念佛鏡 1.54

1.54

The answer states: "Among the eighty-four thousand Dharma gates of the Tathāgata, when compared to the Dharma gate of buddhānusmṛti, all other miscellaneous good deeds are 'few roots of goodness'; only the single gate of buddhānusmṛti constitutes 'many roots of goodness and abundant merit.' How is this known? According to the Guan jing, a person of the lowest level of the lowest grade who accomplishes ten recitations is immediately reborn in the pure land; reciting the Buddha's name a single time definitely eradicates the sins of birth-and-death of eighty hundred million kalpas. Since a single thought-moment can eradicate the sins of birth-and-death of eighty hundred million kalpas, it is clear that one also obtains the wondrous merit of eighty hundred million kalpas. Therefore, we know that the single practice of buddhānusmṛti is indeed 'many roots of goodness.' Furthermore, all other miscellaneous good deeds are self-power, and those who practice them achieve success only after many kalpas; cultivating the path through buddhānusmṛti relies on the power of Amitābha's original vows, so swiftly in one day, or slowly in seven days, one is reborn in the pure land and abides in the stage of non-retrogression. Therefore, the Amitābha-sūtra states: 'If there is a good man or good woman who hears spoken of Amitābha and upholds his name, whether for one day, or two days, ... or up to seven days, single-mindedly and undisturbed, when that person's life is approaching its end, Amitābha and the assembly of sages will appear before them. When this person dies, their mind will not be deranged, and they will attain rebirth in Amitābha's land of Sukhāvatī.' Therefore, we know that the single practice of buddhānusmṛti is indeed 'many roots of goodness and abundant merit.'"