English
English version: This can be said to be the ultimate of the perfect and immediate teaching. It should be said to be the perfect and immediate within the perfect and immediate, the definitive within the perfect and immediate. Such repetition is used for emphasis. For example, the *Avataṃsaka Sūtra* and the *Lotus Sūtra* are both definitive and perfect teachings. And both of these sutras praise the Pure Land rebirth Dharma gate. Isn't this the definitive within the definitive, the perfect and immediate within the perfect and immediate? For example, the ten recitations (referring to the ten recitations at the time of death) and the seven days (referring to the seven days of diligent recitation of the Buddha's name), wholeheartedly holding the name of the Buddha, if one can be reborn, one will enter the state of non-retrogression. What perfect and immediate teaching can surpass this? What Master Ciyun called 'the definitive within the definitive, the Mahayana within the Mahayana' is this. △3. Paying homage to the Sangha Jewel of both lands, divided into two parts: first, the Bodhisattva Sangha. Wonderful Virtue (Sanskrit: Manjushri) Universal Virtue (Sanskrit: Samantabhadra) Perceiving the World's Sounds (Sanskrit: Avalokiteśvara) Great Strength (Sanskrit: Mahāsthāmaprāpta) Pure Great Assembly The names of the great Bodhisattvas such as Wonderful Virtue have already been translated from Sanskrit into Chinese. If translated from Chinese into Sanskrit, then 'Wonderful Virtue' in Sanskrit is Manjushri, 'Universal Virtue' in Sanskrit is Samantabhadra, 'Perceiving the World's Sounds' in Sanskrit is Avalokiteśvara, and 'Great Strength' in Sanskrit is Mahāsthāmaprāpta. Bodhisattvas Wonderful Virtue and Universal Virtue are the left and right assistants of Shakyamuni Buddha, disciples who propagate and transform. Bodhisattvas Avalokiteśvara and Great Strength are the left and right assistant disciples of Amitabha Buddha. Whether in the *Avataṃsaka Sūtra*, the *Lotus Sūtra*, or the Vaipulya Sutras, when the Tathagata Buddha expounds the *Sutra of Pure Equality of Enlightenment*, the *Infinite Life Sutra*, the *Contemplation Sutra*, the *Smaller Amitabha Sutra*, the *Drum Sound King Sutra*, etc., they all cooperate with each other, echoing each other, in order to accomplish the opportunity of the Pure Buddha Land, in order to gather the pure assembly of those who are reborn. These Bodhisattvas are like this here, and they are like this in other places as well. It is like a monarch and two ministers, whose actions and stillness are necessarily together. As for the Pure Great Assembly, they are all pioneers who are proficient in the Dharma, and excellent companions in the lotus pond. All the Sangha Jewels of the West, we all bow and take refuge in them one by one. △Next is the Śrāvaka Sangha (Someone asks: These masters are also great Bodhisattvas, why are they called Śrāvakas? The answer is: Because they transmit and uphold the Buddha Dharma, manifest the image of Śrāvakas, and use the voice of the Buddha's path to let all beings hear). Aśvaghoṣa (Sanskrit: Aśvaghoṣa) Nāgārjuna (Sanskrit: Nāgārjuna) and Vasubandhu (Sanskrit: Vasubandhu) The founders of the White Lotus Society on Mount Lu in this land The Tiantai Master Zhiyi and Master Fazhao The Dharma Masters of ancient and modern times Bodhisattva Aśvaghoṣa. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
即西天第十二祖。着起信论。发明系念西方。最为切要。龙树菩萨。西天第十四祖。南天竺人。于九旬内。诵通三藏。深入法忍。造大悲方便论。大无畏论。又着十住婆沙智度论等。多赞西方。劝人念佛。有偈云。若人愿作佛。心念阿弥陀。即得为现身。故我皈命礼。一家宗之为始祖云。天亲菩萨。北天竺人。造唯识金刚般若等论。仍着无量寿论。有求生净土偈。及五门修法。莲社祖者。莲社祖有七。初祖晋慧远法师。俗贾氏。雁门人。学通儒老。年二十余。见道安法师。因听讲般若。豁然开悟。乃曰九流异议。皆糠秕耳。后入庐山。刺史桓伊。创东林居焉。影不出山者。三十余年。每送客游履。常以虎溪为界。时息心缁侣。绝尘信士。不期而至。望风遥集。共一百二十三人。结为莲社。名迹尤著者一十八人。六时礼诵。精进不退。十年三睹圣相。后般若台定起。见弥陀佛。身满虚空。圆光之中。有诸化佛。观音势至。侍立左右。又见水流光明分十四支。流注上下。演说苦空。佛告远曰。我以本愿力故。来安慰汝。汝后七日。当生我国。后七日果终。有杂文十卷。号庐山集。盛行于世。事详本传。文繁不录。此土念佛实始于远。故称为初祖焉。二祖长安善导光明法师。三祖南岳承远般舟法师。四祖长安法照五会法师。 现代汉语译本 即西天第十二祖（第十二代祖师）。著有《起信论》，阐明系念西方净土的重要性，至为恳切重要。 龙树菩萨（Nāgārjuna）。西天第十四祖（第十四代祖师），南天竺人。在九旬（九十天）之内，诵读通达三藏（Tripiṭaka），深入法忍（Dharma-kṣānti）。著有《大悲方便论》、《大无畏论》，又著有《十住婆沙论》、《智度论》等，多赞叹西方净土，劝人念佛。有偈语说：‘若人愿作佛，心念阿弥陀（Amitābha）。即得为现身，故我皈命礼。’一家宗奉他为始祖。 天亲菩萨（Vasubandhu）。北天竺人。造《唯识》、《金刚般若》等论，仍然著有《无量寿论》，有求生净土的偈子，以及五门修法。莲社的祖师们：莲社祖师共有七位。初祖是晋代的慧远法师，俗姓贾，雁门人。学通儒家和老庄之学。二十多岁时，拜见道安法师，听讲《般若经》后，豁然开悟，于是说：‘九流的各种议论，都是糠秕罢了。’后来进入庐山，刺史桓伊为他创建了东林寺。慧远法师身影不出山三十多年，每次送客游览，常以虎溪为界。当时息心修道的僧侣，断绝尘世的信士，不约而同地到来，遥望风采而聚集。共一百二十三人，结为莲社。名声事迹尤其显著的有十八人。他们六时礼诵，精进不退。十年中三次见到圣像。后来在般若台入定，见到弥陀佛，身满虚空，圆光之中，有诸化佛，观音（Avalokiteśvara）、势至（Mahāsthāmaprāpta）菩萨侍立左右。又见到水流光明分成十四支，流注上下，演说苦空之理。佛告诉慧远说：‘我以本愿力的缘故，来安慰你。你后七日，当生我国。’后七日果然圆寂。有杂文十卷，号为《庐山集》，盛行于世。事迹详细记载在本传中，文字繁多不在此处收录。此土念佛法门，实际上开始于慧远，所以称他为初祖。 二祖是长安的善导光明法师。 三祖是南岳的承远般舟法师。 四祖是长安的法照五会法师。
