西方合論 2.19

2.19

答曰：「汝將謂一悟之後，習漏永除，便得不退轉耶？將謂一悟之後，更無遍學佛法、修行證果等事耶？將謂一悟之後，便可上齊諸佛，入生死不受障緣之所撓耶？審如是，則諸大菩薩，修六度萬行，動經恒河沙數劫者，是皆愧汝！古教有云：『聲聞尚有出胎之昧，菩薩亦有隔陰之昏。』況近時薄解淺悟，自救不了者。縱有悟處深遠，見地高明，行解相應，志在度人者，奈何未登不退，力用未充；居此濁惡，化此剛強，此亦先聖之所未許。如以未完不固之舟，濟多人於惡海，自他俱溺，其理必然。故《往生論》云：『欲遊戲地獄門者，必生彼土，得無生忍，已還入生死，救苦眾生，以此因緣，求生淨土。』又先聖有云：『未得不退轉位，不可混俗度生，未得無生法忍，要須常不離佛。譬如嬰兒，常不離母；又如弱羽，只可傅枝。』今此國中，釋迦已滅，彌勒未生；四惡趣苦，因果牽纏；外道邪魔，是非扇亂；美色淫聲之相惑，惡緣穢觸之交侵。既無現佛可依，又被境緣所撓，初心悟達之人，尠有不遭其退敗者。所以世尊殷勤指歸極樂，良有以也。蓋彼彌陀現在說法，樂土境緣種種清淨，倘依彼佛，忍力易成，高證佛階，親蒙授記；然後出化眾生，去來無礙。多見今之禪者，不究如來之了義，不知達磨之玄機，空腹高心，習為狂妄。見修淨土，則笑之曰：『彼學愚夫愚婦之所為。』余嘗論其非鄙愚夫愚婦，乃鄙文殊、普賢、龍樹、馬鳴等也。非特自迷正道，自失善根，自喪慧身，自亡佛種；且成謗法之業，又招鄙聖之殃，佛祖視為可哀憐者。於是永明和尚深憐痛哀，剖出心肝，主張淨土，既以自修又以化世。故其臨終有種種殊勝相現，舍利鱗砌，徑生極樂上品；乃至閻羅以為希有，圖像禮敬。夫永明既悟達磨直指之禪，又能致身於極樂上品，以此解禪者之執情，以此為末法之勸信，是真大有功於宗教者。豈特永明為然，如死心新禪師，作勸修淨土之文，又如真歇了禪師，作《淨土說》有云：『洞下一宗，皆務密修，其故何哉？良以念佛法門，徑路修行，正按大藏，接上上根器，傍引中下之機。』又云：『宗門大匠，已悟不空有法，秉志孜孜於淨業者，以淨業見佛簡易于宗門故。』又云：『乃佛乃祖，在教在禪，皆修淨業，同歸一源。入得此門，無量法門，悉皆能入。』至如天衣懷禪師、圓照本禪師、慈受深禪師、南嶽思禪師、法照禪師、淨靄禪師、淨慈大通禪師、天台懷玉禪師、梁道珍禪師、唐道綽禪師、毘陵法真禪師、姑蘇守納禪師、北磵簡禪師、天目禮禪師等諸大老，皆是禪門宗匠，究其密修顯化，發揚淨土之旨，則不約而同。廣如彼文，不能盡錄。是故當知，禪宗密修，不離淨土；初心頓悟，未出童真，入此門者，方為堅固不退之門。」

