念佛鏡 2.48

2.48

Answer: "Buddhānusmṛti can only benefit without harm, whereas keeping precepts brings much harm and little benefit. How is this known? According to the Maudgalyāyana-paripṛcchā-sūtra: 'One who breaks a precept of the first category falls into hell for a duration that, measured by the long-lived devas, amounts to nine hundred and fifteen koṭis and six million human years.' According to the Vinaya texts, there are five categories and seven groups. Following the comparison: the gravity of the first category is double that of the second category; the gravity of the second category is double that of the third category; the gravity of the third category is double that of the fourth category; the gravity of the fourth category is double that of the fifth category; the fifth category is the lightest—committing a duṣkṛta causes one to fall into hell for nine million years, and one who does not confess within a single night forfeits the original benefit. According to this, the sins of breaking precepts are limitless and boundless, while among those who keep precepts, not one in ten thousand succeeds; hence we know that it brings much harm and little benefit. Uttering buddhānusmṛti once expels the sins of birth and death of eighty koṭis of kalpas. Therefore, if one has the sin of breaking precepts, through mindfulness of Amitābha Buddha it is completely eradicated. How is this known? According to the text of the Guan jing: 'As for the person of the middle level of the lowest grade, there may be sentient beings who violate and break the five precepts, the eight precepts, and the full precepts. Such foolish persons should fall into hell, passing through many kalpas and enduring endless suffering. When approaching the end of life, they meet a good spiritual friend who explains the majestic power of the ten powers of Amitābha Buddha for them, praises that Buddha's light and spiritual power, and instructs them to practice buddhānusmṛti. Having heard this, that person eliminates the sins of birth and death of eighty koṭis of kalpas and attains rebirth in the pure land.' Hence we know that the sin of breaking precepts is also eliminated. Furthermore, according to what is said in the Qunyi lun: 'It protects and restores those who have broken precepts, guides those who have lost the way, and serves as eyes for the blind.' Hence we know that buddhānusmṛti is pure benefit without harm. We have heard that previously in the Northern Capital there was a Vinaya master who abandoned the pursuit of Vinaya discipline, turned his mind to buddhānusmṛti, and was reborn in the Western Sukhāvatī world. According to what the Guan jing says, for persons of the three middle grades, Vinaya masters attain rebirth in the pure land by buddhānusmṛti. Hence we know that the gate of buddhānusmṛti cannot be matched by keeping precepts or ascetic practices."