问：天奇、毒峰诸祖，皆主参念佛者是谁， 何谓不必参究？
Question: [As Master] Tiānqí, Dúfēng [and] many Patriarchs, all proposed [to] investigate mindfully, ‘Who is [the] one mindful [of the] Buddha?’, why say [there is] no need [to have] contemplative investigation?
答：此义即出天奇诸祖。
Answer: This following meaning [is] from [Master] Tiānqí [and] many Patriarchs.
前祖因念佛人不契释迦彻底悲心，故傍不甘，直下诘问，一猛提醒，何止长夜复旦？
Former Patriarchs, due [to] persons mindful [of] Buddha not agreeing [with] Śākyamuni [Buddha’s] completely compassionate heart [by being wholehearted], thus by their side unwillingly, directly asked [the] question, [to] once fiercely call [them] to attention. Why [should they] stop [in the] long [dark] night [to wait for] return [to] dawn?
[Note 1: The Patriarchs were stimulating them to be wholehearted (一心) in their practice, to align their Buddha-Nature (佛性) to the Buddha, to realise that, ‘(it) is (the) mind (that) becomes (the) Buddha, (it) is (the) mind (that) is (the) Buddha’「是心作佛，是心是佛」，to return their light of mindfulness to inwardly illuminate (回光返照), to awaken to their Self-Nature Āmítuófó (自性弥陀), to know that with Āmítuófó, their entire essence is the same (全体是佛).]
我辈至今日，犹不肯死心念佛，苦欲执敲门瓦子，向屋里打亲生爷娘，则于诸祖成恶 逆，非善顺也。
We, till today, [if] still not willing [to] wholeheartedly [be] mindful [of] Buddha, persistently attached [to a] door-knocking tile, [going] towards the] houses within, [to] beat [our] birth fathers [and] mothers [with it], thus with many Patriarchs’ [teachings, this is to] become evil [and] disobedient, [by] not following [them] well.
[Note 2: The tile represents a tool, like the question, that is attached to but abused. The house represents ourselves. The parents represent our Original Nature. Mindfulness of the Buddha’s name is like a gold tile, that is discarded for a mere door-knocking tile by the questioner.]
进问：此在肯心者则可，未肯者何得相应？
[Further Question]: This [practice] is [for] those [with] willing hearts thus possible, [for] those yet [to be] willing, how [can they] attain correspondence?
曰：噫！正唯未肯，所以要你肯心相应。
Answer: Alas! [It is] exactly only [with you] yet [to be] willing, therefore needing your willing heart [to] correspond.
汝等正信未开，如生牛皮，不可屈折。
You [and] others, [if with] right Faith yet [to] blossom, [are] like [tough] cowhide, [that] cannot bend [and] fold.
当知有目者，固无日下然灯之理，而无目者，亦何必于日中苦觅灯炬？
[It] should [be] known [that] those [who] have eyes, surely [are] without reason, under [the] sun, [to] light lamps. Yet, [for those] without eyes, likewise, why [is there] need, within sunlight, [to] persistently seek [a] lit torch?
[Note 3: Since we already know wholehearted mindfulness of the Buddha’s name (一心念佛) is what needed to awaken our Buddha-Nature directly, what more with the Buddha’s great Other-Power (他力) offering the ultimate supportive blessings, there is no need to practise other methods with only limited Self-Power (自力).]
大势至法王子云：「不假方便，自得心开。」
Great Power Arrived, [the] Dharma Prince said, ‘Not needing expedient [means], self-attains [the] mind’s awakening.’
此一行三昧中大火聚语也。
This [is from] One Practice Samādhi [arising from only focusing wholeheartedly upon mindfulness of Buddha] within, [its] great fire’s gathered words.
敢有触者，宁不被烧？
[If there] are those [who] dare [to] touch [and challenge it], how [can they] not by [it be] burnt?
– 净土宗九祖澫益大师
《佛说阿弥陀经要解》
– Pure Land Tradition’s 9th Patriarch Great Master Ǒuyì
(Essential Explanation [Of The] Sūtra [In Which The] Buddha Speaks [Of] Amitā[bha] Buddha)
Namo Amituofo: Translation and notes by Shen Shi’an
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《佛说阿弥陀经要解》全英译
Complete English Translation Of ‘The Essential Explanation On The Amitābha Sūtra As Spoken By The Buddha’
https://purelanders.com/yaojie
