【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: In the Master’s ‘Fourth Reply Letter To Layperson Gāo Shàolín’ (复高邵麟居士书四), he also taught that, ‘When lying [down, it is] only suitable [to have] silent recitation. [There] must not [be] verbal [recitation]. If [with] verbal [recitation], first, thus [is it] not respectful, second thus [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, especially the weak and bedridden, should recite verbally when propped up or seated upright, with more focus on silent recitation, when lying down.]
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
