安樂集 2.31

2.31

答曰：「有七番，皆引經論證成。一、依《大經》云：『佛告阿難：「其有眾生，欲於今世見無量壽佛者，應發無上菩提之心，修行功德願生彼國，即得往生。」』故《大經讚》云：『若聞阿彌陀德號，歡喜讚仰心歸依，下至一念得大利，則為具足功德寶。設滿大千世界火，亦應直過聞佛名，聞阿彌陀不復退，是故至心稽首禮。』二、依《觀經》，九品之內皆言：『臨終正念，即得往生。』三、依《起信論》云：『教諸眾生勸觀真如平等、一實。亦有始發意菩薩，其心軟弱，自謂不能常值諸佛，親承供養，意欲退者。當知如來有勝方便，攝護信心，謂以專意念佛因緣，隨願往生。以常見佛故，永離惡道。』四、依《鼓音陀羅尼經》云：『爾時世尊告諸比丘：「我當為汝演說，西方安樂世界，今現有佛，號阿彌陀。若有四眾，能正受持彼佛名號，堅固其心憶念不忘，十日、十夜除捨散亂，精勤修習念佛三昧，若能令念念不絕，十日之中必得見彼阿彌陀佛，皆得往生。」』五、依《法鼓經》云：『若人臨終之時不能作念，但知彼方有佛，作往生意，亦得往生。』六、如《十方隨願往生經》云：『若有臨終及死墮地獄，家內眷屬為其亡者念佛及轉誦、齋福，亡者即出地獄，往生淨土。』況其現在自能修念，何以不得往生者也？是故彼經云：『現在眷屬為亡者追福，如餉遠人，定得食也。』第七、廣引諸經證成，如《大法鼓經》說：『若善男子，善女人，常能繫意，稱念諸佛名號者，十方諸佛一切賢聖，常見此人，如現目前。是故此經名「大法鼓」，當知此人，十方淨土隨願往生。』又《大悲經》云：『何名為大悲？若專念佛相續不斷者，隨其命終，定生安樂。若能展轉相勸行念佛者，當知此等悉名行大悲人也。』是故《涅槃經》云：『佛告大王：「假令開大庫藏，一月之中布施一切眾生，所得功德不如有人稱佛一口，功德過前不可挍量。」』又《增一阿含經》云：『佛告阿難：「其有眾生，供養一閻浮提人衣服、飲食、臥具、湯藥，所得功德寧為多不？」阿難白佛言：「世尊！甚多，甚多！不可數量。」佛告阿難：「若有眾生，善心相續稱佛名號，如一搆牛乳頃，所得功德過上不可量，無有能量者。」』《大品經》云：『若人散心念佛，乃至畢苦，其福不盡；若人散花念佛，乃至畢苦，其福不盡。』故知念佛利大，不可思議也。《十往生經》、諸大乘經等竝有文證，不可具引也。」

Answer: "There are seven points, all citing sūtras and treatises as proof. First, according to the *Larger Sūtra*, 'The Buddha told Ānanda: "If there are sentient beings who wish to see the Buddha of Immeasurable Life in this present life, they should bring forth the aspiration for supreme bodhi, practice meritorious deeds, and vow to be reborn in that land; they will then attain rebirth."' Therefore, the *Dajing zan* states: 'If one hears the virtuous name of Amitābha, rejoices, praises, venerates, and takes refuge with a devoted mind, attaining great benefit down to a single thought-moment, one is fully endowed with the treasure of merit. Even if fire filled the great trichiliocosm, one should pass straight through it to hear the Buddha's name; hearing Amitābha, one never retrogresses; therefore, with an utmost mind, one bows one's head in veneration.' Second, according to the *Guan jing*, within all nine grades it is said: 'Maintaining right mindfulness at the time of death, one immediately attains rebirth.' Third, according to the *Awakening of Faith*, 'Sentient beings are taught and exhorted to contemplate the equality and single reality of Suchness. There are also newly aspiring bodhisattvas whose minds are weak, who consider themselves unable to constantly encounter the buddhas and personally serve and make offerings to them, and thus wish to regress. One should know that the Tathāgata possesses a superior upāya to embrace and protect their faith, namely, through the cause and condition of single-mindedly recollecting the Buddha, they attain rebirth in accordance with their vow. Because they constantly see the Buddha, they are forever free from the evil destinies.' Fourth, according to the *Guyin tuoluoni jing*, 'At that time the Bhagavat addressed the monks: "I shall explain to you that in the western world of Peace and Bliss, there is at present a Buddha named Amitābha. If there are members of the fourfold assembly who can properly uphold that Buddha's name, make their minds firm, recollecting it without forgetting, casting aside distraction for ten days and ten nights, and diligently cultivating the buddhānusmṛti-samādhi—if they can make thought-moment follow thought-moment without interruption, within ten days they will surely behold that Buddha Amitābha and all will attain rebirth."' Fifth, according to the *Fagu jing*, 'If a person at the time of death is unable to form thoughts, but merely knows that there is a Buddha in that direction and forms the intention to go there, they will also attain rebirth.' Sixth, as the *Shifang suiyuan wangsheng jing* states: 'If someone is at the point of death, or has died and fallen into hell, and the family members within the household practice buddhānusmṛti, recite sūtras, and perform fasting merits on behalf of the deceased, the deceased will immediately exit hell and attain rebirth in the Pure Land.' How much more so if one is able to cultivate mindfulness oneself while living—how could one not attain rebirth? Therefore that sūtra states: 'Living relatives pursuing merit for the deceased is like sending provisions to a person far away: they are certain to receive the food.' Seventh, extensively citing various sūtras as proof: for example, the *Da fagu jing* states, 'If good men and good women can constantly bind their thoughts and recite the names of the buddhas, all the worthy and noble ones among the buddhas of the ten directions will constantly behold this person as if right before their eyes. Therefore this sūtra is named *Great Dharma Drum*; one should know that this person will attain rebirth in the pure lands of the ten directions in accordance with their vow.' Furthermore, the *Dabei jing* states: 'What is called great compassion? If one single-mindedly recollects the Buddha continuously without interruption, following the end of one's life, one is certain to be born in Peace and Bliss. If one can encourage others in turn to practice buddhānusmṛti, one should know that all such people are called practitioners of great compassion.' Therefore the *Nirvāṇa-sūtra* states: 'The Buddha addressed the great king: "Even if one were to open a great storehouse and practice giving to all sentient beings for an entire month, the merit attained would not equal that of a person reciting the Buddha's name with a single utterance; its merit surpasses the former beyond measure."' Furthermore, the *Ekottarika-āgama* states: 'The Buddha addressed Ānanda: "If a sentient being makes offerings of clothing, food and drink, bedding, and medicine to all the people of a single Jambudvīpa, would the merit attained be considered great?" Ānanda said to the Buddha: "Bhagavat! Very great, very great! It cannot be measured." The Buddha addressed Ānanda: "If a sentient being recites the Buddha's name with a wholesome mind in continuous succession, even for the duration of milking a single cow, the merit attained surpasses the former beyond measure; none can measure it."' The *Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā-prajñāpāramitā-sūtra* states: 'If a person recollects the Buddha with a distracted mind, until their suffering is exhausted, their merit will not be exhausted; if a person scatters flowers while recollecting the Buddha, until their suffering is exhausted, their merit will not be exhausted.' Therefore we know that the benefit of buddhānusmṛti is great and inconceivable. The *Shi wangsheng jing* and various Mahāyāna sūtras all contain textual proof; they cannot be cited in full."