龍舒增廣淨土文 5.20

5.20

善導，貞觀中見西河綽禪師淨土九品道場，於是篤勤精苦若救頭然。每入佛堂合掌胡跪一心念佛，非力竭不休，雖寒氷亦須流汗以表至誠。出即為眾說淨土法門，無暫時不為利益。三十餘年不暫睡眠，般舟行道禮佛方等專為己任，護持戒品纖毫不犯，未甞舉目視女人，絕意名利遠諸戲笑。所行之處淨身供養，飲食衣服有餘並以迴施，好食送大厨供眾、麁惡自食，乳酪醍醐皆不飲噉。諸有䞋施，用寫《阿彌陀經》十萬餘卷、畫淨土變相三百餘。譬見及壞塔，皆悉修營，然燈續明，每歲不絕。三衣瓶鉢不使人持洗，始終無改。不與眾同行，恐談世事妨修行業。展轉授淨土法門者不可勝數。或問導云：「念佛之善，生淨土否？」答云：「如汝所念，遂汝所願。」於是導自念阿彌陀佛一聲，則有一道光明從其口出，十聲以至百聲，光明亦如此。其勸化偈云「漸漸雞皮鶴髮，看看行步躘踵，假饒金玉滿堂，難免衰殘老病。任是千般快樂，無常終是到來，唯有徑路修行，但念阿彌陀佛。」後謂人曰：「此身可厭，吾將西歸。」乃登寺前柳樹，投身自絕。高宗見其念佛口出光明，又捨身時精至如此，賜寺額為「光明」。本朝慈雲式懺主略傳云「阿彌陀佛化身至長安，聞滻水聲乃曰：『可教念佛。』三年後滿長安城中念佛。」後有法照大師，即善導後身也。

During the Zhenguan reign era, Shandao saw Chan Master Daochuo's Pure Land Bodhimanda of the Nine Grades at Xihe; thereupon he was earnest and diligent, persevering in bitter austerities as if putting out a fire on his head. Every time he entered the Buddha hall, he joined his palms, knelt in the western fashion, and single-mindedly recollected the Buddha, never resting until his strength was exhausted; even in freezing cold he would break into a sweat to express his utmost sincerity. When he came out, he would preach the Pure Land Dharma gate to the assembly, never lacking for a single moment in benefiting others. For over thirty years he never slept for a moment, taking pratyutpanna practice, circumambulating, and bowing to the Buddha in the vaipulya manner as his exclusive personal duty. He safeguarded the categories of precepts without violating the slightest hair, never once lifted his eyes to look at women, and abandoned thoughts of fame and gain, keeping far away from joking and laughter. Wherever he went, his body was pure and he received offerings; any excess food, drink, or clothing was wholly given away in charity. Fine food was sent to the great kitchen to offer to the assembly, while he ate coarse and poor fare himself; he drank and ate neither curds nor ghee. Whatever donations he received, he used to copy over one hundred thousand scrolls of the Amitābha-sūtra and paint over three hundred illustrations of the Pure Land transformation tableau. Whenever he saw damaged pagodas, he fully repaired and rebuilt them; lighting lamps to continue the illumination, he never ceased year after year. He never allowed others to carry or wash his three robes, water jar, or alms bowl, remaining unchanged from beginning to end. He did not walk together with the crowd, fearing that discussing worldly affairs would hinder his cultivation of practice. Those who successively received the Pure Land Dharma gate from him were beyond count. Someone once asked Shandao, "Does the good of recollecting the Buddha lead to rebirth in the Pure Land?" He answered, "According to your recollection, your vow will be fulfilled." Thereupon, as Shandao himself recited the name of Amitābha Buddha once, a ray of bright light came out from his mouth; from ten recitations up to a hundred recitations, the bright light was likewise so. His verse for admonishing and transforming said: "Gradually, chicken skin and crane hair; / Look, see the faltering, tottering steps. / Even if gold and jade fill the hall, / One cannot avoid decline, old age, and sickness. / Let there be a thousand kinds of pleasure; / Impermanence will arrive in the end. / There is only the shortcut of practice: / Simply recite the name of Amitābha Buddha." Later he said to people, "This body is repulsive; I am about to return to the West." He then climbed a willow tree in front of the monastery and threw himself down to end his life. Emperor Gaozong, seeing that bright light had emitted from his mouth when recollecting the Buddha, and that his dedication was so utmost when relinquishing his body, bestowed on the monastery the plaque name "Guangming" (Bright Light). The brief biography by Repentance Master Ciyun Zunshi of our dynasty states: "A transformation body of Amitābha Buddha came to Chang'an. Hearing the sound of the Chan River, he said: 'They can be taught to recollect the Buddha.' Three years later, the whole city of Chang'an was recollecting the Buddha." Later there was Great Master Fazhao, who was indeed the later rebirth of Shandao.