樂邦文類 3.85

3.85

天台鳳師學智者教，傳于澄江。人既順化矣，乃念茲世，於諸度門孰為善巧最徑要者，唯淨土法門。為得其歸，於是資彼樂施，敬嚴像設、建立道場，教人修行念佛三昧，與眾祈嚮。仍屬予以記之。予謂淨土之說，經論尚矣。諸師訓辨，亦已詳矣。報驗間發，不吾欺也。世猶有疑焉者，蓋以無明自障、理事不融。故按《法華》云「若人散亂心，入於塔廟中，一稱南無佛，皆已成佛道。」況復一心不亂，於此求生，何獨不然哉？且見善不明、用心不一，則彼雖世間萬法，何往而不疑？何修而可至？獨吾佛之說也哉？要之，唯當信受而已，不應疑其有無也。然則淨土果有耶？曰不也。果無也？曰不也。亦有亦無耶？曰不也。非有非無耶？曰不也。是則淨土果烏乎在？離此諸見，即名淨土、即見如來。若聞是說，不驚不怖不畏，當知是人決定得生而無所生，以非莊嚴而莊嚴也。信心清淨，一念華開，全體現前，眾相具足。是心即佛，補處何疑？已度生滅，得無量壽。其或於此未能信解，餘方便中九品具在，稱力取修亦不唐捐耳。

Master Feng of Tiantai studied the teachings of Zhizhe and transmitted them to Chengjiang. After the people had complied and been transformed, he reflected upon this world: among all the approaches to deliverance, which is the most skillful, direct, and essential? It is solely the Pure Land Dharma gate. In order to provide them with their destination, he relied upon their willing almsgiving to reverently adorn the sacred images, establish a bodhimaṇḍa, and teach people to cultivate the buddha-mindfulness samādhi, joining with the assembly in prayer and aspiration. He further entrusted me to record it. I say that regarding the teaching of the Pure Land, sūtras and treatises have long existed, and the explanations and distinctions of various masters have also been detailed. Retributive verifications have occurred from time to time, not deceiving us. Yet there are still those in the world who doubt it, simply because ignorance obscures them and principle and phenomena are not harmonized. Therefore, citing the Lotus Sūtra: 'If a person with a scattered mind / enters into a stūpa or temple, / and utters "Namo' buddha" once, / they have already attained the Buddha Path.' How much more so if, with single-mindedness unperturbed, one seeks rebirth here—how could that not be so? Furthermore, if one's discernment of the good is not clear and one's application of mind is not unified, then even among the myriad worldly dharmas, what would one not doubt? What cultivation could one attain? Is it only with our Buddha's teachings? In short, one should simply believe and accept it; one ought not doubt whether it exists or not. If so, does the Pure Land really exist? The answer is no. Does it really not exist? The answer is no. Does it both exist and not exist? The answer is no. Does it neither exist nor not exist? The answer is no. If so, where indeed is the Pure Land? Leaving behind these various views is itself called the Pure Land, is itself seeing the Tathāgata. If one hears this teaching and is neither startled, terrified, nor afraid, one should know that this person is definitely reborn without being born, adorning through non-adornment. With the pure mind of faith, in a single thought the flower opens, the complete substance manifests, and all marks are fully present. This mind is itself the Buddha; what doubt is there of becoming one who succeeds to the stage [of buddhahood]? Having crossed over arising and ceasing, one attains measureless life. If there are those who cannot yet believe and understand this, among the other expedient means the nine grades are fully present; cultivating according to one's capacity will also not be in vain.