諸經要集 1.45

1.45

惟凡夫力弱習惡來多。以住娑婆其心怯弱。初學是法恐畏退敗。常發大願扶持此行。乃至命終心無障惱。隨種善根。願共含識自在往生。彌勒內眾得至佛前。隨念修學證不退轉。不願往生於外眾中。恐著五欲不得解脫故。智度論云。有人修少福業。聞有福處當願往生。乃至命終各生其中。又大莊嚴論云。佛國事大。獨行功德不能成就。要須願力。如牛雖力挽車要須御者能有所至。淨佛國土。由願引成。以願力故福德增長。不失不壞常見佛故。又如十住論云。若人發心求佛。不休不息。有人以指舉大千世界。在空却住。不足為難。若發願言。我當作佛。是人希有。何以故。世人心劣無大志故。又發菩提心論。有十大願。常悉修行。

Consider that the strength of ordinary persons is weak, and their accumulated evil is abundant. Because they dwell in the Sahā world, their minds are cowardly and weak; when first learning this Dharma, they fear retreating and failing. One should constantly make great vows to support this practice, so that until the end of life the mind has no hindrances or afflictions. In accordance with whatever roots of goodness one plants, one vows together with all sentient beings to attain sovereign rebirth, reaching the presence of the Buddha in Maitreya's inner assembly, cultivating and studying according to one's thoughts to realize non-retrogression, not wishing to be born among the outer assembly for fear of attaching to the five desires and failing to attain liberation. Therefore the Zhidu lun says: "There are people who cultivate minor karmic blessings; hearing of a place of blessings, they vow to be born there, and at the end of life they are each born therein." Furthermore, the Da zhuangyan lun says: "The matter of Buddha lands is great; practicing merit alone cannot accomplish it; one must rely on the power of vows. Just as an ox, though strong enough to pull a cart, must rely on a driver to reach somewhere, the purification of Buddha lands is guided and accomplished by vows. Because of the power of vows, merits increase, are not lost or destroyed, and one constantly sees the Buddha." Furthermore, as the Shizhu lun says: "If a person resolves their mind to seek Buddhahood without rest or cessation—even if someone were to lift the great trichiliocosm with a finger and suspend it in the air, that would not be difficult. But if one makes the vow: 'I shall become a Buddha,' such a person is rare. Why is this? Because worldly people have inferior minds and lack great aspirations." Furthermore, the Fa putixin lun has ten great vows that one should always cultivate: