龍舒增廣淨土文 1
English (machine translation) 1
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1.1
Preface to Longshu's Pure Land Writings
1.2
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.
1.3
On the Mid-Autumn Day of the bingchen year, the third year of the Yanyou reign era, inscribed by Lü Shishuo, of ancient longevity, a fellow faithful cultivator of the Pure Land, Grand Master of Palace Counsel, and former Vice General Administrator of the General Administration of Revenue in Jianghuai and Shouchu, at the Hall of Faith in his temporary lodgings at Xunyang.
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Preface to Longshu's Pure Land Writings
1.5
Amitābha Tathāgata gathers and embraces all categories of beings through the power of his great vows; fixing one's thoughts [on him] is extremely simple, and the realization of fruition is extremely swift, which some might doubt. I once said of this: Amitābha Buddha is precisely your nature; the land of Sukhāvatī is precisely your mind. Sentient beings turn their backs on enlightenment and conform to dust, sinking into the seven destinies, establishing 'self' and 'Buddha' as wide apart as heaven and earth. For this reason, the Buddha with compassion and skillful means reveals and instructs so that they may awaken and enter, manifesting various immeasurable illusion-like samādhis, adorning his land with the utmost splendor and beauty, and further expounding it with eloquence and wisdom, causing all sentient beings to rejoice and delight in it. If in daily activities one can produce a single thought of recollecting that Tathāgata and wishing to be born in his land, this very single thought—pure and firm—returns to what is inherent in nature and is no different from the Buddha. At the time of this thought, without rising from one's seat, Amitābha Buddha and the land of Sukhāvatī all manifest before one. Practicing in this way until completely mature, when the illusory body disintegrates this nature does not disintegrate; the golden lotus dais is born from the seed of nature, and rebirth within it is like returning to one's own cottage; all Buddhas and bodhisattvas are one's own family, for because nature is without difference, they naturally cherish one another. My friend Wang Xuzhong of Longshu was upright, quiet, concise, and widely versed in various books; he commented upon and transmitted hundreds of thousands of words on the Six Classics and the various masters. One day, he pointed to them and said: 'These are all karmic habits, not the ultimate Dharma. I shall return to the West!' From then on he progressed vigorously, focusing only on the Buddha and only on recollection. Approaching sixty years of age, clad in plain cotton and eating greens, he traveled a thousand li with calloused feet to teach people this, having no leisure to care for wind, rain, cold, or heat. In solitary dwelling his daily regimen was a thousand prostrations, sleeping only at midnight. His face glowed with radiant light; those who gazed upon him believed that he was a man of the Way. In the autumn of the xinji year of the Shaoxing reign era, he visited my father in Xuancheng and stayed for two months, and only then did I see his Pure Land Writings. All methods of practice and obvious records of efficacious responses were recorded from beginning to end; preparing to seek believers of the Way to carve the woodblocks to transmit it, he entrusted me to write a preface for his book. Therefore, I wrote this at its beginning, noting that Xuzhong's given name is Rixiu. On the first day of the tenth month, preface by Zhang Xiaoxiang of Liyang, principal graduate.
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Preface to Longshu's Pure Land Writings
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The doctrine of the Pure Land is a shortcut to transcending saṃsāra. Layman Longshu composed this complete book and widely distributed it, intending to encourage people to regard it as necessary and to attain it without fail; his intention was truly not shallow. Whenever wishing to read it, one must carefully savor its words and thoroughly reflect upon its meaning; if one merely skims through it casually, it will indeed be in vain. If one is distracted by other matters or feels slightly lax in mind, set it aside for a short time and examine it again later, so that virtually nothing of its meaning is lost. Otherwise, not only will the meanings fail to connect, but faith will also have no origin from which to arise. If this text is of no use to you, I hope you will pass it on to other faithful persons and not merely bundle it up on a high shelf, so that Layman Longshu's intention will not be wasted. Thus my humble labor of carving the woodblocks will also not have been in vain. Written by Lü Yuanyi.
