龍舒增廣淨土文 11.7

11.7

A hypothetical question is asked: "Merely by seeing the nature and awakening to the Way, one transcends birth and death. What need is there to bind one's mindfulness to that Buddha and seek rebirth in another realm?" The answer says: "True practitioners should examine themselves; like a person drinking water, they know for themselves whether it is cold or warm. A clear mirror is set forth here to shatter many delusions. Worthy ones, you should look at your own practice and understanding: in seeing the nature and awakening to the Way, receiving the Tathāgata's prediction, and inheriting the position of the patriarchs, can you match Aśvaghoṣa and Nāgārjuna? In obtaining unimpeded eloquence and realizing the Lotus Samādhi, can you match Tiantai Zhiyi? In mastering both doctrine and realization, cultivating both practice and understanding, can you match National Teacher Zhong? All these great masters clearly handed down verbal teachings deeply urging rebirth; this was surely benefiting oneself and benefiting others—how could they be willing to mislead others and mislead themselves? Furthermore, the Great Hero praised it, and his golden mouth repeatedly enjoined it. We hope you will respectfully receive the Buddha's command following the ancient worthies, and you will certainly not be in error. Moreover, the deeds of ancient and modern eminent gentlemen recorded in the *Biographies of Rebirth* are conspicuously evident in more than one case; you should diligently read and examine them to illuminate and understand yourself. Furthermore, you should assess yourself: at the end of life, in birth and death, departing or staying, will you certainly attain freedom? Are you certain that the heavy obstructions of evil karma from beginningless time will not manifest before you? Are you certain that this one retribution body will escape transmigration? In journeying among the three wretched destinies and different species, will you come and go freely and certainly be free of suffering and distress? Will you lodge at will in the heavens, the human realm, or the worlds of the ten directions, certainly without hindrance? If you have clear, full confidence in this, what could be better! But if not, do not let momentary pride result instead in sinking into delusion for eternal kalpas. Losing this beneficial advantage by your own fault, whom else will you blame? Alas, how lamentable! What good will lamentation do then?"