English
Those who practice the Pure Land (Jingtu) method should use a single recitation of the Buddha's name as a 'huatou'. This is a wonderful method. However, if the mind is coarse and the breath is shallow, it will not be effective. One must calm down and reflect inwardly, until one's strength is exhausted, and then one may receive a message from the causal ground.", "Reply to Dong Xunyang Zongbo from Huzhou", "The mind originally does not arise; it arises from the union of conditions. The mind originally does not die; it dies from the dispersal of conditions. It seems that there is birth and death, but originally there is no coming or going. If you can understand this, you can achieve ease in birth and peace in death, constant stillness and constant illumination. If you cannot understand this, then you should completely let go and silently recite the name of Amitabha (Amituofo), seeking rebirth in the Pure Land. Even if the conditions are not exhausted and your lifespan is not over, you should recite the Buddha's name even more, and there will be great benefits. The ancients said, 'The Dharma gate of reciting the Buddha's name is the elixir of immortality of the Golden Immortal.'", "Reply to Layman Sun Daheng from Yuyao", "If you have faith in the Pure Land Dharma, then you should focus on studying the Infinite Life Sutra (Wuliangshou jing) and its commentaries, and other sutras can be secondary. When reading the commentaries, do not read them all at once. You should read a little at a time and finish it over several days. This way you can carefully savor them and then deeply believe that the Pure Land Dharma is the most important path for cultivation. The ancients said, 'In the sea of birth and death, reciting the Buddha's name is the most important.' These are not empty words.", "Also", "Whether reciting aloud, silently, or using Vajra recitation (reciting without moving the lips), it is not beneficial and is even harmful. Now, when wandering thoughts are rampant, just gently recite the Buddha's name once and then stop. See who is reciting the Buddha's name. After a long time, if the thought arises again, then recite and observe in the same way. If the thought does not arise, then just observe. Put down your studies, writing, etc. Putting them down does not hinder your studies.", "Reply to Layman Xu Kuoru Guangyue from Deqing", "You asked about methods for gathering the mind, and about visualizing sitting and standing, etc. These should all be adjusted according to the circumstances, and there is no fixed method. But constantly contemplating impermanence is not something that those whose worldly ties are not yet severed can do. Although you cannot constantly contemplate, it is still a practice, so don't worry about it. Moreover, in the midst of worldly ties, the practice of contemplation is difficult to achieve. It is better to directly and silently hold the name when you have free time from your studies and family affairs." ] } ``` -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 号。只贵字字分明。句句亲切。心则自摄。若久之不退。三昧成就。即此是观。 答湖广刘守复居士广曙 凡夫放心。初学摄心。后乃得心。摄心非止一法。功高易进。念佛为先。古云。余门学道。如蚁子上于高山。念佛往生。似风帆行于顺水。想起时不须别作除灭。但举阿弥陀佛四字。尽力挨拶。便是摄心工夫。忽然悟去。