English
斋（Yulanpen Zhai，一种佛教仪式），我以为是要设供，结果没有设供，只是念佛三天而已。又听说以前有位院主被官府拘捕，堂中第一座召集大家救护，大家以为是持诵经咒，也是高声念佛而已。这两件事，完全超出常情，有大丈夫的气魄和谋略，真可以学习效法。那些现在念佛的人，名义上是专修，至于祈祷寿命，就念《药师经》（Yaoshi Jing）；解除罪过，就拜《梁皇忏》（Lianghuang Chan）；救济危难，就念《消灾咒》（Xiaozai Zhou）；求取智慧，就念《观音文》（Guanyin Wen）。把所念的佛号，束之高阁，好像对事情没有帮助一样。不想想那尊佛寿命无量，何况区区百年寿命呢？不想想念那尊佛能" ], "english_translations": [ "English version", "Forgetting. Therefore, it is called 'Nian' (念, mindfulness). To use a Confucian analogy, a Confucian scholar constantly thinks of Confucius, wouldn't that be very close to him? Now, people constantly think of the five desires (form, sound, smell, taste, touch), and do not think it is wrong, but instead think that reciting the Buddha's name is wrong. Alas! To spend a lifetime in such emptiness is not as good as being a foolish villager. It is a pity that pretending to be foolish is something only the wise can do, but the foolish cannot.", "The Repentance-Performing Monk", "There was a person who practiced the Pure Land repentance method. A monk said to him, 'Doesn't the scripture say that if you want to repent, you should sit upright and contemplate the true nature of reality (Shixiang, 實相, the true and unchanging nature of all phenomena)? Why are you rushing around and constantly prostrating?' The repenter asked, 'What is the true nature of reality?' The monk said, 'When the mind does not give rise to deluded thoughts, that is the true nature of reality.' He further asked, 'What is the mind? What are deluded thoughts? What is it that can control the mind?' The monk was speechless. The repenter said, 'I have heard that repentance takes principle as its foundation and practice as its aid. Even if one contemplates the true nature of reality, the diligent efforts of body, speech, and mind do not hinder each other. Why? Because beginners cannot immediately correspond to the true nature of reality and must rely on external conditions for assistance.' The *Lotus Sutra* (Fahua Jing, 法華經) says, 'I use various expedient means to help reveal the supreme truth,' which is what it means. The *Awakening of Faith* (Qixin Lun, 起信論) also says that sentient beings in the Dharma-Ending Age, when practicing this method, worry that they will not often encounter the Buddha. The Tathagata, the World-Honored One, has special expedient methods to teach them to recite the Buddha's name and seek rebirth in the Pure Land. Therefore, it is known that Great Master Ciyun's Pure Land repentance method is very precise, referring to the past and measuring the present. Like the *Lotus Sutra*, the *Golden Light Sutra*, and other repentance methods, it is complete in both principle and practice, revered by both humans and devas, and is a great torch in the dark roads of the Dharma-Ending Age. Moreover, is it true that engaging in productive activities without contradicting the true nature of reality is what the Buddha taught?' The monk said, 'It is so.' (The repenter) said, 'Then is performing repentance inferior to engaging in productive activities?' The monk was again speechless.", "Reciting the Buddha's Name Without Focus", "I was once in the refining mill. At that time, the abbot said to everyone that on the Ghost Festival (Zhongyuan, 中元, the 15th day of the 