龍舒增廣淨土文 1.2

1.2

《華嚴經》云「信為道元功德母，長養一切諸善根。」然世之所謂修淨土者，不可以不信也。淨土乃西方極樂世界，其中種種殊勝莊嚴，《阿彌陀經》載之詳矣。阿彌陀乃彼中之佛，未成佛以前有四十八願，願願度人。眾生願生彼國者，一稱其名，隨念往生。末世之人皆於命終氣絕之後，令他人稱念十聲謂之十念，何益於事？却不知於平日諸惡莫作、眾善奉行，念念不離西方淨土、念念願見彼佛彌陀，直至命終不差不亂，蓮臺上品決定化生，五濁惡世更不再入。但闡提之流不信有之，被惡業昏翳，既不能自修又障他人修，此入地獄如箭射，誠可憫也。譬如遐邦絕域之人，居處服食無異禽獸，安知有中國富貴快樂？一旦或有語之者，咸以為妄。其中乃至一人聽而信之，念慕中國、大厭彼土，願身歿而生焉。今生中國之人，豈無若乎此輩？世界中豈無遐邦絕域乎？既有南贍部洲，便有西方淨土，又安知不同在此天地之間哉？捨此生彼，亦理之常，烏得而不信。諸佛無妄語、佛語不誤人，先賢達士及禪門宗師亦多修淨土，惟龍舒王居士信之篤、修之勤，正念現前，臨終明白，淨土之歸無疑矣。自利利他，又作淨土文十三卷，引三教經書為證，方便利益開導後人，可謂一念萬年。歲久板翳不任披閱，吾姪元益遜齋自號康廬客，乃先兄道山左丞之子，夙植善本來生我家。行已立身靡不在道，飢寒病苦周恤有恒，道釋諸經印施饒益修行淨業，惟己自知。紛紛盆盎中，見此古罍洗，余甚嘉之，宜其咸稱為善人君子也。發心重為刊梓，欲壽其傳，願一切眾生悉歸淨土。刊至第四卷第九卷十板，鐵筆有礙，出舍利三顆，嵌罅深隱，光彩熣燦，眾驚異焉。此皆阿彌陀佛悲智示現、龍舒居士願力不泯，吾姪信心堅固所致。謂佛法無靈驗、西方無淨土，可乎？舊板重刊善緣圓滿，諸仁者切忌，莫於紙上板上作背向兩般錯會。雖然本性彌陀、惟心淨土，豈欺我耶？吁！仁智之見有不同，中人以上可語也。於是乎書。

The Avataṃsaka-sūtra says: 'Faith is the origin of the Way and the mother of merits; it nurtures all good roots.' Thus, for those in the world who cultivate the Pure Land, it is impossible to do so without faith. The Pure Land is the Western Sukhāvatī, and its various superior adornments are recorded in detail in the Amitābha-sūtra. Amitābha is the Buddha of that realm; before achieving Buddhahood, he made forty-eight vows, each vow aimed at delivering sentient beings. Sentient beings who wish to be reborn in that land need only recite his name once, and they will attain rebirth in accordance with that thought. People of this final age, however, wait until life has ended and breath has ceased, having others recite ten times on their behalf and calling it 'ten recitations'—what benefit can this bring to the matter? Yet they do not know to refrain from all evils and practice all goods in daily life, never departing from the Western Pure Land in thought after thought, and wishing to see that Buddha Amitābha in thought after thought, right up to the end of life without error or confusion, so that transformation birth on the highest grade of lotus dais is assured, never to enter the evil world of the five turbidities again. But icchantikas do not believe it exists; darkened and blinded by evil karma, they can neither cultivate it themselves nor refrain from obstructing others from cultivating it. These beings enter hell as swiftly as shooting arrows; truly they are pitiable! For example, people of remote kingdoms and isolated regions dwell, dress, and eat no differently from birds and beasts; how could they know of the wealth, nobility, and joy of the Central Kingdom? If one day someone speaks of it to them, they all consider it absurd. If among them even one person hears and believes it, longs for the Central Kingdom, and deeply despises their own land, vowing to be born there after their body perishes—are there not people born in the Central Kingdom today who were once like this? Could there be no remote kingdoms and isolated regions within the world? Since Jambudvīpa exists, then the Western Pure Land also exists; how could one know that they do not coexist between heaven and earth? Renouncing this place to be born in that place is likewise the ordinary order of things; how could one fail to believe it? The Buddhas make no false speech; the Buddha's words do not mislead people. Ancient sages, eminent gentlemen, and masters of the Chan lineage have also mostly cultivated the Pure Land. Only Layman Wang of Longshu believed in it with utmost sincerity and cultivated it with great diligence; his right mindfulness manifested before him, and at the end of life he was completely lucid—his return to the Pure Land is beyond doubt. Benefiting oneself and benefiting others, he also composed thirteen fascicles of Pure Land Writings, citing the scriptures and books of the Three Teachings as evidence, skillfully providing benefits to guide future generations, which may be called 'a single thought enduring for ten thousand years.' With the passage of many years, the printing blocks wore out and became unsuited for reading. My nephew Yuanyi Xunzhai, who gave himself the sobriquet Kangluke ('Guest of Mount Lu'), is the son of my late elder brother Daoshan, the Vice Director of the Left. Having planted good roots in past lives, he came to be born into our family. In his conduct and establishment of character, nothing fails to accord with the Way; in caring for the hungry, cold, sick, and afflicted, his charity is constant; and in printing and distributing Daoist and Buddhist scriptures to bring vast benefit and cultivate pure karma, only he himself truly knows. Amidst a welter of common basins and pots, seeing this ancient bronze vessel, I greatly commend him; it is fitting that all refer to him as a good man and gentleman. He resolved to recarve the printing blocks, wishing to make its transmission endure, and vowing that all sentient beings may completely return to the Pure Land. When carving reached the fourth fascicle and the ninth fascicle's tenth block, the iron stylus encountered an obstruction, and three śarīra relics emerged, deeply hidden within the crevice, resplendent and dazzling with light, at which everyone was astonished. These were all manifestations of Amitābha Buddha's compassion and wisdom, the result of Layman Longshu's vow power never being extinguished, and my nephew's firm faith. Can one say that the Buddha-Dharma has no efficacious responses, or that there is no Pure Land in the West? Now that the old blocks have been recarved and the good conditions are fulfilled, all virtuous persons must take care not to mistakenly understand this on paper or block as two opposing sides. Even though there is the Amitābha of original nature and the mind-only Pure Land, how could they deceive me? Alas! The views of the benevolent and the wise differ; this can be spoken of to those of middling capacity and above. Thereupon this was inscribed.