淨土論 3.57

3.57

答：如《觀佛三昧經》說「若我弟子捨離憒鬧，晝夜六時，於一時中分為少分，小分之中能須臾間念佛白毫相，令心了了無謬亂相，正住注意，若見相好若不得見，此人除却九十六億那由他恒河沙微塵數劫生死之罪。」又如《大悲經》說「阿難！若三千大千世界，滿中須陀洹、斯陀含、阿那含、阿羅漢。若有善男子善女人，若一劫若減一劫，以諸稱意一切樂具，恭敬尊重謙下供養。於意云何？是善男子善女人得福多不？阿難言：『甚多。世尊！』佛告阿難：『若復有人，於諸佛所但一合掌、一稱名，如是福德比前福德，百分不及一、千分不及一、百千億分不及一、迦羅分不及一。何以故？以諸佛如來諸福田中為最無上。』」又如《地藏菩薩經》說「若人欲生他方現在淨土，應隨世界佛之名字，專意誦念一心不亂，決定得生彼佛淨土，善根增長速成不退。」

Answer: As the Guan Fo sanmei jing states: 'If my disciples leave behind noisy disturbance, throughout the six periods of day and night, if during one period they divide it into a brief moment, and within that brief moment can for an instant be mindful of the Buddha's white ūrṇā mark, causing the mind to be distinctly clear without mistaken or confused characteristics, steadfastly focusing their attention, whether they see the marks and signs or do not see them, this person eradicates the sins of birth and death of ninety-six hundred million nayutas of kalpas as numerous as the dust motes of the sands of the Ganges.' Furthermore, as the Mahākaruṇā Sūtra states: 'Ānanda! Suppose the trichiliocosm were filled with srotāpannas, sakṛdāgāmins, anāgāmins, and arhats. If a good man or good woman, for one kalpa or slightly less than one kalpa, with all delightful and pleasing requisites, respectfully, reverently, and humbly makes offerings to them: what do you think? Would this good man or good woman obtain much merit?' Ānanda said: 'Extremely much, World-Honoured One!' The Buddha told Ānanda: 'If another person, before the buddhas, only joins their palms once or recites the name once, such merit compared to the former merit does not equal one part in a hundred, one part in a thousand, one part in a hundred thousand koṭis, nor even one kalā part. Why is this? Because among all fields of merit, the buddha-tathāgatas are the most supreme.' Moreover, as the Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva Sūtra states: 'If a person wishes to be born in a present pure land of another realm, they should, following the name of the buddha of that world, single-mindedly chant and be mindful without distraction; they will definitely attain birth in that buddha's pure land, their wholesome roots will increase, and they will swiftly accomplish non-retrogression.'