慈悲道場懺法 1.22

1.22

Assembly sharing this karmic endeavor in the bodhimaṇḍa today! In general, the causes and conditions for having such doubts are immeasurable; moreover, the latent habit of doubt and confusion cannot be exhausted even beyond the three realms, so how could it be eliminated abruptly in our present form? If it is not severed in this life, it will increase further later on. As the assembly together is just embarking on a long journey and practicing asceticism oneself, one should rely on the Buddha's words and cultivate practice according to the teachings, and must not harbor doubts or plead weariness. The reason all Buddhas and sages were able to emerge from birth and death and cross over to the other shore is truly due to the merit of accumulating goodness; thus they attained unimpeded, sovereign liberation. That we today have not yet left birth and death is already lamentable in itself; how could we tolerate greedily lingering in this evil world? Now, we are fortunate that the four elements have not yet decayed, the five blessings are healthy and sound, and we move, walk, come, and go as we please; if we do not exert ourselves now, for what else should we wait? Having already failed to see the truth in our past life, if we squander this life in vain without achieving any realization, with what will we deliver ourselves in future lives? Holding one's chest and discussing the mind, one's feelings are truly sorrowful. Today, the assembly should only encourage and assign tasks, striving diligently in cultivation, and must not say again that one ought to rest for a while. The holy path is long and far, difficult to accomplish in a single morning; if day after day passes like this, when will we ever accomplish what is to be done? Now, if due to reciting sūtras, sitting in meditation, or diligently practicing asceticism one has a minor sickness, one immediately says it was caused by the toil of recitation and practice; but does not realize that had one not engaged in this practice, one would have died long ago, and it is precisely because of this practice that one has survived until today. Furthermore, the increase and decrease of the four elements and sickness are constant; even old age and death cannot be avoided, and humans living in the world inevitably return to extinction. If you wish to attain the Way, you must rely on the Buddha's words; to attain it while going against them is impossible. Because all sentient beings go against the Buddha's words, they revolve in the three wretched paths, fully enduring ten thousand sufferings. If you act according to the Buddha's words, without any rest, be diligent in all dharmas as if rescuing your head when it is on fire, and do not let a lifetime pass with nothing attained! Let everyone be united in poignant sorrow, casting their five limbs to the ground like a great mountain collapsing, and on behalf of their parents across births since the time consciousness first arose down to this present body, their relatives across kalpas, their upādhyāyas and ācāryas, their fellow platform venerable witnesses and senior, middle, and junior seat-holders, their faithful donors and almsgivers, their good and bad kalyāṇamitras, all devas and immortal ṛṣis, the Four World-Protecting Kings, the dragon kings of the five directions who preside over good and punish evil and who guard and protect the dhāraṇī-holders, the eight classes of nāgas and spirits, and extending broadly to all limitless and endless sentient beings of the ten directions, take refuge in the Great Compassionate Father of the world: