無量壽經優婆提舍願生偈註 1.85

1.85

問曰：天親菩薩迴向章中言「普共諸眾生往生安樂國」，此指共何等眾生耶？答曰：案王舍城所說《無量壽經》。佛告阿難：「十方恒河沙諸佛如來皆共稱嘆無量壽佛威神功德不可思議。諸有眾生聞其名號，信心歡喜，乃至一念至心迴向願生彼國，即得往生，住不退轉；唯除五逆、誹謗正法。」案此而言，一切外凡夫人皆得往生。又如《觀無量壽經》有九品往生。下下品生者，或有眾生作不善業，五逆十惡具諸不善。如此愚人以惡業故，應墮惡道經歷多劫受苦無窮。如此愚人臨命終時，遇善知識種種安慰為說妙法，教令念佛，此人苦逼不遑念佛。善友告言：「汝若不能念者，應稱無量壽佛。如是至心令聲不絕，具足十念稱南無無量壽佛。稱佛名故，於念念中除八十億劫生死之罪，命終之後見金蓮華，猶如日輪住其人前。如一念頃，即得往生極樂世界，於蓮華中滿十二大劫蓮華方開（當以此償五逆罪也），觀世音、大勢至以大悲音聲，為其廣說諸法實相，除滅罪法。」聞已歡喜，應時則發菩提之心，是名下品下生者。以此經證，明知下品凡夫但令不誹謗正法，信佛因緣皆得往生。

Question: In the section on dedication of merit, Bodhisattva Vasubandhu says, 'together with all sentient beings everywhere, to be reborn in the Land of Peace and Bliss.' To what kind of sentient beings does this refer? Answer: According to the Sūtra of Immeasurable Life spoken at Rājagṛha, the Buddha told Ānanda: 'The Buddha Tathāgatas of the ten directions, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, all praise the inconceivable majesty and merits of the Buddha of Immeasurable Life. Any sentient beings who hear his name, rejoice with faith, and even with a single thought sincerely dedicate [their merits] wishing to be reborn in that land, immediately attain rebirth and dwell in non-retrogression; excluded only are those who commit the five heinous crimes or slander the True Dharma.' According to this, all ordinary persons outside [the noble path] attain rebirth. Furthermore, according to the Contemplation Sūtra of Immeasurable Life, there are nine grades of rebirth. As for those of rebirth in the lowest of the low grade, there may be sentient beings who commit unwholesome karma, possessing the five heinous crimes, the ten unvirtuous actions, and all unwholesome deeds. Such foolish persons, because of their evil karma, ought to fall into the evil destinies and experience boundless suffering through many kalpas. When such a foolish person approaches the end of life, he meets a spiritual friend who consoles him in various ways and expounds the wonderful Dharma for him, instructing him to be mindful of the Buddha. But this person, oppressed by suffering, has no time to be mindful of the Buddha. The good friend tells him: 'If you cannot be mindful, you should call upon the Buddha of Immeasurable Life.' In this way, with a sincere mind, keeping his voice uninterrupted, he completes ten recitations, calling 'Namo Amitābha Buddha.' Because he calls the Buddha's name, in every recitation the sins of eighty billion kalpas of birth and death are eradicated. After his life ends, he sees a golden lotus flower, resembling the disk of the sun, dwelling before him. In the span of a single thought, he immediately attains rebirth in the Land of Utmost Bliss. Remaining inside the lotus flower for a full twelve great kalpas, the lotus flower then opens (by this he ought to pay for the sins of the five heinous crimes). Avalokiteśvara and Mahāsthāmaprāpta, with voices of great compassion, broadly expound for him the true reality of all phenomena and the Dharma for extinguishing sins. Having heard this, he rejoices and immediately gives rise to the aspiration for bodhi. This is called rebirth in the lowest of the low grade. Proved by this sūtra, it is clearly known that as long as ordinary persons of the lowest grade do not slander the True Dharma and have faith in the causes and conditions of the Buddha, all attain rebirth.