念佛鏡 1.27

1.27

「又《無量壽經論》云：『念佛有五種門。何者為五？一者、禮拜門，身業專禮阿彌陀佛；二者、讚歎門，口業專稱阿彌陀佛名號；三者、作願門，所有禮念功德，唯願求生極樂世界；四者、觀察門，行住坐臥唯遣觀察阿彌陀佛，速生淨土；五者、迴向門，但念佛、禮佛功德，唯願往生淨土，速成無上菩提。』此是《無量壽經論》中念佛法門。又彼經云：『有四種修行。何等為四？一者、長時修，自一發念佛心以來，直至得生淨土成佛，終不退轉；二者、敬處修，正向西方，專想不移；三者、無間修，唯專念佛，無別雜善而來間隔，亦無貪、嗔煩惱雜惡來間；四者、無餘修，無餘雜善而來間。何以故？雜善修道多劫乃成，由自力故；唯專念佛一日、七日，即生淨土，位居不退，速成無上菩提，乘阿彌陀佛本願力故，速得成就，故名無餘修。』又准《觀經》中勤念佛人：『上品上生者，若有眾生願生彼國者，發三種心即便往生。何等為三？一者、至誠心；二者、深心；三者、迴向發願心。具三心者必生彼國。』何者至誠心？身業專禮阿彌陀佛，口業專稱阿彌陀佛，意業專信阿彌陀佛，乃至往生淨土，成佛已來不生退轉，故名至誠心；深心者，即是真實起信，專念佛名，誓生淨土，成佛為期，終不再疑，故名深心；迴向發願心者，所有禮、念功德，唯願往生淨土，速成無上菩提，故名迴向發願心。此是《觀經》中，上品上生法。又《文殊般若》經：『不觀相貌，專稱名號，作一行三昧。欲得速成佛，亦作此一行三昧；欲具一切智，亦作一行三昧；欲得見佛，亦作一行三昧；欲得速生淨土，亦作一行三昧。』此是《文殊般若經》中念佛往生法。

"Furthermore, the Treatise on the Sutra of Immeasurable Life states: 'In buddhānusmṛti there are five kinds of gates. What are the five? First is the gate of prostration: the bodily karma is dedicated to prostrating to Amitābha Buddha. Second is the gate of praise: the vocal karma is dedicated to reciting the name of Amitābha Buddha. Third is the gate of aspiration: with all the merit of prostrating and mindful recitation, one exclusively aspires to seek rebirth in the realm of Sukhāvatī. Fourth is the gate of contemplation: walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, one solely engages in contemplating Amitābha Buddha, to quickly be reborn in the pure land. Fifth is the gate of pariṇāmanā: solely with the merit of buddhānusmṛti and prostrating to the Buddha, one solely aspires to be reborn in the pure land and quickly accomplish unsurpassed bodhi.' This is the gate of buddhānusmṛti in the Treatise on the Sutra of Immeasurable Life. Furthermore, that treatise says: 'There are four kinds of practice. What are the four? First is prolonged practice: from the moment one first arouses the mind of buddhānusmṛti until one achieves rebirth in the pure land and attains Buddhahood, one never regresses. Second is respectful practice: facing directly toward the west, with dedicated thought without shifting. Third is uninterrupted practice: exclusively practicing buddhānusmṛti without any other miscellaneous goods intervening, and also without the miscellaneous evils of greed, anger, and defilement intervening. Fourth is non-residual practice: without other miscellaneous goods intervening. Why so? Cultivating the path through miscellaneous goods takes many eons to accomplish because it relies on self-power; exclusively practicing buddhānusmṛti for one day or seven days immediately brings rebirth in the pure land, dwelling in the stage of non-retrogression, and quickly accomplishing unsurpassed bodhi, because one rides upon the power of Amitābha Buddha's original vow and quickly achieves success; hence it is called non-residual practice.' Moreover, according to those who diligently practice buddhānusmṛti in the Guan jing: 'For the highest level of the highest grade, if there are sentient beings who aspire to be reborn in that land, by generating three kinds of minds they are immediately reborn. What are the three? First is the sincere mind; second is the deep mind; third is the mind of dedication and aspiration. Those who possess these three minds will certainly be reborn in that land.' What is the sincere mind? The bodily karma is dedicated to prostrating to Amitābha Buddha, the vocal karma is dedicated to reciting Amitābha Buddha's name, and the mental karma is dedicated to faith in Amitābha Buddha, until one is reborn in the pure land; and from attaining Buddhahood onward, regression never arises; hence it is called the sincere mind. The deep mind is truly generating faith, exclusively being mindful of the Buddha's name, vowing to be reborn in the pure land with attaining Buddhahood as the ultimate goal, and never doubting again; hence it is called the deep mind. The mind of dedication and aspiration is dedicating all merit of prostration and mindfulness, exclusively aspiring to be reborn in the pure land and quickly accomplish unsurpassed bodhi; hence it is called the mind of dedication and aspiration. This is the method for the highest level of the highest grade in the Guan jing. Furthermore, the Mañjuśrī Prajñā Sūtra states: 'Without contemplating the physical marks, exclusively recite the name, practicing the one-practice samādhi. Wishing to quickly attain Buddhahood, one also practices this one-practice samādhi; wishing to be endowed with all-knowledge, one also practices the one-practice samādhi; wishing to see the Buddha, one also practices the one-practice samādhi; wishing to quickly be reborn in the pure land, one also practices the one-practice samādhi.' This is the method of buddhānusmṛti for rebirth in the Mañjuśrī Prajñā Sūtra.