[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [觀無量壽佛經疏](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1753) › 4.24 # 觀無量壽佛經疏 4.24 觀無量壽佛經疏 4.24 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [4.24](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1753.4.24) 又白一切往生人等，今更為行者說一譬喻守護信心，以防外邪異見之難。何者是也？譬如有人欲向西行百千之里，忽然中路見有二河：一是火河在南，二是水河在北。二河各闊百步，各深無底，南北無邊。正水火中間有一白道，可闊四五寸許，此道從東岸至西岸，亦長百步，其水波浪交過濕道，其火焰亦來燒道，水火相交常無休息。此人既至空曠逈處，更無人物，多有群賊惡獸，見此人單獨，競來欲殺。此人怖死，直走向西，忽然見此大河，即自念言：「此河南北不見邊畔，中間見一白道，極是狹小，二岸相去雖近，何由可行？今日定死不疑。」正欲到迴，群賊惡獸漸漸來逼，正欲南北避走，惡獸毒蟲競來向我，正欲向西尋道而去，復恐墮此水火二河，當時惶怖不復可言。即自思念：「我今迴亦死，住亦死，去亦死。一種不勉死者，我寧尋此道向前而去，既有此道，必應可度。」作此念時，東岸忽聞人勸聲：「仁者，但決定尋此道行，必無死難，若住即死。」又西岸上有人喚言：「汝一心正念直來，我能護汝，眾不畏墮於水火之難。」此人既聞此遣彼喚，即自正當身心，決定尋道直進，不生疑怯退心。或行一分二分，東岸群賊等喚言：「仁者迴來，此道嶮惡不得過，必死不疑，我等眾無惡心相向。」此人雖聞喚聲，亦不迴顧，一心直進念道而行，須臾即到西岸，永離諸難。善友相見，慶樂無已。此是喻也。 > Furthermore, I address all people seeking rebirth: I shall now present another parable for practitioners to protect faith, in order to guard against the difficulties of external heterodoxies and differing views. What is it? Suppose a traveler wishes to journey hundreds of thousands of li to the west. Suddenly, halfway along the road, he sees two rivers: the first is a river of fire to the south; the second is a river of water to the north. Each of the two rivers is a hundred paces wide, each bottomlessly deep, and endless to the south and north. Directly between the water and fire, there is a single white path, roughly four or five inches wide. This path extends from the eastern bank to the western bank, also a hundred paces long. Waves of water surge across and drench the path, and flames of fire also come and scorch the path; water and fire intersect constantly without rest. When this person reaches this remote wilderness, there are no other people or dwellings, but many bandits and vicious beasts. Seeing him alone, they vie to come and kill him. Terrified of death, this person runs straight toward the west, and suddenly seeing this great river, he thinks to himself: 'This river has no visible boundary north or south, and in the middle I see a single white path, extremely narrow. Although the two banks are close, how could it be crossed? Today I will surely die without doubt.' Just as he intends to turn back, the bandits and beasts gradually press closer. Just as he intends to flee to the south or north, the vicious beasts and venomous insects rush toward him. Just as he intends to follow the path to the west, he fears falling into these two rivers of water and fire; his terror at that moment is beyond words. He then thinks: 'If I turn back now, I die; if I stay, I die; if I go forward, I die. Since death is equally unavoidable, I would rather follow this path and proceed forward. Since this path exists, it must surely be passable.' As he forms this thought, he suddenly hears a person's encouraging voice from the eastern bank: 'O traveler, simply proceed along this path with determination, and you will surely suffer no calamity of death. If you stay, you will die!' Furthermore, someone on the western bank calls out: 'With a single mind and right mindfulness, come straight ahead! I can protect you; have no fear of falling into the perils of water and fire!' Having heard this sending off from this side and calling from the other, this person straightens his body and mind, and with determination follows the path, advancing straight forward without giving rise to doubt, cowardice, or retrogression. After taking one or two steps, the bandits on the eastern bank call out: 'O traveler, come back! This path is perilous and impassable; you will surely die without doubt! We have no malicious intent toward you.' Although this person hears their calls, he does not look back; single-mindedly advancing straight ahead, mindful of the path as he walks, in an instant he reaches the western bank, forever free from all perils. Meeting good friends, his rejoicing is boundless. This is the parable. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 4.23](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1753.4.23) - [Next: 4.25](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1753.4.25) - [Up: 4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1753.4) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1753~en-mt.4.24) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1753.4.24](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1753.4.24) · Pramāṇa