樂邦文類 4.70

4.70

Now, seeking rebirth in the Pure Land relies on other-power. Amitābha's vow embraces, Śākyamuni encourages and praises, and all buddhas protect and keep in mind—these three are complete. If one only has faith, rebirth is very easy. It is like crossing a great ocean: once one has obtained a giant vessel, there is still a good guide, and favorable winds are added; one will surely be able to reach the other shore quickly. If someone is unwilling to board the ship and tarries in an evil land, whose fault is that? Now, there are pure lands throughout all ten directions, and Śākyamuni universally praised them throughout the sūtras as well. Yet practitioners of the final age are partial to seeking rebirth in the Land of Ultimate Bliss, and wishing to ascend to the Heaven of Contentment—how could this not be because the teaching methods of Amitābha and Śākyamuni are mutually connected? Maitreya is furthermore Śākyamuni's successor, and so those among living beings who wish and delight in this are many, while those with slight perplexity are numerous. In recent generations, those of shallow understanding are unable to redouble their practice, but merely disparage each other in vain: those fond of the Pure Land may disparage the Heaven of Contentment, while those who honor the Inner Court slander the Western Land. How do they not realize that the two gates of guiding beings return together to the single path? I send word to later students: you should reflect on this yourself. Someone asked: 'The Wise One and Ci'en are both sagely masters, yet each exclusively praised one direction. Why do you not allow this?' I replied: 'The sagely masters exclusively praised one to draw upon particular inclinations, causing people's minds to become resolute; therefore those who benefited were many. But as times change and people become superficial, exclusive praise has resulted in abuses. Therefore, I harmonize and integrate them once again, hoping to calm disputes and bring benefit, so that each may seek rebirth according to their own inclination. If in later generations harmonizing and unifying them should in turn become an abuse, I also hope that worthies who match the age will again use exclusive praise to remedy it. Responding to the disease with the medicine, what is valued is only bringing benefit to living beings; how could there be any fixed standard?' However, since my childhood I have chanted this sūtra, and although I contemplate all ten directions, in the end I set my heart on the Pure Land. From this I know that I have an affinity with Amitābha! People of the world sometimes say: 'The dharmadhātu is merged into one; who distinguishes this from that? Mind-only is all-pervading; what use is there in going and coming?' Now I say: for those worldly people who hold such an understanding, where they dwell they surely seek good company; those they approach they surely select as famous teachers; what they wear they still take pleasure in fine clothes; and what they eat they may favor delicious food. If these four do not obstruct the dharmadhātu being merged into one and mind-only being all-pervading, then what obstructs associating with the pure assembly of the Land of Bliss, drawing near to the renowned teacher Amitābha, wearing supreme, wondrous heavenly garments, and eating the delicious food of Cunda? How would that not be superior to this land? Furthermore, there are those in the world who, hearing of passing beyond a hundred thousand kotis of buddha lands, look at the route and dread its distance; or hearing that those born there are mostly in the stage of succession, feel ashamed that they themselves cannot attain it. How do they not realize that the empty realms of the ten directions are entirely our own mind? When the mind is pure, a hundred thousand [lands] are not distant; when the mind is defiled, one's own eyelashes are far away. If you simply expect the mind to be pure, what need is there to calculate the journey? Do you not consider that during a brief sleep, in a dream one travels a thousand li? Can this be compared to ordinary times? Moreover, have you not heard the Śūraṅgama say: 'The empty space of the ten directions is produced within your mind, just like a single flake of cloud dotting the great expanse of clear sky'? How much more so the various worlds within empty space! Now, if you fear the distance of the journey, you are fearing your own mind, not fearing the journey. Again, if you say 'I am an inferior commoner, while they are mostly in the stage of succession,' consider that one's own mind is itself the Buddha, and the principle of cause and effect is identical. There are even those who, in this defiled and evil realm, with their short and fleeting lifespans, transcend and ascend to the ten stages in a single lifetime. In that pure land, lifespan is moreover immeasurable; since the realm is superior and time is long, why worry that you will not reach the stage of succession? I earnestly hope the wise will quietly reflect on this, neither falling short of the Buddha's grace nor doing an injustice to themselves. Strive, strive!