無量壽經優婆提舍願生偈註 2.19

2.19

問曰：名為法指，如指指月。若稱佛名號便得滿願者，指月之指應能破闇。若指月之指不能破闇，稱佛名號亦何能滿願耶？答曰：諸法萬差，不可一概，有名即法、有名異法。名即法者，諸佛菩薩名號、般若波羅蜜，及陀羅尼章句禁呪音辭等是也。如禁腫辭云「日出東方，乍赤乍黃」等句，假使酉亥行禁，不關日出而腫得差。亦如行師對陳，但一切齒中誦「臨兵鬪者皆陳列在前」。行誦此九字，五兵之所不中，《抱朴子》謂之要道者也。又苦轉筋者，以木瓜對火熨之則愈。復有人但呼木瓜名亦愈，吾身得其效也。如斯近事世間共知，況不可思議境界者乎。滅除藥塗鼓之喻復是一事，此喻已彰於前，故不重引。有名異法者，如指指月等名也。

Question: A name points to a phenomenon, like a finger pointing to the moon. If by invoking the Buddha's name one could immediately fulfill aspirations, the finger pointing to the moon ought to be able to shatter darkness. If the finger pointing to the moon cannot shatter darkness, how could invoking the Buddha's name fulfill aspirations? Answer: The ten thousand phenomena are manifold and cannot be generalized: there are names that are identical to the phenomenon, and there are names that are different from the phenomenon. Names that are identical to the phenomenon are such as the names of the Buddhas and bodhisattvas, the prajñāpāramitā, phrases of dhāraṇī, and the incantations and spells. As in the incantation against swellings, which says: 'The sun rises in the east, suddenly red, suddenly yellow,' and so forth; even if the incantation is performed at the hours of you or hai, without involving sunrise, the swelling is healed. Likewise, when an army faces battle, merely chanting between clenched teeth: 'Let all soldiers and fighters line up before me.' When reciting these nine characters as one marches, none of the five weapons will strike; Baopuzi calls this an essential way. Furthermore, for someone suffering from muscle cramps, applying a quince heated over fire will cure them. There are also people who simply call the name of the quince and are likewise cured; I myself have experienced its efficacy. Such ordinary matters are known to the world; how much more so for the inconceivable realm! The analogy of the drum smeared with poison-eradicating medicine is another instance; since this analogy was already shown earlier, it is not cited again. Names that are different from the phenomenon are names such as the finger pointing to the moon.