寶王三昧念佛直指 2.24

2.24

夫念佛三昧者，名一行三昧也。蓋彼行人既了深旨，能持一心，惟念彼土、惟憶彼佛，知身土無二、了憶念亦一，乃得名為一行也。雖名一行，亦當以彼一切世出世間無量法門諸功德行以為助道，則往生行疾。是故一切諸行悉為淨土而修，無別岐路，名一行耳。譬如眾流入海同得海名，萬善同歸得名一行。以是義故，則一切念處、正勤、根力覺道、四弘六度皆淨土行，乃至彈指之善及散心念佛，或一稱名、或舉一手一禮一讚、或一瞻仰，乃至或奉一香一水一華一燈一供養具、或一念修習至於十念、或發一施一戒一忍禪定智慧，一切善根回向極樂。願力持故，雖有遲疾，皆得往生。如經所說喻，昔有人以小滴水寄於大海，願不壞不失不異不竭，雖經多劫要還元水。其人經多劫已，如寄所取，果得元水不壞不竭。此亦如是，以小善根回向極樂，如寄滴水。雖經異生，善根不失亦不壞竭，生彼無疑。是以大乘小乘有漏無漏散心定善事想觀慧，皆名一行，悉得往生，惟除外道種性。故云：但辨肯心，必不相賺。又經所謂「一稱南無佛，皆已成佛道」，良可深信。其有因心未起、善行未立、身心未屈，先期感應者，不可與其同語也。是故釋迦聖主一代至談，有無量三昧、無量解脫、無量行願總持相應、無量法門，惟念佛一門圓攝無外悉皆具足。如彼大海吞納眾流，性無增減；如如意珠置高幢上，能滿一切眾生願求，體無虧損。此三昧寶王能攝能具亦復如是。由是義故，始我世尊以此三昧遍告眾會非不再三，彼會所有承聽大根之士若文殊等，及三乘聖賢、天龍八部，無不傾心而歸信也。逮法流東土，有大至人於彼廬山闡揚遺化，彼信奉者如風行草上，極天下之望無不美其教焉。自佛至今將二千三百餘載，中有聖賢之人、高僧巨儒、農商仕賈、匹夫匹婦、奴婢黃門，或自行而勸人、或著文而作誓，重法如寶、輕身若塵，臨難不懼、臨死不顧，挺身立行、力修此道者，何知其幾？或修隨喜、或信歸依，乃至隨得盡己之誠而行者，其數益眾。誠所謂列宿塵沙莫況其多也。或有半信不信猶豫不決之人，尚生彼國疑城邊地，何況正信行者哉？傳記所載萬不及一，自古及今咸受其賜，豈筆舌所能盡述。縱欲別修道品，但假自心之力，或有退轉着魔之患；惟此法門因仗佛力，修則必成，無復魔業，永不退轉。又此三昧非但遠魔，亦於人間一切縣官口舌、是非患難、水火盜賊、惡人凶事，乃至一切虎狼蟲獸、鬼魅妖精、不吉祥事不能侵害，又亦不為一切疫痢傷寒癰疥下賤、眼耳鼻舌諸病所惱。如其願行無虧，皆能排遣。惟於人中名聞利養、甜愛軟賊及嗔心嗔火，雖有佛力，蓋是自咎，不能救焉。行人當深加精進以攘却之，若一念因循，必為所奪。然彼軟魔但能害淺信貪怠失念之人，其精進者如剛火得水反堅，焉敢小近而睥睨也。是故行人因佛捭魔，非止此身安樂，又得三昧成就、天人護助，臨終正念往生。其往生之際瑞應非一，或天樂盈室、或異香滿室、或光明照體、或寶座現前、或彌陀垂臂親自來迎、或菩薩執臺授手而接，乃至預知時至、正念不謬，諸障忽空，自能沐浴加趺、會眾說法、叉手告別。或更勉人進道，盡偈擲筆合掌而逝。或臨終之後舉體如生，齒骨數珠燒之不壞，光焰異常五色鮮明，祥物於空盤旋不散，煙所至處舍利流珠觸物而生。此耳目之所常有者也。若非平日履踐明白、精進力感，焉能若是？嗟今之人，或有修而無効者，蓋彼信根淺薄、因地不真，未曾立行先欲人知，內則自矜、外欲顯曜，使人恭敬供養冀有所得。甚至妄言得見淨境，或見小境及夢中善相，未識是非先欲明說。此等卑下，必為如上魔侶所惑，願行退失，還隨生死苦趣。可不慎哉？雖有道場持誦懺願儀式，不得不被人知，蓋出於不得已，豈可特露其迹使觀行傾敗哉？是則行人還當審諦密實自行，內懷慚愧勿露其德。至到家時，不被如上強軟二魔所惑可也。中有宿障欲滅微見好相，如其不能蘊德聞人之耳，則其行必覆。所以遠公三覩聖相，平日未甞言也，但除臨終時耳。至禱至禱！又此三昧體性雖圓，所解則宜廣大、所行則宜盡諸微細條章、革諸猥弊，乃至小罪猶懷大懼。又當解隨大乘、行依小學，乃能合此三昧。若知小不自小，小隨解圓；圓不離小，小即是大。小大解行一理無分，即超世見。經云：孝養父母、奉事師長，慈心不殺、修十善業，受持三歸、具足眾戒、不犯威儀，發菩提心、深信因果、不謗大乘、勸進行者。以上每句是一法行，古人各有法訓一章，茲不能述。又復當護人心，勿使誇嫌，動用自若。誦大乘經、解第一義，親近善友、請問先覺，不執己見、不引己長、志存忍辱、行當依經，聽聞正法、不毀僧尼，息世雜善、不貪名利、遠離邪惡，處事必忠、將過歸己，深誡綺語，一心不亂，視人如佛，捐棄伎能、惟求往生，身必清淨。如是等無量善行悉宜修習，能助正道，更能割世染心。於憎愛二境無諸留難，凝心如一，必生淨土。其功甚大，不可盡述。是故於此法中，密修斯行，高而不名，得生彼者，何知其幾？然而有名於傳記之人，如大海之滴耳，豈可量其數哉？若人能依教誡但行此行，尚能利益無量冤業眾生，何況父母師長、法門眷屬、兄弟姊妹，及平日中解我患難、提挈我者不得其利？故知但修此行，恩無不報，是以應當一心念佛。阿彌陀佛及二大士境界甚深，於苦海中難得親近、難得憶念。何以故？能憶念者必解脫故。聞名尚難，何況親近。經云：若善男子善女人，但聞佛名二菩薩名，除無量劫生死之罪，何況憶念。若念佛者，當知此人是人中芬陀利華，觀世音菩薩、大勢至菩薩為其勝友，當坐道場生諸佛家。是故十方如來示大舌輪殷勤勸勵，娑婆教主告誡叮嚀其辭激切，俾令五濁眾生必修此道乃得度世。何以故？蓋彼五濁眾生身心俱苦，以苦為命，猶水火聚。而佛特於苦處行悲最深，正應機宜，如水如月，感應道交故也。是故世尊自成正覺至入涅槃，其音不二。於法說中，始從華嚴會上、終極法華道場，玉音布告稱述何窮，彼會所有大心勝志之士，承順茲旨，悉皆起願而求生也，何況我等末世鈍機流浪者哉？有識之流須銘肌骨，自是彌陀願力不斷，代不乏人。聖人以此唱之於前、賢者以此繼之於後，廓然遍乎十方三世，何止天下；霈然充乎六道四生，奚但人倫。天神嚮化、鬼物順之，若人非人無不讚仰，載諸行事、具諸典章，盈溢乎海藏龍宮、遍布乎人間天上，深根固蒂悉應群機，蓋皆我彌陀願力致然也。佛言：最後惡世我法滅時，惟此教典多留百年，以度群有。然則此法豈非我等殿後之至訓也。彼飛禽名八八鴝鵒者，墮在愚癡妄想異類之中，以能隨人稱名，亦承三昧力故，尚于埋處生蓮，何況於人？人而不如，可謂不知愧矣。余生於末世，正值後五百歲，故人根淺薄疑惑不信，又復異見邪解各執不同遞相誘掖，使彼正行之人多被惑亂傷感盈懷。是故集彼禪教淨土諸文及諸經卷，取其極深至要之義述作此說，類以成編，流布世間，斥邪顯正。普願法界眾生，於此說中一見開解了悟真心，知彌陀依正還在西方，達西方依正不離本性，但含識者皆同往生，悉深入其階位也。更願先覺不悋慈悲，見未悟人如法教導。前人若昧，可與隨根應病剖析幽微，更為宣說。彼若一念信解行願必成，往生可期，功莫稱述。縱有異報牢固信樂不深，但一句染神亦成緣種，展轉利益無盡無窮。勸發之功非不大矣。若人果能如是不師於心、不欺不妄，隨此正教誨人不倦者，縱自不行即為已行，縱自未學即為已學。何以故？法界一相，無自他故。如昔有人，自於一生未曾修行，但能二次悉傾己有，平等一心建會勸人同念佛故，命終之時亦得往生，其事昭著。故知能發慈悲之心、示攝受之相，及能利彼勸人念者，所得弘多，誠為無上法王所使。但不可執己謂定不必修耳。是故三昧甚深、法門如海，顯利之事豈能盡言，聊記所聞為世勸發。

Now, the buddha-mindfulness samādhi is called the single-practice samādhi. When that practitioner has comprehended its profound purport, they are able to uphold single-mindedness, only mindful of that land and only recollecting that Buddha. Knowing that body and land are non-dual, and comprehending that recollecting and being mindful are also one—only then does it merit the name 'single practice'. Although it is named 'single practice', one must also employ all the countless Dharma-doors and practices of merit, both mundane and supramundane, as auxiliary aids to the Way; then one's practice of rebirth will be swift. Therefore, all practices are cultivated entirely for the sake of the Pure Land, with no divergency of paths—hence it is called 'single practice'. Just as myriad streams flowing into the ocean together receive the name of 'ocean', so all good deeds converging together receive the name of 'single practice'. For this reason, all