集諸經禮懺儀 2.25

2.25

又如《觀經》云：行觀坐觀禮念等，皆須面向西方者最勝。如樹先傾，倒必隨曲。故必有事礙不及向西方者，但作向西想亦得。問曰：一切諸佛三身同證，悲智果圓亦應無二，隨方禮念課稱一佛亦應得生。何故偏歎西方勸專禮念等？有何義也？答曰：諸佛所證平等是一，若以願行來收非無因緣。然彌陀世尊本發深重誓願，願以光明名號攝化十方。但使信心求念上盡一形，下至十聲一聲等，以佛願力易得往生。是故釋迦及以諸佛勸向西方，為別異爾。亦非是稱念餘佛不能除障滅罪也。應知。若能如上念念相續畢命為期者，十即十生、百即百生。何以故？無外雜緣得正念故、與佛本願得相應故、不違教故、隨順佛語故。若欲捨專修雜業者，百時希得一二、千時希得五三。何以故？乃由雜緣亂動失正念故、與佛本願不相應故、與教相違故、不順佛語故、係念不相續故、憶想間斷故、迴願不殷重真實故、貪瞋諸見煩惱來間斷故、無有慚愧懺悔心故。懺悔有三品，一要、二略、三廣，如下具說，隨意用皆得。又不相續念報彼佛恩故；心生輕慢，雖作業行常與名利相應故；人我自覆，不親近同行善知識故；樂近雜緣，自障障他往生正行故。何以故爾？比自見聞諸方道俗，解行不同專雜有異，但使專意作者，十即十生；修雜不至心者，千中無一。此二行得失，如前已辯。仰願一切往生人等善自思量。已能今身願生彼國者，行住坐臥必須勵心剋己，晝夜莫廢畢命為期。止在一形似如少苦，前念命終後念即生彼國，長時永劫常受無為法樂，乃至成佛不經生死，豈非快哉。應知。

Furthermore, as the Contemplation Sūtra says: In contemplation while walking, contemplation while sitting, worship, mindfulness, and so forth, facing the west is supreme. Just as a tree leans first, when it falls it must follow the bend. Therefore, if there are unavoidable matters that prevent one from facing west, merely forming the thought of facing west is also sufficient. Question: All Buddhas equally realize the three bodies, and their fruits of compassion and wisdom are perfected and should also be no different; according to the direction, worshipping, being mindful of, and regularly reciting [the name of] any single Buddha should also enable rebirth. Why then do you exclusively praise the West and encourage exclusively worshipping and being mindful of it? What meaning is there? Answer: What all Buddhas realize is equal and one; yet if one considers vows and practices, it is not without specific causes and conditions. Amitābha the World-Honoured One originally made deep and momentous vows, vowing to embrace and transform the ten directions through his light and name. If only sentient beings generate a mind of faith, seeking and recollecting throughout a whole lifetime down to ten recitations or a single recitation, through the Buddha's vow-power they will easily attain rebirth. For this reason, Śākyamuni and all the Buddhas encourage facing the west, precisely to make this distinction. It is not that reciting and being mindful of other Buddhas cannot eliminate obstacles and eradicate sins. One should know this. If one can continuously maintain thought after thought as described above, making the end of one's life the limit, then ten out of ten will be reborn, and a hundred out of a hundred will be reborn. Why is this? Because free from external distracting conditions, one attains right mindfulness; because one accords with the Buddha's original vow; because one does not oppose the teaching; and because one complies with the Buddha's words. If one wishes to abandon exclusive practice and cultivate mixed karmas, then out of a hundred, rarely will one or two succeed, and out of a thousand, rarely will three or five succeed. Why is this? It is because through distracting conditions one becomes agitated and loses right mindfulness; because one does not accord with the Buddha's original vow; because one is contrary to the teaching; because one does not comply with the Buddha's words; because the fixing of mindfulness is not continuous; because recollecting and envisioning are interrupted; because dedication and aspiration are not earnest and genuine; because afflictions of greed, anger, and various views intervene and cause interruptions; and because one lacks a mind of shame and repentance. Repentance has three grades: first, essential; second, abbreviated; third, extensive; as explained fully below, whichever one uses according to one's wish is acceptable. Furthermore, it is because one does not continuously think of repaying that Buddha's benevolence; because one's mind generates arrogance, and although one performs practices, they constantly accord with fame and profit; because self and others are obstructed by conceit, not drawing near to fellow spiritual friends who share the practice; and because one enjoys being near distracting conditions, obstructing oneself and obstructing others from the right practice for rebirth. Why is this so? Recently, I have personally seen and heard of monastics and laypeople in various places: their understanding and practice differ, and their exclusivity and mixed practice are distinct. Provided they act with an exclusive mind, ten out of ten are reborn; but among those who cultivate mixed practices without a mind of utmost sincerity, there is not even one in a thousand. The gains and losses of these two practices have been distinguished as above. I respectfully hope that all who seek rebirth will carefully consider this for themselves. Those who are already able in this present body to aspire to be born in that land must urge their minds and discipline themselves whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, day and night without neglect, making the end of their lives the limit. It is only for a single lifetime, like a small suffering; with the preceding thought one's life ends, and with the following thought one is born immediately in that land, through long times and eternal kalpas constantly experiencing unconditioned Dharma-bliss, up to the attainment of buddhahood without passing through birth-and-death. How could that not be joyful! One should know this.