廬山蓮宗寶鑑 10.14

10.14

夫佛祖正法，以本性彌陀為體，念佛信願為宗，自行化他為用。乃佛祖之格言、後人之龜鑑。凡曰音聲佛事、點燭道場，蓋是方便法門，以之引權歸實耳。比來學者迷失宗旨、貪著事相，不遵教典、向外妄為，心眼不明、競稱師長，實法門中一弊事也。或搜鬼竅有若師巫，或稱彌勒下生、或言諸天附體，或向燭光上見神見鬼、或在香煙上斷吉斷凶，瞞昧三光欺賢罔聖，誑謼閻閭邀求利養。及乎問他平實行願，杜口無言，本性彌陀罔知下落，熱亂一生盡是虛誑。誤人自誤，實可悲哉。故《楞嚴經》云「善男子！心愛懸應，爾時天魔候得其便，飛精附人口說經法，訐露人事不避譏嫌，口中好說未然禍福，及至其時毫髮無失。是人愚迷惑為菩薩，親近供養，破佛律儀潛行貪欲。此名歷劫精魅。大力鬼神年老成魔惱亂是人，不覺魔著謂言證聖。壓足心生，去彼人體，師及弟子俱陷王難。汝當先覺不入輪迴，迷惑不知墮無間獄。」嗟乎初心善人不知真偽，信彼邪說，不務存心積德，妄想求福，見之謬焉。吾聞「積善之家必有餘慶，積不善之家必有餘殃。」故知吉凶禍福繫乎人心，烏可諂求富貴而苟免禍害哉？永明壽禪師云：「惡從心起，如銕孕垢而自毀銕形；善逐情生，如珠現光而還照珠體。」故吾勸諸善人，舉心用事必擇道而行之、擇禮而從之、擇友而交之、擇里而處之、擇師而事之，兢兢焉而存心、戰戰焉而守節，念念不昧，無失於順天之道以奉西方之教。而其觀燭談禍福不與焉。

The correct Dharma of the Buddhas and patriarchs takes the Amitābha of one's own nature as its substance, the faith and vows of buddhānusmṛti as its doctrine, and the practice of self-cultivation and transforming others as its function. This is the guiding maxim of the Buddhas and patriarchs, and a mirror for future generations. All things termed vocal Buddhist services or lighting candles in ritual sanctuaries are merely expedient gates used to guide the expedient back to the real. Recently, students have lost sight of the fundamental doctrine and greedily attached to phenomenal forms; disobeying the canonical scriptures, they act wildly outward. Their minds' eyes not being bright, they vie to call themselves masters—truly an abuse within the Dharma gate. Some search out ghost orifices like shamans; some claim that Maitreya has descended to be born; some say that devas possess their bodies; some see spirits and ghosts in the light of candles; or they determine good and bad fortune from incense smoke. Deceiving the three lights [of sun, moon, and stars], duping the worthy and defrauding the sages, they cheat the neighborhoods to seek gain and support. When asked about plain and solid practice and vows, they keep their mouths shut without a word, having no idea of the whereabouts of the Amitābha of their own nature; their frantic lifetime is entirely false and deceitful. Misleading others and misleading themselves—this is truly sorrowful. Therefore, the *Śūraṅgama-sūtra* says: 'Good son! When his mind loves distant omens, the heavenly demon then watches for an opening, dispatches a refined essence to possess the person, and his mouth speaks the scriptural teachings. Exposing human affairs without shrinking from criticism, his mouth loves to speak of future calamities and blessings, and when that time arrives, there is not the slightest error. This person, in foolish delusion, mistakes him for a bodhisattva, draws near to him and makes offerings, breaks the Buddha's monastic rules, and secretly pursues greedy desires. This is called a goblin of kalpas past. Powerful ghosts and spirits, grown old, become demons and torment this person; unaware of the demonic possession, he claims to have attained sagehood. When the demon's mind grows satiated, it departs from the person's body, and both master and disciple fall into trouble with the king's law. You should recognize this beforehand and not enter the cycle of rebirth; if you are deluded and unaware, you will fall into the Avīci Hell.' Alas, beginners of good intentions do not recognize the true from the false; believing those heterodox assertions, they do not apply themselves to preserving their minds and accumulating virtue, but delusively think of seeking blessings—how mistaken is this view! I have heard: 'A family that accumulates good will surely have an abundance of blessings; a family that accumulates evil will surely have an abundance of calamities.' Hence we know that good and bad fortune, calamity and blessing, are tied to the human mind; how could one flatter and beg for wealth and honor, or avoid calamity through mere luck? Dhyāna Master Yongming Shou said: 'Evil arises from the mind, like iron breeding rust which then destroys the iron's form; good follows from the feelings, like a pearl producing light which then illuminates the pearl's substance.' Therefore, I urge all good people: whenever you raise a thought or carry out an action, you must choose the Path to practice it, choose propriety to follow it, choose friends to associate with them, choose a neighborhood to dwell in it, and choose a master to serve him. Tremblingly preserve your mind, and cautiously guard your integrity, never darkening in thought after thought, so as not to fail in the Way of according with Heaven to uphold the Western teaching. As for watching candles and talking of calamity and blessing, take no part in it.