廬山蓮宗寶鑑 2.2

2.2

法界本無眾生，眾生緣乎妄見；如來本無言教，言教為乎有情。妄見者眾生之病，言教者眾生之藥，以藥治病則病無不治，以言覺妄則妄無不覺，凡夫日用而不知，如來之道鮮矣。故我能仁大覺愍群機之未悟也，於是仰推大慈、俯垂妙範，華嚴頓示，聲聞尚若盲聾；阿含委說，菩薩未蒙獲益；方等贊大，般若蕩空；涅槃殊途同歸，法華普皆受記。於是群經森列，偏贊西方。蓋以阿彌陀佛，願廣緣強、法尊理備而然爾。其教也，指佛國為歸趣，華池寶地、勝妙莊嚴，令忻彼而厭此也。其理也，示彌陀即自性，念念圓明、心心實相，如大海之混百川也。其行也。開示十六觀門，攝心妙境、了性相空，如明鏡之見面像也。其果也，九品次第化生，普攝利鈍登不退階，至無上之菩提道也。是故九界眾生，以無所得心而修佛國妙行，不亦宜乎。如來出世之懷於斯盡矣，偏贊之辭有其旨焉。真百千三昧之要門，乃一實境界之直道。論事儀，則懺六根、雪三業；究宗旨，則空萬法、了一心，是謂超苦海之健舟、救急病之良藥。信斯道者，開本覺心出五濁苦，達真淨土了性彌陀，若明月之當空、似蓮花之出水，故蓮宗之教以是名焉。楊無為云「蓮者出乎淤泥，不捨眾生界也。處空無染，顯露清淨體也。華而有實，非魔境也。華實同時，因果一如也。華開蓮現，示權顯實也。華落蓮成，廢權立實也。一蓮生無量華，建立一切法也。十方同一華藏，示佛境無異也。」蓮教之義得非是歟？所以興慈運悲者，遊戲於常光之界；戒珠義海者，涵泳於解脫之淵。是以天龍護持、王臣致敬，古今不墜其化、士民仰慕其風。非夫大悲願力撫哀未習，其孰能臻此哉？是故龍樹論證之、晉賢社修之、天台判釋之、慈恩通贊之、慈照集而懺之、宗坦疏而解之，宿衲名儒奉之者寶珠有集、高賢達士修之者簡編有題。於戲！大法下衰去聖逾遠，事佛者眾謀道者稀，競聲利為己能、視流通為兒戲，遂令法門凋瘵、教網傾頹，實賴後賢剋荷斯道，普冀亡軀為法、潔己依師。欲達真乘須親教典，稟教乃能明理，明理然後修行，行願無虧道果可證。故知耳聞目見，當依四法以思修；口誦心違，縱解千章而何益？是乃心以教照、佛以念持、非以戒防、罪以懺雪、道以實踐、動以禮行，近則期於立身揚名、遠則希於革凡成聖，發揮佛祖之道，捨我輩而誰歟？堅秉慧刀、裂開魔網，飲正法之甘露、伐邪見之稠林，避惡友如避虎狼、事良朋如事父母，謹守志節、毋退大心，正覺可遵、非道莫履，有過務速改、有善勿矜誇，自然與禍斯違、與福斯會。現居塵世則人敬之、天祐之，他日淨方則聖可期、道可至。豈在乎相形，問命諂求榮達之時？又何必望影瞻光，卜度終歸之日？此匪道人之見識，實乃凡庸之妄情。莫徇他求，但依本分，在當仁而不讓，宜見賢以思齊。名利不足動於懷、死生不足勞其慮。欲功成而志遂，必自邇而涉遐；當驗果以推因，信有作而有報。智足以照惑、明足以燭幽，言斯可法、行斯可樂、德義可尊、進退可度，辯偽識真若試金之美石、除昏鑒物猶照世之真燈，是大導師、作不請友。擲出龍宮之寶均施群生、撤開祖門之關普容來者，蠲滌邪病、指歸妙源，俾昏鏡以重磨、若垢衣而再淨，使真風復振福及大千、覩慧日增明輝騰萬古。可謂法主之真子、可謂大丈夫焉。以此而奉西方大聖人之教者，復何愧歟！

In the dharmadhātu there are originally no sentient beings; sentient beings arise due to false views. The Tathāgata originally had no verbal teachings; verbal teachings are provided for the sake of sentient beings. False views are the sickness of sentient beings; verbal teachings are the medicine for sentient beings. When medicine cures sickness, there is no sickness that is not cured; when words awaken one from delusion, there is no delusion that is not dispelled. Ordinary people use them daily yet remain unaware; the path of the Tathāgata is seldom understood. Therefore, our Benevolent One of Great Awakening, pitying the unawakened faculties of the multitudes, looked up to promote great compassion and bowed low to bestow wondrous models: the Avataṃsaka revealed [the truth] abruptly, yet the śrāvakas were still as if blind and deaf; the Āgamas explained it in detail, yet the bodhisattvas had not yet derived benefit; the Vaipulya praised the great, and the Prajñā swept away [attachments] into emptiness; the Nirvāṇa brought different paths to the same destination, and the Saddharmapuṇḍarīka universally bestowed predictions [of buddhahood]. Thereupon, as the multitude of sūtras stood arrayed like a dense forest, they especially extolled the Western direction. This is solely because Amitābha Buddha's vows are vast and conditions are strong, his teaching is revered, and the principle is complete. As for its teaching, it points to the Buddha-land as the ultimate refuge: jeweled ponds and jeweled ground, superbly wondrous and adorned, causing one to rejoice in that and feel revulsion toward this. As for its principle, it reveals that Amitābha is precisely one's own nature: thought after thought perfectly bright, mind after mind the true mark, like the great ocean merging the hundred rivers. As for its practice, it reveals the sixteen gates of contemplation, gathering the mind into the wondrous realm, comprehending that nature and marks are empty, like a bright mirror reflecting a face. As for its fruit, transformation birth proceeds through the nine grades, universally gathering the sharp and dull to ascend the stage of non-retrogression, reaching the unexcelled path of bodhi. Therefore, is it not entirely fitting that