四明尊者教行錄 1.122

1.122

淨土法門決然可信，如來蓋甞特言之、屢言之、委曲言之，而世之人尚毀信相半。大抵高明之士則曰：口稱佛名，便能成佛，一何易哉。是未甞稽其所以，不知淨土業成但生彼國，無惡境界，有進無退，直至成佛。豈才生彼國便成佛也？以少善根為無以加者則曰：口稱佛名，定可往生，是亦未為至論。所謂念者致精誠焉，勿志之謂也，豈口舌云乎哉。予雖未甞不輟香火揚聲叩拜，然動容周旋念念不絕。雖衽席之上、踰溷之間亦必避西，自謂世人莫如我修淨業也。四明法智大老起天台大教於既墜之後，使人見性成佛，猶且以此化人。是知此深法門為不可廢明矣。祥符中甞結念佛勝會，延慶淨人如慶得亢疏於人間，宛如新製，欲踵武前修，請予敘其事。予歡喜踊躍，雖欲辭而不可得。敢望四眾同願同求，高明者俯而就，談何容易者則致誠意焉。庶幾無高無下、無智無愚皆得超往。若曰何必生彼然後成佛，則在家者亦不必出家而星居，甲乙者亦不必尋師訪道矣。未透關者幸留意焉。紹興壬午中夏青山樓弆云。

The Dharma gate of the Pure Land is decisively trustworthy. The Tathāgata indeed spoke of it specially, spoke of it repeatedly, and spoke of it exhaustively, yet people of the world still vacillate between slander and belief. Generally, lofty and intelligent scholars say: “If by reciting the Buddha's name with the mouth one can immediately become a buddha, how very easy that is!” They have never investigated the reason for it: they do not understand that when Pure Land karma is accomplished, one is merely born in that land where there are no evil realms and there is only progress without regression, straight until becoming a buddha; how could it be that just upon being born in that land one becomes a buddha? Those who take small roots of goodness as unsurpassed say: “If one recites the Buddha's name with the mouth, one can definitely attain rebirth”; this too is not the ultimate discourse. What is called “mindfulness” (recitation) means exerting utmost sincerity and not forgetting it; how could it refer merely to the mouth and tongue? Although I have never failed to keep incense burning, raise my voice, and bow, my outward demeanor and conduct are maintained from thought to thought without interruption. Even upon the bed or when visiting the privy, I always avoid facing west, privately believing that among worldly people none cultivates pure karma as I do. The Elder Fazhi of Siming revived the great teaching of Tiantai after it had fallen into decline, enabling people to see their nature and become buddhas; yet he still transformed people with this [Pure Land teaching]. From this we know that this profound Dharma gate clearly cannot be abandoned. During the Xiangfu era, a supreme buddha-recitation assembly was once formed; Ruqing, a pure resident of Yanqing, obtained this pledge document among the populace, appearing just like a newly made work; wishing to follow in the footsteps of the former master, he asked me to preface this event. I leaped for joy, and though I wished to decline, I could not. I venture to hope that the four assemblies will share the same vow and the same pursuit: that the lofty and intelligent will condescend to adopt it, and those who ask “how could it be so easy?” will exert sincere devotion. It is hoped that regardless of high or low, wise or foolish, all will attain transcendent rebirth. If one were to say, “Why must one be born there before becoming a buddha?”, then householders would also not need to leave household life to live apart like stars, and [disciples of all stripes] would not need to seek masters and inquire after the Path. May those who have not passed through the barrier kindly pay heed to this. Stated by Lou Ju of Qingshan in mid-summer of the renwu year of Shaoxing [1162].