念佛鏡 2.62

2.62

「若欲念阿彌陀佛速生淨土者，要須三業成就：第一、心唯有信；第二、口唯有念；第三、身唯有敬，不問有人、無人，尊卑、老少，晝、夜常不懈慢，名為敬成就。不議他人長、短，說食數寶；唯口念佛，聲聲不絕，名為念成就。不墮貪、瞋等煩惱及鬪亂、打罵，怨恨、嫉妬，殺、盜、婬妄，是墮三塗因，與念佛法不相應故。唯有信念佛，不揀道、俗，不問男女、貴賤，不問罪有輕、重，唯信為本。若成就者，萬病皆差，不假世間醫藥；萬善自成，不假世間教經，頓能成就。其萬善成事，非是己能，亦非修行力。若據經文，從凡位至初地經一大阿僧祇劫，若三寶力，不假多劫。又依經文：『聞說阿彌陀佛，乃至一心、一念，歡喜踊躍，志心迴向即得往生，住不退地。』《法華經》云：『諸有智者，以譬喻得解。』世間之中唯有母力，能令其子身得安穩；出世間中唯有諸佛，能令眾生出三界苦，得生淨土見佛、聞法。又依經文，佛有慈、悲、喜、捨。慈能與樂，悲能拔苦。不問地獄、餓鬼、畜生及人中苦，若問即不名大慈悲。又如其母，世間之母，於子有種種苦，終不辭勞，無疲倦，以樂為本。豈容諸佛大聖、大悲，不問怨親、道俗、男女，平等普皆救？救護何等苦？世間之苦與地獄苦百千萬倍，諸佛即救，況人中極輕，若不相救，即與經教相違。

If one wishes to recite [the name of] Amitābha Buddha and quickly be reborn in the pure land, one must accomplish the three karmas. First, in the mind there must only be faith. Second, in the mouth there must only be recitation. Third, in the body there must only be reverence. Regardless of whether other people are present or absent, noble or base, old or young, constantly lacking laxity and indolence day and night—this is named the accomplishment of reverence. Not discussing the virtues or shortcomings of others, not talking of food and counting treasures, but only reciting the Buddha with the mouth, sound after sound without interruption—this is named the accomplishment of recitation. Not falling into afflictions such as greed and anger, as well as quarrelling, beating, scolding, resentment, jealousy, killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, and falsehood—these are causes for falling into the three paths, for they do not accord with the Dharma of buddhānusmṛti. There is only faithful buddhānusmṛti, without selecting between monastic and lay, without asking whether one is male or female, noble or base, without asking whether one's sins are light or heavy: faith alone is the fundamental basis. If this is accomplished, all ten thousand illnesses will be cured without relying on worldly medicine; all ten thousand goods will naturally be established, without relying on worldly teachings and scriptures, suddenly being accomplished. The achievement of these ten thousand goods is not one's own capability, nor is it the power of one's own cultivation. If one relies on scriptural passages, proceeding from the status of an ordinary person to the first bhūmi takes one great asaṃkhyeya kalpa; but through the power of the Three Jewels, it does not require many kalpas. Furthermore, relying on the scriptural passage: 'Hearing the name of Amitābha Buddha spoken, even with a single mind and a single thought, leaping with joy, sincerely dedicating [the merit], one immediately attains rebirth and abides in the stage of non-retrogression.' The Saddharmapuṇḍarīka-sūtra says: 'Those who possess wisdom attain understanding through parables.' In the worldly realm, only the mother's power can make her child's body secure; in the supramundane realm, only the Buddhas can cause sentient beings to leave the sufferings of the three realms, attain rebirth in the pure land, see the Buddha, and hear the Dharma. Furthermore, relying on the scriptures, the Buddha possesses loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity. Loving-kindness can bestow joy, and compassion can pull out suffering. He does not ask whether the suffering is in the hells, hungry ghosts, animals, or among humans; if he asked, he would not be called 'great loving-kindness and compassion.' It is like a mother: a mother in the worldly realm, facing all kinds of suffering on account of her child, ultimately does not shrink from toil and knows no weariness, taking joy as fundamental. How could it be that the Buddhas, the Great Sages of Great Compassion, would not universally save all equally, without asking whether they are foes or kin, monastic or lay, male or female? What kind of suffering do they rescue and protect from? Suffering in the worldly realm is a hundred, a thousand, ten thousand times [less severe than] suffering in the hells; yet the Buddhas rescue from the latter, so how much more so for the extremely light [sufferings] among humans! If they did not rescue them, that would contradict the scriptures and teachings.