7th lunar month), we should hold the Ullambana Festival (Yulanpen Zhai, 盂蘭盆齋, a Buddhist ceremony). I thought it was to set up offerings, but there were no offerings, only three days of reciting the Buddha's name. I also heard that a former monastery director was arrested by the government. The first seat in the hall gathered everyone to rescue him. Everyone thought it was to recite sutras and mantras, but they just recited the Buddha's name loudly. These two things are completely out of the ordinary and have the spirit and strategy of a great person, which is truly worthy of learning. Those who recite the Buddha's name now are nominally dedicated to it. As for praying for longevity, they recite the *Medicine Buddha Sutra* (Yaoshi Jing, 藥師經); to resolve sins, they perform the *Emperor Liang Repentance* (Lianghuang Chan, 梁皇懺); to relieve difficulties, they recite the *Disaster Relief Mantra* (Xiaozai Zhou, 消災咒); to seek wisdom, they recite the *Guanyin Text* (Guanyin Wen, 觀音文). They put the Buddha's name they recite on a high shelf, as if it were of no help. They do not think that the life of that Buddha is immeasurable, let alone a mere hundred years? They do not think that reciting that Buddha's name can" ] } ``` -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 灭八十亿劫生死重罪。况目前罪垢厄。难乎。不思彼佛言我以知慧光。广照无央界。况时人所称智慧乎。阿伽陀药。万病总持。二三其心。莫肯信服。神圣工巧。独且奈之何哉。 想见昆仑 汉庄伯微。每于日落。时。面对西北。想昆仑山。久之见昆仑仙人。传法得度。此仿佛与西方日观相似。但彼属妄想。不修正。观耳。久积妄想以精诚之极。尚得遂其所见。况一心正。观。三昧成就。而不往生者哉。 竹窗二笔 雁荡山 台雁号两浙名山。而雁荡尤奇有。轻千里裹粮而往游者予昔应太平之请。去雁荡仅一由旬。期满院主白予为雁荡游。予欲往。而忻然从游者百余众。因计彼山久无接待。徘徊历览。往返不下半月费粟数石。院贫不能支遂坚执己之。众怏怏。乃慰之曰。雁荡之胜。在震旦中。尚有过之者。即震旦最胜处。不及天宫天宫展转最胜处。不及西方极乐。世界。公等不慕极乐。而沾沾雁荡是慕。也竟不去。 鲍勉 真诰云。鲍勉未知道但朝暮扣齿不息鬼使不能取。盖扣齿集身中之神。神不离。故鬼不得近。向使以扣齿之力修真。何真之不成。予谓岂独修真。以扣齿之力。念念扣已而参。何佛之不成乎。夫身中之神。秪是一精魂耳。力尚。伏鬼。况经云。受持一佛名者有百千大力天神为之拥护。又云。念佛之人。佛在其顶。今也勤为扣齿之细故。而甘舍念佛之大道惜哉。 结社会 结社念佛。始自庐山远师今之人。主社者得如远师否。与社者得如。十八贤否则。宜少不宜多 ```json { "translations": [ "现代汉语译本", "灭除八十亿劫的生死重罪，更何况是眼前的罪恶和灾难呢？难道不应该想想阿弥陀佛所说的‘我以智慧之光，广照无央界（无边无际的世界）’吗？更何况是世人所称赞的智慧呢？阿伽陀药（梵文，意为万能药），能总持一切疾病，但有些人即使知道，也二三其心（三心二意），不肯信服。那么，即使是神圣的工巧，又能对他们有什么办法呢？", "想见昆仑", "汉朝的庄伯微，每天日落时分，都面对西北方向，想象昆仑山。时间久了，见到了昆仑仙人，并被传授了修道之法，最终得道。这与西方净土的日观法门有些相似。但庄伯微所见属于妄想，没有经过修正。只是观看而已。然而，长久积累妄想，以至于精诚之极，尚且能够实现他所见到的景象。更何况一心正观，三昧（梵文，意为正定）成就，而不往生西方极乐世界的人呢？", "竹窗二笔", "雁荡山", "台州雁荡山，号称两浙（浙江）的名山。而雁荡山尤其奇特，有人不惜千里迢迢自带干粮前往游览。我过去应太平寺的邀请，距离雁荡山只有一由旬（古代长度单位）。期满后，院主告诉我，可以去雁荡山游览。我想去，而欣然同意一同前往的人有一百多人。考虑到那座山很久没有接待游客了，徘徊游览，往返至少需要半个月，花费的粮食有好几石。寺院贫困，无法承担这笔费用，于是坚决拒绝了。众人很不高兴。于是我安慰他们说：‘雁荡山的胜景，在震旦（古代中国的称谓）之中，尚且有超过它的地方。即使是震旦最胜的地方，也比不上天宫。天宫辗转最胜的地方，也比不上西方极乐世界。你们不羡慕极乐世界，却只贪恋雁荡山，最终还是去不了。’", "鲍勉", "《真诰》中记载，鲍勉还未悟道的时候，只是早晚不停地叩齿，鬼使就无法靠近他。因为叩齿可以聚集身中的神灵，神灵不离身，所以鬼就无法靠近。如果能把叩齿的力量用来修真，那么什么真道不能成就呢？我认为岂止是修真，如果能把叩齿的力量，念念不忘地用来参禅，那么什么佛不能成就呢？要知道，身中的神灵，只不过是一精魂而已，力量尚且能够降伏鬼怪。更何况经书中说，受持一佛名号的人，有百千大力天神为之拥护。又说，念佛的人，佛就在他的头顶。现在却勤于叩齿这种小事，而甘愿舍弃念佛的大道，真是可惜啊！", "结社会", "结社念佛，始于庐山慧远大师。现在的主持社团的人，能像慧远大师那样吗？参加社团的人，能像十八贤那样吗？