English
If their aspiration lies in wealth and status, why go to the Western Pure Land? However, although wealth and status are not the ideal pursuits for a practitioner, one still needs to cultivate merits to attain them. If one does not cultivate merits, one may not become a man wearing a *yuanpao*, but perhaps someone who sews *yuanpao*. One may not marry a virtuous lady from a noble family, but perhaps marry a woman from Qi (齐人, Qí rén, a state during the Zhou Dynasty (1046-256 BC)). Even that is not certain. If one has karmic obstacles, one may not even become someone who sews *yuanpao*, but perhaps become someone like a ‘golden-clad young master’ (金衣公子, jīn yī gōngzǐ, a term for a criminal), the future is uncertain. One may not even be able to marry a woman from Qi according to proper rituals, but perhaps depend on grooms, stablemen, or cooks. The future is uncertain. Even that is not certain. If one has heavy karmic obstacles, the golden clothes might turn into red prison clothes (赤鍱, chìyè), the future is uncertain. The grooms, stablemen, or cooks might turn into hell guards (阿旁, Ēpáng), the future is uncertain. Alas!’", "Unwilling to Go to the West (2)", "Again, someone asked a monk, ‘Are you willing to be reborn in the Western Pure Land?’ The monk said, ‘I am neither willing nor unwilling. If there is a Buddha in the East, I will go to the East; if there is a Buddha in the West, I will go to the West. The same goes for the South, North, above, and below. Why should I be fixated on the West?’ Again, someone asked a monk, ‘Are you willing to be reborn in the West?" ] } ``` -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 否。曰八金刚抬我过东方。吾不来。四天王抬吾过西方。吾不去。吾何知所谓东西也。合而观之。前之一人。汩没于五浊者也。此二人者。一则随生。一则无生。虽然曰随生。未必其真能作主。而不被业牵也。曰无生。未必其真得无生法忍而常住寂光也。如未能。则戏论而已。又未能。则大言不惭而已。难矣哉。 念佛不见悟人 或问参禅得悟者。相望于册。念佛得悟者。何寥寥其未闻也。噫盖有之矣。子未之见也。且参禅人。得理之后。终不哓哓以自鸣也。龙天推出。然后声振一时。而名垂后也。彼曹溪佩黄梅之心印。苟不失口于风幡。一猎人之守网夫而已。清素受慈明密记。苟非邂逅于荔枝。一丛林之间老汉而已。子何自而知之。况实心念佛者。志出娑婆。精求净土。念念如救头然。即其悟本性之弥陀。了惟心之极乐。若终身隐而不出。子亦乌得而知之也。凡上上品生者。皆得悟人也。往生传不可不读。 一蹉百蹉 古云。今生若不修。一蹉是百蹉。一之至百。何蹉之多。直至于是。经言离恶道。得人身难。得人身。逢佛法难。然而逢念佛法门。信受为尤难也。如经所言。蚁子自七佛以来。未脱蚁身。安知何日得人身。又何日逢佛法。又何日逢念佛法门而信受也。何止百蹉。盖千蹉万蹉。而无穷也。伤哉。 蔑视西方 居士鲍始者。日诵法华楞严。久之知解通利。遂作西方论。答客问共三篇。初一篇犹谈正理。而稍稍带言西方不足生。次二篇则甚言愿生西方者之非。或劝予辟之。予忆空谷禅师。 ```json { "translations": [ "现代汉语译本", "‘不。’（那人）说，‘八金刚（佛教护法神）抬我过东方，我不去。四大天王（佛教护世神）抬我过西方，我不去。我哪里知道什么东西南北呢？’综合来看，前面这个人，是沉溺于五浊（劫浊、见浊、烦恼浊、众生浊、命浊）之中的人。后面这两人，一个说是随业力而生，一个说是无生。虽然说是随业力而生，未必他真的能做主，而不被业力牵引。说是无生，未必他真的证得无生法忍（对诸法不生不灭的深刻体悟），而常住在寂光净土。如果不能这样，那就是戏论罢了。如果还不能，那就是大言不惭罢了。难啊！", "念佛不见悟道之人", "有人问：‘参禅得悟的人，在书册中比比皆是。念佛得悟的人，为什么如此稀少，从未听说过呢？’唉，其实是有的，你没见到罢了。况且参禅的人，在领悟真理之后，终究不会喋喋不休地自我标榜。只有龙天（天龙八部）推出，然后才能声名远扬，名垂后世。那些曹溪（禅宗六祖慧能）一脉传承黄梅（禅宗五祖弘忍）心印的人，如果不是在风幡（典故，指对事物本质的争论）上失言，也只不过是个守网的猎人罢了。清素（人名）接受慈明（禅宗大师）的秘密传授，如果不是在荔枝（典故，指因缘际会）上相遇，也只不过是个丛林中的老和尚罢了。你又从哪里知道呢？更何况真心念佛的人，志在脱离娑婆（充满苦难的世界），精进求生净土，念念都像救头燃一样。即使他悟到本性就是弥陀（阿弥陀佛，西方极乐世界的教主），了达唯心就是极乐（西方极乐世界），如果终身隐居不为人知，你又怎么能知道呢？凡是上上品往生的人，都是得悟之人。往生传（记载往生净土事迹的书籍）不可不读。", "一蹉百蹉", "古人说：‘今生如果不修行，一蹉跎就是百蹉跎。’从一到百，这是多么多的蹉跎啊！直到现在，经书上说，脱离恶道，得到人身很难；得到人身，遇到佛法很难。然而遇到念佛法门，信受奉行就尤其难了。就像经书上所说，蚂蚁从七佛（过去七佛）以来，还没有脱离蚂蚁之身，哪里知道哪一天才能得到人身，又哪一天才能遇到佛法，又哪一天才能遇到念佛法门而信受奉行呢？何止是百蹉跎，恐怕是千蹉跎、万蹉跎，而没有穷尽啊！可悲啊！", "蔑视西方净土", "居士鲍始（人名），每天诵读《法华经》、《楞严经》，时间久了，知解通达流畅，于是写了《西方论》，回答客人的提问共三篇。第一篇还谈论正理，但稍微带有些认为西方净土不值得往生的意思。后两篇则极力说愿生西方净土的人不对。