釋淨土群疑論 3.7.4

3.7.4

The Buddha's intent was to make it clear that if a person on the verge of death can recite the Buddha's name once or twice, down to being able to recite nine or ten times, they all attain rebirth in the world of Sukhāvatī, with the sole exception of those who commit the five cardinal sins and slander the true Dharma. The intent of this sūtra is to reveal that if a person at the end of life can recite the Buddha's name once and their life ends, or recites up to ten times and their life ends, both can attain rebirth in the pure land. Is it not that the Buddha's intent was to reveal that for those without cardinal sins, whether [their recitations are] few or many, all are reborn; while for those with cardinal sins, if few they are not reborn, and they must fulfill ten before they can attain rebirth? To distinguish those without cardinal sins, who universally can be reborn whether [recitations are] few or many, it says that those who commit the cardinal sins and slander the true Dharma are excluded; what does this have to do with the 'deviant' and 'cardinal sins' [of the third stage]? If all sentient beings, when arriving at the day of death, only then encounter a good spiritual friend who teaches them to recite the Buddha's name, and all fulfill ten utterances, it might be as charged by that [opponent]; but granting that their life ends before completing ten recitations, would you then cause those who committed cardinal sins not to be spoken of as excluded?