萬善同歸集 1.80

1.80

答：「若提宗考本，尚不說有佛有土，豈言達之不達乎？所以天真自具，不涉因緣；匪動絲毫，常冥真體。若約事論，故非一等。九品往生，上下俱達。或遊化國，見佛應身；或生報土，覩佛真體。或一夕而便登上地，或經劫而方證小乘；或利根、鈍根；或定意、散意；或悟遲速，根機不同；或華開早晚，時限有異。今古具載，凡聖俱生；行相昭然，明證目驗。故釋迦世尊親記文殊，當生阿彌陀佛土，位登初地。《大經》云：『彌勒菩薩問佛：「未知此界有幾許不退菩薩，得生彼國？」佛言：「此娑婆世界有六十七億不退菩薩，皆得往生。」』智者大師，一生修西方業；所行福智二嚴，悉皆回向。臨終令門人唱起《十六觀》名，乃合掌讚云：『四十八願，莊嚴淨土；香臺寶樹，易到無人。火車相現，一念改悔者，尚乃往生；況戒、定、慧薰修行道力，終不唐捐；佛梵音聲終不誑人。』《稱讚淨土經》云：『十方恒河沙諸佛，出廣長舌相，遍覆大千，證得往生。』豈虛搆哉？」

Answer: "If one puts forward the central doctrine and examines the fundamental source, one does not even speak of the existence of Buddhas or lands—how could one speak of arriving or not arriving? Therefore, what is innately authentic is self-sufficient and does not involve cause and condition; without moving a single hair, it is eternally fused with the true substance. But if discussed from the standpoint of phenomena, it is by no means uniform. Rebirth in the nine grades reaches [the goal] from highest to lowest. Some travel to transformation lands and see the Buddha's response body; some are born in the reward land and behold the Buddha's true substance. Some ascend to the higher stages in a single evening, while others only realize the Hīnayāna after passing through eons; some have sharp faculties and some dull faculties; some have concentrated minds and some distracted minds; their faculties and capacities differ in the slowness or speed of awakening; the opening of the lotuses has early and late, with different time limits. These are fully recorded in past and present, with both ordinary persons and sages being born; their practice-characteristics are luminous, with clear proofs personally witnessed. Therefore, Śākyamuni, the World-Honoured One, personally conferred the prediction upon Mañjuśrī that he would be born in the land of Amitābha Buddha and ascend to the rank of the first stage. The *Larger Sūtra* states: 'Maitreya Bodhisattva asked the Buddha: "I do not know how many non-retrogressing bodhisattvas from this realm will attain rebirth in that land?" The Buddha said: "From this Sahā world, sixty-seven hundred million non-retrogressing bodhisattvas will all attain rebirth."' Great Master Zhiyi cultivated Western [Pure Land] practice all his life; whatever he performed in the twofold adornment of merit and wisdom, he dedicated it all. At the point of death, he had his disciples chant the titles of the *Sixteen Contemplations*, and then, putting his palms together, he praised: 'The forty-eight vows adorn the Pure Land; the fragrant terraces and jeweled trees are easy to reach, yet no one goes. Even those who, when the sign of the fire-cart appears, repent with a single thought, still attain rebirth; how much more so the power of the Way cultivated and perfumed by morality, concentration, and wisdom—it will never be in vain; the Buddha's brahmic voice will never deceive people.' The *Sūtra in Praise of the Pure Land* states: 'Buddhas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges in the ten directions extend the mark of their broad and long tongues, completely covering the great chiliocosm, to testify to the attainment of rebirth.' How could this be a fabricated fiction?"