淨土論 1.50

1.50

答曰：實然。如上所引經論，對機設教，難可究尋。今削煩就約，略出其因，自在二種：一是通因、二是別因。通因者，如《無量壽經》中三輩生人，皆須發菩提心。及《觀經》中具修三福淨業，始得往生。此等並是通因。通因有二種：一通感十方淨土、二通感三世淨土。故《觀經》云「故此三種業，過去未來現在三世諸佛淨業正因」也。別因者乃有無量，要唯有二：一是所求、二是能求。所求者復有二種，一須別舉一方標心有在，如別標西方極樂世界求彼往生，即是器世間淨也。二別念一佛以為師範，求為弟子，親承供養，即是眾生世間淨也。二能求者，正是其因。復有六種：一須別念阿彌陀佛名號、二須禮拜、三須讚歎、四須發願、五須觀察、六須迴向。念佛者復有二種，一是心念、二是口念。心念者復有二種，一念佛色身，謂阿彌陀佛身有八萬四千相，相有八萬四千好，好有八萬四千光明等。二念佛智身，謂阿彌陀佛有五分法身、大慈大悲、力、無畏等也。二口念者，若心無力，須將口來扶。將口引心，令不散亂。如經說「若人念阿彌陀佛，得百萬遍已去，決定得生極樂世界。」綽禪師撿得此經，若能七日專心念佛，即得百萬遍也。由此義故，經中多噵七日念佛也。二禮拜者，須正面西方，想阿彌陀佛如對目前，嚴持香花，口稱佛名，五體投地，再三扣頭，願生彼土。可誦取龍樹菩薩十二禮，謂「稽首天人所恭敬，阿彌陀佛仙兩足尊，在彼微妙安樂國，無量佛子眾圍繞」等，此是禪那三藏別譯出也。三讚歎者，須別讚阿彌陀佛，或色或心、或依報或正報，或立或坐，直視西方如對目前，一心讚歎，願生淨土。可誦取《大乘十住毘婆娑》中龍樹菩薩偈頌，及《往生論》中讚文也。四發願者，須別發願求生極樂，或願自身往生、或願眾生往生，或願釋迦遣送、或願彌陀來迎、或願常遊淨土、或願永離胎形，或願臨終安隱、或願正念現前。如是種種隨心發願，如《寶性論》偈曰「依此諸功德，願於命終時，得見彌陀佛，無邊功德身。我及餘信者，既見彼佛已，願得離垢眼，證無上菩提」也。五觀察者，須別標西方依正兩報，種種觀察。如《觀經》十六觀中，前七是依報、後九是正報。又如《往生論》依報有十七種莊嚴事，正報中佛有八種莊嚴事、菩薩有四種莊嚴事。於此等中一一觀察，隨得一觀成就，定得往生也。六迴向者，此中有二，一將己功德迴向與眾生同生淨土、二將已無始已來所有功德，及一生已來所有功德，若多若少、若福若智，總願迴向求生極樂也。