名曰得心。 答苏州远心远居士广绶 畏死者。以未悟本来无生故也。本自无生。焉得有死。何畏之有。然无生未易卒悟。今惟当专诚念佛。久久念至一心不乱。必得开悟。就令不悟。而一生念力。临终自知。死去必生净土。则如流落他乡。得归故里。阿弥陀佛。垂手接引往生。欢喜无量何畏之有。 答绍兴张居士 营静室。同修净业。此世间最上事也。然室不必全美足供佛。及行坐礼拜即已。亦不必候家事俱了。日出事生。欲了固无了日也。随即下手。已迟迟矣。生死海中。念佛法门。最为第一。宜尽心焉。 答休宁吴伯阳居士广侒 楞严分别真妄处。曾不谈及。观想西方。执持名号等事。何为全没干涉。而无风起浪。贬他是妄。若言妄则坐禅亦妄。持戒亦妄。讲经亦妄。乃至得菩提入涅槃亦妄。可自一心念佛。莫生疑也。 答通州孙居士广谅 来问出世真谛。夫世即出世。则不须求出。真非妄外。则何用觅真。此意未会。则莫若一心念佛。念极而悟。悟则无论。纵不大悟。而离此娑婆。生彼净土。即是出世。消灭杂念。纯一正念。即是真谛。今亦不 ```json { "translations": [ "现代汉语译本：", "只求每个字都清晰明白，每句话都亲切自然，心自然就能收摄。如果长期坚持不退转，三昧（Samadhi，定）就能成就，这就是观（Vipassanā，内观）。", "回复湖广刘守复居士广曙", "凡夫的心容易放纵，初学者要学习收摄心念，最终才能掌握自己的心。收摄心念的方法不止一种，但念佛的功德最高，也最容易进步。古人说：‘其他法门学道，就像蚂蚁爬高山；念佛求往生，就像风帆顺水行。’当妄念生起时，不必刻意去除，只需提起‘阿弥陀佛’这四个字，尽力念诵，这就是收摄心念的功夫。如果忽然开悟，就叫做‘得心’。", "回复苏州远心远居士广绶", "畏惧死亡，是因为没有领悟本来就没有生。本来就没有生，哪里会有死？又有什么可畏惧的呢？然而，无生之理不容易一下子领悟。现在只有专心诚意地念佛，长久念到一心不乱，必定能够开悟。即使不能开悟，一生的念佛功力，临终时自然会知道。死后必定往生净土，就像流落在外乡，终于回到故乡。阿弥陀佛（Amitābha），垂手接引往生，欢喜无量，还有什么可畏惧的呢？", "回复绍兴张居士", "建造清净的房间，和同道一起修习净土法门，这是世间最殊胜的事情。然而，房间不必完全完美，只要足够供奉佛像，以及进行行走、坐禅、礼拜就可以了。也不必等到家事全部处理完毕，因为每天都有新的事情发生，想要了结是永远没有了结的一天。应该立刻开始，再拖延就太迟了。在生死苦海中，念佛法门最为第一，应该尽心尽力。", "回复休宁吴伯阳居士广侒", "《楞严经》（Śūraṅgama Sūtra）分别真妄之处，没有谈及观想西方极乐世界、执持名号等事情，为什么说它完全没有涉及，而要无风起浪，贬低它是虚妄的呢？如果说观想是虚妄，那么坐禅也是虚妄，持戒也是虚妄，讲经也是虚妄，乃至证得菩提（bodhi，觉悟）、进入涅槃（nirvāṇa，寂灭）也是虚妄。你只管一心念佛，不要产生怀疑。", "回复通州孙居士广谅", "来信询问出世的真谛。世间即是出世间，所以不需要另外去寻求出世。真理不在虚妄之外，所以不需要另外去寻找真理。如果不能领会这个意思，那么不如一心念佛。念到极处自然开悟，开悟之后就不用说了。即使不能大悟，但离开这个娑婆世界（Sahā world，苦难世界），往生到西方净土，就是出世。消灭杂念，只存纯一的正念，就是真谛。现在也不需要" ], "english_translations": [ "English version:", "Only value each word being clear and distinct, each sentence being kind and natural, and the mind will naturally be gathered. If one persists without退转 (retreating) for a long time, Samadhi (定, concentration) will be achieved, and this is Vipassanā (观, insight).", "Reply to Layman Liu Shoufu Guangshu from Huguang", "The minds of ordinary people are easily scattered. Beginners should learn to gather their minds, and eventually they will be able to master their minds. There is more than one method for gathering the mind, but the merit of reciting the Buddha's name is the highest and easiest to progress. The ancients said, 'Studying the Way through other Dharma doors is like an ant climbing a high mountain; seeking rebirth through reciting the Buddha's name is like a sailboat traveling with the wind.' When wandering thoughts arise, there is no need to deliberately eliminate them. Just bring up the four words 'Amitābha' (阿弥陀佛), and recite them with all your might. This is the effort of gathering the mind. If you suddenly awaken, it is called 'obtaining the mind.'", "Reply to Layman Yuanxinyuan Guangshou from Suzhou", "Fearing death is because one has not realized that there is originally no birth. Since there is originally no birth, where can there be death? What is there to fear? However, the principle of no-birth is not easy to realize all at once. Now, one should only recite the Buddha's name with sincerity and devotion, and recite it for a long time until one reaches single-mindedness. One will surely be able to awaken. Even if one cannot awaken, the power of reciting the Buddha's name throughout one's life will naturally be known at the time of death. After death, one will surely be