安樂集 2.41

2.41

答曰：「以閻浮提云，日出處名生，沒處名死。藉於死地，神明趣入，其相助便。是故法藏菩薩願成佛在西，悲接眾生。由坐、觀、禮、念等面向佛者，是隨世禮儀；若是聖人得飛報自在，不辨方所。但凡夫之人身心相隨，若向餘方，西往必難。是故《智度論》云：『有一比丘，康存之日誦《阿彌陀經》，及念般若波羅蜜。臨命終時告弟子言：「阿彌陀佛與諸聖眾今在我前。」合掌歸依，須臾捨命。於是弟子依火葬法，以火焚屍，一切燒盡，唯有舌根一種與本不異，遂即收取起塔供養。』龍樹菩薩釋云：『誦阿彌陀經故，是以垂終佛自來迎；念般若波羅蜜故，所以舌根不盡。』以斯文證，故知一切行業但能迴向，無不往也。故《須彌四域經》云：『天地初開之時，未有日、月、星辰，縱有天、人來下，但用項光照用。爾時人民多生苦惱，於是阿彌陀佛遣二菩薩——一名寶應聲，二名寶吉祥——即伏犧、女媧是。此二菩薩共相籌議，向第七梵天上取其七寶，來至此界造日、月、星辰、二十八宿，以照天下，定其四時，春、秋、冬、夏。時二菩薩共相謂言：「所以日、月、星辰、二十八宿西行者，一切諸天、人民盡共稽首阿彌陀佛，是以日月星辰，皆悉傾心向彼，故西流也。」』」

He answers: "In terms of Jambudvīpa, the place where the sun rises is called [the realm of] life, and the place where it sets is called [the realm of] death. Relying upon the place of death, the consciousness enters, and its signs facilitate [rebirth]. For this reason, the bodhisattva Dharmākara made a vow to attain buddhahood in the west, compassionately receiving sentient beings. When one sits, visualizes, bows, and contemplates facing the Buddha, this is following worldly etiquette. If one is an ārya who has attained the freedom of flying retribution, one does not distinguish directions. But ordinary mortals whose bodies and minds accompany each other—if they face other directions, going to the west will certainly be difficult. Therefore, the *Da zhidu lun* says: 'There was a monk who, during his healthy days, recited the *Amitābha-sūtra* and contemplated the perfection of wisdom (prajñāpāramitā). When his life was about to end, he told his disciples: "Amitābha Buddha and all the assembly of āryas are now before me." He joined his palms, took refuge, and in a moment abandoned his life. Thereupon, the disciples followed the method of cremation and burnt his corpse with fire. Everything was burned to ashes, but his organ of the tongue alone was no different from its original state. They immediately gathered it, erected a stupa, and made offerings.' Bodhisattva Nāgārjuna explained: 'Because he recited the *Amitābha-sūtra*, the Buddha came in person to welcome him at the verge of his end; because he contemplated the perfection of wisdom, his organ of the tongue was not destroyed.' Proved by these textual passages, we therefore know that of all actions and practices, if one can only dedicate them (pariṇāmanā), there are none through which one will not be reborn. Thus the *Xumi siyu jing* says: 'When heaven and earth were first opened, there were not yet the sun, the moon, or the stars. Even if devas and humans descended, they used only the light of their necks for illumination. At that time, the people generated much suffering and distress. Thereupon, Amitābha Buddha dispatched two bodhisattvas—one named Baoyingsheng and the other named Baojixiang—who were Fuxi and Nüwa. These two bodhisattvas deliberated together, went up to the seventh Brahma heaven to fetch its seven jewels, and came to this realm to fashion the sun, the moon, the stars, and the twenty-eight lunar mansions in order to illuminate the world below and determine its four seasons: spring, autumn, winter, and summer. At that time, the two bodhisattvas said to each other: "The reason why the sun, the moon, the stars, and the twenty-eight lunar mansions move westward is that all devas and people together bow their heads to Amitābha Buddha; therefore, the sun, the moon, and the stars all incline their minds toward him, and thus flow toward the west."'"