为何先注重净土法门？
Why First Pay Attention [To The] Pure Land Dharma Door?
有谓光禁锢(gù)人读诵研究大乘经论者，不知凡来光处求教者，或身羁(jī)俗网，或年时已过。
[There] are those saying [Yìn]guāng prohibits people [from] reading, reciting [and] studying [the] Great Vehicle’s sūtras [and] commentaries [beyond those with the Pure Land teachings, for learning and practice], not knowing all those [who] come [to Yìn]guāng’s place [to] seek teachings, [are] perhaps [with] themselves restrained [in the] web [of] mundane [life], or [with their] years already passed [their prime, while the years left are unknown].
对此事务繁冗(rǒng)，来日无多之人，倘泛泛然令其遍读研究，而不先将净土法门之所以，令其彻底明了，其于种善根，明教理，则或有之。于即生了生脱死，或恐无有希望。
Regarding these [people, with] matters diverse [and] complicated, [yet] without many future days, if superficially leading them [to] completely read [and] study, and not first [teach the] reasons of [learning the] Pure Land Dharma Door, leading them [to] thoroughly understand [it], of their planting [of] good roots, [with] understanding [of general] teachings’ principles, then perhaps having them. [However], in [this] immediate life, [to be] liberated [from the cycle of] birth [and] death, [this is] perhaps feared [to be] without hope, [due to lack of time and focus for deepening learning and practice].
以注重于读诵研究，以期开悟而自证，不复以信愿念佛，求生西方为事也。
With paying [of] attention on reading, reciting [and] studying [widely], hoping [to] awaken and [have] self-realisation, [they will] not again with Faith [and] Aspiration [be] mindful [of the] Buddha, [to have] seeking [of] birth [in his] Western [Pure Land] as practice.
不知凡夫具足惑业，欲仗自力，于现生中了生脱死，其难甚于登天。以故光不避讥诮，而摅(shū)诚以告耳。
Not knowing ordinary beings [are] complete [with many] confusions [and much evil] karmas, desiring [to] rely [only on] Self-power [to], in [this] present life within, [be] liberated [from the cycle of] birth [and] death, this difficulty [is more] extreme than [that of] ascending [to a] heaven. Therefore, [Yìn]guāng [does] not avoid ridicule, and wholeheartedly with [this] informs only.
净土宗十三祖印光大师
《印光法师文钞》三编卷三：文钞摘要序
Pure Land Tradition’s 13th Patriarch Great Master Yìnguāng
Dharma Master Yìnguāng’s Collected Writings: Third Compilation’s Third Scroll: Collected Writings’ Summary [And] Preface
Namo Amituofo : Translation by Shen Shi’an
