阿彌陀經義疏 1.9

1.9

三、明行者，行即教宗，亦有通別。初、通明大行，不出發無上道心、修六度萬行，備在眾經，不復具舉。二、別論者，修行淨業感生淨土，別是一門出離徑術。就淨業中復有多種，諸經所示行法各殊，《觀經》三福妙觀，《大本》一日一夜懸繒幡蓋，十日十夜奉持齋戒，《大悲經》中一日稱名展轉相勸，《般舟經》中一日若過，繫念現前，九十日中恒不坐臥，《鼓音聲經》十日十夜六時禮念，《陀羅尼集》誦諸神呪，《大法鼓經》但作生意知有彼佛。權巧赴機行法不一，教門雖異無不往生。今經專示持名之法，正是經宗，於今為要，故當委示，不可籠通。括束經文且為五例：一、心起忻厭，厭苦忻樂；二、身須西向，正立合掌；三、克期日限，一日七日；四、繫心佛境，專一不亂；五、期死無退，決誓求脫，若此稱名下至十念尚得往生，況一日七日乎？

Third, explaining the practice: practice is the central aim of the teaching, which also has general and specific [aspects]. First, generally explaining the great practice: it does not go beyond generating the mind of supreme enlightenment and cultivating the six pāramitās and myriad practices; being fully set forth across various scriptures, they will not be listed in full again. Second, discussing the specific: cultivating pure karma to evoke rebirth in the Pure Land is distinctively a direct pathway for departure [from saṃsāra]. Within pure karma there are furthermore multiple kinds, and the methods of practice shown across the various sūtras each differ: the Contemplation Sūtra has the wondrous contemplation of the three blessings; the Larger Sūtra has hanging silk banners and canopies for one day and one night, and upholding the precepts of purification for ten days and ten nights; the Great Compassion Sūtra has reciting the name for one day and mutually encouraging one another; the Pratyutpanna-samādhi Sūtra has focusing mindfulness before oneself for over one day, never sitting or lying down for ninety days; the Drum Sound Sūtra has worshipping and mindfully reciting during the six periods for ten days and ten nights; the Dhāraṇī Collection has reciting various divine dhāraṇīs; the Mahābherīhāraka Sūtra has merely generating the thought of being aware that that Buddha exists. The expedient means accommodate different capacities and the methods of practice are not identical, yet though the teaching gates differ, all lead to rebirth. The present sūtra specifically reveals the method of holding the name, which is the very central aim of this sūtra. For today it is paramount; hence it should be shown in detail and must not be treated vaguely. Summarizing the sūtra text, there are provisionally five guidelines: 1. In the mind, giving rise to joy and revulsion—revulsion toward suffering and joy toward bliss; 2. The body must face the west, standing upright with palms joined; 3. Setting a definite period of time—one day to seven days; 4. Fastening the mind on the Buddha's realm, single-minded and undistracted; 5. Resolving to die without regression, resolutely vowing to seek liberation. If one recites the name like this, even down to ten recitations one can still attain rebirth, how much more so for one to seven days?