緇門警訓 5.22

5.22

問曰。但見性悟道便超生死。何用繫念彼佛求生他方。答曰。真修行人應自審察。如人飲水冷煖自知。今存龜鑑以破多惑。諸仁者當觀。自己行從見性悟道受如來記。紹祖師位。能如馬鳴龍樹否。得無礙辯才證法華三昧。能如天台智者否。宗說皆通行解兼脩。能如忠國師否。此諸大士皆明垂言教深勸往生。蓋是自利利他。豈肯誤人自誤。況大雄讚嘆金口丁寧。希從昔賢恭稟佛勅。定不謬誤也。仍往生傳所載。古今高士事跡顯著非一。宜勤觀覽以自照知。又當自度臨命終時。生死去住定得自在否。自無始來惡業重障定不現前。此一報身定脫輪迴否。三途惡道異類中行。出沒自由定無苦惱否。天上人間十方世界。隨意寄託定無滯礙否。若也了了自信得及。何善如之。若其未也莫以一時貢高。却致永劫沈淪。自失善利將復尤誰。嗚呼哀哉。何嗟及矣。

Question: "Simply seeing the nature and awakening to the Way, one transcends birth and death. What need is there to fasten one's mindfulness upon that Buddha and seek birth in another realm?" Answer: "A true practitioner should examine themselves: like a person drinking water, they know for themselves whether it is cold or warm. Now I set forth a mirror to shatter many confusions. You virtuous ones should observe: in your own practice of seeing the nature, awakening to the Way, receiving the vyākaraṇa from the Tathāgata, and inheriting the position of the patriarchs, can you match Aśvaghoṣa and Nāgārjuna? In attaining unimpeded eloquence and realizing the Lotus Samādhi, can you match Tiantai Zhizhe? In being thoroughly versed in both the lineage and the teachings, and cultivating both understanding and practice, can you match National Teacher Zhong? All these Great Beings clearly handed down verbal teachings and deeply urged rebirth [in the Pure Land]. This was to benefit themselves and benefit others; how could they be willing to mislead others and mislead themselves? What is more, the Great Hero praised it, and his golden mouth repeatedly enjoined it. I hope you will respectfully follow the former sages and reverently receive the Buddha's command; there will surely be no error. Moreover, as recorded in the Biographies of Rebirth, the deeds of eminent figures ancient and modern are clearly manifest and not few; one should diligently examine them to illuminate and know oneself. Furthermore, you should assess yourself: when your life is about to end, will you definitely attain freedom in going or staying through birth and death? Will the heavy obstructions of evil karma from beginningless time definitely not appear before you? Will this one retribution body definitely escape saṃsāra? Walking among the three evil destinies and different species, will you definitely be free of suffering and afflictions as you appear and disappear at will? Entrusting yourself as you wish across the heavens, the human realm, and the worlds of the ten directions, will you definitely have no hindrance? If you are clearly and thoroughly self-confident, what could be better? But if you are not yet so, do not, because of momentary haughtiness, end up sinking for eternal kalpas. Losing the good benefit through your own fault, whom will you blame? Alas, how lamentable! What good is sorrow then?"