reborn in the Pure Land, just like returning to one's hometown after wandering in a foreign land. Amitābha (阿弥陀佛) extends his hand to welcome rebirth, with immeasurable joy. What is there to fear?", "Reply to Layman Zhang from Shaoxing", "Building a pure room and practicing the Pure Land Dharma together with fellow practitioners is the most supreme thing in the world. However, the room does not need to be completely perfect, as long as it is sufficient for enshrining Buddha images and for walking, sitting in meditation, and prostrating. Nor is it necessary to wait until all family matters are completely settled, because new things happen every day, and there will never be a day when you can finish them all. You should start immediately, and it will be too late if you delay any longer. In the sea of birth and death, the Dharma door of reciting the Buddha's name is the most supreme. You should devote yourself to it wholeheartedly.", "Reply to Layman Wu Boyang Guang'an from Xiuning", "The Śūraṅgama Sūtra (楞严经) distinguishes between truth and falsehood, but does not mention contemplating the Western Pure Land, upholding the name, etc. Why do you say that it is completely uninvolved, and stir up waves without wind, and belittle it as false? If you say that contemplation is false, then sitting in meditation is also false, upholding precepts is also false, lecturing on the scriptures is also false, and even attaining bodhi (菩提, enlightenment) and entering nirvāṇa (涅槃, extinction) are also false. You should just recite the Buddha's name with single-mindedness, and do not have any doubts.", "Reply to Layman Sun Guangliang from Tongzhou", "You asked in your letter about the ultimate truth of transcending the world. The world is itself transcendence, so there is no need to seek transcendence elsewhere. Truth is not outside of falsehood, so there is no need to seek truth elsewhere. If you cannot understand this meaning, then it is better to recite the Buddha's name with single-mindedness. When you recite to the extreme, you will naturally awaken. After awakening, there is no need to say anything more. Even if you cannot have a great awakening, but leave this Sahā world (娑婆世界, world of suffering) and be reborn in the Western Pure Land, that is transcendence. Eliminating杂念 (mixed thoughts) and only having pure and single right thought is the ultimate truth. Now there is no need to" ] } ``` -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 管出不出真不真。但工夫做到一心。自然了当矣。 答吴居士大澈 念佛即是持咒。念佛得力后。对境自如。作厌离想。即是解脱初门。但目前如何。便得自在。久持不退。自有相应时也。 答张杏苑居士广经 所问云门语。不须究。他说教外别传。只看他说。须退步向自己脚跟下。推寻是个甚么道理。其推寻今亦不难。既信念佛。但内看念佛的是谁。便是脚跟下推寻也。久之则正讹中所云。最后穷元极微一假事。不患其不得矣。 答金居土广聚 来问曰末后紧关。曰甚深之旨。曰本地相应。曰直提指斯事。紧也。深也。本也。直也。皆切问也。然只在近思而已。除此灵知炯炯外。皆缓耳。浅耳。末耳。曲耳。诚即此念佛一念所起。觑得破。管取大事了毕。又不可见如是说。便作思惟卜度。穿凿求通。则反失之矣。但念念体究。真积力久。而自得之。方是证悟。 答檀林广元 耆宿未见了了。不足恐怖。盖彼心力。实不曾用尽耳。今既有疾。亦不必以勉强勇作。但依经中执持名号。一心不乱。一味省缘。可省便省。不得已者。然后应之。自然工夫得力矣。 答余姚韩清泰居士广梵 来问一门深入之旨。彼盖为门庭各别者言。今念佛者。即在念佛上参。依旧是一门。非二事也。若参究不便。则蓦直念去。亦得复说一喻。如习举业者。易与诗等二门也。则诚不可兼。以无双经入试故。只易一经。或读文或解理。可云二门否。未闻解理之悖于读文。而不可兼也。 答嘉兴孙 ```json { "translations": [ "现代汉语译本", "管它是否真实，关键在于功夫要做到一心不乱，自然就能明了通达。", "答吴居士大澈", "念佛（Nianfo，念诵佛的名号）即是持咒（mantra，真言）。念佛得力之后，面对境界自然如如不动，生起厌离（disgust，厌恶，