寶王三昧念佛直指 2.7

2.7

Diligence means not retrogressing because of the eight worldly winds, and not slackening in one's practice because of differing views of body and mind or any causal conditions of illness, great or small; hence it is called diligence. When practitioners, having followed the exhortation, permanently cut off the karma of killing, gradually become endowed with the multitude of precepts, and wish to enter samādhi: within samādhi, if they are confused and disturbed internally or externally by any of the two demons, harsh or gentle, and their practice undergoes retrogression, they should fortify their will and redouble their diligence, like a vajra banner that cannot be destroyed, like Mount Sumeru that cannot be shaken, like the great ocean that no multitude of poisons can ruin. Even if a practitioner hears a buddha bestow a prophecy, saying, "Although you now cultivate this practice, you shall certainly not be reborn in that Land of Peaceful Nourishment," they should immediately reply: "Excellent, World-Honoured One! I previously received the Buddha's prophecy seeking rebirth in Sukhāvatī. Śākyamuni Buddha said: 'All sentient beings should generate vows and wish to be reborn in that land.' He did not exclude even women, those with defective faculties, or those of the ten evils, five heinous crimes, and the Avīci hell; how much less me! Though my cultivation of the Path is now slight, I do not commit the five heinous crimes and my repetitions exceed ten recitations; I must surely attain rebirth. How could the Buddha deceive himself and be willing to violate his fundamental vow? Moreover, the buddhas of the ten directions have displayed the appearance of a broad and long tongue to verify this matter. Therefore, I now definitively seek rebirth and dare not retrogress." This is called the practitioner's valiant power of the vajra banner. If even a buddha's prophecy cannot make their initial intention retrogress, how could heavenly demons, evil retinues, worldly conditions of flood, fire, thieves, and aggressive wickedness, or the emotional attachments of wives and concubines shake my practice and vows? Someone may ask: "I see worldly people who cultivate yet do not attain rebirth; why is this?" / I answer: "It is because their views are divergent and their practice is not solemn." / Question: "If so, then is their effort lost in vain?" / Answer: "How could their effort be in vain? They too will certainly rely on the vow-power of Amitābha; if they are not reborn in this life, they will certainly be reborn in the second life; if not reborn in the second life, they will certainly be reborn in the third life. If they have even a single thought and a single movement turning toward that Buddha, they will surely attain rebirth in many future lives. This is called 'all attaining non-retrogression'; how could there be any who are not reborn? Therefore know that those who are reborn in that land attain non-retrogression, and those who cultivate this practice also attain non-retrogression. However, those who are reborn in later lives vainly suffer the pain of saṃsāra for many kalpas; therefore, one must make the decision within a single lifetime. How could one divide one's own intention and fall among those who attain rebirth in other lives? If among them there are those compelled by past karma whose vows and practice are deficient, they should constantly and single-mindedly recite this Dhāraṇī for Uprooting All Light and Heavy Karmic Obstacles and Attaining Rebirth in the Pure Land. If one upholds it once, all the transgressions of the five heinous crimes, ten evils, and so forth in one's body will immediately be extinguished. If one upholds it one hundred thousand times, one will attain not forgetting the bodhicitta. If one upholds it two hundred thousand times, one will stimulate the sprout of bodhi to grow. If one upholds it three hundred thousand times, Amitābha Buddha will constantly dwell upon the crown of one's head, and one will definitively be reborn in the Pure Land. Although this dhāraṇī recited in the world is from this canon, its sounds and punctuations are mostly erroneous; what is transmitted now was translated by the recent Tripiṭaka Master Śārapā, which is the most detailed and essential compared to other editions. Those who cultivate this practice should therefore recite it as the direct pointing of the primary practice. It is now appended here. The dhāraṇī says: