念佛鏡 1.80

1.80

"Furthermore, by analogy, vows are like precious carriages. There are precious carriages heavily laden with gems and treasures, intended to be offered to the king of the state to seek official rank. For the carriage carrying treasures, it is essential that ropes bind and secure them firmly; only then, upon arriving at the capital, will it not overturn, the gems and treasures will not be lost, and the king, having received the treasures, will then confer the official rank. Buddhānusmṛti is also like this: one must have vows, and only then will practice be accomplished, so that the precious treasures of the merit of buddhānusmṛti are not lost, leading all the way to the pure land to quickly realize bodhi. If one practices without vows, one's practice will have no way of being accomplished. Therefore, the Amitābha-sūtra says: 'Those who have faith should make vows to be reborn in that land.'"