釋淨土群疑論 5.33

5.33

釋曰：往生西方行門非一，或有三福、或十六觀、或九品往生，所業各別俱悉得往生，淨土受生。《彌勒所問經》自陳十種往生之法而亦得生，《觀經》自說下品下生臨命終時稱佛十念而得往生，各是聖教，互說往生淨土法門，皆成淨業。何因將彼為是、斥此言非？但自不解經，亦乃惑諸學者。譬如入流九品，縣尉後宮或能精熟一經，或為進士之學、或為流外勳品、或為七色出身、或作十年品子，皆得入流，悉為丞尉，豈限一業作文林郎業？往生亦復如是，非唯一行生彼西方，故定散兩門備在《觀經》之說。三輩修福出自《無量壽經》。唯念佛名，蓋是阿彌陀教。或持大乘妙典、或復孝養二親，世出世之善根、定非定之二業，只作兩持身口二善俱生淨土，豈局一門？子須廣讀眾經開生正信，何得唯觀一經即作司南之論，將餘聖教並非往生之因，何其惑也。又修因有萬輩，得果有多階，不可限以一因果無異類者也。

Explanation: The gateways of practice for rebirth in the Western [Direction] are not just one: there are the three kinds of merits, the sixteen contemplations, or the nine grades of rebirth; though the karmic practices are each distinct, all of them achieve rebirth and attain life in the pure land. The Maitreyaparipṛcchā Sūtra itself sets forth ten methods for rebirth and one also attains rebirth; the Guan jing itself explains that at the time of death, the lowest grade of the lowest class attains rebirth by reciting [the name of] the Buddha with ten thoughts. Each is a sacred teaching, and each mutually explains gateways to rebirth in the pure land, all of which accomplish pure karma. On what basis would one take that as correct and reject this as incorrect? It is merely that one does not understand the sūtras oneself, and thus also misleads students. For example, in entering the stream of the nine official ranks, whether a county defender or an imperial palace official, one may master a single classic, or study as an advanced scholar (jinshi), or gain office outside the official ranks through meritorious grade, or enter officialdom from the seven coloured garments, or serve as a ten-year hereditary cadet (pinzi)—all may enter the stream, and all become assistants and defenders; how could it be limited to a single career to become an officer of the Forest of Literature (Wenlinlang)? Rebirth is also just like this; it is not by a single practice alone that one is born in that Western [Direction]. Therefore, both gateways—concentrated and dispersed—are fully set forth in the Guan jing's teachings. The three classes cultivating merits come from the Sukhāvatīvyūha Sūtra. Mindfully reciting only the Buddha's name is the teaching of the Amitābha [Sūtra]. Whether upholding profound Mahāyāna scriptures, or showing filial respect to both parents—the worldly and world-transcending wholesome roots, the two kinds of karma of concentrated and non-concentrated—merely by practicing both bodily and vocal wholesomenesses, both lead to birth in the pure land; how could it be confined to a single gate? You must read the many sūtras extensively to give rise to correct faith; how can you look at only a single sūtra and immediately establish a definitive treatise, regarding the remaining sacred teachings as not being causes for rebirth? How deluded that is! Furthermore, the cultivated causes have myriad classes, and the attained fruits have many stages; one must not limit them to a single cause, nor assume the fruits have no diverse categories.