[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) › [起信論疏筆削記](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1848) › 5.30 # 起信論疏筆削記 5.30 起信論疏筆削記 5.30 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [5.30](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1848.5.30) 勸生等者，文云：復次，眾生初學是法，欲求正信，其心怯弱，以住於此娑婆世界，自畏不能常值諸佛、親承供養，懼謂信心難可成就，意欲退者，乃至常勤修習，畢竟得生，住正定故。勝方便者，文云：當知如來有勝方便，攝護其心。謂以專意念佛因緣，隨願得生他方佛土，常見諸佛，永離惡道等。觀解等者，文云：若觀彼佛真如法身，畢竟得生，住正定故。既觀法身，即是作真如觀，觀佛純熟，分得相應也。後報等者，以眾生夙業無量，今雖發心修行，其力微劣，難敵強惡，恐此報盡，仍逐故業，隨生諸趣。如人負債，強者先牽，此報命終，未知所往。或經多劫，遍歷三塗，縱得人身，尤拘緣障；或蠻貊受質，貧窮處身；或諸病所纏，六根不具；或王事迫己，塵羈在躬；或少小無知，強壯兇勇，方知樂善，已是衰年，雖悟非常，難任進向。況真法罔值，善友莫逢，縱遇此緣，根性多昧。儻是上智，易悟法門，縱辯宣揚，巧開人意，熾然惡習任運繁興。積善既微，強惡難免，脫然墮落，又是輪迴，如螘循環，何當斷絕？菩薩觀此，深動悲懷，若非方便，無能垂救。故論云：有勝方便攝護其心。故云：恐後報遷，遇緣成退也。往生等者，文云：如修多羅說，若人專念西方極樂世界阿彌陀佛，所修善根迴向願生彼世界者，即得往生。常見佛故，終無有退等。此意欲令眾生專意念佛，欣求樂欲，生彼國土。凡所修善盡將迴向，乃至有人無惡不為，但能臨終至心十念、乃至一念成就，即得往生。生彼國已，見佛聞法，任運修進，直成菩提，無諸惡緣令其退轉，故云使不退也。勸修等者，文云：已說修行信心分，次說勸修利益分。如是摩訶衍諸佛祕藏，我已總說。乃至云：未來菩薩當依此法，得成正信，是故眾生應勤修學。舉彼損益者，文云：若有眾生欲於如來甚深境界得生正信，遠離誹謗，入大乘道，當持此論，思惟修習，畢竟能至無上之道。乃至云：此人功德無有邊際。斯舉益也。又云：其有眾生於此論中毀謗不信，所獲罪報經無量劫，受大苦惱。斯舉損也。修則但應仰信，如說而行；捨則不應誹謗，免招大苦。總策等者，據前疏所判，即但策信位初心三根之行。若更以理詳之，無妨兼前三賢已下，總而勸策。則於八因緣中，第一第八皆總相，第一總利群品，第八總策勸修，中間六段各別所為，如前所配。 > Regarding "exhorting to be born..." and so forth, the text says: "Furthermore, when sentient beings first learn this dharma and seek correct faith, their minds are timid and weak; dwelling in this Sahā world, they fear of themselves that they cannot constantly meet the buddhas and personally attend and make offerings to them, dreading that faith will be difficult to accomplish, and their minds wish to retrogress," down to "if they constantly and diligently cultivate, they will ultimately be born \[there\] and dwell in correct determination." "Superior expedient": the text says: "One should know that the Tathāgatas possess superior expedients to gather and protect their minds. That is, by the cause and condition of single-mindedly recollecting the Buddha, as they vow they will be born in other buddha-lands, constantly see the buddhas, and permanently leave behind the evil destinies," and so forth. Regarding "contemplative understanding..." and so forth, the text says: "If one contemplates that buddha's dharmakāya of tathatā, one will ultimately be born \[there\] and dwell in correct determination." Since one contemplates the dharmakāya, that is indeed performing the contemplation of tathatā; when contemplating the Buddha becomes pure and mature, one partially attains correspondence. Regarding "future retribution..." and so forth: because sentient beings' past karma is immeasurable, now although they generate the aspiration and practice, their power is slight and inferior, difficult to withstand strong evil; it is feared that when this retribution ends, they will still follow their past karma and be born into the various destinies accordingly. Like a person in debt, the strongest pulls them first; when the life of this retribution ends, it is not known where they will go. Perhaps they pass through many kalpas, traversing all three destinies; even if they obtain a human body, they are still bound by conditions and obstacles. Perhaps they receive physical form among barbarians, dwelling in poverty; perhaps they are afflicted by various diseases, with their six sense faculties incomplete; perhaps kingly affairs constrain them, with worldly entanglements upon their persons; perhaps in youth they are ignorant, and in their prime violent and fierce, so that when they finally come to know delight in goodness, they are already in their declining years; though realizing impermanence, they can hardly bear to advance. How much less when the true Dharma is not encountered and good friends are not met; even if they encounter these conditions, their faculties are mostly dim. Even if one of superior wisdom easily awakens to the dharma-gate, possessing eloquence to propagate it and skillfully open people's minds, flaming evil habits still arise abundantly of their own