廬山蓮宗寶鑑 1.51

1.51

蓋聞「恒河沙數眾，如來彌陀第一；十方微塵諸，佛剎極樂是歸。」至理本秖唯心，初門必由因地，故知合抱之木發於毫芒、千里之行始於初步。欲超生死，以淨土為歸趣之方；將證涅槃，故念佛乃正心之要。深信極樂真解脫之妙門、諦想彌陀實眾生慈父，先明落處故望果以修因、漸履玄途是從因而至果，故知集群賢而結社有其旨焉、專念佛以勸人興其教也。因該果海、果徹因源，形直無不影端、聲和自然響順。勢至示證圓通之要、世尊說修淨業之因，從聞思修登三摩地、憑信行願入法界門，是以一念興而萬靈知、信心生而諸佛現，纔稱寶號已投種於蓮胎、一發菩提即標名於金地。有緣斯遇自悟自修，淺信不持大愚大錯，故云一乘極唱終歸，獲至於樂邦；萬行圓修最勝，獨稱於寶號。八十億劫之重罪廓爾煙消、十萬億剎之遐方倏如羽化，想念專注即觀心而見佛身、心境交參即因門而成勝果，十方淨穢卷舒同在於毫端、一性包融浩博該羅於法界，是則諸佛與眾生交徹、淨土與穢土冥通，彼此互修事理無礙，若神珠之頓含眾寶、猶帝網之交映千光。我心既然，生佛同爾，是知遊神億剎實生乎自己心中、孕質九蓮豈逃於剎那際內？二乘賢輩回心即達於金池，五逆凡夫十念便登於寶界。嗟乎！識昏障重、信寡疑多，貶淨業為權乘、嗤誦持為麁行，豈非耽溺火宅自甘永劫之沈迷，悖悷慈親深痛一生之虛喪？須信非憑他力，截業惑以無由；不遇此門，脫生死而無路。誓同諸佛、敢傚前修，勸勉後賢深崇此道，已發願今發願當發願，事事而回向彌陀；若已生若今生若當生，念念而皆歸淨土。欲取一生事辦，便於這裏留心。一切時中千車合轍、四威儀內萬善同歸，齊登極樂妙門、速成念佛三昧。最初一步要分明，直至西方無異路。

Now, it is heard that: "Among the assemblies as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, the Tathāgata Amitābha is the foremost; among all the buddha-lands as many as the dust motes of the ten directions, Sukhāvatī is the refuge."
The ultimate principle is fundamentally mind-only, yet the initial gate must proceed from the causal ground. Thus we know that a tree embracing an armful sprouts from a tiny tip, and a journey of a thousand leagues begins with the first step.
To transcend birth and death, take the Pure Land as the realm of return;
about to realize nirvāṇa, therefore buddhānusmṛti is the essential means to rectify the mind.
Believing deeply that Sukhāvatī is truly the wondrous gate of liberation,
contemplating attentively that Amitābha is truly the compassionate father of sentient beings—
first clarify the point of destination, and thus look to the fruit to cultivate the cause;
gradually tread the profound path, and thereby proceed from cause to fruit.
Hence we know that gathering the assembly of worthies to form a society has its purposeful significance, and that single-mindedly practicing buddhānusmṛti to encourage people promotes this teaching.
The cause encompasses the ocean of fruit; the fruit penetrates the source of the cause.
Where the form is upright, the shadow is inevitably straight;
where the sound is harmonious, the echo naturally conforms.
Mahāsthāmaprāpta showed the essential path to realizing complete penetration;
the World-Honoured One expounded the cause for cultivating pure karma.
Ascending to samādhi from hearing, contemplating, and cultivating;
entering the gate of the dharmadhātu by relying on faith, practice, and vow.
Therefore, as soon as a single thought arises, myriad spirits are aware;
when faithful mind is born, the buddhas manifest.
Barely has the precious name been uttered, and the seed is already cast into the lotus womb;
as soon as one generates the aspiration for bodhi, one's name is inscribed upon the golden ground.
Those who have karmic affinity encounter this, awakening and cultivating on their own;
those of shallow faith who do not uphold it commit a great folly and a great error.
Hence it is said that the ultimate proclamation of the ekayāna culminates in reaching the Land of Bliss;
among the complete cultivation of myriad practices, the supreme is uniquely praising the precious name.
The grave offenses of eighty billion kalpas vanish completely like smoke;
the distant realm of a hundred thousand billion lands is reached as swiftly as ascending on wings.
With thought and remembrance concentrated, one contemplates the mind and perceives the Buddha's body;
with mind and object interpenetrating, one realizes the superior fruit right at the causal gate.
The purity and defilement of the ten directions expand and contract together at the tip of a hair;
the one nature embraces and integrates all, vastly encompassing the entire dharmadhātu.
In this way, the buddhas and sentient beings interpenetrate;
the pure land and the defiled land covertly communicate.
Cultivating both mutually, principle and phenomena are unhindered,
like a divine jewel immediately containing myriad treasures,
as the net of Indra mutually reflects a thousand lights.
Since my own mind is like this, so it is for both sentient beings and buddhas.
Thus we know that letting the spirit roam through billions of lands is actually born within one's own mind;
how could nourishing one's form within the nine grades of lotuses escape the span of a single instant?
When the worthies of the two vehicles turn their minds, they immediately reach the golden pond;
when ordinary beings guilty of the five heinous offenses engage in ten recitations, they promptly ascend to the precious realm.
Alas! When consciousness is clouded and obstacles are heavy, faith is scarce and doubts are many.
They disparage pure karma as an expedient vehicle and mock recitation and upholding as coarse practice;
is this not being indulged and drowned in the burning house, willingly resigning oneself to eternal kalpas of delusion,
rebelling against the compassionate parents, and deeply lamenting the vain loss of an entire life?
One must believe that without relying on other-power, there is no way to sever karma and delusion;
without encountering this gate, there is no road to escape birth and death.
Vowing to be one with the buddhas and daring to emulate former cultivators,
I encourage later worthies to profoundly revere this path:
Those who have made the vow, are making the vow, or will make the vow—in every affair dedicate it toward Amitābha;
those who have been born, are being born, or will be born—in every thought return to the Pure Land.
If you wish to accomplish the great affair of this single life, turn your attention right here.
At all times, a thousand carts follow the same track;
within the four postures, myriad virtues share the same return.
Together ascend the wondrous gate of Sukhāvatī;
swiftly consummate the buddhānusmṛti-samādhi.
The very first step must be distinct and clear;
all the way to the West there is no other road.