念佛鏡 1.38

1.38

答：「自力，准佛經教，從初發心，經一大阿僧祇劫，始到初地；又經一大阿僧祇劫修道，乃至八地菩薩，皆是自力。他力者，准念佛法門《阿彌陀經》，疾則一日，遲則七日，念阿彌陀佛往生淨土，即是八地菩薩。何以故？為乘阿彌陀佛本願力故。《阿彌陀經》中：『眾生生者，皆是阿鞞跋致。』既是阿鞞跋致，即是八地菩薩。」

The answer: "As for self-power, according to the Buddha's scriptural teachings, from first generating the mind, passing through one great asaṃkhyeya eon, one only reaches the first bhūmi; then passing through another great asaṃkhyeya eon of cultivating the path up to a bodhisattva of the eighth bhūmi, this is all self-power. As for other-power, according to the Amitābha-sūtra of the buddhānusmṛti Dharma gate, if swift it takes one day, and if slow it takes seven days: by reciting Amitābha Buddha and attaining rebirth in the pure land, one is immediately a bodhisattva of the eighth bhūmi. Why so? Because one rides upon the power of Amitābha Buddha's original vow. In the Amitābha-sūtra it says: 'The sentient beings who are born there are all avaivartika.' Since they are avaivartika, they are immediately bodhisattvas of the eighth bhūmi."