往生淨土懺願儀 1.94

1.94

問：「念佛三昧久習方成，十日、七日修懺之者，云何卒學？」答：「緣有生熟，習有久近。若過去曾習及今生預修，至行懺時，薄修即得。若宿未經懷，近懺方學，此必難成。然雖不成，亦須依此繫心，為坐禪觀境。經云：『若成、不成，皆滅無量生死之罪，生諸佛前。』又云：『但聞白毫名字，滅無量罪。』何況繫念！凡欲修者，勿生疑怖，自謂無分，彼佛有宿願力，令修此三昧者，皆得成就般舟。依三力成就：一、佛威力；二、三昧力；三、己功德力。《觀經》：『但聞無量壽佛、二菩薩名，能滅無量生死之罪，況憶念者乎！』若有樂修餘觀，當自隨情。」坐已即起，隨意佛事。或要修觀，更坐無妨。若不慣習坐，乃行道稱念亦得，於夜夢中見彌陀佛，具如經說。

Question: 'Buddhānusmṛti-samādhi is accomplished only after long practice; how can those who practice repentance for ten or seven days master it all at once?' Answer: 'Conditions may be ripe or raw, and practice may be of long or short duration. If one has practiced it in the past and prepared in this life, when the time comes to perform the repentance, one will attain it through minimal practice. If one has not harbored it in past lives and only learns it now near the repentance, it will certainly be difficult to accomplish. Yet even if not accomplished, one must still bind the mind according to this as the object of contemplation for seated meditation. A sūtra says: "Whether accomplished or unaccomplished, one eradicates the offenses of immeasurable saṃsāra and is reborn before the Buddhas." It also says: "Merely hearing the name of the ūrṇā eradicates immeasurable offenses." How much more so binding one's mindfulness to it! All who wish to practice should not give rise to doubt or fear, thinking they have no share in it. That Buddha has the power of past vows, causing those who cultivate this samādhi all to accomplish pratyutpanna. It is accomplished by relying on three powers: first, the Buddha's majestic power; second, the power of samādhi; third, the power of one's own merit. The Guan jing states: "Merely hearing the names of the Buddha of Immeasurable Life and the two bodhisattvas can eradicate the offenses of immeasurable saṃsāra; how much more so recollecting them!" If anyone takes pleasure in cultivating other contemplations, they may follow their own inclination.' After sitting, one immediately rises and performs Buddhist services at will. Or if one needs to cultivate contemplation, it is fine to sit further. If one is not accustomed to sitting, walking and reciting the name is also acceptable, and one will see Amitābha Buddha in a night's dream, fully as the sūtra explains.