the sentient beings of the nine realms cultivate the wondrous practice of the Buddha-land with a mind of non-attainment? The Tathāgata's intent in appearing in the world is thoroughly expressed herein; his words of particular praise have their profound purpose. It is truly the essential gateway to hundreds of thousands of samādhis, the direct path to the realm of the One Reality. Discussing its phenomenal aspect, one repents the six sense faculties and purifies the three karmas; investigating its central tenet, one empties the myriad phenomena and comprehends the One Mind. It is called the sturdy boat crossing the ocean of suffering, the fine medicine curing acute disease. Those who have faith in this path open their original awakened mind to transcend the suffering of the five turbidities, reach the true Pure Land, and realize the Amitābha of their own nature, like the bright moon in mid-sky, like a lotus flower emerging from the water. Hence the teaching of the Lotus School is named after this. Yang Wuwei said: “The lotus grows from the mud without abandoning the realm of sentient beings. Existing in the open without defilement, it makes manifest the pure essence. Possessing fruit when in bloom, it is not the realm of Māra. Flower and fruit appearing simultaneously, cause and effect are as one. When the flower opens the lotus fruit appears, showing the expedient and revealing the real. When the flower falls the lotus fruit is complete, setting aside the expedient and establishing the real. A single lotus gives birth to immeasurable flowers, establishing all dharmas. The ten directions share the single Flower-Treasury, showing that the Buddha-realm is without distinction.” Could this not be the meaning of the Lotus Teaching? Therefore, those who give rise to loving-kindness and set compassion in motion disport in the realm of constant light; those whose jewel of precepts is an ocean of righteousness bathe in the deep pool of liberation. For this reason, devas and dragons protect and uphold it, kings and ministers pay homage to it, antiquity and modernity have not let its transformation fall, and literati and commoners look up in admiration to its legacy. Were it not for the great compassionate vow-power comforting the sorrowful and untrained, who could accomplish this? Therefore, Nāgārjuna verified it in treatises, the worthy society of the Jin cultivated it, Tiantai classified and explicated it, Ci'en comprehensively praised it, Cizhao compiled it and performed repentance, and Zongtan commented on and explained it. As for senior monks and renowned scholars who honored it, their precious jewels are gathered together; as for high worthies and accomplished gentlemen who cultivated it, their names are recorded in the bamboo slips. Alas! The Great Dharma has declined and we are ever further removed from the sages; those who serve the Buddha are many, but those who seek the Path are few. Competing for fame and profit as their skill, they view propagating the teaching as child's play, thereby causing the Dharma-gate to wither and the net of teachings to collapse. In truth, it depends on later worthies to take up this path, universally hoping that they will sacrifice their bodies for the Dharma and purify themselves to rely on their teachers. If one wishes to attain the True Vehicle, one must personally approach the scriptural teachings; only by receiving the teaching can one understand the principle; after understanding the principle, one can then cultivate practice. When practice and vows are