廬山蓮宗寶鑑 7.2

7.2

Principle is guided by wisdom; practice arises from vows. When practice and vows are balanced, principle and wisdom are both complete. When principle and wisdom are both complete, then in every single thought there is only Amitābha, and every kṣetra and every dust-mote is the Pure Land. If not by the power of great vows and practice, how could one attain this? For everyone to realize this samādhi, the essential point lies in making faith and vows their deep foundation. A vow is delight and desire: desiring to be born in the Western Pure Land and delighting to see Amitābha Buddha, one thus makes this vow. Therefore, relying on the power of great vows, one directly aims to arrive there. For this reason, Cizhao said: 'At all times make vows, delighting in and longing for rebirth; daily pray that you do not retrogress. If there is no resolve of vows, one's good roots will sink and drown.' The Avataṃsaka-sūtra says: 'Not giving rise to great vows is the work of Māra.' Therefore, Samantabhadra broadens the boundless ocean of vows, and Amitābha has the forty-eight gates of vows. From this we know that all the Buddhas of the ten directions and the ancient worthies of antiquity all attained bodhi through the power of vows. If one does not arouse a mind of vow and joy, one will not accomplish the practice of vow and joy; hence it is said that the Dharma-gate is vast, but without vows nothing is accomplished. Therefore the Buddha accords with people's minds and fulfills their vows. How much more so when one exclusively cultivates buddhānusmṛti and vows to be born in the Pure Land—how could it not follow one's mind and fulfill one's vows? A repentance liturgy says: 'May I never retrogress from the bodhi-mind; may I definitely be born in Sukhāvatī; may I swiftly behold Amitābha Buddha. May I have no other thought throughout this life; may the Mind-only Pure Land alone accompany me.' Furthermore, the Amitābha-sūtra says: 'If there are those who believe, they should make vows and vow to be born in that land.' Furthermore, a repentance liturgy says: 'Sentient beings are boundless, I vow to deliver them; afflictions are endless, I vow to sever them; Dharma-doors are measureless, I vow to learn them; the Buddha-Way is supreme, I vow to accomplish it.' These are called the Four Great Vows. Thus our Cizhao, compiling the repentance liturgy and fearing that people would cling to phenomena and become confused about principle, said: 'Sentient beings of one's own nature, I vow to deliver; afflictions of one's own nature, I vow to sever; Dharma-doors of one's own nature, I vow to learn; the Buddha-Way of one's own nature, I vow to accomplish.' These four phrases directly clarify the true principle, desiring that all people within their own nature deliver all sentient beings of false thoughts—namely the minds of deviant delusion, mixed thoughts, greed, folly, jealousy, hatred, malice, and so forth—and therefore causing them to make great vows to deliver their own nature by themselves. Furthermore, within one's own nature, sever all afflictions—namely worldly defilements, karmic consciousness, and evil thoughts of deviant thinking, which are like floating clouds covering one's own nature so that its bright light cannot appear—and therefore causing them to make great vows to sever them by themselves, never allowing them to arise. Furthermore, within one's own nature, cultivate and learn all Dharma-doors—namely buddhānusmṛti-samādhi and the measureless Dharma-doors of compassion, wisdom, practice, and vows—and therefore causing them to make great vows to awaken and cultivate on their own, constantly without retrogressing right up to bodhi, not taking a little as sufficient. Furthermore, within one's own nature, believe with confidence that there is a Buddha, make great vows, constantly contemplate oneself, and vow to accomplish the Buddha's bodhi oneself. This is Cizhao's earnest grandmotherly compassion, clearly opening a gate for later generations. It only requires that all of you have self-confidence and self-affirmation, enter from here, awaken to the Amitābha of one's own nature, reach the Mind-only Pure Land, enter the realm of the Buddhas, and accomplish unexcelled bodhi. Alas, the good people of the world do not know this intention and seek elsewhere outside; how does this differ from holding a wish-fulfilling pearl and going around begging? Can one not be deluded? May all who see and hear this mutually encourage each other, together arouse correct mindfulness, set out early on the profound path, realize former faults, understand subsequent stages, establish great determination, exert great courage, make great vows, and vow to deliver boundless sentient beings, vow to sever endless afflictions, vow to learn measureless Dharma-doors, vow to be born in the Western realm of Sukhāvatī to see Amitābha Buddha, and vow together with all good people to consummate the unexcelled Buddha-Way. It may be said: 'If the spring wind is not obtained, flowers will not bloom; for flowers to flourish, they must rely on the power of the spring wind.'