安樂集 2.47

2.47

第二段中，明此彼修道用功輕、重，而獲報真、偽者。若欲發心歸西者，單用少時禮、觀、念等，隨壽長、短，臨命終時，光臺迎接，迅至彼方，位階不退。是故《大經》云：「十方人、天來生我國，若不畢至滅度、更有退轉者，不取正覺。」此方多時，具修施、戒、忍、進、定、慧，未滿一萬劫已來，恒未免火宅，顛倒墜墮，故名用功至重，獲報偽也。《大經》復云：「生我國者，橫截五惡趣。」今此約對彌陀淨剎，娑婆五道齊名惡趣，地獄、餓鬼、畜生，純惡所歸名為惡趣；娑婆人、天雜業所向，亦名惡趣。若依此方修治斷除，先斷見惑，離三塗因，滅三塗果；後斷修惑，離人、天因，絕人、天果。此皆漸次斷除，不名橫截；若得往生彌陀淨國，娑婆五道一時頓捨，故名橫截。五惡趣者，截其果也；惡趣自然閉者，閉其因也，此明所離。昇道無窮極者，彰其所得。若能作意，迴願向西，上盡一形，下至十念，無不皆往。一到彼國，即入正定聚，與此修道一萬劫齊功也。

"In the second section, clarifying the lightness and heaviness of effort in cultivating the path in this and that [realm] and the genuineness and falsity of the retribution obtained: If one wishes to arouse the aspiration to take refuge in the west, solely using a brief time to bow, visualize, and contemplate, according to the length of one's lifespan, when life is about to end, a dais of light will welcome one, swiftly arriving in that realm, where one's rank is non-retrogression (avaivartika). Therefore, the *Larger Sūtra* says: 'If humans and devas of the ten directions who come to be born in my land do not ultimately reach extinction, or if they should regress, may I not attain correct awakening.' In this realm, for a long time, fully cultivating giving, morality, patience, vigor, meditation, and wisdom, before ten thousand kalpas have elapsed, one constantly does not escape the burning house, tumbling and falling in inversion; hence it is called the effort being exceedingly heavy while the retribution obtained is false. The *Larger Sūtra* further says: 'Those who are born in my land crosswise cut off the five evil destinies.' Now, contrasting this with Amitābha's pure realm, the five destinies of Sahā are collectively called evil destinies: hell, hungry ghosts, and animals, as the destination of pure evil, are called evil destinies; the mixed karma to which humans and devas of Sahā go is also called evil destinies. If one relies on cultivating and eradicating in this realm, one first severs the delusions of view, departing from the causes of the three paths and extinguishing the fruits of the three paths; afterwards, one severs the delusions of cultivation, departing from the causes of humans and devas and ending the fruits of humans and devas. These are all gradual severances and are not called 'crosswise cutting off.' If one succeeds in being reborn in Amitābha's pure land, the five destinies of Sahā are abandoned all at once; hence it is called 'crosswise cutting off.' 'The five evil destinies' refers to cutting off their fruits; 'the evil destinies naturally close' refers to closing their causes—this clarifies what is abandoned. 'Ascending the path without end' manifests what is attained. If one is able to form the intention and turn one's vows toward the west, from an entire lifetime at the highest down to ten recitations, there is none who will not be reborn. Once arrived in that land, one immediately enters the samyaktva-niyata-rāśi, equal in merit to ten thousand kalpas of cultivating the path here."