安樂集 1.104

1.104

答曰：「諸大乘經所辨一切行法，皆有自力、他力，自攝、他攝。何者自力？譬如有人怖畏生死，發心出家修定發通，遊四天下，名為自力。何者他力？如有劣夫以己身力，擲驢不上，若從輪王，即便乘空遊四天下，即輪王威力，故名他力。眾生亦爾，在此起心立行願生淨土，此是自力；臨命終時，阿彌陀如來光臺迎接，遂得往生，即為他力。故《大經》云：『十方人天欲生我國者，莫不皆以阿彌陀如來大願業力為增上緣也。』若不如是，四十八願便是徒設。語後學者，既有他力可乘，不得自局己分，徒在火宅也。」

The answer is: All practices expounded in the various Mahāyāna sūtras possess both self-power and other-power, being gathered by oneself and gathered by another. What is self-power? For example, someone who fears saṃsāra, arousing the aspiration to leave home, cultivate concentration, develop supernormal powers, and travel through the four continents—this is called self-power. What is other-power? Suppose an inferior man, using his own bodily strength, cannot even lift a donkey; yet if he accompanies a wheel-turning king, he immediately ascends into the air and travels through the four continents—this is through the mighty power of the wheel-turning king, and is therefore called other-power. Sentient beings are also like this: here, arousing the mind, establishing practice, and vowing to be reborn in the Pure Land is self-power; when life is at its end, Amitābha Tathāgata welcomes them on a radiant platform, whereupon they attain rebirth—this is other-power. Thus the Larger Sūtra states: 'Of the humans and devas of the ten directions who wish to be born in my land, there are none who do not take the adhipati-pratyaya of the Amitābha Tathāgata’s great vows and karmic power.' Were it not so, the forty-eight vows would have been established in vain. I tell later students: since there is other-power to rely upon, you must not confine yourselves to your own capacities and remain in the burning house in vain.