有人劝我驳斥他，我回忆起空谷禅师（人名）。" ], "english_translations": [ "English version", "'No,' (the person) said, 'The Eight Vajras (Buddhist guardian deities) carry me to the East, I will not go. The Four Heavenly Kings (Buddhist world-protecting deities) carry me to the West, I will not go. How do I know what is East, West, South, and North?' Looking at them together, the first person is one who is submerged in the Five Turbidities (the turbidities of the age, views, afflictions, beings, and life). The latter two, one says they are born according to karma, and the other says they are unborn. Although it is said to be born according to karma, it is not certain that they can truly be in control and not be led by karma. Saying they are unborn, it is not certain that they have truly attained the forbearance of the unborn Dharma (a profound understanding of the non-arising and non-ceasing of all phenomena) and constantly dwell in the Pure Land of Tranquil Light. If they cannot do this, then it is just idle talk. If they cannot even do that, then it is just shameless boasting. How difficult it is!", "Not Seeing Enlightened People in念佛(Nianfo,Buddha Recitation)", "Someone asked: 'Those who attain enlightenment through Chan (Zen) meditation are numerous in books. Why are those who attain enlightenment through Nianfo (Buddha Recitation) so rare and unheard of?' Alas, there are indeed such people, but you have not seen them. Moreover, those who practice Chan (Zen) meditation, after understanding the truth, will not chatter on and on to boast about themselves. Only when they are pushed forward by the Dragon Gods and Heavenly Kings (Devas and Nagas) will their reputation spread and their name be remembered by later generations. Those of the Caoxi (Huineng, the Sixth Patriarch of Zen) lineage who inherited the mind-seal of Huangmei (Hongren, the Fifth Patriarch of Zen), if they had not made a slip of the tongue regarding the wind and the banner (an allusion to the debate about the nature of things), would have been nothing more than a hunter guarding his net. Qingsu (person's name) received the secret transmission from Ciming (Zen master), if he had not encountered him through the lychees (an allusion to a chance encounter), would have been nothing more than an old monk in the monastery. How would you know? Furthermore, those who sincerely practice Nianfo (Buddha Recitation) are determined to leave the Saha world (world of suffering) and diligently seek rebirth in the Pure Land, with every thought as urgent as saving their own head from burning. Even if they realize that their inherent nature is Amitabha (Amitabha Buddha, the lord of the Western Pure Land) and understand that the mind alone is the Pure Land (Western Pure Land), if they remain hidden and unknown throughout their lives, how would you know? All those who are reborn in the highest grade are enlightened people. The Biographies of Rebirth (books recording the stories of rebirth in the Pure Land) must be read.", "One Mistake, a Hundred Mistakes", "An ancient saying goes: 'If you do not cultivate in this life, one mistake is a hundred mistakes.' From one to a hundred, how many mistakes that is! Up until now, the scriptures say that it is difficult to escape