淨土論 3.23

3.23

聞有一人，不識姓名。其性庶險，又不信因果，常以殺獵為業。遇疾臨終，備見地獄苦具，及所殺眾生並來債命。其人悔云：「我平生不信師僧語，今日所見，果如經說。」遂告家中人曰：「汝等救我。」婦兒等報云：「若為相救？」其人告曰：「汝若不能救我者，急遣一人就寺請一師來救我也。」即依其言，請得一僧。其人見僧，悲泣而言：「願師慈悲，急救弟子。」僧報云：「檀越平生不信三寶，今日垂終，卒救難得也。」其人云：「實爾。師讀佛經，如弟子罪人，垂終之時有救法不？」僧答云：「《觀經》有文。」其人忽然踊躍歡喜云：「佛言有地獄，如言即有者，佛言得往生，弟子定得往生也。」即告家人曰：「可持香火來。」家人燃火，香爐授與。其人語曰：「我今少時即入地獄，在鑪钁中，何用香爐？可將火來著我手中。」遂左手燃火、右手握香，面向西方，至心念佛。未滿十念，即告眾云：「佛從西來，大有徒眾，并放光明，授我華坐。」言畢即卒（此是十念往生）。

It is heard that there was a person whose name is not known. By nature he was cunning and treacherous, nor did he believe in karmic cause and effect; he constantly took killing and hunting as his occupation. Encountering illness on the verge of death, he fully saw the instruments of suffering of hell, as well as all the sentient beings he had killed coming to demand his life. The man repented, saying: “Throughout my life I did not believe the words of masters and monks; what I see today is indeed as the sūtras explain.” Thereupon he said to his family members: “You all must save me!” His wife, children, and others replied, saying: “How can we save you?” The man said to them: “If you cannot save me, quickly send someone to a monastery to invite a master to come and save me!” Following his words, they invited a monk. Seeing the monk, the man wept sorrowfully and said: “May the master be compassionate and quickly save this disciple!” The monk replied, saying: “Dānapati, throughout your life you did not believe in the Three Jewels; now, on the brink of death, a sudden rescue is difficult to obtain.” The man said: “Indeed it is so. The master reads the Buddha's sūtras—for a sinner like this disciple, is there a method of rescue on the brink of death, or not?” The monk answered, saying: “The Contemplation Sūtra has a passage on this.” The man suddenly leaped with joy and said: “The Buddha said there is a hell, and as he said it, there indeed is one; if the Buddha said one can attain rebirth, this disciple will certainly attain rebirth!” He then said to his family members: “You may bring incense and fire.” The family lit the fire and handed him an incense burner. The man said to them: “In a short while I will enter hell, being in the caldrons and cauldrons—what use is an incense burner? You may bring the fire and place it in my hand.” He thereupon lit the fire in his left hand and held the incense in his right hand, facing the west, and with utmost mind recited the Buddha's name. Before ten recitations were completed, he immediately told the assembly: “The Buddha is coming from the west with a great retinue, and emitting bright light, he offers me a flower seat.” Having finished speaking, he immediately expired (this is rebirth through ten recitations).