the foundations of mindfulness, right efforts, spiritual faculties, powers, factors of awakening, the eightfold path, the four great vows, and the six perfections are all Pure Land practices. This extends even to the good of a snap of the fingers and buddha-mindfulness with a distracted mind; or a single recitation of the name; or raising one hand, making a single prostration, uttering a single praise, or gazing up [in reverence] once; or offering a single stick of incense, a single cup of water, a single flower, a single lamp, or a single article of offering; or cultivating for a single thought-moment up to ten thoughts; or generating a single act of giving, discipline, patience, dhyāna meditation, or wisdom: all such roots of good are dedicated to Sukhāvatī. Because the power of vows sustains them, although there may be slowness or swiftness, all attain rebirth. As the sūtras explain in metaphor: in the past, someone deposited a tiny drop of water in the great ocean, vowing that it would not be destroyed, not be lost, not become different, and not dry up, and that even after passing through many kalpas, they would surely retrieve that original water. After many kalpas had passed, the person retrieved it as deposited, and indeed obtained the original water, neither destroyed nor dried up. This is also like that: dedicating small roots of good to Sukhāvatī is like depositing a drop of water. Even if one passes through different rebirths, the roots of good are neither lost nor destroyed nor dried up, and one's rebirth there is beyond doubt. Therefore, Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna, with outflows and without outflows, scattered-minded and focused goodness, practice, visualization, contemplation, and wisdom are all called the single practice, and all attain rebirth, excluding only the icchantika disposition of non-Buddhists. Hence it is said: 'Merely establish a resolute mind, and you will certainly not be deceived.' Furthermore, as the sūtra says: 'Those who even once uttered "Namo'stuvādāya Buddha" have all already realized the Buddha Way'; this can truly be deeply trusted. As for those whose causal aspiration has not yet arisen, whose good deeds have not yet been established, whose body and mind have not yet yielded, yet who expect a response in advance—one cannot even speak with them. Therefore, among the supreme discourses of Śākya the Holy Lord throughout his life, there are countless samādhis, countless liberations, countless practices, vows, and dhāraṇī correspondences, and countless Dharma-doors; yet only the single door of buddha-mindfulness perfectly subsumes them with nothing left out, fully possessing them all. It is like the great ocean that swallows and takes in myriad streams while its nature neither increases nor decreases; it is like a wish-fulfilling gem placed atop a high banner, able to fulfill the vows and petitions of all sentient beings while its substance suffers no loss. This Jewel King of Samādhis, in its ability to subsume and fully contain, is also just like this. By virtue of this meaning, when our World-Honoured One initially announced this samādhi to the assembly, it was not merely two or three times; and all those of great capacity who heard it in that assembly, such as Mañjuśrī and the others, as well as the sages and worthies of the three vehicles, the devas, nāgas, and eight classes of beings, without exception devoted their minds and placed their faith in it. When the Dharma flowed to the eastern land, there was a great man of supreme realization who propagated the bequeathed transformation on Mount Lu; those who believed and followed him were like grass before the wind, and throughout the realm none failed to praise his teaching. From the Buddha until now, roughly more than two thousand three hundred years have elapsed, during which there have been sages and worthies, eminent monks and eminent scholars, farmers, merchants, officials, and traders, ordinary