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Preface to the Recarved Longshu's Pure Land Writings
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The Tathāgata established diverse teachings: combined, sole, comparative, and inclusive; exoteric and esoteric, partial and complete; the three vehicles and the five practices; various distinctions according to oneself and according to others. But for high merit and easy progress, recollection of the Buddha comes first. While ordinary beings possess defilements, they use the wisdom of the threefold contemplation to reveal the Buddha of original nature. Patriarch Fazhi said: 'Since mind and objects cannot be apprehended, defilement can be contemplated as purity. Because it does not obstruct conditioned arising, when visualization succeeds, the marks arise. Because it is mind-only and form-only, it manifests right where one is.' This is the correct formula for the samādhi of contemplating the Buddha; only those with the eye [of wisdom] are capable of it. As for reciting the name, gazing in reverence, prostrating, chanting, reciting, and upholding the precepts, these are all primary causes for pure karma. As auxiliary practices to correct contemplation, although the daises ascended may be golden or silver, and entry into the grades may be higher or lower, reaching non-arising and ascending to non-retrogression are identical. In the Song dynasty, Wang of Longshu composed the Pure Land Writings together with an appendix, totaling thirteen fascicles. The monk Jin of Jiahe collated and edited them into twelve fascicles, and the monk Song of Louze specially published them. Throughout the day recollecting the mind, throughout the day recollecting the Buddha—in a momentary flicker of thought, the three thousand realms are fully present. The mind contemplates that realm, and again understands this mind: recollecting the mind is the Buddha, the entire Buddha is the mind. Only then is the virtue of prajñā revealed, the virtue of liberation manifested, the virtue of the dharmakāya perfected, and the dharmadhātu completely harmonized. This wondrous substance is none other than this; in evaluating its merit, it is not inferior to that of Yu. At that time,
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The day of the Buddha's attainment of the Way in the xinchou year, the seventeenth year of the Chenghua reign era. Preface by Qiuyue of Nanxi, Yinjiang.
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Eulogy by Prime Minister Zhou Yigong
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Magnificent and seeking nothing, fearful and watchful without sorrow; lamenting that the decadent ways were about to collapse, gathering all good deeds to flow together with them. Guiding them with benevolence, making them righteous through quiescence, extinguishing them with bliss; where there is activity without recognizing non-action, he suddenly manifested the true awakening in the Middle Way to guide people.
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Eulogy by Layman Li of Jinxuan
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His mind abandoned defilement, while his traces mingled with the common world; practicing like Layman Pang yet without a household, vigorous like He Ziji yet without eating meat. His words established in Chan illuminated all doubts; exalting the pure conduct of the Lotus Pond, matching the divine capacity of the patriarchs and Buddhas. His prominent cheekbones are roughly sketched here, but his pure single nature returns solely to Peaceful Nourishment.
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Table of Contents of the Recarved Longshu's Pure Land Writings
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Fascicle One
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Nine Essays on Arousing Faith in the Pure Land
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Fascicle Two
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Seven Essays on General Essentials of the Pure Land
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Fascicle Three
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Nine Essays on Universally Encouraging Practice
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Fascicle Four
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Fifteen Essays on Methods of Practice
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Fascicle Five
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Thirty Records of Stimulus and Response
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1. Dharma Master Yuan of the Eastern Jin
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2. Liu Yimin of the Eastern Jin
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3. Que Gongze of the Eastern Jin
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4. Scholar Zhang Hang of the Jin
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5. The Monk Tanjian of the Song
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6. The Monk Huijin of the Southern Qi
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7. The Monk Tanluan of the Later Wei
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8. The Monk Daoyu of the Sui
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9. The Monk Shandao of the Tang
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10. The Monk Huaiyu of the Tang
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11. Qifang and Yuanguo of the Tang
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12. The Monk Zijue of the Tang
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13. The Monk Shaokang of the Tang
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14. The Monk Weian of the Tang
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15. The Nun Jingzhen of the Tang
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16. Fang Zhu of the Tang
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17. Li Zhiyao of the Tang
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18. Old Woman Yao of the Tang
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19. The Wife of Wen Jingwen of the Tang
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20. Zhang Zhongkui of the Tang
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21. Zhang Shanhe of the Tang
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22. The Monk Zhitong of the Later Jin
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23. Chan Master Shou of Yongming
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24. The Monk Kejiu of the Song
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25. Jin Dagong of the Song
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26. Huang the Blacksmith of the Song
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27. Wu Qiong of the Song
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28. Lady of the Prince of Jing of the Song
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29. County Mistress Guanyin of the Song
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30. Lady Feng of the Song
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Fascicle Six
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Thirty-Seven Essays of Special Exhortations
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1. Exhortation to Scholars
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2. Exhortation to Gentlemen Holding Office
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3. Exhortation to Those in Public Office
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4. Exhorting Physicians
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5. Exhorting Monks
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6. Exhorting Chan Practitioners
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7. Exhorting the Wealthy
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8. Exhorting the Greedy and Miserly
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9. Exhorting Filial Sons
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10. Exhorting Those Tied by Affection to Kin
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11. Exhorting Women
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12. Exhorting Servants and Concubines
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13. Exhorting Farmers
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14. Exhorting Sericulturalists
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15. Exhorting Merchants
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16. Exhorting Artisans
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17. Exhorting Those Beset by Hardships
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18. Exhorting Kin Resentful of Each Other
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19. Exhorting Fishermen
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20. Exhorting Those Who Net Birds
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21. Exhorting Cooks
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22. Exhorting Those Cultivating Merit
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23. Exhorting Reciters of Sūtras
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24. Exhorting the Noble
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25. Exhorting the Highly Intelligent
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26. Exhorting Wine Sellers
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27. Exhorting Restaurant Keepers
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28. Exhorting Butchers
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29. Exhorting Those in the Mundane World of Courtesans
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30. Exhorting Sinners and Evildoers
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31. Exhorting the Sick and Suffering
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32. Exhorting Spirits Who Despise Evil
