龍舒增廣淨土文 9.26

9.26

子嘗謂：孔子所以為聖人，固非一端。然其要在於三人行必有我師焉。惡者亦為師，何適而非師乎？見識如是，烏得不為聖人？又嘗謂：釋迦佛所以為佛者，固非一端。然其要在於山中修行時，國王出獵問獸所在，若實告之則害獸，不實告之則妄語，沈吟未對。國王怒斫去一臂。又問，亦沈吟未對，又斫去一臂。乃發願云：「我作佛時，先度此人，不使天下人傚彼為惡。」存心如是，烏得不為佛？後出世為佛，先度憍陳如者，乃當時國王也。若如是以修淨土，立與諸大菩薩等矣。

I have often said: the reasons why Confucius became a sage are certainly not singular. Yet the essential point lies in: "When three people walk together, there must be a teacher for me among them." Even the evil are teachers; where could one go that is not a teacher? With insight such as this, how could he not become a sage? I have also often said: the reasons why Śākyamuni Buddha became a Buddha are certainly not singular. Yet the essential point lies in the time when he was cultivating in the mountains: a king went hunting and asked where the beasts were. If he told him the truth, it would harm the beasts; if he did not tell him the truth, it would be false speech; so he hesitated and did not reply. The king in anger severed one of his arms. He asked again; [the bodhisattva] again hesitated and did not reply, and [the king] severed another arm. Thereupon he made a vow, saying: "When I become a Buddha, I will first liberate this person, so that the people under Heaven do not imitate him in doing evil." Harboring such an intention in mind, how could he not become a Buddha? Later, when he appeared in the world as a Buddha, the first one he liberated was Kauṇḍinya, who was that very king at that time. If one cultivates the Pure Land like this, one will instantly be equal to all the great bodhisattvas.