the evil realms and attain a human body; it is difficult to attain a human body and encounter the Buddha Dharma. However, encountering the Nianfo (Buddha Recitation) Dharma-door and believing and accepting it is especially difficult. As the scriptures say, an ant has not escaped the body of an ant since the time of the Seven Buddhas (past seven Buddhas). Who knows when it will attain a human body, when it will encounter the Buddha Dharma, and when it will encounter the Nianfo (Buddha Recitation) Dharma-door and believe and accept it? It is not just a hundred mistakes, but perhaps a thousand mistakes, ten thousand mistakes, without end! How sad!", "Despising the Western Pure Land", "Layman Bao Shi (person's name) recited the Lotus Sutra and the Surangama Sutra daily. After a long time, his understanding became fluent and clear. Therefore, he wrote 'On the Western Pure Land,' answering guests' questions in three chapters. The first chapter still discussed correct principles, but slightly implied that the Western Pure Land was not worth being reborn in. The latter two chapters strongly argued that those who wished to be reborn in the Western Pure Land were wrong. Someone advised me to refute him. I recalled Zen Master Konggu (person's name)." ] } ``` -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 谓谬人之言。比于樵歌牧唱。不必与辩。今鲍所论。皆援禅门正理。易以入人。则因而疑误众生。退失往生之愿。为害非细。不得终嘿矣。其初一篇。分三等西方。一为文殊。普贤。马鸣。龙树。诸菩萨。所生之西方。二为远公永明等诸知识。苏子瞻杨次公等诸贤者。所生之西方。三为凡庸。恶人。畜生等。所生之西方。其说近似有理。但九品往生。经有明文。昭如日月之在中天。何须待尔别为三等。一王创制。万国钦崇。山野匹夫。另立科约。可乎。其谬一也。佛明九品者。西方原无二土。而人机不同。故往生者。自成其九。鲍之说。是西方原说三等之土。以待三等之人。与经不协。其谬二也。又言永远诸知识。诸贤者往生。实非自利。纯是利他。夫求生彼国。正为亲近如来。冀求胜益。诸大菩萨。且置弗论。只如苏杨诸贤。岂皆菩萨地尽。特往极乐度生。更不自利者耶。行愿品颂云。亲睹如来无量光。见前授我菩提记。求授记。非自利而何。其谬三也。又曰。圣凡同体。迷悟而优劣暂分。返照回光。反掌而圣凡迥别。既其返照。如何翻成迥别。又曰同体可乎。自语相违。其谬四也。又曰。毋执我相。欲生彼土。而佛顾叮咛告诫。劝发求生。是佛教人执我相耶。其谬五也。至于第二第三篇。弥加诋毁。其谬更甚。曰今主法者。惟以净土为事。惟以此事为真。则净土是假耶。佛说净土是诳语耶。不信有金色世界。楞严所呵也。鲍日诵楞严。而作此断见。其谬六也。又云。一心不乱。非执持名号。念念专注之谓也。若说执持者有如云布。亲见 ```json { "translations": [ "现代汉语译本", "称这些为谬误之人的言论，好比是樵夫的歌谣和牧童的吟唱，本不必与他们辩论。但现在鲍某所说的，都是援引禅宗的正理，容易使人接受，这样就容易疑惑误导众生，使他们退失往生西方的愿望，危害非常大，不能始终沉默不语了。他最初的一篇文章，将西方极乐世界分为三等：第一等是文殊菩萨、普贤菩萨、马鸣菩萨、龙树菩萨等诸位菩萨所往生的西方；第二等是远公（慧远大师）永明（延寿大师）等诸位知识分子，苏子瞻（苏轼）杨次公（杨杰）等诸位贤者所往生的西方；第三等是凡夫俗子、恶人、畜生等所往生的西方。这种说法近似有道理，但是九品往生，佛经有明确的记载，像日月悬挂在天空一样明亮，何必等你来另外划分三等？一位国王创立制度，万国都钦佩遵从，一个山野村夫，另外制定规章制度，可以吗？这是他的第一个错误。佛陀阐明九品往生的道理，是因为西方极乐世界原本没有两种不同的净土，而是因为众生的根器不同，所以往生的人，自然成就不同的品位。鲍某的说法，是西方极乐世界原本就存在三种等级的净土，用来等待三种等级的人，这与佛经的说法不符。这是他的第二个错误。他又说，永明延寿等诸位知识分子，诸位贤者往生西方极乐世界，实际上不是为了自己得利益，完全是为了利益他人。追求往生西方极乐世界，正是为了亲近如来佛，希望获得殊胜的利益。诸位大菩萨，暂且不论，只说苏轼、杨杰等诸位贤人，难道都是菩萨的修行已经圆满，特意前往极乐世界度化众生，不再为自己谋求利益了吗？《行愿品》的偈颂说：‘亲眼见到如来无量光，佛陀当面授给我菩提的记别。’求授记，不是为了自己得利益是为了什么？这是他的第三个错误。他又说：‘圣人和凡夫同属一个本体，只是因为迷悟而暂时区分出优劣，返照回光，就像翻手掌一样，圣人和凡夫就截然不同。’既然是返照回光，为什么反而变成截然不同？又说同属一个本体可以吗？这是自相矛盾。这是他的第四个错误。他又说：‘不要执着于我相，想要往生西方极乐世界，而佛陀却再三叮咛告诫，劝发众生求生净土，难道是佛教人执着于我相吗？’这是他的第五个错误。至于第二篇、第三篇文章，更加诋毁诽谤，他的错误更加严重。他说：‘现在主持佛法的人，只以净土法门为事，只以此事为真，那么净土法门是虚假的吗？佛陀所说的净土是谎言吗？不相信有金色世界，这是《楞严经》所呵斥的。’鲍某每天诵读《楞严经》，却作出这种断灭的见解，这是他的第六个错误。他又说：‘一心不乱，不是执持名号，念念专注的意思。’如果说执持名号的人多如云布，亲眼见到", "English version", "These are the words of a misguided person, like the songs of woodcutters and the chants of shepherds, which are not worth arguing with. But now, what Bao is saying is all based on the principles of Chan Buddhism, which are easy for people to accept.