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33. Exhorting Soldiers in the Army
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34. Exhorting Those of Harsh Speech
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35. Exhorting Boys
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36. Exhorting Unmarried Maidens
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37. Baba's Son Whose Mouth Grew Lotus Blossoms
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Fascicle Seven
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Seven Articles on Pointing Out Confusion and Returning to the Essentials
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1. Qing Caotang Being Reborn as Duke Zeng Lu
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2. Chan Master Jie Being Reborn as Dongpo
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3. The Elder Zhe's Subsequent Rebirth Having Much Grief and Suffering
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4. The Elder Gu's Subsequent Rebirth Being Addicted to Wealth and Nobility
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5. The Western Region Like Receiving an Official Post in Plain Sight
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6. Three Bodhisattvas Cultivating for Tuṣita
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7. The Lotus-Sūtra Nun Being Reborn as an Official Courtesan
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Diagram of the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination
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Diagram of Saṃsāra in the Three Realms and Six Destinies
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Fascicle Eight
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Eighteen Articles on Present-Life Evidences
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1. Gaining Merit by Recollecting the Buddha upon Seeing Living Beings Killed
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2. Chen Qi Repelling Ghosts by Recollecting the Buddha
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3. Zou Binwang Awakening from a Dream by Recollecting the Buddha
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4. Zhang Jizu Making Offerings for the Deceased by Recollecting the Buddha
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5. Liu Huizhong Sleeping Peacefully by Recollecting the Buddha
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6. Sister-in-law Ruan's Eyesight Restored by Recollecting the Buddha
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7. King Yama Exhorting Old Woman Jiang to Recollect the Buddha
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8. Pacification Commissioner Shao Escaping Disaster by Recollecting the Buddha
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9. Wind Illness Not Arising Through Recollection of the Buddha
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10. Escaping Terror in a Dream Through Recollection of the Buddha
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11. Not Being Crushed to Death by a Collapsing House Through Recollection of the Buddha
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12. Chronic Malaria Healed Through Recollection of the Buddha
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13. Incurable Illnesses All Healed Through Recollection of the Buddha
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14. Śarīra bursting forth from an embroidered Buddha
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15. A Buddha statue constantly producing śarīra
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16. Gaining intelligence and eloquence through dreaming of the Buddha
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17. Healing disease and recovering through recollection of the Buddha
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18. A grandson escaping disaster through recollection of the Buddha
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Fascicle Nine
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Sixteen Treatises on Aiding Cultivation for the Highest Grade
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1. Discourse on Habit
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2. Discourse on Prefect Ge Benefiting People
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3. Discourse on Giving and Retribution
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4. Discourse on Perfected Persons Prolonging Life
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5. Discourse on Meat-Eating
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6. Discourse on Refraining from Killing, Stealing, and Sexual Misconduct
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7. Discourse on Food and Drink, Men and Women
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8. Discourse on Greed Depleting One's Future Prospects
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9. Discourse on Merit and Wisdom
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10. Discourse on Cultivating Compassion
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11. Discourse on Being a Noble Person
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12. Discourse on Becoming a Sage and Becoming a Buddha
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13. Discourse on the Arhat
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14. Discourse on the Laṅkāvatāra-sūtra
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15. Discourse on the Two Devas
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16. Discourse on Minor Karmic Cause and Effect
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Fascicle Ten
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Ten Treatises on the Purity and Defilement Being as One
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1. Discourse on Emotion
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2. Discourse on 'Identity is Emptiness'
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3. Discourse on the Six Sense Faculties
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4. Discourse on the True Nature
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5. Discourse on the Mind Being Deluded Conceptualization
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6. Discourse on the Five Aggregates Being All Empty
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7. Discourse on Neglecting the Mind and Employing the Physical Form
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8. Discourse on Employing the Physical Corpse
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9. Discourse on Equalizing Birth and Death
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10. Discourse on the Self
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Postscript by Assistant Minister Zhou
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Postscript by Top Scholar Liu
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Postscript by Chan Master Miaoxi Gao
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Fascicle Eleven
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Great Master Zhizhe of Tiantai Urging Practitioners to Exclusively Cultivate the Pure Land
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Chan Master Ze of Changlu in Zhenzhou Urging Chan Meditators to Concurrently Cultivate the Pure Land
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Chan Master Shou of Yongming in Hangzhou Admonishing Those Without Realization Not to Slight the Pure Land
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Prime Minister Zheng Qingzhi Urging the Cultivation of the Pure Land
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Record of a Dream by Lady Li of Luling
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Postscript by Nie Yundi of Xujiang
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Postscript by a Person Who Has Severed the Seed of Buddhahood from Siming
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Fascicle Twelve: Appendix
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Text Urging Cultivation of Pure Karma by Yan Bing (Ruru) of Lion Peak (The body is the root of suffering; awaken and cultivate early)
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The Three Doubts at the End of Life by Patriarch Cizhao
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Text on Right Mindfulness for Rebirth at the End of Life by Master Shandao
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The Morning Method of Ten Recitations by Repentance Master Ciyun
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Verses in Praise of the Buddha and Texts of Dedication of Merit and Aspiration (four texts in all)
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A Shortcut to Transcend Samsara
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Causes and Conditions of Retribution from Recollection of the Buddha
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Universal Exhortation to Practice
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Admonition against Karmas of Speech
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Table of Contents of Longshu's Expanded Pure Land Writings (End)
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Composed by Wang Rixiu, Jinshi of the National Academy
1.179
I have perused throughout the Canon and various biographies, extracting their core meaning to compose this Pure Land text. Not a single character lacks a source. Please do not disregard its explanations simply because the person [who wrote them] is of humble station. Wishing that everyone understand it together, the language is direct and unadorned. I am a native of Longshu; as there are various Pure Land texts circulated in the world, I have distinguished this one with the name of my commandery.
