淨土十疑論 1.24

1.24

答：「凡夫無智，不敢自專，專用佛語，故能偏念阿彌陀佛。云何用佛語？釋迦大師一代說法，處處聖教，唯勸眾生，專心偏念阿彌陀佛，求生西方極樂世界。如《無量壽經》、《觀經》、《往生論》等，數十餘部經論文等，殷勤指授，勸生西方，故偏念也。又彌陀佛別有大悲四十八願，接引眾生。又《觀經》云：『阿彌陀佛有八萬四千相，一一相有八萬四千好，一一好放八萬四千光明遍照法界，念佛眾生，攝取不捨。』若有念者，機、感相應，決定得生。又《阿彌陀經》、《大無量壽經》、《鼓音王陀羅尼經》等云：『釋迦佛說經時，皆有十方恒沙諸佛，舒其舌相，遍覆三千大千世界，證成一切眾生念阿彌陀佛，乘佛大悲本願力故，決定得生極樂世界。』當知阿彌陀佛與此世界，偏有因緣。何以得知？《無量壽經》云：『末世法滅之時，特駐此經，百年在世。接引眾生，往生彼國。』故知阿彌陀佛與此世界極惡眾生，偏有因緣。其餘諸佛，一切淨土，雖一經、兩經，略勸往生；不如彌陀佛國，處處經論，殷勤叮嚀，勸往生也。」

Answer: "The pṛthagjana has no wisdom and dares not act on his own authority; relying exclusively on the Buddha's words, he is able to be exclusively mindful of Amitābha Buddha. What does it mean to rely on the Buddha's words? Throughout the lifetime of teaching by Master Śākyamuni, the sacred teachings in every place only encourage sentient beings to concentrate their minds in exclusive mindfulness on Amitābha Buddha and seek rebirth in the western world of Sukhāvatī. In more than several dozen works—sūtras, treatises, and commentaries such as the Amitāyus-sūtra, the Contemplation Sūtra, and the Rebirth Treatise—earnest instructions are given, encouraging rebirth in the west; hence one is exclusively mindful [of him]. Furthermore, Amitābha Buddha has forty-eight distinctive great compassionate vows to receive and guide sentient beings. Moreover, the Contemplation Sūtra says: 'Amitābha Buddha has eighty-four thousand major marks; each mark has eighty-four thousand minor marks of excellence; each minor mark radiates eighty-four thousand beams of light shining universally throughout the dharmadhātu, taking in and never forsaking sentient beings who practice buddhānusmṛti.' If there are those who practice mindfulness, their capacity and the response will correspond, and they will definitely attain rebirth. In addition, the Amitābha-sūtra, the Larger Amitāyus-sūtra, the Guyinwang tuoluoni jing, and others state: 'When Śākyamuni Buddha spoke these sūtras, all the buddhas of the ten directions, numerous as the sands of the Ganges, extended their tongue-marks, covering the trichiliocosm, to confirm that all sentient beings who are mindful of Amitābha Buddha, by virtue of the power of the Buddha's great compassionate fundamental vows, will definitely attain rebirth in the world of Sukhāvatī.' One should know that Amitābha Buddha has a particular affinity with this world. How do we know this? The Amitāyus-sūtra says: 'In the end-times, when the Dharma is on the verge of extinction, I specially retain this sūtra to remain in the world for a hundred years to receive and guide sentient beings to be reborn in that land.' Thus we know that Amitābha Buddha has a particular affinity with the exceedingly evil sentient beings of this world. Although the pure lands of all other buddhas are briefly encouraged for rebirth in one or two sūtras, this is not like Amitābha Buddha's land, where teachings in every sūtra and treatise earnestly and repeatedly urge rebirth."