men and ordinary women, servants and palace eunuchs, who have personally practiced and exhorted others, or written compositions and made vows, treasuring the Dharma like a jewel and viewing their bodies as light as dust, fearless in the face of difficulties, heedless in the face of death, stepping forward to establish practice and vigorously cultivating this Way—who knows how many there have been? Or those who practiced rejoicing, or faithfully took refuge, extending down to those who practiced according to their utmost sincerity—their numbers are even greater. Truly it may be said that the arrayed stars and sands of dust cannot compare to their multitude. Even if there are people who half-believe and half-doubt, vacillating and unresolved, they are still reborn in the borderland of the City of Doubt of that land; how much more so practitioners of right faith? Those recorded in biographies are not even one in ten thousand; from ancient times until now, all have received its bestowal—how could brushes and tongues ever fully describe it? Even if one wishes to cultivate other branches of the Way, relying merely on the power of one's own mind, there is the peril of retrogressing or being possessed by māras. Only in this Dharma-door, because one relies on the Buddha's power, cultivation will certainly succeed; there are no further māra-karmas, and one never retrogresses. Moreover, this samādhi not only keeps māras afar, but in the human world all magistrate lawsuits and disputes, right and wrong, disasters and adversities, fire, water, robbers, thieves, evil persons, and ominous events, extending even to all tigers, wolves, insects, wild beasts, ghosts, spirits, and goblins, and inauspicious occurrences cannot invade or harm one. Furthermore, one will not be afflicted by epidemics, dysentery, cold-damage, abscesses, scabies, low status, or diseases of the eyes, ears, nose, and tongue. If one's vows and practice are without lack, all these can be dispelled. Only with regard to fame, gain, offerings, sweet love—the soft thieves—and thoughts and fires of anger among humans: though there is the Buddha's power, because the fault lies in oneself, it cannot rescue one. The practitioner must apply profound diligence to ward them off; if for a single thought-moment one vacillates, one will surely be despoiled by them. However, those soft māras can only harm people of shallow faith, greed, indolence, and lost mindfulness; those who are diligent are like hard fire meeting water, becoming even firmer—how would they dare even approach or glance askance? Therefore, when a practitioner overcomes māras by relying on the Buddha, not only does this body attain peace and bliss, but one also accomplishes samādhi, receives the protection and assistance of devas and humans, and at the end of life attains rebirth with right mindfulness. At the moment of that rebirth, the auspicious responses are not just one: either heavenly music fills the room, or rare fragrance permeates the chamber, or brilliant light illuminates the body, or a jeweled seat appears before them, or Amitābha extends his arm to welcome them in person, or the Bodhisattva holds the lotus dais and stretches out a hand to receive them; extending even to knowing the time in advance, having right mindfulness without error, all obstructions suddenly becoming empty, being able to bathe and sit cross-legged, gathering the assembly to preach the Dharma, and clasping hands to bid farewell. Or further exhorting others to advance in the Way, tossing down the brush upon finishing a verse, joining palms and passing away. Or after the end of life, the entire body remains as if alive, the teeth, bones, and recitation beads remaining intact through cremation, the flames displaying extraordinary, brilliant five-colored light, auspicious objects wheeling in the air without dispersing, and wherever the smoke reaches, flowing pearls of relics are formed upon contact with objects. These