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Arousing Faith in the Pure Land: One
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The doctrine of the Pure Land is mostly manifested in daily life, while its remaining merit is seen after death. Those who do not understand it merely think it is an affair of after death, completely unaware that it brings great benefit during life. Why is this? That by which the Buddha instructs people is none other than goodness; how does it differ from that by which the teachings of the Ru instruct people? It is only that their names are different. Therefore, when one takes the Pure Land as one's mind, then what is manifested in daily life—what the mind thinks, what the mouth speaks, and what the body does—is entirely good. If one is good, one becomes a noble person and a great worthy; in this present life, people revere them, spirits protect them, their blessings and emoluments can increase, and their life span can be prolonged. Speaking from this, then for those who follow the Buddha's words and take the Pure Land as their mind, who could say that it has no benefit during life? Next are those who are swayed by karmic conditions and cannot concentrate their intention upon this. If they merely have the aspiration, their evil conditions can from this point diminish, and their good conditions can from this point increase. If evil conditions diminish unceasingly, in the end they will certainly bring about the cessation of their evil; if good conditions increase unceasingly, in the end they will certainly attain pure goodness. When evil has ceased and goodness is pure, what are they if not a noble person? What are they if not a great worthy? Speaking from this, then for those who follow the Buddha's words and take the Pure Land as their mind, who could say that it has no benefit during life? Furthermore, next are those who do not know where propriety and righteousness lie and do not know that punishments are to be feared, only prizing overbearing power and only pursuing influence. If they know to take the Pure Land as their mind, they will also certainly know to examine themselves and blame themselves; though what they do cannot entirely accord with propriety and righteousness, it will certainly approach propriety and righteousness; though they cannot completely transcend punishments, they will certainly keep far from punishments. Gradually they can escape the realm of petty persons and ultimately return to being noble persons. If common people slightly understand Buddhist principles, the world will certainly regard them as good persons. This is its efficacy. Speaking from this, then for those who follow the Buddha's words and take the Pure Land as their mind, who could say that it has no benefit during life? Someone may ask: 'If one follows Confucius's words and takes Confucian teachings as one's mind, does it not also benefit life? What need is there for the Pure Land?' The answer is: 'This is merely mundane phenomena, not supramundane phenomena. Mundane phenomena do not take one out of saṃsāra, while supramundane phenomena directly deliver one beyond saṃsāra. The Pure Land both benefits life and benefits after death because it embraces supramundane phenomena.'