Answer: Indeed it is so. The sūtras and treatises cited above established teachings in response to spiritual capacities, making them difficult to investigate thoroughly. Now, curtailing the cumbersome and grasping the concise, the causes are briefly set forth; they naturally comprise two kinds: first, common causes; second, specific causes. As for common causes, it is like in the Sukhāvatīvyūha Sūtra where people born of the three grades must all generate bodhicitta, and in the Contemplation Sūtra where one must fully cultivate the pure karma of the three blessings before attaining rebirth. These are all common causes. Common causes are of two kinds: first, commonly evoking pure lands of the ten directions; second, commonly evoking pure lands of the three times. Therefore the Contemplation Sūtra says: 'Therefore these three kinds of karma are the correct causes for the pure karma of all Buddhas of the three times—past, future, and present.' Specific causes are immeasurable, but in essence there are only two: first, what is sought; second, that which seeks. As for what is sought, it again has two kinds: first, one must specifically cite one direction and fix the mind on where it resides, such as specifically identifying the western world of Sukhāvatī to seek rebirth there, which is the purity of the world of inanimate vessels; second, specifically being mindful of one Buddha as teacher and exemplar, seeking to be his disciple, personally serving and making offerings to him, which is the purity of the world of sentient beings. Second, that which seeks is precisely the cause itself. It again has six kinds: first, one must specifically be mindful of Amitābha Buddha's name; second, one must worship; third, one must praise; fourth, one must make vows; fifth, one must contemplate; sixth, one must dedicate merit. As for mindfulness of the Buddha, it again has two kinds: first, mental mindfulness; second, vocal recitation. Mental mindfulness again has two kinds: first, mindfulness of the Buddha's physical body, meaning that Amitābha Buddha's body has eighty-four thousand major marks, each mark having eighty-four thousand minor marks, each minor mark having eighty-four thousand rays of light, and so forth; second, mindfulness of the Buddha's wisdom body, meaning that Amitābha Buddha has the five-part dharmakāya, great loving-kindness and great compassion, powers, fearlessnesses, and so forth. Second, as for vocal recitation, if the mind lacks strength, one must use the mouth to assist it. Using the mouth to lead the mind makes it free from distraction. As a sūtra says: 'If a person recites Amitābha Buddha's name, reaching one million times and more, they are definitely assured of rebirth in the world of Sukhāvatī.' Dhyāna Master Daochuo discovered this sūtra: if one can single-mindedly recite the Buddha's name for seven days, one then reaches one million times. For this reason, the sūtras often speak of reciting the Buddha's name for seven days. Second, as for worship, one must directly face the west, visualize Amitābha Buddha as if right before one's eyes, solemnly hold incense and flowers, utter the Buddha's name with the mouth, cast the five limbs to the ground, kowtow repeatedly, and vow to be born in that land. One may recite the Twelve Worships by Bodhisattva Nāgārjuna, namely: 'I bow my head to the One revered by devas and humans, / Amitābha Buddha, the immortal, doubly honored one, / In that subtle and wonderful land of Sukhāvatī, / Surrounded by an assembly of immeasurable Buddha-sons,' and so forth; this was separately translated by Tripiṭaka Master Jñāna. Third, as for praise, one must specifically praise Amitābha Buddha, whether his form or mind, whether his circumstantial reward or direct reward, whether standing or sitting, looking straight toward the west as if right before one's eyes, single-mindedly praising him and vowing to be born in the pure land. One may recite the verse hymns by Bodhisattva Nāgārjuna in the Mahāyāna Daśabhūmika-vibhāṣā, as well as the text of praise in the Treatise on Rebirth. Fourth, as for making vows, one must specifically make vows seeking to be born in Sukhāvatī: either vowing for one's own rebirth, or vowing for the rebirth of sentient beings; or vowing that Śākyamuni will send one off, or vowing that Amitābha will come to welcome; or vowing to constantly roam the pure land, or vowing to be forever free from womb-birth; or vowing for peace and ease at the end of life, or vowing that correct mindfulness will appear before one. Making various vows in this way according to one's mind, it is like the verse in the Ratnagotravibhāga: 'Relying on these various merits, / I vow that at the end of life / I may behold Amitābha Buddha's / Body of boundless merit. / Having seen that Buddha, / May I and other faithful ones / Attain the eye free from defilement / And realize unsurpassed bodhi.' Fifth, as for contemplation, one must specifically focus upon both the circumstantial and direct rewards of the west and contemplate them in various ways. As in the sixteen contemplations of the Contemplation Sūtra, the first seven are circumstantial reward, and the latter nine are direct reward. Again, as in the Treatise on Rebirth, circumstantial reward has seventeen kinds of adornments, while in direct reward the Buddha has eight kinds of adornments and the bodhisattvas have four kinds of adornments. Contemplating them one by one among these, as soon as one attains the completion of a single contemplation, one is definitely assured of attaining rebirth. Sixth, as for dedication of merit, herein there are two kinds: first, dedicating one's own merit to sentient beings so that they are reborn together in the pure land; second, taking all merit from beginningless time onward and all merit from this lifetime onward, whether much or little, whether blessings or wisdom, and universally vowing to dedicate it to seek rebirth in Sukhāvatī.