釋氏要覽 2.284

2.284

智度論云。但一稱南無佛。是人亦得畢苦。其福無盡。問云何但空稱佛名字。便得畢苦。其福不盡。答是人曾聞佛功德。能度人老病死。若少供養及稱名字。得福無量。亦至畢苦○楞嚴經大勢至菩薩云。超日月光如來。教我念佛三昧。譬如有人一專憶人一。專忘如是二人。若逢不逢或見。非見。二人相憶。念深如是。乃至從生至生。同於形影不相乖異。十方如來憐念眾生。如母憶子。若子逃逝。雖憶何為。子若憶母如母憶時。母子歷生不相違遠。若眾生心憶佛。念佛現前。當來必定見佛。去佛不遠。不假方便。自得心開。如染香人。身有香氣。此則名為𪰎光莊嚴。我本因地。以念佛心。入無生忍。今於此界。攝念佛人。歸於淨土。

The Mahāprajñāpāramitōpadeśa states: 'By only reciting once "Namo Buddha", this person also brings an end to suffering, and his merit is inexhaustible.' Question: 'How can merely reciting the Buddha's name in vain immediately end suffering and make one's merit inexhaustible?' Answer: 'This person has heard of the Buddha's merits, which can deliver people from old age, sickness, and death. If one makes even a small offering or recites the name, one obtains immeasurable merit, leading up to the end of suffering.' In the Śūraṅgama-sūtra, Bodhisattva Mahāsthāmaprāpta says: 'The Tathāgata Surpassing the Sun and Moon Light taught me the samādhi of mindfulness of the Buddha. For example, suppose one person exclusively remembers another, while the other exclusively forgets. If these two persons meet, it is as if not meeting; if they see each other, it is as if not seeing. If the two remember each other and their thoughts are profound like this, then from life to life they are like form and shadow, not contrary to one another. The Tathāgatas of the ten directions are compassionate toward and mindful of sentient beings, just as a mother remembers her child. If the child runs away, though she remembers him, what can be done? If the child remembers his mother as his mother remembers him, mother and child through successive lives will not be contrary or distant. If sentient beings' minds remember the Buddha and are mindful of the Buddha, in the present or in the future they will definitely see the Buddha, not far from the Buddha. Not relying on expedients, their minds will naturally open, just like a person perfumed with incense whose body bears a fragrance. This is called the adornment of perfumed light. Originally on my cause ground, with the mind of mindfulness of the Buddha, I entered into the endurance of the non-arising of dharmas. Now in this world, I gather those mindful of the Buddha and return them to the Pure Land.'