緇門警訓 5.22

5.22

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?"