集諸經禮懺儀 2.312

2.312

問曰：稱念禮觀阿彌陀佛，現世有何功德利益？答曰：若稱阿彌陀佛一聲，即能除滅八十億劫生死重罪，禮念已下亦是。《十往生經》云：若有眾生念阿彌陀佛願往生者，彼佛即遣二十五菩薩擁護行者，若行若坐若住若臥、若晝若夜、一切時、一切處，不令惡鬼惡神得其便也。又如《觀經》云：若稱禮念阿彌陀佛願往生彼國者，彼佛即遣無數化佛，無數化觀音、勢至菩薩護念行者。復與前二十五菩薩等，百重千重圍遶行者。不問行住坐臥、一切時處、若晝若夜常不離行者。今既有斯勝益可憑，願諸行者各須至心求往。又如《無量壽經》云：若我成佛，十方眾生稱我名號下至十聲，若不生者，不取正覺。彼佛今現在世成佛，當知本誓重願不虛，眾生稱念必得往生。又如《彌陀經》云：若有眾生聞說阿彌陀佛，即應執持名號，若一日若二日乃至七日，一心稱佛不亂。命欲終時，阿彌陀佛與諸聖眾現在其前。此人終時心不顛倒，即得往生彼國。佛告舍利弗：「我見是利，故說是言。若有眾生聞說是者，應當發願願生彼國。」次下說云：東方如恒河沙等諸佛，南西北方及上下一一方如恒河沙等諸佛，各於本國出其舌相，遍覆三千大千世界，說誠實言：「汝等眾生皆應信是一切諸佛所護念經。云何名護念？若有眾生稱念阿彌陀佛，若七日及一日，下至一聲乃至十聲一念等，必得往生。證成此事，故名護念經。」次下又云：若稱佛往生者，常為六萬恒沙等諸佛之所護念，故名護念經。今既有此增上誓願可憑，諸佛子等何不勵意去也。

Question: When one recites, is mindful of, reverently bows to, and contemplates Amitābha Buddha, what merit and benefit are there in this present life? Answer: If one recites [the name of] Amitābha Buddha a single time, one can extinguish the grave transgressions of birth and death spanning eighty kotis of kalpas; reverently bowing and being mindful [of him] and so forth are also likewise. The Sūtra on the Ten Rebirths says: "If there are sentient beings who are mindful of Amitābha Buddha and aspire to be reborn [in his land], that Buddha will dispatch twenty-five bodhisattvas to protect the practitioner—whether walking, sitting, standing, or lying down, whether by day or by night, at all times, and in all places—not allowing evil ghosts and evil spirits to take advantage of them." Furthermore, as the Contemplation Sūtra says: "If one recites, reverently bows to, and is mindful of Amitābha Buddha, aspiring to be reborn in that land, that Buddha will dispatch countless transformation buddhas and countless transformation Avalokiteśvara and Mahāsthāmaprāpta bodhisattvas to protect and keep in mind the practitioner. Furthermore, together with the aforementioned twenty-five bodhisattvas and others, they will surround the practitioner in hundreds and thousands of layers. Regardless of walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, at all times and places, whether by day or by night, they will never leave the practitioner." Now, since there is such supreme benefit to rely upon, it is hoped that all practitioners will each sincerely seek rebirth. Furthermore, as the Sukhāvatīvyūha Sūtra says: "If I attain Buddhahood, and sentient beings of the ten directions recite my name down to ten times, if they should not be reborn [there], I shall not attain supreme awakening." That Buddha has now attained Buddhahood in the present world; one should know that his original vows and grave pledges are not in vain, and sentient beings who recite and are mindful will certainly attain rebirth. Furthermore, as the Amitābha Sūtra says: "If there are sentient beings who hear tell of Amitābha Buddha, they should uphold his name, whether for one day, two days, or up to seven days, with single-minded recitation of the Buddha without distraction. When their life is about to end, Amitābha Buddha together with the assembly of sages will appear before them. When this person dies, their mind will not be deranged, and they will immediately attain rebirth in that land." The Buddha told Śāriputra: "Seeing this benefit, I therefore speak these words. If there are sentient beings who hear this spoken, they should make an aspiration, desiring rebirth in that land." Further below it states: "Buddhas in the eastern direction as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, and buddhas in each of the southern, western, and northern directions, as well as the zenith and nadir, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, each in their own lands extend their tongue features covering the trichiliocosm, speaking sincere words: 'All you sentient beings should believe in this sūtra protected and kept in mind by all buddhas.' What is meant by 'protected and kept in mind'? If there are sentient beings who recite and are mindful of Amitābha Buddha, whether for seven days or one day, down to a single recitation or up to ten recitations and a single thought-moment, they will certainly attain rebirth. Because they confirm this matter, it is called the Sūtra Protected and Kept in Mind." Further below it also states: "If one recites [the name of] the Buddha and attains rebirth, one is constantly protected and kept in mind by buddhas as numerous as sixty thousand Ganges sands; therefore it is called the Sūtra Protected and Kept in Mind." Now, since there are these augmented vows to rely upon, why do you children of the Buddha not exert your minds and depart?