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Inspiring Faith in the Pure Land, Part Two
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The doctrine of the Pure Land has its principle and its trace. Speaking of its principle, it is manifested in daily life and is never departed from, as stated in the previous section. Speaking of its trace, it is manifested in the time it takes to drink a cup of tea in the morning, without needing to be mired the whole day; this is the dharma gate of ten recitations. Now, the dharma gates of practice have nine grades, and everyone can cultivate them; even toward evil persons of sin, the Buddha does not abandon them. If they turn their minds toward the good, then they become good; therefore, all people can universally practice this dharma gate of ten recitations. It is just like a room that has long been dark: when a single lamp illuminates it, it becomes bright. Therefore, those who slaughter oxen and butchered horses can also cultivate it as soon as they put down the butcher's knife. That is why cultivating it is not difficult and does not interfere with all mundane affairs. Thus, being an official does not interfere with one's duties; being a scholar does not interfere with one's study; being a merchant does not interfere with trading; being a farmer does not interfere with tilling the fields; being in public service does not interfere with serving superiors; being among monks does not interfere with practicing Chan. None of all one's activities interfere with each other. Therefore it is said that the effort of its practice is manifested merely in the time of a cup of tea in the morning, and can thereupon become the provision that remains indestructible for tens of billions of kalpas. Why would people not cultivate it? Now, if there is a merchant who spends one coin and gains two coins in profit, he will certainly rejoice, thinking he has gained much profit. If a traveler covers two days' journey in a single day, he will certainly rejoice, thinking he has covered much of his journey. This is knowing joy when gaining a little in external things. Or if one sells for one coin what cost two coins, one will certainly worry, thinking one has lost capital; if covering one day's journey takes two days, one will also certainly worry, thinking one has wasted days. This is knowing worry when losing a little in external things. Why is it that, when the light and time of our bodies are limited and pass away with each sunset—which is a great loss—one does not consider it a worry? When the conditions for the Pure Land are difficult to encounter and one is fortunate enough to know them—which is a great gain—one does not consider it a joy? This is merely seeing small gains and small losses and feeling worry or joy, but when it comes to great gains and losses, one cannot realize it. How could one be so thoughtless! Moreover, it takes no time and uses very little effort, while the merit gathered cannot be fully described. Why would people not cultivate it? Not cultivating it at this time—how lamentable! How lamentable!
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Inspiring Faith in the Pure Land, Part Three
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When people suddenly hear of the scenes of the Pure Land, many do not believe them; this is not surprising. For they are constrained by what they see before their eyes, and thereupon assume that what they do not see before their eyes is merely like this as well. Furthermore, how could someone living in a narrow alley amid filth know the purity of a spacious mansion? How could someone eating from small vessels of coarse greens know the ten-foot square table of food set before one? How could someone storing a few coins in a ragged hamper know the abundance of the heavenly treasury? Talking of dwelling in this turbid world of Sahā, they do not believe in that pure Buddha-land; being born and raised from a womb, they do not know that over there is the transformation birth within a lotus bud; with a life span of no more than a hundred years, they do not know that over there the life spans are as numerous as the sands of the Ganges; with food and clothing necessarily depending on labor, they do not know that over there are spontaneous food, clothing, and joy; frequently mingled with anxiety and affliction, they do not know that over there is unadulterated joy. Thus, regarding what the Buddha has said, one must not disbelieve it simply because it is not seen before one's eyes. Furthermore, the Buddha strictly prohibited false speech to people, and would certainly not himself speak falsely to deceive people. When worldly people speak falsely, it is either to seek gain or to avoid harm. The Buddha sought nothing from the world; what gain would he seek? The Buddha viewed life and death as like a sword slashing through empty space; what harm would he avoid? Thus the Buddha had no use for false speech. When even those of above-average standing in the world are unwilling to speak falsely to compromise their conduct, how much less the Buddha! His words can be trusted; there is no cause for doubt. Therefore, worthy men of the past said: 'If the Buddha's words are not trusted, whose words can be trusted?' In the past, there was a case where loyal ministers were cast as treacherous partisans and carved onto stone, and heavenly thunder struck it. Now, with gold, jewels, and colors, scriptures are engraved and painted to make revolving repositories that store the Buddha's words, offered to with incense and flowers, and adorned with divine dragons. If his words were false, that would be even worse than the stele of treacherous partisans; why, through hundreds and thousands of years, has heavenly thunder not struck them? It is because his words are sincere. If his words are sincere and you still do not believe them, what are you waiting for? Therefore, the doctrine of the Pure Land is without any doubt. Moreover, from antiquity to the present, those who cultivated this have experienced very many stimuli and responses, so it is even less possible not to believe. The stimuli and responses are in the fifth fascicle.
