淨土或問 1.19

1.19

問曰：十方如來皆可親近，今獨推彌陀者何耶？答曰：獨推彌陀，其故有三：一誓願深重、二娑婆有緣、三化道相關也。願重者，經云「彌陀往昔因中，嘗發種種廣大誓願。其略曰：若我成佛已來，其有眾生願生我國，或聞我名，修諸善本，稱我名號，乃至十念，若不生者，誓不取正覺。既生我國，若有退轉，不決定成佛者，誓不取正覺。」故《華嚴鈔》曰「彌陀願重，偏接娑婆眾生也。有緣者，我佛釋迦現在世時，眾生聞佛所教，歸向彌陀固已多矣。觀佛滅後末世眾生，無問僧俗男女貴賤貧富，稍聞佛教者無不信向，未聞佛教者亦會稱名，縱是頑愚暴惡無信之徒、或遭厄難危險之處、或發讚歎怨嗟之聲，不覺信口便叫阿彌陀佛。至於兒童女子戲弄之際，聚沙摶泥、圖牆畫壁，便作彌陀佛像。甚至於學行未穩學語未成者，自然能唱阿彌陀佛。此皆不勸而發、不教而能，非有緣而何？」又如《無量壽經》云「吾說此經，令見無量壽佛及其國土。所當為者，皆可求之。無得以我滅度之後復生疑惑。當來之世經道滅盡，我以慈愍特留此經更住百歲。其有眾生值此經者，隨意所願皆可得度。」又經云「此經滅後，佛法全無，但留阿彌陀佛四字名號救度眾生。其有不信而謗毀者，當墮地獄具受眾苦。」故天台云「當知彼佛於此惡世偏有緣耳。」相關者，先覺謂「兩土聖人示居淨穢，以折攝二門調伏眾生。此以穢以苦以促以多魔惱而折之，俾知所厭；彼以淨以樂以延以不退轉而攝之，俾知所欣。既厭且欣，則化道行矣。」又我釋迦於三乘授道之外其有度未盡者，度在彌陀。故於諸大乘經丁寧反覆稱讚勸往者，蓋化道之相關也。以是三者之故，乃獨推焉。

Question: The Tathāgatas of the ten directions can all be approached; why exclusively promote Amitābha alone now? Answer: There are three reasons for exclusively promoting Amitābha: first, the profundity and weight of his vows; second, his karmic affinity with the Sahā world; third, the mutual connection in the path of transformation. As for the weight of his vows, the sūtra says: “In the past, during his causal stage, Amitābha made various vast and great vows, summarized as: ‘If, after I attain Buddhahood, there be sentient beings who vow to be born in my land, or hear my name, cultivate the roots of goodness, and recite my name up to ten times—if they should not be born there, may I not attain samyaksaṃbodhi. Once born in my land, if there be any who regress and do not determinately attain Buddhahood, may I not attain samyaksaṃbodhi.’” Therefore, the Huayan chao says: “Amitābha's vows are weighty, specifically receiving the sentient beings of the Sahā world.” As for karmic affinity: during the lifetime of our Buddha Śākyamuni, when sentient beings heard the Buddha's teaching, those who took refuge in Amitābha were already very numerous. Observing sentient beings in the latter age after the Buddha's passing, regardless of monastic or lay, male or female, noble or base, rich or poor—those who have heard even a little of the Buddha's teaching all have faith and devotion, and even those who have never heard the Buddha's teaching can recite the name. Even obstinate, ignorant, violent, evil, and faithless people, when encountering calamity and dangerous places, or letting out sighs of lamentation or grief, will spontaneously and unintentionally call out ‘Amitābha Buddha’. Even children and girls at play, gathering sand and kneading mud, drawing on walls and fences, will make images of Amitābha Buddha. Even those whose steps are not yet steady and whose speech is not yet formed can naturally chant ‘Amitābha Buddha’. These all arise without exhortation and are known without instruction; what could this be if not karmic affinity? Furthermore, the Sukhāvatīvyūha-sūtra says: “I preach this sūtra so that you may see the Buddha of Limitless Life and his land. Whatever is fitting to do, all may be sought. Do not give rise to doubt again after my parinirvāṇa. In future times when the way of the scriptures is completely destroyed, out of compassion I shall specially cause this sūtra to remain for another hundred years. Sentient beings who encounter this sūtra will all attain deliverance according to their wishes.” Another sūtra says: “After this sūtra is extinguished, the Buddhadharma will be entirely gone, leaving only the four-character name of Amitābha Buddha to deliver sentient beings. Those who disbelieve and slander it will fall into hell and suffer all forms of torment.” Therefore Tiantai said: “One should know that that Buddha has a special affinity with this evil age.” As for mutual connection: the former awakened ones said, “The sages of the two lands manifested their abodes in the pure and the defiled, subduing and guiding sentient beings through the two gates of subduing and gathering. Here, through defilement, suffering, brevity of life, and numerous demonic afflictions, they subdue them, causing them to know revulsion; there, through purity, joy, longevity, and non-retrogression, they gather them, causing them to know rejoicing. When both revulsion and rejoicing are present, the way of transformation is enacted.” Furthermore, among those whom our Śākyamuni did not completely deliver beyond the teaching of the three vehicles, their deliverance rests with Amitābha. Therefore, his repeated, earnest praise and exhortation to go there in various Mahāyāna sūtras is precisely due to the mutual connection in the path of transformation. For these three reasons, he alone is promoted.