accord. Since the accumulation of goodness is slight, strong evil is difficult to avoid; if one suddenly falls, it is again saṃsāra, circling like an ant—when will it ever be severed? When bodhisattvas contemplate this, it deeply stirs their compassionate hearts; if not for an expedient, none could extend rescue. Therefore the treatise says: 'There are superior expedients to gather and protect their minds.' Hence it says: 'Fearing that when the future retribution shifts, encountering conditions will result in retrogression.' Regarding "rebirth..." and so forth, the text says: "As the sūtras say, if a person single-mindedly recollects Amitābha Buddha of the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, dedicating the roots of goodness they cultivate and vowing to be born in that realm, they will immediately attain rebirth. Because they constantly see the Buddha, ultimately they have no retrogression," and so forth. This meaning intends to cause sentient beings to single-mindedly recollect the Buddha, with joyful aspiration and desire, to be born in that realm. Whatever goodness they cultivate, they dedicate it all; even if there is a person who has committed every evil, if only at the end of life they attain ten recitations with sincere mind, or even accomplish a single recitation, they immediately attain rebirth. Having been born in that realm, they see the Buddha and hear the Dharma, spontaneously cultivate and advance, and go directly to accomplish bodhi, without adverse conditions causing them to retrogress; hence it says 'causing them not to retrogress.' Regarding "exhorting to cultivate..." and so forth, the text says: "Having explained the section on cultivating faith, next I explain the section on the benefits of exhorting cultivation. Such is the secret treasury of all the buddhas of the Mahāyāna, which I have expounded in summary," down to saying: "Future bodhisattvas should rely on this dharma to accomplish correct faith; therefore sentient beings should diligently practice and learn it." "Presenting the harms and benefits": the text says: "If there are sentient beings who wish to produce correct faith in the profound realm of the Tathāgata, stay far away from slander, and enter the Mahāyāna path, they should uphold this treatise, contemplate and cultivate it, and ultimately they will be able to reach the unsurpassed path," down to saying: "This person's merit has no bounds." This presents the benefits. Furthermore, it says: "If there are sentient beings who slander this treatise and do not believe, the retribution of the sins they incur will last for immeasurable kalpas, suffering great anguish." This presents the harms. If cultivating, one should only believe with reverence and practice as expounded; if setting it aside, one should not slander it, so as to avoid incurring great suffering. Regarding "general encouragement..." and so forth: according to the determination in the previous commentary, it only encourages the practice of the three types of faculties of the initial mind of the stage of faith. If one further examines it by principle, there is no impediment to including those from the three worthies on down, encouraging and exhorting them all together. Thus, among the eight causes and conditions, the first and the eighth are both general marks: the first generally benefits the various classes, and the eighth generally encourages and exhorts cultivation; the middle six sections are for specific purposes, as correlated above. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 5.29](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1848.5.29) - [Next: 5.31](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1848.5.31) - [Up: 5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1848.5) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1848~en-mt.5.30) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1848.5.30](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1848.5.30) · Pramāṇa