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Inspiring Faith in the Pure Land, Part Four
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Some Confucian scholars disparage the Buddha's teachings because the disciples of the Śākya clan lack monastic discipline and conduct, and consequently do not believe in the Pure Land. This is not so. How could one disparage Laozi because Daoist priests are unworthy, or disparage Confucius because scholars are unworthy? Even wise persons do not reject words on account of the person; how much less should one disparage his teachings on account of his followers? The teachings of the Śākya clan include mundane phenomena and supramundane phenomena. Those of its mundane phenomena that are identical with our Confucianism cannot be counted in detail; let us briefly raise the major ones. That by which the Śākya clan assiduously instructs worldly people is none other than prohibiting evil and encouraging good. And when has our Confucianism ever failed to prohibit evil and encourage good? To speak of what is before our eyes, the Buddha took taking life, stealing, and sexual misconduct as the three karmas of the body. And Confucius spoke of 'overcoming cruelty and dispensing with killing', while the poet praised King Wen's virtue as extending to birds, beasts, and insects; is this not prohibiting killing? Stealing is naturally not even in question. Confucius said, 'I have not seen anyone who loves virtue as much as they love sex,' and the poet satirized lacking virtue and delighting in beautiful looks; is this not prohibiting sexual misconduct? The Buddha took false speech, frivolous speech, divisive speech, and harsh speech as the four karmas of the mouth. Confucius said, 'If a person lacks trustworthiness, I do not know how they can get along,' which is surely prohibiting false speech. He said, 'Clever words and an ingratiating appearance are rarely associated with humaneness,' which is surely prohibiting frivolous speech. The Classic of History states, 'Do not agree to one's face and then speak behind their back,' which is surely prohibiting divisive speech. Harsh speech refers to words of anger, not yet even reaching foul language. Xunzi said, 'Words that wound others cut deeper than spears and halberds'; this is never having failed to prohibit an angry mouth. The Buddha also took greed, anger, and delusion as the three karmas of the mind. Confucius said, 'When seeing gain, think of righteousness'; this is prohibiting greed. He said, 'Boyi and Shuqi did not hold ancient grievances in mind'; this is prohibiting anger. He said, 'Those who are constrained by difficulties yet do not learn—such people are the lowest'; this is prohibiting delusion. Speaking from this, Confucianism and Buddhism have never differed. Where they differ is only that the Confucians stop at mundane phenomena, whereas the Śākya clan additionally has supramundane phenomena. The Confucians stop at mundane phenomena; hence they only speak of a single lifetime and attribute it to Heaven. The Śākya clan additionally has supramundane phenomena; hence they understand multiple lifetimes and perceive the beginnings and ends of sentient beings' karmic conditions. This is where they differ. If one wishes to understand the strengths of the Śākya clan, one must read the Śūraṅgama, the Laṅkāvatāra, the Perfect Enlightenment, and the Sūtra of the Questions of Sarvanīvaraṇaviṣkambhin Bodhisattva, and understand the principle of the Diamond Sūtra. If one has not been able to do so and thereupon condemns it, then one is what Confucius called 'those who act without understanding'—should one not take caution against this? If it is truly like this, then the Śākya clan is worthy of belief. How could one disbelieve his words on the Pure Land? As for what is called supramundane phenomena, the Pure Land is especially essential; one cannot fail to exert oneself.
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Inspiring Faith in the Pure Land, Part Five
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In the world there are those dedicated solely to Chan contemplation who say: "The Pure Land is mind-only; how could there be another Pure Land? One's self-nature is Amitābha; there is no need to see another Amitābha." These words seem right but are actually wrong. Why is this? The Western Pure Land has both principle and manifestation. In terms of principle, if one can purify one's mind, everything is pure, and it is truly the mind-only Pure Land. In terms of manifestation, the world of Sukhāvatī truly exists; the Buddha spoke of it with repeated care and detail—how could it be false speech? Everyone can become a Buddha; saying that "self-nature is Amitābha" is certainly not false. Yet one cannot suddenly reach this. For example, fine timber can be carved into figurines of extreme splendor, but this can only be achieved after applying the labor of carving; one cannot simply point to the raw timber and claim it is already the height of splendid imagery. Therefore, to say that "the Pure Land is mind-only and there is no other Pure Land" and that "one's self-nature is Amitābha and one need not see Amitābha" is incorrect. Furthermore, those who believe there is a Pure Land but rigidly adhere to the mind-only theory, claiming that the West is not worth being reborn in, or claiming that through Chan contemplation and awakening to nature one surpasses the Buddhas and transcends the Patriarchs, so Amitābha is not worth seeing—all these miss the mark. Why is this? Such claims are exceedingly high, but I fear they are not easily attained. That Western Pure Land is free of greed and mutation, free of anger and delusion; can our minds be free of greed, mutation, anger, and delusion? In that Western Pure Land, when one thinks of clothing one gets clothing, when one thinks of food one gets food; if one desires stillness there is stillness, if one desires to go there one goes. When we think of clothing and have none, cold vexes our minds; when we think of food and have none, hunger vexes our minds; when we desire stillness and cannot obtain it, the multitude of distractions vexes our minds; when we desire to depart and cannot depart, entanglements vex our minds. Thus, what is called the "mind-only Pure Land" is truly not easily attained. That Amitābha Buddha has blessings as massive as mountains and seas, and power that lifts heaven and earth; turning hell into a lotus is easier than turning his palm, and observing infinite worlds is like seeing them right before his eyes. As for our own power of blessings, we cannot even maintain ourselves steadily, and we constantly fear falling into hell due to the heaviness of our past karma—how much less could we transform it into a lotus? We cannot even know what is happening behind the wall—how much less could we see infinite worlds? Thus, what is called "self-nature Amitābha" is truly not easily attained. Therefore, our minds can be the Pure Land, but cannot suddenly be the Pure Land; our nature can be Amitābha, but cannot suddenly be Amitābha. How can one neglect the Pure Land and not cultivate it, or cast aside Amitābha and not desire to see him? Therefore, cultivating the Western [Pure Land] to attain the Way is exceedingly easy, whereas merely remaining in this world, desiring through Chan contemplation to awaken to nature and surpass the Buddhas and transcend the Patriarchs, is exceedingly difficult. Moreover, cultivating the Pure Land does not obstruct Chan contemplation; why must Chan practitioners disdain the Pure Land and not cultivate it? The *Larger Amitābha-sūtra* states: "In the ten directions there are immeasurable bodhisattvas who attain rebirth in Amitābha Buddha's land." Those bodhisattvas desire to be reborn there; who am I that I should not desire to go there? Could it be that I truly surpass all bodhisattvas? Speaking from this perspective, "mind-only Pure Land" and "self-nature Amitābha" are grand but impractical, lofty but not to the point; when those who have not attained it cultivate in this way, they mislead many people. It is better to stand on solid ground, uphold recitations and practice, so that everyone is certain to be born in the Pure Land and swiftly escape saṃsāra. Compared to empty and insubstantial words, this is as far apart as heaven and earth.
