廬山蓮宗寶鑑 7.9

7.9

《智度論》第八卷「問曰：『諸菩薩行業清淨自得勝報，何必要立誓願然後得之？且如田家得穀，豈復待願耶？』答曰：『作福無願，無所標立。願為導御，能有所成。如佛所說：若人修少福少戒，不知解脫正因，聞說人天之樂，心常願樂，命終之後各生其中，此皆願力所致。菩薩求生淨土，在乎志願堅強，然後得之。以此故知，因彼願力得受勝果。』」古德云「佛果敻絕，登之則有階；法雲峻極，屆之則有漸，大心初發，玄德照於來生；弘誓纔興，妙願遍於空界。一念興志，即塵劫之瑞華；半刻虔躬，乃大千之甘露。」《大莊嚴論》云「佛國大事，獨行功德不能成就，要須願力資助引而成之。以願力故福德增長、不失不壞，當生佛土隨願見佛。」《華嚴經》云「是人臨命終時最後剎那，一切諸根悉皆散壞、一切親屬悉皆捨離、一切威勢悉皆退失，乃至象馬車乘珍寶伏藏，如是一切無復相隨。唯此願王不相捨離，於一切時引導其前，一剎那中即得往生極樂世界。」

The eighth fascicle of the Treatise on the Great Perfection of Wisdom states: 'Question: "Since the practices and deeds of the bodhisattvas are pure, they naturally obtain superior retributions; why must they establish vows and only then attain them? Furthermore, just as a farming family obtains grain, how could they wait for a vow?" Answer: "Creating merit without vows leaves nothing established. The vow serves as the guide, able to bring about achievement. As the Buddha said: if a person cultivates slight merit and slight precepts, unaware of the correct cause of liberation, and hearing tell of the pleasures of humans and devas, their mind constantly aspires and delights in them, after the end of life they will each be born among them; this is entirely brought about by the power of vows. A bodhisattva's seeking rebirth in the Pure Land depends upon strong and firm aspirations, and only then is it attained. From this it is known that due to the power of that vow, one receives the superior fruit."' An ancient master of virtue said: 'The Buddha-fruit is far and supreme, yet ascending to it has its steps; the Dharma-cloud is lofty and ultimate, yet reaching it has its stages. When the great mind is first generated, its profound virtue illuminates future lives; as soon as the vast vow is raised, the wondrous resolve pervades the realm of space. A single thought arousing resolve is an auspicious flower of dust-like eons; half a moment of devout reverence is the amṛta of the great trichiliocosm.' The Mahālaṃkāra-śāstra states: 'The great matter of a Buddha-land cannot be accomplished by solitary practice of merit alone; it requires the assistance of the power of vows to guide and accomplish it. Because of the power of vows, blessed virtue increases and is neither lost nor destroyed, and one will be reborn in a Buddha-land and see the Buddha according to one's vows.' The Avataṃsaka-sūtra says: 'When that person's life draws to an end, in the final instant, all faculties are scattered and destroyed, all relatives are left behind, and all majesty and power fall away, up to elephants, horses, carriages, vehicles, and hidden stores of precious jewels—none of these will follow any longer. Only this King of Vows does not leave them behind, guiding them forward at all times, so that in an instant they are reborn in the World of Sukhāvatī.'