廬山蓮宗寶鑑 6.12

6.12

釋子沙門在家菩薩既修西方淨業，當運廣大慈悲，如法進修善隨佛教，明因識果鑒是別非，集出世間福智資糧，圓大丈夫等妙功德。是故釋尊再四教誡：我諸弟子隨所住處，當施法食濟諸法界一切有情，除彼飢渴極苦，化令同趣菩提。若不施食，無慈悲心。非吾弟子，是惡徒眾。經有明文。詳觀一切眾生不了自性，慳貪嫉妬瞋恨愚癡，於人天鬼畜之中、地獄脩羅之內，飢渴焦熬愁憂苦惱，冥冥長夜求出無期。以理推之，無非宿生父母，如佛所說皆是累劫怨親。是以運觀音之慈悲、修普賢之行願，誓同拔濟，悉脫沈淪。有力者修齋設供，無力者呪食施生。施食殊功，廣大無量、具足妙利，言莫能窮。略舉數端，普告賢者。施心一發妙行全彰，具足三檀、圓修六度，利他自利、自覺覺他，善集出世福智、永作淨土資糧，廣植鎡基、圓成體用。乃至埋藏枯骨、掩瘞暴屍，普為幽魂代伸懺悔，橋梁義井通濟往來，飲食錢財隨力惠施。每見貧窮凍餒痛切悲憐，至於孤老癃殘倍加慈念，常存利濟曲盡真慈。凡修一切善根，盡願眾生成佛，以茲勝利回向西方，普冀有情同登覺岸。是以蕭梁武帝修水陸之儀，三藏不空有濟孤之法。可謂一雨周沙界，群心永夜蘇。

Sons of the Śākya, śramaṇas, and lay bodhisattvas, having cultivated pure karma for the Western [Pure Land], should give rise to vast compassion, advance in practice according to the Dharma, skillfully follow the Buddha's teachings, understand causes and recognize effects, discern what is right and distinguish what is wrong, amass the provisions of supramundane merit and wisdom, and perfect the equal and wondrous merit of a great hero. Therefore, the Śākya Honoured One repeatedly admonished: 'Wherever my disciples dwell, they should bestow Dharma food to rescue all sentient beings of the dharmadhātu, relieve their extreme suffering of hunger and thirst, and transform them so that they turn together toward bodhi. If one does not bestow food, one lacks a compassionate heart. Such a person is not my disciple, but a member of an evil multitude.' The sūtras contain clear texts on this. If one carefully observes all sentient beings, they do not understand their own nature; through stinginess, greed, jealousy, anger, hatred, and ignorance, amidst humans, gods, ghosts, animals, hells, and asuras, they are scorched by hunger and thirst, grieving and suffering, in the dark, long night, seeking escape without foreseeable time. Deducing it through principle, there are none who were not our parents in past lives; as the Buddha explained, all have been our enemies and kin over cumulative kalpas. Therefore, we exercise the compassion of Avalokiteśvara and cultivate the vows of practice of Samantabhadra, vowing to rescue them together so that all escape drowning. Those with means should prepare vegetarian feasts and arrange offerings; those without means should empower food with mantras and bestow it upon living beings. The extraordinary merit of bestowing food is vast and immeasurable, complete with wondrous benefits beyond words. Briefly mentioning a few items to proclaim to the virtuous: Once the mind of giving is aroused, wondrous practice is fully manifest, completing the three kinds of giving, fulfilling the cultivation of the six pāramitās, benefiting others and benefiting oneself, awakening oneself and awakening others, skillfully gathering supramundane merit and wisdom, perpetually making them provisions for the Pure Land, broadly planting foundations, and perfecting substance and function. Even down to burying dried bones, interring exposed corpses, universally offering repentance on behalf of dark spirits, constructing bridges and public wells to facilitate travelers, and bestowing food, drink, and money according to one's means: whenever seeing poverty, cold, and hunger, grieve with deep pity; toward the lonely, elderly, decrepit, and disabled, redouble compassionate thoughts, constantly maintaining the thought of aiding and bringing true compassion to its utmost. In cultivating all roots of goodness, vow completely that all sentient beings attain buddhahood; dedicating these superior benefits to the Western [Pure Land], universally hope that sentient beings jointly ascend to the shore of enlightenment. For this reason, Emperor Wu of the Xiao Liang dynasty established the Water and Land Ritual, and Tripiṭaka [Master] Amoghavajra provided the method for rescuing the solitary [spirits]. Truly, it can be said: A single rain pervades the sandy realms; all minds revive in the eternal night.