are things often witnessed by ears and eyes. Were it not for clear daily practice and the responsive power of diligence, how could it be like this? Alas, among people today, there are those who cultivate without effect: because their root of faith is shallow and flimsy and their causal ground is untrue, before they have even established their practice they first desire others to know, boasting within and wishing to make a show without, causing people to pay respect and make offerings, hoping to gain something. They even falsely claim to have attained visions of the pure realm, or seeing a minor realm or an auspicious sign in a dream, before discerning right from wrong they first wish to declare it. People of such low character will surely be deluded by the companions of māras described above, their vows and practice retrogressing and being lost, returning to follow the painful destinies of birth and death. Can one not be prudent? Although there are rituals of recitation and repentance-vows in the bodhimaṇḍa that cannot avoid being known by others, this arises out of necessity; how could one deliberately display one's traces and cause one's contemplation practice to collapse? Thus the practitioner must truly examine meticulously, practice in secret and reality, harbor shame and remorse within, and not display their virtue. When they arrive home, it is enough that they are not deluded by the two kinds of māras—the hard and the soft—described above. If, when past obstacles are about to be extinguished, they faintly see a good sign, if they cannot conceal their virtue and let it be heard by others' ears, their practice will surely be overturned. This is why Master [Hui]yuan, having thrice beheld the sacred marks, never spoke of it during his life, except only at the moment of death. Most earnestly do I pray! Most earnestly do I pray! Furthermore, although the substance of this samādhi is perfect and complete, one's understanding should be vast and great, and one's practice should exhaust every fine clause and regulation, reforming all coarse corruptions, so that even regarding minor transgressions one harbors great dread. One should also follow the Mahāyāna in understanding and rely on the elementary teachings in practice; only then can one accord with this samādhi. If one understands that the small is not inherently small, the small accords with the perfection of understanding; the perfect is not separate from the small, and the small is precisely the great. When small and great, understanding and practice, are of one principle without division, one transcends worldly views. The sūtra says: 'Filially support one's parents, serve teachers and elders, have a compassionate mind and do not kill, cultivate the ten wholesome karmas, accept and uphold the three refuges, be complete in all precepts, do not violate deportment, generate the bodhicitta, deeply believe in cause and effect, do not slander the Mahāyāna, and encourage practitioners to advance.' Each of the above phrases is a Dharma practice; the ancients each had a chapter of Dharma instruction on them, which cannot be detailed here. Furthermore, one should guard people's minds, not allowing boasting or disparagement, acting naturally and with self-possession. Recite Mahāyāna sūtras, understand the primary truth, draw near to good friends, inquire of those of prior awakening, do not cling to one's own views, do not vaunt one's own strengths, set the mind on patience, let practice accord with the sūtras, listen to the true Dharma, do not revile monks and nuns, cease worldly miscellaneous goods, do not covet fame and profit, stay far away from evil and depravity, be loyal in handling affairs, take faults upon oneself, deeply guard against frivolous speech, maintain a mind that is single and undisturbed, regard people as buddhas, cast aside worldly skills, seek only rebirth, and keep the body pure. All such countless wholesome practices should be cultivated; they