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Inspiring Faith in the Pure Land, Part Six
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Because the Buddha's eye sees matters of immeasurable kalpas, he has seen everything from ancient times to the present. Moreover, he precepts people against lying, so he himself would never speak falsely to deceive others; he also precepts people against grasping at a self, so he himself would never hold a self to boast before others. Therefore, his words can truly be taken as an exemplar. According to the *Śūraṅgama-sūtra*, there are ten kinds of immortals, all of whose lifespans last for tens of millions of years, but when their allotment is exhausted, they enter saṃsāra again. Because they have never thoroughly realized the true nature, they are collectively termed the "seven destinies" along with the beings of the six realms; they are all beings within saṃsāra. Among worldly people who study immortality, not one in ten thousand succeeds; even if they attain it, they still do not escape saṃsāra, because they cling to physical form and spirit and cannot let them go. Furthermore, physical form and spirit are illusory thoughts appearing within the true nature, not reality. Therefore, Hanshan's poem says: "Even if you become an immortal, / You are just like a ghost guarding a corpse." It is not like the Buddhist freedom over birth and death, unrestricted by anything. Recently, over several hundred years, the only ones who attained immortality were Zhongli and Master Lü. Yet how could those studying Zhongli and Master Lü be limited to tens of thousands? Among my own relatives and acquaintances, their numbers are not few either, but all ended in death and were buried in the soil. This is to expend mind and effort in vain during one's lifetime, ultimately bringing no benefit. If one wishes to seek long life, nothing compares to the Pure Land. Those born in the Pure Land have an immeasurable lifespan; its longevity is vast indeed. To not know how to cultivate this Dharma gate and instead study spirit immortals is to cast aside fine jade before one's eyes and seek chalcedony that cannot even be obtained for certain; is this not confusion? Someone said: "The Pure Land is an affair after closing one's eyes; what verification is there?" I reply: "The biographies of the Pure Land record stimuli and responses in full; how could there be no verification? Furthermore, when spirit immortals attain something, they keep it extremely secret and do not transmit it, considering that leaking heavenly secrets brings guilt. The Buddha's Dharma gate only fears that it will not be spread widely, wishing solely to liberate all sentient beings to the end. His boundless compassion is difficult to fathom, not something spirit immortals can equal."
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Inspiring Faith in the Pure Land, Part Seven
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There are people who do not believe in cause and effect and consequently do not believe in the Pure Land. How can cause and effect not be believed? The sūtra says: "If you wish to know past causes, look at what you receive in this life. If you wish to know future fruits, look at what you do in this life." If one does not believe these words, why not observe the matters before one's eyes? The reason people in life have wealth and poverty, nobility and lowliness, suffering and joy, toil and ease, glory and disgrace, longevity and premature death—their varied misfortunes and blessings—though called the mandate of heaven, how could heaven be partial to any person? Because people's actions in past lives were different, the retributions they receive in this life are also different; heaven merely presides over this. Therefore, this body is called a retribution body. The retribution body is the recompense for what I did in past lives; thus this body was born. How could heaven have any intention in this? For example, if a person outside has merit or guilt, they ought to receive reward or punishment from the authorities; how could the authorities be partial to the person? It is merely because merit should be rewarded and guilt should be punished that they preside over it; how could they bestow reward or punishment on someone without cause? Even worldly authorities do not bestow reward or punishment without cause; how much less would the creation of heaven and earth bestow misfortune and blessing on a person without cause? Thus we know that because actions in past lives contained good and evil, they are recompensed with misfortune and blessing. Because one cannot be purely good, one cannot purely receive blessed retribution; thus there are those who are wealthy and noble yet suffer and die young, those who are poor and lowly yet have long life and joy, and those who have glory and favor yet end in ruin and disgrace. These karmic retributions follow what was done, like a shadow following a form or an echo responding to a sound, without the slightest discrepancy. Therefore it is said: plant peaches and you get peaches, plant plums and you get plums; never has anyone planted hemp and reaped beans, or planted millet and reaped sorghum. Only, what is planted is little and what is harvested is much; therefore, when committing good or evil it is very small, but receiving the retribution of misfortune or blessing is very great. Hence it is said: "In spring plant a single grain of millet; in autumn harvest ten thousand seeds." When people perform good and evil, the karmic retribution is just like this; it is the natural principle of creation. If this principle is credible, then the teaching of the Pure Land must be credible. Why? Both are words of the Buddha. Since the Buddha spoke truthfully regarding cause and effect, he certainly would not speak falsely regarding the Pure Land. For those who, because of not believing in cause and effect, consequently do not believe in the Pure Land, this can resolve their confusion.
