樂邦文類 3.88

3.88

宣和初，慈受禪師住慧林，每苦口語人曰：「修行捷徑，莫越淨土。」時魏居士展轉化導，亡慮萬人。江民表左司公望，作念佛三昧詠，大勸于世。予未弱冠，隸業上庠，蚤預斯社。又因僧兄木訥首座諄諄警策，知有自性彌陀、唯心安養，迨今年殊七十，雖兵火飄零，晨昏不懈，其得力處蓋不少。矧予曾高異驗，寶珠備載。若王敏仲尚書（古）、葛仲忱大夫（繁）、馬仲玉提刑（玗），皆先世懿親，事蹟炯炯在人耳。則予家有此淨緣尚矣。乾道庚寅夏，予蒙恩奉祠，僑寓蘇壽解后寶積實講師，遐想蓮社清風、擬追東林高躅，會東平李侯洎諸名德，俱刻意熏修多歷年所，遂莫逆於心，相與為社，同聲稱佛，協誠篤願，率載閱月一集。咸知此生不負稟質之靈，報盡決有歸真之所，豈不休哉。一日社友吳君，喟然歎曰：「發菩提心，必具悲智二行。審欲求生聖域，正須啟迪群迷。安得寫十界九品，俾萬目瞻敬，知所省覺，為廣大無窮之利耶。」言未既，諸君翕然稱善，於是同社捐金以成之，聞者隨喜以助之。選工施彩，幻出二圖于門廡，復攟摭教藏、發明旨趣，一以示萬法唯心、一以指西方徑路。較餘功德，真所謂百千萬億分不及一者歟。噫光陰電掣，因果影隨，勿倚壯而廢日、勿肆情而造愆。瞻茲簡易法門，能即迴光返照，則不離當處超脫苦輪，諸佛境界悉現前矣。吳君名克已，字復之，東陽佳士也。少年頴悟，窮經博古，尤邃於易。內典淵奧，靡不究通，甞論瞿曇出世一大事因緣，發吾覆多矣。繪事告成，往來改觀，可不記諸檀侶以垂不朽。予因序其梗槩云。越四載，癸巳九月朔，左朝請大夫前主管台州崇道觀鍾離（松書）。

At the beginning of the Xuanhe era, Chan Master Cishou resided at Huilin and would repeatedly urge people earnestly, saying, 'Among shortcuts for cultivation, none surpasses the Pure Land.' At that time, Upāsaka Wei guided and converted people far and wide, numbering no fewer than ten thousand. Jiang Minbiao, Director Jiang Gongwang of the Left Bureau, composed hymns on the buddha-mindfulness samādhi, greatly encouraging the world. Before capping age, while studying at the National Academy, I early on joined this society. Furthermore, through the earnest admonitions and spurs of my monastic brother, Head Monk Mune, I came to know of self-nature Amitābha and mind-only Peaceful Nurture. Up to the present year I have passed seventy; though wandering amid the fires of war, I have not slackened morning or night, and what benefit I have obtained is indeed not small. Moreover, extraordinary verifications among my great-grandfather and grandfather are fully recorded in the precious compendia. As for Minister Wang Minzhong (Gu), Grand Master Ge Zhongchen (Fan), and Judicial Commissioner Ma Zhongyu (Yu), all were distinguished kinsmen of earlier generations, whose deeds are vividly renowned in the ears of men. Thus my family's possession of these pure affinities has been longstanding. In the summer of the gengyin year of the Qiandao era, having received imperial grace to serve at a shrine, I lodged temporarily in Suzhou. Meeting Lecturer Shi of the Baoji [Monastery], I yearned for the pure style of the Lotus Society and intended to follow the lofty footprints of Donglin. Meeting Lord Li of Dongping together with various men of eminent virtue, all of whom had dedicated their minds to smoldering cultivation over many years, we reached mutual concord in our hearts and formed a society together, intoning the Buddha's name in one voice and uniting our sincerity and steadfast vows, gathering regularly once every month. All knew that this life would not disappoint the spirit of their endowed nature, and when retribution ended there would surely be a place of return to truth; how splendid is this! One day a fellow member of the society, Master Wu, sighed deeply and said, 'In giving rise to the bodhicitta, one must possess both compassion and wisdom. If one truly desires to seek rebirth in the sacred realm, one must precisely awaken the bewildered multitudes. How can we paint the ten realms and nine grades so that myriad eyes may gaze in reverence, know self-reflection and awakening, and bring about vast and inexhaustible benefit?' Before his words were finished, the gentlemen unanimously praised it. Thereupon the fellow members of the society donated gold to accomplish it, and those who heard of it rejoiced along and assisted it. Selecting artisans and applying colors, they conjured two illustrations upon the gate verandas, and further gathered from the scriptural collections to elucidate the essential purports—one to show that the myriad dharmas are mind-only, and one to point to the direct path to the West. Compared with other merits, this is truly that for which hundreds of thousands of koṭis of portions could not equal one! Alas, time flashes like lightning, and cause and effect follow like shadows; do not rely on youthful vigor and waste your days, nor indulge passions and create transgressions. Looking upon this easy and simple Dharma door, if one can immediately turn the light back to illumine within, then without leaving this very place one transcends the wheel of suffering, and the realms of all buddhas will entirely manifest before one. Master Wu's name was Keyi, his style was Fuzhi, a fine gentleman of Dongyang. In his youth he was perceptive, deeply fathomed the classics, was broadly learned in antiquity, and was especially profound in the *Changes*. As for the deep mysteries of the Buddhist scriptures, there were none he did not investigate thoroughly. Once discussing the one great cause for which Gautama appeared in the world, he uncovered my ignorance greatly. When the painting work was completed, those coming and going changed their views; how could I not record this for the almsgiving companions so as to pass down to immortality? I have therefore prefaced its general outline. Four years later, on the first day of the ninth month of the guisi year, Grand Master for Court Audiences of the Left and former Superintendent of the Chongdao Abbey of Taizhou, Zhongli (Song wrote this).