往生禮讚偈 1.6

1.6

Furthermore, one is urged to practice the four modes of practice to encourage the three minds, so that through the practice of the five gates of mindfulness one may quickly attain rebirth. What are the four? The first is reverent practice: namely, reverently worshipping that Buddha and all the holy assembly, and so forth; hence it is named 'reverent practice'. Taking the end of one's life as the limit, vowing never to stop, this is sustained practice. The second is exclusive practice: namely, exclusively reciting that Buddha's name, exclusively being mindful of, exclusively imagining, exclusively worshipping, and exclusively praising that Buddha and all the holy assembly, not mixing in other practices; hence it is named 'exclusive practice'. Taking the end of one's life as the limit, vowing never to stop, this is sustained practice. The third is uninterrupted practice: namely, continuously worshipping reverently, reciting the name and praising, recollecting and contemplating, dedicating and making aspirations, thought after thought continuing without allowing other practices to intervene; hence it is named 'uninterrupted practice'. Furthermore, not allowing the afflictions of greed and anger to intervene, repenting as soon as one transgresses, not letting it cross over a thought, a period of the day, or a full day, and constantly maintaining purity; this too is named 'uninterrupted practice'. Taking the end of one's life as the limit, vowing never to stop, this is sustained practice. Moreover, bodhisattvas have already escaped birth-and-death; dedicating the wholesome dharmas they perform to seek the fruit of buddhahood is benefiting oneself; teaching and transforming sentient beings to the end of the future is benefiting others. However, sentient beings of the present time are all bound by afflictions and have not escaped the sufferings of the evil destinies, birth-and-death, and the like; initiating practice in accordance with conditions, they quickly dedicate all roots of virtue together, aspiring to be born in the land of Amitābha Buddha. Having arrived in that land, they have nothing further to fear; the above four modes of practice arise spontaneously, and benefiting oneself and benefiting others are fully accomplished without lack. One should know this.