宜少不宜多。" ], "english_translations": [ "English version", "It can extinguish the heavy sins of eighty billion kalpas (aeons) of birth and death. How much more so the present sins and calamities? Should we not consider what Amitabha Buddha said, 'I illuminate the boundless realms with the light of wisdom'? How much more so the wisdom praised by people in this world? The Agada medicine (Sanskrit, meaning panacea) can hold all diseases, but even knowing this, some people are of two or three minds, unwilling to believe. Then, what can even sacred craftsmanship do for them?", "Imagining Mount Kunlun", "Zhuang Bowei of the Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD), every day at sunset, would face northwest and imagine Mount Kunlun. After a long time, he saw the immortals of Kunlun and was taught the methods of cultivation, eventually attaining enlightenment. This is somewhat similar to the Sun Contemplation method of the Western Pure Land. However, what Zhuang Bowei saw was based on delusion and was not corrected. It was merely observation. Yet, accumulating delusions for a long time, to the point of utmost sincerity, he was still able to realize what he saw. How much more so those who practice right contemplation with a single mind, achieve samadhi (Sanskrit, meaning concentration), and yet do not attain rebirth in the Western Pure Land?", "Bamboo Window Jottings", "Mount Yandang", "Mount Yandang in Taizhou is known as a famous mountain in both Zhejiang provinces. And Mount Yandang is especially unique, with some people willing to travel thousands of miles with their own provisions to visit. In the past, I was invited to Taiping Temple, which was only one yojana (ancient unit of length) away from Mount Yandang. After my term was over, the abbot told me that I could visit Mount Yandang. I wanted to go, and more than a hundred people gladly agreed to go with me. Considering that the mountain had not received visitors for a long time, wandering and sightseeing would take at least half a month, costing several dan (unit of dry measure) of grain. The temple was poor and could not afford this expense, so I firmly refused. The crowd was unhappy. So I comforted them, saying, 'The beauty of Mount Yandang, even in Jambudvipa (ancient name for the world), still has places that surpass it. Even the most beautiful place in Jambudvipa cannot compare to the heavens. The most beautiful place in the heavens cannot compare to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. You do not admire the Pure Land, but are only attached to Mount Yandang, and in the end, you will not be able to go.'", "Bao Mian", "The *Zhengao* records that when Bao Mian had not yet attained enlightenment, he simply knocked his teeth together incessantly morning and evening, and the demon messengers could not approach him. Because knocking the teeth together can gather the spirits within the body, and when the spirits do not leave the body, the demons cannot approach. If the power of knocking the teeth together could be used to cultivate truth, then what truth could not be achieved? I believe that it is not just cultivating truth; if the power of knocking the teeth together could be used to practice Chan meditation with mindfulness, then what Buddha could not be achieved? Know that the spirits within the body are merely a single essence, yet their power can subdue demons. How much more so the sutras that say that those who uphold the name of one Buddha are protected by hundreds of thousands of powerful heavenly deities. It is also said that the Buddha is on the head of those who recite the Buddha's name.