樂邦文類 4.94

4.94

或曰：生欲天者十善為因，生色天者禪定為因。善禪不修，而望生欲色天者，未之有也。夫生淨土者，必須修無生妙觀纔可得耳。若妙觀無相應之期，必淨土絕可生之理。今之學者都懵教旨，謂生天難而淨土易，輒以有相之善引脛而向、望風發願，便待足蹈寶蓮、身參聖眾。謬矣！若謂生天難，是猶具四足而走曠難；若謂淨土易，亦猶無兩翼而凌空易。又孰信乎？

Someone said: "For birth in the desire heavens, the ten virtues are the cause; for birth in the form heavens, dhyāna meditation is the cause. If one cultivates neither virtues nor dhyāna yet hopes to be born in the desire or form heavens, that has never occurred. Now, for birth in the Pure Land, one must cultivate the wondrous contemplation of non-birth before it can be attained. If there is no time of resonance with the wondrous contemplation, then there is definitely no principle by which the Pure Land can be attained. Today's students are entirely ignorant of the doctrinal purport, claiming that birth in heaven is difficult while the Pure Land is easy; they immediately stretch their legs toward it with sign-based virtues, make vows upon hearing rumors, and expect their feet to tread upon jeweled lotuses and their bodies to join the holy assembly. How mistaken! If one says that birth in heaven is difficult, that is like possessing four feet and running across an open wilderness being difficult; if one says that the Pure Land is easy, that is like lacking two wings and soaring into empty space being easy. Who, then, would believe it?"