釋淨土群疑論 7.47

7.47

釋曰：此非虛也。且如第十二普觀之中，當起自心生於西方，於蓮華中結跏趺坐，作蓮華合想開想。如是等豈是謬耶？此三昧中見身往生，亦復如是。又須達長者，傾布黃金買祇陀園，奉為如來起立精舍，共舍利弗各執繩頭安置伽藍建興堂宇，於虛空中六欲天宮一時相現。時舍利弗指示須達，須達不解，問舍利弗。聖者答言：「此是長者施園功德所感天宮，當生其處。先現其相，遣長者知。」須達白言：「我唯一身，死受一報，六天並至，遣生何所？」舍利弗言：「下三天中，福德劣弱；上二天處，放逸極多。唯兜率天，雖多勝樂，心生知足，補處生中。長者可願生彼天處。」須達是時即依其願，五天宮相一時並滅，唯兜率宮湛然而住。故隨所造善惡業緣，當生先熟，臨命終時多此相現。信知行因剋果，果相現前，淨土華臺隨品先現。斯類必爾，何須疑哉？因果相符，深須仰信之。

I explain: This is not false. Consider, for example, the twelfth universal contemplation, wherein one should arouse in one's own mind the thought of being born in the Western realm, sitting cross-legged within a lotus flower, and forming the visualization of the lotus closing and opening. Could such [contemplations] be erroneous? Seeing oneself reborn within this samādhi is just like this. Furthermore, when the elder Sudatta poured out gold to purchase the Jetavana and erected a monastery for the Tathāgata, he and Śāriputra each held one end of a measuring cord to lay out the saṃghārāma and raise the halls and chambers; at that moment, the heavenly palaces of the six heavens of the desire realm simultaneously appeared in empty space. Śāriputra then pointed them out to Sudatta. Sudatta did not understand and asked Śāriputra. The noble one replied, "These are the heavenly palaces induced by your merit in donating the grove, elder; you will be reborn in one of those places. Their signs have appeared beforehand to let you know." Sudatta said, "I have only a single body and will receive a single retribution at death; since the six heavens arrive simultaneously, where shall I be reborn?" Śāriputra said, "In the lower three heavens, merit is inferior and weak; in the upper two heavens, there is excessive indulgence. Only the Tuṣita heaven, although full of superior pleasures, fosters a mind of contentment, and those bound to one more birth are born therein. Elder, you may vow to be born in that heaven." Sudatta immediately made his vow according to that advice, whereupon the signs of the palaces of the five heavens vanished at once, and only the Tuṣita palace remained serene and steadfast. Therefore, depending on the conditions of good or evil karma one has generated, what is to be born first ripens, and at the end of life these signs frequently appear. Know with certainty that when causes are practiced, the fruits are attained, and the signs of the fruit appear before one; the pure land's lotus pedestals appear beforehand according to one's grade. Cases of this kind are necessarily so; why should there be any doubt? Causes and fruits correspond, and one must have deep, reverent faith in this.