[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [淨土或問](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1972) › 1.31 # 淨土或問 1.31 淨土或問 1.31 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [1.31](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1972.1.31) 問曰：圓觀之修、惟心之念，似乎上器之行門。華嚴十願、寶積十心，亦乃大根之功用。倘根器之不對，則功行之難成。今吾自揣其根、觀吾所好，惟在專持名號，暇則或加禮拜懺悔而已。師以為如何？答曰：善哉善或！汝知量矣。觀汝之言，正合善導專修無間之說矣。專修者，謂眾生障重，境細心麄、識颺神飛，觀難成就。是以大聖悲憐，直勸專稱名號。正由稱名易，故相續即生。若能念念相續，畢命為期，十即十生，百即百生。何以故？無外雜緣，得正念故，與佛本願相應故，不違教故，順佛語故。若捨專修而修雜業以求生者，百中希得一二、千中希得三四，乃出雜緣亂動失正念故，與佛本願不相應故，與教相違故，不順佛語故，繫念不相續故，心不相續報佛恩故，雖有業行常與名利相應故，樂近雜緣自障障他生淨土故。無間修者，身須專禮阿彌陀佛，不雜餘禮。口須專稱阿彌陀佛，不稱餘號，不誦餘經。意須專想阿彌陀佛，不雜餘想。又若貪嗔癡來間者，隨犯隨懺，不令隔日隔念隔時，常使清淨，亦名無間修也。善導和上者，天竺傳中稱為彌陀化身也。觀其專修無間之說，要緊只在念念相續。故孤山亦云「不可等閑發願、散亂稱名。」永明亦云「直須一心歸命、盡報精修，坐臥之間常面西向。當行道禮敬之際、念佛發願之時，懇苦翹誠，無諸異念，如就刑戮、若在狴牢、怨賊所追、水火所逼，一心求救。願脫苦輪速證無生，廣度含識紹隆三寶，誓報四恩。」如斯志誠，方不虛棄。如或言行不稱、信願輕微，無念念相續之心、有數數間斷之意，恃其懈怠臨終望生，但為業障所遮，恐難值其善友，風火逼迫正念不成。何以故？如今是因、臨終是果，應須因實果則不虛，聲和則響順、形直則影端故也。 > Question: "The practice of perfect contemplation and the mindfulness of mind-only seem to be gateways of practice for those of superior faculties. The ten vows of the Avataṃsaka and the ten minds of the Ratnakūṭa are also the functions of those of great capacity. If one's faculties and capacity do not match, the practice will be difficult to accomplish. Now, assessing my own capacity and observing my inclinations, I am suited only to holding exclusively to the name, and in spare moments perhaps adding prostrations and repentance. What does the Master think?" > > Answer: "Excellent, excellent! You know your own measure. Looking at what you say, it accords precisely with Shandao's teaching of exclusive cultivation without interruption. > > "'Exclusive cultivation' means that because sentient beings' hindrances are heavy, the realm \[of contemplation\] subtle and the mind coarse, and their consciousness wanders and their spirits flit about, contemplation is difficult to accomplish. Therefore, the Great Sage, out of compassion and pity, directly exhorted us to exclusively recite the name. Precisely because reciting the name is easy, continuity brings immediate rebirth. If one can maintain continuity thought after thought, taking the end of one's life as the limit, ten out of ten will be reborn, and a hundred out of a hundred will be reborn. Why is this? Because there are no external, distracting conditions, one attains correct mindfulness; because it accords with the Buddha's fundamental vow; because it does not go against the teaching; because it complies with the Buddha's words. > > "If one abandons exclusive cultivation and practices miscellaneous karma to seek rebirth, barely one or two in a hundred, barely three or four in a thousand will attain it. This arises because distracting conditions stir up turbulence and one loses correct mindfulness; because it does not accord with the Buddha's fundamental vow; because it goes against the teaching; because it does not comply with the Buddha's words; because mindfulness is not continuous; because the mind does not continuously repay the Buddha's kindness; because although there are karmic practices, they are constantly bound up with fame and gain; and because delighting in proximity to distracting conditions creates hindrances for oneself and others to rebirth in the Pure Land. > > "'Cultivation without interruption' means that the body must exclusively bow to Amitābha Buddha, not mixing in other prostrations; the mouth must exclusively recite Amitābha Buddha, not reciting other names or other sūtras; the mind must exclusively contemplate Amitābha Buddha, not mixing in other thoughts. Furthermore, if greed, anger, or ignorance should intervene, one repents as soon as one commits an offense, not letting it cross over into the next day, the next thought, or the next hour, constantly keeping it pure; this is also called cultivation without interruption. > > "The Venerable Master Shandao is referred to in the records of India as an incarnation of Amitābha. Looking at his teaching of exclusive cultivation without interruption, the essential point lies solely in continuity from thought to thought. Therefore, Master Gushan also said: 'One must not make vows carelessly or recite the name with a scattered mind.' Yongming also said: 'One must directly take refuge with single mind and cultivate diligently to the end of this retribution-body, constantly facing west whether sitting or lying down. When walking the path in reverence and when reciting the Buddha's name and making vows, be earnest and utterly sincere, free of any extraneous thoughts—as if facing execution, as if in prison, as if pursued by murderous bandits, as if pressed by flood or fire, wholeheartedly seeking rescue. Vow to escape the wheel of suffering, swiftly realize the unproduced, broadly deliver sentient beings, carry forward and exalt the Three Jewels, and vow to repay the four debts of gratitude.' Only with such sincere resolve will it not be in vain. > > "If one's words and deeds do not match, if faith and vows are weak, if there is no mind of continuous thought after thought but rather a habit of repeated interruption, and one relies on such negligence hoping for rebirth at the end of life, one will only be obstructed by karmic obstacles. It is to be feared that one will hardly encounter a good friend, and when pressed by wind and fire, correct mindfulness will fail to materialize. Why is this? Because now is the cause and the end of life is the fruit. The cause must be real for the fruit not to be false; just as when a sound is harmonious, the echo is agreeable, and when a form is upright, the shadow is straight." > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 1.30](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1972.1.30) - [Next: 1.32](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1972.1.32) - [Up: 1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1972.1) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1972~en-mt.1.31) — English, machine translation ## Linked texts (1) - [萬善同歸集](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2017.1.84) — Classical Chinese --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1972.1.31](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1972.1.31) · Pramāṇa