【为何念佛是第一方便？】
[Why Is Mindfulness Of Buddha The Foremost Skilful Means?]
念佛法门，下手易而成功高，用力少而得效速。
[The] Dharma Door [of] mindfulness [of] Buddha, [is] easy [to] start, yet [with its] success great, [with] little physical exertion, yet attaining results swiftly.
行、住、坐、卧，一切时一切处，均好念。
[Be it] walking, standing, sitting [or] lying down, [at] all times [and] all places, all [are] good [for] recitation.
【何时出声念与默念？】
[When To Have Verbal And Silent Recitation?]
若衣冠整齐，手脸洁净，出声念，默念，均可。
If dressing [is] orderly, [with] hands [and] face clean, verbal recitation [and] silent recitation [are] all alright.
若睡倒，及衣冠不整齐，尚未洗漱，及到不洁净处，或抽大小解时，皆须默念，不宜出声。
If [1] lying down, and [2] dressing [is] not orderly, [3] not yet washing [the] face [and] rinsing [the mouth], and [4] at unclean places, or [5] when [with] major [or] minor [restroom] relief, all must [be with] silent recitation, [as these occasions are] not suitable [for it to be] verbal.
[Note: As the Master taught in his ‘Fourth Reply Letter To Layperson Gāo Shàolín’《复高邵麟居士书四》, ‘When lying down, it is only suitable to have silent (i.e. mental) recitation. There must not be verbal recitation. If with verbal recitation, first then, is it not respectful, second then, is it harmful for breathing and vitality.’ (卧时只宜默念，不可出声。若出声，一则不恭，二则伤气 [i.e. 损伤元气]。) Thus, the bedridden should only recite verbally (出声念) when propped up slightly or seated upright, and/or only recite silently (默念) when lying down. Those lying down used to reciting verbally can do so for a few times first, before reciting silently for the rest of the session.]
虽睡不可赤体，须穿衫裤。心中常存敬畏，不可放纵。
Although lying down [or sleeping, there] must not [be] nudity [of the] body. [There] must [be] wearing [of] shirt [and] pants. [There] must not [be] non-restraint.
【如何都摄与六根，净念相继？】
[How To Gather The Six Roots For Pure Mindfulness In Continual Succession?]
欲摄妄念，第一要心存恭敬，常若身在佛前，不敢起别种念想。
Desiring [to] gather [in the mind, away from] false [or stray] thoughts, first, [the] mind must remain reverent constantly, [as] if before [the] Buddha, not daring [to] give rise [to] other kinds [of] thoughts.
第二要字字句句，心里念得清清楚楚，口里念得清清楚楚，则妄想自渐渐消灭矣。
Second, [there] must [be] word [by] word, line [by] line, [the] mind within reciting clearly, [the] mouth within reciting clearly. Thus [will] false thoughts naturally [and] gradually disappear.
即默念，也要听。
Even if [with] silent recitation, [there] also must [be] listening.
以心一起念，即有声。
With [the] mind together reciting, [it] then has sound.
自己的耳，听自己心里的声，仍然明明了了。
[With your] own ears, listening [to] one’s sound within [the] mind, [it should] still [be] clearly [heard].
《楞严经》大势至菩萨云，「都摄六根，净念相继，得三摩地，斯为第一」，注重在听。
[In the] Śūraṅgama Sūtra, Great Power Arrived Bodhisattva said, ‘Gathering in [the] six roots, [with] pure mindfulness [in] continual succession, [to] attain Sānmódì [i.e. Samādhi], this [is] as [the] foremost’. [This is with] emphasis on listening.
「 六根」，即眼，耳，鼻，舌，身，意。
[The] ‘six roots’, are [the] eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body [and] mind.
心，即意根。口，即舌根。听，即耳根。
The mind, is [the] mind root. [The] mouth, is [the] tongue root, [though used for reciting and not tasting here]. Listening, is [of the] ear root.
心念，口念，耳听，此三根一摄，眼也不会东张西望，鼻也不会闻别的气味，身也不敢放逸懈怠，故名「都摄六根」。
[With the] mind mindful, [the] mouth reciting, [and the] ears listening, these three roots [are as] one gathered, [with the] eyes also not seeing [the] East [and] looking [at the] West, [the] nose also not smelling other smells, [the] body also not daring [to be] unrestrained, pleasure-seeking [and] slack, [this is] thus named [as] ‘gathering in [the] six roots’.
「 都摄六根」而念，自无污杂妄念，故名「净念」。
‘Gathering in [the] six roots’, and reciting, naturally without defiled, mixed [and] false thoughts, [is] thus named [as] ‘pure mindfulness’.
「 净念」，必须要常常相继不断，故名「 净念相继」。
‘Pure mindfulness’, must have constantly continual succession without interruption, thus named [as] ‘pure mindfulness [in] continual succession.’
能「净念相继」，久而久之，则得念佛三昧。
[If] able [to have] ‘pure mindfulness [in] continual succession’, as time passes [by], thus attaining Samādhi [From] Mindfulness [Of] Buddha.
此「都摄六根，净念相继」，为得三昧之「第一」妙法。
This ‘gathering in [the] six roots, [with] pure mindfulness [in] continual succession’, [is] for attaining of Samādhi’s ‘foremost’ wonderful method.
故云，「得三摩地，斯为第一」。
Thus said, ‘[to] attain Sānmódì, this [is] as [the] foremost.’
「 三摩地」，即三昧之别名。
‘Sānmódì’, is Samādhi other name.
如此念之，决有净念常存，妄念全无之一日。
Thus mindful of, [there will] definitely be pure thoughts always there, [and] one day, [you will] completely [be] without [any] false thoughts.
净土宗十三祖印光大师
Pure Land Tradition’s 13th Patriarch Great Master Yìnguāng
复修净师书
Letter To [Dharma Masters (And/Or)] Teacher[s] Cultivating [The] Pure Land [Path]
Related Articles:
大势至菩萨念佛圆通章
Section On Mahāsthāmaprāpta Bodhisattva’s Perfect Penetration With Mindfulness Of Buddha
https://thedailyenlightenment.com/2013/10/mindfulness-of-buddha-card
Can Buddhists Chant In Restrooms & Bedrooms?
https://thedailyenlightenment.com/2014/02/can-buddhists-chant-in-toilets-and-bedrooms
Namo Amituofo : Translation and note by Shen Shi’an