without deficiency, the fruit of the Path can be realized. Thus know that when hearing with the ears and seeing with the eyes, one must rely on the four dharmas for contemplation and practice; if one recites with the mouth while the mind diverges, even if one understands a thousand chapters, what benefit is there? Thus, the mind is illuminated by the teaching, the Buddha is held through mindfulness, wrongdoing is guarded against through the precepts, offenses are purified through repentance, the Path is put into actual practice, and movements are conducted according to propriety. In the immediate term, one aims to establish oneself and spread one's reputation; in the long term, one hopes to transform from an ordinary person into a sage. In manifesting the Path of the Buddhas and Patriarchs, if not our generation, who else will do it? Firmly wield the sword of wisdom and tear open the net of Māra; drink the sweet dew of the True Dharma and fell the dense forest of wrong views. Avoid bad friends as one avoids tigers and wolves; serve good companions as one serves parents. Cautiously maintain one's integrity and purpose without retreating from the great resolve; correct awakening may be followed, but improper paths must not be trodden. When there are faults, make haste to correct them; when there is good, do not boast of it. Naturally one will diverge from misfortune and encounter good fortune. Residing presently in the dust of the world, humans will respect one and Heaven will protect one; on another day in the Pure Realm, sagehood can be expected and the Path can be reached. How could it depend on observing physiognomy, inquiring of fate, and flatteringly seeking times of glory and prominence? And why must one gaze at shadows and look toward lights, divining the day of final return? These are not the insights of a person of the Path; in truth, they are the deluded passions of the ordinary and mediocre. Do not follow other pursuits, but merely attend to your proper duty: in the presence of benevolence do not yield, and upon seeing the worthy think of equaling them. Fame and profit are not enough to disturb the mind; life and death are not enough to burden one's thoughts. If one wishes to achieve success and realize one's aim, one must proceed from near to far; one should verify the fruit to deduce the cause, having faith that actions bear recompense. When wisdom suffices to illuminate confusion, when brightness suffices to shine upon the hidden, words become a model to follow, actions become a joy to behold, virtue and righteousness can be honored, and advance and retreat can be measured. Discerning the false and recognizing the true is like a fine touchstone for gold; dispelling darkness and inspecting phenomena is like a true lamp illuminating the world. Such a one is a great guide, acting as an uninvited friend. Casting out the treasures of the dragon palace, he distributes them equally to all sentient beings; throwing open the gates of the patriarchs, he universally accommodates all newcomers. Cleansing corrupt diseases, he points the way back to the wondrous source, causing the dim mirror to be polished anew, like soiled garments made clean again. He causes the true style to be revived so that blessings reach the chiliocosm, and sees the sun of wisdom shine ever brighter, its radiance soaring across ten thousand ages. Such a one can truly be called a true son of the Dharma Lord, a true great man! If one reveres the teaching of the Great Sage of the West with this, what shame could there be?