廬山蓮宗寶鑑 6.12

6.12

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.