can assist the right path and, further, cut off worldly defiled thoughts. In the two realms of hatred and love there will be no lingering obstacles; with the mind concentrated as one, one will surely be born in the Pure Land. Its merit is extremely great and cannot be fully recounted. Therefore, within this Dharma, of those who secretly cultivate this practice, being lofty without seeking fame, who have attained rebirth there—who knows how many there are? Yet those named in biographies are like a single drop in the great ocean; how could their number be measured? If a person can accord with these admonitions and simply carry out this practice, they will be able to benefit even countless sentient beings with whom they have karmic enmities, how much more so parents, teachers, elders, Dharma relatives, brothers, sisters, and those who in daily life have resolved their adversities or supported them—how could they fail to receive its benefit? Thus we know that merely by cultivating this practice, there is no gratitude left unpaid; therefore one should be single-mindedly mindful of the Buddha. The realms of Amitābha Buddha and the two Great Beings are extremely profound; in the ocean of suffering, they are difficult to draw near to and difficult to recollect. Why is this? Because those who are able to recollect them will certainly be liberated. Even hearing their names is difficult, how much more so drawing near to them. The sūtra says: 'If a good man or good woman merely hears the name of the Buddha and the names of the two Bodhisattvas, the sins of birth and death of countless kalpas are eradicated; how much more so if they recollect them.' If one is mindful of the Buddha, one should know that this person is a puṇḍarīka flower among humans; Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva and Mahāsthāmaprāpta Bodhisattva are their supreme friends; they shall sit in the bodhimaṇḍa and be born in the home of the Buddhas. Therefore the Tathāgatas of the ten directions display their vast tongue-discs, earnestly exhorting and encouraging; the Teaching Lord of the Sahā world gives admonitions and instructions with urgent and impassioned words, causing the sentient beings of the five turbidities to cultivate this Way so that they may cross over the world. Why is this? Because those sentient beings of the five turbidities suffer in both body and mind, taking suffering as their very life, like a gathering of water and fire. And the Buddha, precisely in the place of suffering, exercises compassion most profoundly, properly responding to their capacity, like water and the moon, with cause and response in spiritual communion. Therefore, from his attainment of perfect awakening until his entry into nirvāṇa, the World-Honoured One's voice was non-dual. In his exposition of the Dharma, starting from the Avataṃsaka assembly down to the ultimate Saddharmapuṇḍarīka bodhimaṇḍa, how could the jade-like proclamation and praise ever be exhausted? All those of great mind and supreme resolution in those assemblies, receiving and obeying this purport, all generated vows and sought rebirth; how much more so we who are dull-witted and drifting in the degenerate age? Those of discernment must engrave this in their flesh and bones: indeed, Amitābha's vow-power is uninterrupted, and no generation has lacked such people. Sages proclaimed it in advance, and worthies carried it forward thereafter; vast and open, it pervades the ten directions and three periods of time, extending far beyond the realm of this world; torrential, it fills the six destinies and four modes of birth, far beyond mere humankind. Devas and spirits turn toward its transformation, ghosts and beings comply with it, and humans and non-humans alike praise and revere it; it is recorded in historical deeds and fully contained in canonical codes, overflowing the ocean storehouses and dragon palaces, and widely distributed throughout the human and heavenly realms. Deeply