the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss (Sukhāvatī). Because of the Buddha's power, they should be able to see that pure land, just like holding a bright mirror and seeing their own face. Seeing the extremely wonderful and joyful things of that land, because of the joy in their hearts, they will immediately attain the non-origination forbearance (anutpattika-dharma-ksanti).' From 'One Mind Three Contemplations' The Venerable Siming (Siming Zunzhe) said, 'The three contemplations are that in one thought, it is emptiness, it is provisional existence, and it is the middle way. What is meant by emptiness is that everything is empty, and the three contemplations all manifest the function of eliminating all forms; what is meant by provisional existence is that everything is provisionally existent, and the three contemplations all clarify the function of establishing all dharmas; what is meant by the middle way is that everything is the middle way, and the three contemplations are all the absolute essence. Thus, all day long, one eliminates all forms, and all dharmas are accomplished; all day long, one establishes all dharmas, and even the finest dust is certainly exhausted; all day long, one is in the absolute, and the two truths (satya-dvaya) are brightly blazing. This is the inconceivable wonderful contemplation.' -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 心观为宗