廬山蓮宗寶鑑 8.19

8.19

天竺慈雲式懺主云：「前四句讚佛放光，見其光者名為見佛，能令臨命終時淨土往生。後四句讚佛修此光明之因，其因者秖是勸臨終人念佛，并示其佛像令彼見已生信，故成佛時得此光明。今以偈普勸信受，凡遇眷屬及一切人臨命終時，先於床前安置此像，令彼眼見及勸令念佛。若痛苦所逼，或先無信心不肯念者，亦須種種方便勸令稱佛，下至十念得滅重罪生佛淨土。此一利益不可思議。若勸得一人生淨土，縱自不修行亦合得生淨土，況當來成佛能放光明，照一切眾生臨終見佛也。多見世人為恩愛故，聚頭哭泣不思救度，是名惡知識也。苦哉苦哉！恩愛所索，墮落惡道無解脫期，雖慈親孝子亦不奈何。」以此思之，可不勉哉？可謂普願沈溺諸眾生，速往無量光佛剎。

Repentance Master Ciyun Zunshi of Tianzhu said: "The first four lines praise the Buddha's emission of light: those who see this light are said to 'see the Buddha', which enables them to attain rebirth in the Pure Land at the end of life. The latter four lines praise the cause by which the Buddha cultivated this light: that cause is simply encouraging dying people to practice buddhānusmṛti, and showing them the Buddha's image so that seeing it they give rise to faith; therefore, upon attaining buddhahood, he obtained this light. Now, with this verse, I generally exhort everyone to believe and accept: whenever relatives or anyone else is about to die, first place this image before their bed, let their eyes see it, and exhort them to practice buddhānusmṛti. If pressed by severe pain, or having lacked prior faith and being unwilling to recite, one must also employ various skillful means to encourage them to recite the Buddha's name; down to ten recitations, heavy sins are eradicated, and they are born in the Buddha's pure land. This single benefit is inconceivable. If one can exhort a single person to be born in the Pure Land, even if one does not cultivate oneself, one ought to attain birth in the Pure Land; how much more so when becoming a buddha in the future, being able to emit light that shines on all sentient beings to see the Buddha at the end of their lives! One often sees worldly people, out of affection, gathering their heads together in weeping without thinking of rescuing them; this is called being a bad friend. How bitter! How bitter! Ensnared by worldly affection, one falls into the evil destinies with no time of release, and even compassionate parents and filial sons can do nothing about it." Thinking on this, how could one not exert oneself? It may truly be said: 'I universally vow that all drowning sentient beings / may swiftly proceed to the realm of the Buddha of Immeasurable Light.'