淨土或問 1.2

1.2

參禪余所不去，念佛亦非去者，禪主見性、佛念離塵，竊謂念佛一門實為禪教共履之通途，亦士庶同遊之捷徑，可不信哉？世之學者參禪有禪病、作佛有佛魔，秖緣去聖時遠、源流異別，比比有之，孰能遏絕？而元之天如則禪師，宗說俱通、人天規則，可謂劍離寶匣為斬不平、藥出金瓶以瘳沈痾，遂於無疑中巧設疑情、無問處而興問目，目之曰「淨土或問」，共二十六則，所謂拔本塞源窮諸識念者也。若其信得及，淨念相繼，觸目西方、歸心淨土，奚以為文哉？如或執妄謬解、妍醜不分，白日迷途、適越之北者，取為司南。茲有門弟子洪慈，募眾流行，非獨與世之修淨業者共，亦足為不信者之一勸耳。三宗講主守愚悟勤識。

Practicing Chan is something I do not discard, nor do I discard buddhānusmṛti. Chan focuses on seeing one's nature; buddhānusmṛti focuses on leaving defilements behind. I venture to suggest that the single gate of buddhānusmṛti is truly the thoroughfare trodden together by both Chan and the doctrinal teachings, and also the shortcut traversed alike by scholars and commoners. How could one not believe it? When worldly practitioners practice Chan, there are Chan afflictions; when they cultivate buddhahood, there are Buddhist demons. Simply because we are far removed from the sages and the lineages have diverged, these occur at every turn; who can put an end to them? Yet Chan Master Tianru Weize of the Yuan dynasty was thoroughly versed in both the lineage transmission and the doctrinal teachings, a model for humans and devas. One might say that his sword left its precious scabbard to cut down imbalances, and his medicine came forth from the golden flask to cure chronic illnesses. Thereupon, where there was no doubt, he skillfully raised doubtful points; where there was no questioning, he brought forth topics of inquiry, titling them "Questions on the Pure Land," totaling twenty-six sections—what is called uprooting the source and exhausting all conceptual thoughts. If one can indeed attain faith, maintaining an uninterrupted succession of pure thoughts, beholding the West wherever one's eyes fall and turning one's mind toward the Pure Land, why would one need a text? But for those who cling to delusion with erroneous interpretations, failing to distinguish beauty from ugliness, losing their way in broad daylight, and heading north when bound for Yue, it may serve as a compass. Now his disciple Hongci has solicited funds from the assembly to circulate it widely, not only to share it with the world's cultivators of pure karma, but also sufficient to serve as an admonition to the unbelieving. Recorded by Shouyu Wuqin, Lecturer across the Three Schools.