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Inspiring Faith in the Pure Land, Part Eight
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There are people who, seeing that good and evil have not yet brought retribution before their eyes, do not believe in cause and effect, and consequently do not believe in the Pure Land. Little do they know that good and evil not yet bringing retribution does not mean there is no retribution, but merely that it is slow or swift. The Buddha once said to Ānanda: "There are people who do good in this life and upon death fall into hell; there are people who do evil in this life and upon death are born into heaven." Ānanda asked: "Why is this?" The Buddha said: "Those who do good in this life and upon death fall into hell do so because this life's good has not yet ripened, while past lives' evil has already ripened. Those who do evil in this life and upon death are born into heaven do so because this life's evil has not yet ripened, while past lives' good has already ripened. Where it is ripened, retribution is received first, just as when repaying debts, the urgent ones are repaid first." Zuo Qiuming stated: "Luan Wuzi had virtue, which could protect his son." Therefore, although his son Yan did evil, he was able to avoid calamity. Yan's son Ying did good, but Yan's evil implicated him; therefore, although Ying was good, he met with disaster. Speaking only of what is visible in this world before our eyes, retributions for good and evil are already like this; how much more so across lifetimes? The *Book of Documents* says: "The Way of Heaven blesses the good and brings calamity to the licentious." Laozi says: "Heaven's net is vast; its meshes are wide, yet nothing slips through." Thus all three teachings speak of this principle; there is only slowness or swiftness. How could one, because karmic retribution is not seen before one's eyes, consequently not believe in cause and effect, and thus not believe in the Pure Land?
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Inspiring Faith in the Pure Land, Part Nine
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Someone doubted, saying: "When a person here practices recollection of the Buddha, why does a single lotus flower immediately grow in the seven-jeweled pond of the West?" I told him: "This is not difficult to understand. For instance, in a great bright mirror, whenever an object comes before it, its reflection appears; how could the mirror ever have any intention? It is simply spontaneous because of its brightness. Amitābha Buddha's land is pure, bright, and spotless, naturally illuminating and seeing the worlds of the ten directions, just like seeing one's facial features in a bright mirror. Therefore, when one here practices recollection of the Buddha, a single lotus flower naturally grows in the seven-jeweled pond of the West; there is no cause for doubt." Someone else doubted, saying: "For one who recites the Dhāraṇī of Rebirth, Amitābha Buddha constantly abides on their crown to protect them. If there are immeasurable sentient beings in immeasurable worlds reciting this dhāraṇī, how could Amitābha Buddha abide on each and every one of their crowns?" I replied: "It is also spontaneous. For example, the single moon in the sky appears universally in all waters; how could this not be spontaneous?" Another person practicing diligently doubted, saying: "Furthermore, at the end of life, the Buddha and bodhisattvas come to welcome one. If in the worlds of the ten directions there are immeasurable sentient beings who are diligent, how could he know all their times and go to welcome them?" I replied: "It is also spontaneous. For example, the single sun in the sky universally illuminates immeasurable realms; how could this not be spontaneous? How much more so the spiritual majesty of the Buddha, which does not merely equal the sun and moon! Then, abiding universally on their crowns and knowing universally their times—what cause for doubt could there be?"
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Missing Text in the Amitābha-sūtra
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The Xiangyang stone engraving of the *Amitābha-sūtra* was written by Chen Renling of the Sui dynasty; its calligraphy is pure and graceful, and many people admire and cherish it. From "with a mind that is single and undisturbed" downward, it says: "Single-mindedly uphold the name, because by reciting the name, all sins are extinguished, which is itself many good roots, blessings, and virtues as causes and conditions." The versions transmitted in the world today omit these twenty-one characters. Moreover, the canon version of this sūtra is also called the *Sūtra of Being Gathered and Received by All Buddhas*, which presents the Buddhas of the ten directions, located under the character *yang* in the catalogue order. Today's edition omits the Buddhas of four directions.
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Explanation of Preparedness
First 200 of 204 passages. Read on
Linked texts (1)
- 龍舒增廣淨土文 — Classical Chinese