國清百錄 1.132

1.132

勸修第一。經言「我去世後，此方等典在閻浮提，猶如日月照明世間，眾生遭恩得見四方。」言閻浮提者，無明域也。聞方等經深識因果，如見日月鑑覽四方，故知深經妙法能示世間相。所謂示是道是非道，非道即世間苦集，道即出世道滅。如是四法，皆由方等照了分明。經又言「是方等經無量勢力，能令一切人天脩羅地獄餓鬼悉至道場。如是章句甚為希有，能滅一切大罪業報」者，豈非示世間因果。所以者何？既舉五道即是明苦。復云滅罪業，豈非是集。經又言「若能修行得全分寶，但能讀誦得中分寶，華香供養得下分寶，乃至二乘受記成佛。」豈非示出世因果。解通四諦事理分明，已如上說；行轉三障今當說。經云「若犯三自歸，乃至六重菩薩二十四戒、沙彌沙彌尼比丘比丘尼等戒，能至心懺，若不還生無有是處。」當知方等能滅一切惡業罪障必無疑也。又云「地獄餓鬼極惡報處，以經威力聞即悟道，改醜陋形。」又云「身有白癩，一心懺悔，若不除瘥亦無是處。」當知此經能轉一切重惡報障，金口誠言決無虛也。若行此實法，初華聚觀世音來，次寶王釋迦佛來，乃至第七日諸佛大眾皆來，量根說法發菩提心而不退轉者，當知此經能破煩惱障。明文在茲孰當不信？是故行者以寂滅相行六波羅蜜，無所求中吾故求之佛實法，隨意往生妙樂世界及諸佛前，破諸煩惱出無明殼，長與苦別，具足聖道上菩薩位，度脫一切眾生，廣為三界而作父母者，若非方等慈力莫由。譬如日月欲除闇瞑生長萬物，此經亦爾，能滅非道顯示正路，是大法王良藥無價寶珠豐樂國。若聞此經，如囚聞赦、如病得醫、如貧得寶、如行到家，歡喜踊躍亦復如是。為法故尚不悋惜身之與命，況復其餘。若聞此經，當知不從小功德來。誰聞如是法不發菩提心，除彼不肖人癡瞑無智者。故云辯若文殊，於一劫中教化一切令登補處，格其功德不及下分寶者，況上分耶。又一切聲聞辟支佛，十信補處如恒河沙，同入深禪思惟，功德不如一分。又四天下寶奉施如來，不如有人施持經者一食充軀。何唯疑審如是否，七佛即現證實不虛，三世如來皆由此法得成佛道。

First: Exhortation to practice. The sūtra says: 'After my parinirvāṇa, when this Vaipulya scripture is in Jambudvīpa, it will be like the sun and the moon illuminating the world, and sentient beings encountering its grace will be able to see the four quarters.' What is meant by Jambudvīpa is the realm of fundamental ignorance. Hearing the Vaipulya sūtras, one deeply discerns cause and effect, just as seeing the sun and the moon allows one to survey the four quarters. Thus one knows that profound scriptures and marvelous Dharmas can reveal the characteristics of the mundane world. That is to say, they reveal what is the Path and what is not the Path: what is not the Path is mundane suffering and accumulation; the Path is supramundane path and cessation. These four truths are all clearly illuminated by the Vaipulya. The sūtra also says: 'This Vaipulya sūtra has immeasurable power, capable of causing all humans, devas, asuras, hell beings, and hungry ghosts to reach the bodhimaṇḍa. Such phrases are exceedingly rare, capable of extinguishing all retribution for grave karmic offenses'—how could this not be showing worldly cause and effect? Why is that? Mentioning the five destinies is to clarify suffering; saying that it extinguishes karmic offenses, is this not accumulation? The sūtra also says: 'If one can practice it, one obtains the full share of jewels; if one can merely read and recite it, one obtains the middle share of jewels; if one makes offerings of flowers and incense, one obtains the lower share of jewels, up to the point where those of the two vehicles receive prediction to become Buddhas.' How could this not be showing supramundane cause and effect? Understanding the Four Noble Truths clearly in phenomena and principle has already been explained above; actively transforming the three obstacles will now be explained. The sūtra says: 'If one violates the three refuges, up to the six grave precepts, the twenty-four bodhisattva precepts, the precepts for śrāmaṇeras, śrāmaṇerīs, bhikṣus, and bhikṣuṇīs, if one can repent with sincere mind, it is impossible that [purity] will not be revived.' One must know that the Vaipulya can extinguish all evil karmic obstacles without doubt. It also says: 'In the hells and among the hungry ghosts, places of extreme evil retribution, through the mighty power of this sūtra, upon hearing it they immediately awaken to the Path and change their hideous forms.' It also says: 'If one's body has white leprosy, and one repents with a single mind, it is impossible that it will not be cured.' One must know that this sūtra can transform all grave retribution obstacles; these true words from the golden mouth are certainly not in vain. If one practices this true Dharma, first Avalokiteśvara of the Flower Gathering will come; next, Śākyamuni Buddha the Jeweled King will come, up to the seventh day when all the Buddhas and the great assembly will come, preaching the Dharma according to their capacities and causing them to generate the bodhicitta and not regress. One must know that this sūtra can destroy the obstacle of afflictions. With the clear text here, who would not believe? Therefore, the practitioner, with the mark of quiescence, practices the six pāramitās; in the midst of non-seeking, I still seek the Buddha's true Dharma, taking rebirth at will in the World of Wondrous Joy and before all Buddhas, destroying all afflictions and emerging from the shell of ignorance, parting forever from suffering, fulfilling the noble path and ascending to the bodhisattva stages, delivering all sentient beings, and acting widely as a parent to the three realms. If not for the Vaipulya's power of compassion, there would be no way. Just as the sun and the moon remove darkness and cause the myriad things to grow, this sūtra is likewise: it can extinguish what is not the Path and reveal the correct path; it is the great Dharma King, the excellent medicine, the priceless jewel, the bountiful and joyful land. If one hears this sūtra, it is like a prisoner hearing of a pardon, like a sick person obtaining a physician, like a poor person obtaining a treasure, like a traveler arriving home—their joy and leaping for joy are just like this. For the sake of the Dharma, one does not even begrudge one's body and life, how much less anything else! If one hears this sūtra, one should know that it does not come from small merit. Who, hearing such a Dharma, would not generate the bodhicitta, except for those unfilial, foolish, darkened, and unwise people? Therefore it says: Even if one possessed eloquence like Mañjuśrī and in one kalpa transformed all beings causing them to ascend to the stage of succession to buddhahood, weighing that merit, it would not equal the lower share of jewels [from this sūtra], how much less the upper share! Furthermore, if all the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas, and those of the ten faiths and stage of succession as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, were to enter together into deep dhyāna and contemplate, their merit would not equal a single fraction [of this]. Furthermore, offering the treasures of the four continents to the Tathāgata does not equal a person offering a single meal to sustain the body of one who upholds this sūtra. Why harbor doubts as to whether it is so or not? The seven Buddhas will appear to bear witness that it is true and not false; the Tathāgatas of the three periods of time all attain the Buddha Path through this Dharma.