rooted and firmly based, it responds to all capacities—all brought about by the vow-power of our Amitābha. The Buddha said: 'In the final evil age, when my Dharma is about to perish, only this doctrinal teaching will be retained for an additional hundred years to cross over all beings.' If so, is this Dharma not the supreme instruction safeguarding our rear? That flying bird called the eight-eight myna, fallen among the different species of delusion and false thinking, because it was able to recite the name following humans and also received the power of samādhi, still caused a lotus to grow at its burial place; how much more so for a human? If a human is inferior to this, one may truly be called shameless. I was born in the degenerate age, precisely encountering the final five hundred years; therefore, people's faculties are shallow and flimsy, harboring doubts and lack of faith. Furthermore, deviant views and corrupt interpretations each cling to differences and lead one another astray, causing those of right practice to be greatly deluded and perturbed, filling my heart with grief and distress. Therefore, I have collected the texts of Chan, the doctrinal teachings, and the Pure Land, as well as various sūtras, extracted their most profound and essential meanings, composed this treatise, arranged it into chapters, and circulated it in the world to refute the heterodox and reveal the orthodox. I universally vow that the sentient beings of the dharmadhātu, upon seeing this treatise, will open up understanding and awaken to the true mind, knowing that Amitābha's circumstantial and primary rewards are indeed in the West, while realizing that the circumstantial and primary rewards of the West are not separate from the original nature, so that all conscious beings may together attain rebirth, fully entering into those spiritual stages. Furthermore, I pray that those of prior awakening will not begrudge their compassion, but when seeing those who are unawakened, instruct them according to the Dharma. If the previous person is ignorant, one can, according to their capacity and matching their illness, dissect the subtle and hidden, and expound it further for them. If in a single thought-moment their faith, understanding, practice, and vows are accomplished, their rebirth can be anticipated, and the merit cannot be measured. Even if they have hardened karmic retributions and their faithful joy is not deep, merely having a single phrase permeate their spirit also becomes a causal seed, conferring boundless and inexhaustible benefits in turn. The merit of exhorting and inspiring is truly not small! If a person can indeed avoid making their own mind their teacher, being neither deceptive nor false, and untiringly instruct others in accordance with this correct teaching, then even if they do not practice it themselves, it is considered already practiced; even if they have not studied it themselves, it is considered already studied. Why is this? Because the dharmadhātu is of one characteristic, with no self and other. Just as in the past there was a man who, though never cultivating in his entire life, was able on two occasions to pour out all his possessions to establish an assembly with an impartial, single mind to exhort others to be mindful of the Buddha together, and thus at the end of his life also attained rebirth—the event is clearly evident. Therefore know that those who can generate a mind of compassion, display the sign of gathering in, and benefit others by exhorting them to be mindful of the Buddha, will obtain immense benefit and are truly emissaries of the unsurpassable Dharma King. However, one must not cling to oneself and assert that personal practice is definitively unnecessary. Therefore, the samādhi is extremely profound, and the Dharma-door is like an ocean; how could the matters of manifest benefit ever be fully expressed? I have merely recorded what I have heard to exhort and inspire the world.