English
English version He is the 12th patriarch of the Western Heaven (12th generation patriarch). He wrote the 'Treatise on the Awakening of Faith,' elucidating the importance of focusing one's mind on the Western Pure Land, which is extremely earnest and important. Nāgārjuna Bodhisattva. The 14th patriarch of the Western Heaven (14th generation patriarch), a native of Southern India. Within nine decades (ninety days), he recited and mastered the Tripiṭaka, deeply entering Dharma-kṣānti. He wrote the 'Treatise on Great Compassion and Expediency,' 'Treatise on Great Fearlessness,' and also wrote 'Treatise on the Ten Stages of the Bodhisattva Path,' 'Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra,' etc., praising the Western Pure Land extensively and encouraging people to recite the Buddha's name. There is a verse that says: 'If one wishes to become a Buddha, and thinks of Amitābha in their heart, then he will appear in person, therefore I take refuge and pay homage.' His lineage reveres him as the founding patriarch. Vasubandhu Bodhisattva. A native of Northern India. He composed treatises such as 'Consciousness-only,' 'Diamond Prajñā,' etc., and also wrote the 'Amitāyus Sūtra,' with verses seeking rebirth in the Pure Land, as well as the five methods of practice. The patriarchs of the Lotus Society: There are seven patriarchs of the Lotus Society. The first patriarch was the Jin dynasty's Master Huiyuan, whose lay surname was Jia, a native of Yanmen. He was learned in Confucianism and Lao-Zhuang philosophy. When he was in his twenties, he visited Master Dao'an and, after listening to the 'Prajñā Sūtra,' he suddenly awakened, and then said: 'The various arguments of the nine schools are all chaff.' Later, he entered Mount Lu, and the governor Huan Yi built Donglin Temple for him. Master Huiyuan did not leave the mountain for more than thirty years, and whenever he saw guests off, he always used Tiger Creek as the boundary. At that time, monks who were resting their minds and cultivating the Way, and believers who had cut off worldly affairs, arrived without prior agreement, gathering from afar, admiring his demeanor. A total of one hundred and twenty-three people formed the Lotus Society. Eighteen people were particularly prominent in their fame and deeds. They recited and worshiped six times a day, diligently and without regression. They saw the holy image three times in ten years. Later, when he entered samadhi on the Prajñā Platform, he saw Amitābha Buddha, his body filling the void, and within the halo, there were various transformation Buddhas, Avalokiteśvara and Mahāsthāmaprāpta Bodhisattvas standing on the left and right. He also saw the light of the flowing water divided into fourteen branches, flowing up and down, expounding the principles of suffering and emptiness. The Buddha told Huiyuan: 'Because of the power of my original vows, I have come to comfort you. In seven days, you will be born in my country.' He indeed passed away seven days later. There are ten volumes of miscellaneous writings, known as the 'Lushan Collection,' which are very popular in the world. The details are recorded in his biography, and the text is too extensive to be included here. The Pure Land practice in this land actually began with Huiyuan, so he is called the first patriarch. The second patriarch was Master Shandao Guangming of Chang'an. The third patriarch was Master Chengyuan Banzhou of Nanyue. The fourth patriarch was Master Fazhao Wuhui of Chang'an. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------