He replied: “Do you suppose that after a single enlightenment, habitual outflows are forever eliminated and one immediately attains non-retrogression? Do you suppose that after a single enlightenment, there is no longer any such thing as comprehensively studying the Buddhadharma, cultivating practice, and realizing the fruits? Do you suppose that after a single enlightenment, one can immediately equal all Buddhas above, enter saṃsāra, and not be disturbed by obstructive conditions? If it were truly thus, then the great bodhisattvas who cultivate the six perfections and myriad practices, constantly passing through kalpas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, should all feel ashamed before you! An ancient teaching says: ‘Even śrāvakas are bewildered upon leaving the womb, and bodhisattvas suffer confusion between incarnations.’ How much more so those in recent times with shallow understanding and slight enlightenment, who cannot even save themselves! Even if there are those whose realization is profound and far-reaching, whose insight is lofty and bright, whose practice and understanding correspond, and whose resolve is set on saving others, yet because they have not mounted to non-retrogression and their power and function are not yet full, to dwell in this defiled evil [world] and transform these obstinate beings is likewise something not permitted by the ancient sages. It is like using an incomplete and unsolid boat to ferry many people across a perilous sea: that both oneself and others will drown is an inevitable principle. Therefore the *Rebirth Treatise* (*Wang sheng lun*) says: ‘Those who wish to sport freely in the gates of hell must be born in that land, attain the patience of non-arising (anutpattikadharmakṣānti), and having done so, return to saṃsāra to rescue suffering sentient beings; on account of this condition, one seeks rebirth in the Pure Land.’ Furthermore, an ancient sage said: ‘Before one has attained the station of non-retrogression, one must not mix with the worldly to save sentient beings; before one has attained the patience of the non-arising of dharmas, one must constantly remain not separated from the Buddha. Just like an infant who constantly does not leave its mother, or like a fledgling bird that can only cling to branches.’ Now in this country, Śākyamuni has already passed into extinction and Maitreya is not yet born; the suffering of the four evil destinies entangles [beings] through causes and effects; non-Buddhists and evil māras fan chaos with right and wrong; seductive forms and licentious sounds delude one another; and evil conditions and foul touches assault in turn. With no living Buddha to rely upon, and being disturbed by worldly objects and conditions, few among beginners who have attained enlightenment fail to meet with setback and defeat. That the World-Honoured One earnestly pointed the way back to Sukhāvatī was truly with good reason. For Amitābha is presently expounding the Dharma there, and the objects and conditions of that joyful land are manifold and pure. If one relies upon that Buddha, the power of patience is easily accomplished, one highly realizes the Buddha stage, and personally receives prediction (vyākaraṇa); thereafter, one goes forth to transform sentient beings, coming and going without hindrance. One often sees present-day Chan practitioners who do not investigate the definitive meaning of the Tathāgata and do not know Bodhidharma’s profound mechanism; with empty bellies and lofty minds, they grow accustomed to wild arrogance. Seeing someone cultivating the Pure Land, they laugh at them, saying: ‘That study is the practice of foolish men and foolish women.’ I have often argued that they are not despising foolish men and foolish women, but are despising Mañjuśrī, Samantabhadra, Nāgārjuna, Aśvaghoṣa, and the like. Not only do they themselves stray from the right path, lose their own kuśalamūla, destroy their own wisdom-body, and extinguish their own Buddha-seed, but they also commit the karma of saddharmapratikṣepa and incur the calamity of despising the sages; Buddhas and patriarchs regard them as pitiable. Thereupon the Venerable Yongming deeply pitied and lamented them, laid bare his heart and liver, and championed the Pure Land, both to cultivate it himself and to transform the world. Therefore at his death various extraordinary signs appeared: relics piled up like fish scales, and he went directly to rebirth in the highest grade of Sukhāvatī; even King Yama regarded him as rare and paid homage before his portrait. Now, since Yongming had both awakened to Bodhidharma’s Chan of direct pointing and could also attain the highest grade of Sukhāvatī, using this to untie the clinging attachments of Chan practitioners and to encourage faith in the Dharma-Ending Age, he truly rendered great service to both the teachings and the school. How could it be that Yongming alone was like this? Chan Master Sixin Xin wrote a text encouraging cultivation of the Pure Land; again, Chan Master Zhenxie Liao wrote a *Pure Land Discourse* (*Jingtu shuo*) that says: ‘The entire Caodong lineage engages in hidden cultivation; what is the reason for this? It is truly because the buddhānusmṛti dharma-gate is a shortcut in cultivation that directly accords with the Great Canon, receiving those of the highest faculties and drawing in those of intermediate and lower capacity.’ It also says: ‘The great masters of the Chan school, having already awakened to the dharma that is neither empty nor existent, hold fast to the aspiration and diligently apply themselves to pure karma, because seeing the Buddha through pure karma is simpler and easier than in the Chan school.’ It also says: ‘Whether Buddhas or patriarchs, whether in the doctrinal teachings or in Chan, all cultivate pure karma and return together to the one source. If one can enter this gate, one can enter all measureless dharma-gates.’ As for such senior masters as Chan Master Tianyi Huai, Chan Master Yuanzhao Ben, Chan Master Cishou Shen, Chan Master Nanyue Si, Chan Master Fazhao, Chan Master Jing’ai, Chan Master Jingci Datong, Chan Master Tiantai Huaiyu, Chan Master Daozhen of Liang, Chan Master Daochuo of Tang, Chan Master Fazhen of Piling, Chan Master Shouna of Gusu, Chan Master Beijian Jian, and Chan Master Tianmu Li, all were masters of the Chan school; when one investigates their hidden cultivation and manifest teaching, and their elucidation of the tenets of the Pure Land, they agree without prior consultation. Being extensive as in those texts, they cannot be recorded in full. Therefore one should know: the hidden cultivation of the Chan school does not depart from the Pure Land; for those who suddenly awaken as beginners and have not yet left the stage of youth, entering this gate is precisely the gate of firmness and non-retrogression.”