淨土十疑論 1.5

1.5

Amitābha Buddha, along with Avalokiteśvara and Mahāsthāmaprāpta, boards the boat of great vows and floats upon the ocean of birth and death, not clinging to this shore, not remaining on that shore, and not stopping midstream, engaging solely in saving and delivering as Buddha-work. Therefore, the Amitābha-sūtra says: 'If there are good men and good women who hear of Amitābha Buddha and uphold his name, whether for one day or up to seven days, with single-minded unconfused attention; when these persons approach the end of life, Amitābha Buddha and the assembly of holy ones will appear before them. When these persons die, their minds will not be inverted, and they will immediately attain rebirth in the land of Sukhāvatī.' Furthermore, a sūtra says: 'If sentient beings of the ten directions hear my name, remember my land, plant roots of virtue, and sincerely dedicate them wishing to be born in my land, and do not attain it, I shall not attain samyaksaṃbodhi.' This is why in the Impermanence Hall of the Jetavana-vihāra, the sick were made to face west and cultivate the thought of rebirth in the pure land. For Amitābha's light shines universally throughout the dharmadhātu upon sentient beings who practice buddhānusmṛti, gathering them in without forsaking them. Sage and ordinary person are of one substance; capacity and response accord with each other. For the sentient beings within the minds of all Buddhas, every particle of dust is Sukhāvatī; for the pure land within the minds of sentient beings, every thought is Amitābha.