为何因怕死而念佛？
Why Be Mindful Of Buddha Due To Fear Of Death?
临命终时，乃一生之腊月三十日也。
When approaching [life’s] end, [this is] then one lifetime’s 12th lunar month’s 30th day.
[Note 1: When dying, these are the last moments for final ‘accounting’ of good and evil karmas in this life.]
倘信愿行资粮未具，贪瞋痴恶习犹存。
If Faith, Aspiration [and] Practice’s provisions [are] yet [to be] complete, [with] greed, anger [and] ignorance’s evil habits still remaining,
[Note 2: This is while, as Stonepeace put it, ‘Due to being complete with Faith, Aspiration and Practice, there will be no greedy attachment to (this transpiring) life, or fearful aversion of (impending) death, without panicking confusion, sincerely recite Āmítuófó’s name (阿弥陀佛), until the Buddha comes to receive and guide (to his Pure Land).’ (因具信愿行，不贪生怕死，不慌诚念佛，直到佛接引。)]
则无量劫来怨家债主，统来逼讨，那肯饶你。
then enemy [karmic] creditors [from] immeasurable kalpas since, [will] all come [to] forcibly demand [repayment], how [can they be] willing [to] spare you?
[Note 3: Since our last day can be any day, we might as well, now, in everyday life, not just when dying, with sincere personal practice, inspire any possibly present karma creditors, to also be mindful of Buddha with us, to be reborn in his Pure Land. This is how all these karmic debts can be most graciously settled, with the Buddha’s blessings, beginning from today. When dying, if there are still disturbances, there should be clear guidance (开示) and support-chanting (助念) for this same purpose.]
莫道不知净土法门者，无可奈何，随业受生。
Not speaking [of] those [who do] not know [the] Pure Land Dharma Door, [who are] without [any] other way out, [but to] accord [with their] karmas [to] receive [re]birth,
[Note 4: As it is common to have the presence of karmic creditors when dying, those who are disturbed by them, while not knowing how to protect themselves and how to appease them, might become fearfully mindful of them. In the worse-case scenario, if they take rebirth during such disturbances by ghostly karmic creditors, they might be reborn to become ghosts like them.]
即知而不务实修者，亦复如是，被恶业牵向三途六道中，永永轮回去也。
even for those [who] know, yet not practically [with] true cultivation, [they will be] likewise thus, by [their] evil karmas led towards [the] three [lower] realms [of the] six realms within, [to] long be reborn.
[Note 5: Merely knowing but not practising the Pure Land Dharma Door accordingly is clearly not enough, as evil karmas, as possibly expressed through karmic creditors can still bear fruit, leading to being trapped in the rounds of rebirth for indefinitely long time.]
怎样才能做到佛念自纯？
[222] How To Be Able [To] Accomplish Buddha Mindfulness [That Is] Naturally Pure?
◎ 唯有念念畏死，及死而堕落三途恶道，则佛念自纯，净业自成。
◎ [Summary]: Only have thought after thought, fearful [of] death, [with] reaching [of] death, then falling [into the] three [lower] realms’ evil paths. Then [will your] Buddha mindfulness naturally [be sincere and] pure, [with your] pure karmas [for reaching Pure Land] naturally accomplished.
欲求出苦之要，唯有念念畏死，及死而堕落三途恶道，则佛念自纯，净业自成。
[If] desiring [to] seek exit [from] suffering, that essential [is to] only have thought after thought, fearful [of] death, [with] reaching [of] death, then falling [into the] three [lower] realms’ evil paths. Then [will your] Buddha mindfulness naturally [be sincere and] pure, [with your] pure karmas [for reaching Pure Land] naturally accomplished.
[Note 6: As Stonepeace put it, ‘Due to fear of death, then be mindful of Āmítuófó. Due to mindfulness of Āmítuófó, be not fearful of death.’ (因怕死而念佛，因念佛不怕死。)]
一切尘境，自不能夺其正念矣。
All dusts’ realms [i.e. six sense objects], [will] naturally not [be] able [to] snatch [away] that Right Mindfulness [of Āmítuófó’s name].
[Note 7: With only utmost sincere mindfulness of Buddha, all distractions will fade away, while there will be mindful protection by him, along with peace and bliss of body and mind with his light of blessings. Even the most vengeful karmic creditors will have to retreat, if not also mindful of Buddha with you to reach Pure Land too.]
《复宁波某居士书》
Reply Letter [To A] Certain Níngbō Layperson
净土宗十三祖印光大师著
Written [By] Pure Land Tradition’s 13th Patriarch Great Master Yìnguāng
《印光法师答念佛600问》
Dharma Master Yìnguāng’s Answers [For] Mindfulness [Of] Buddha’s 600 Questions
传印法师鉴定
Evaluated [By] Dharma Master Chuányìn
Námó Āmítuófó : Translation and notes by Shen Shi’an
