以下是净土宗九祖澫益大师之《佛说阿弥陀经要解》第三重玄义之六信的节录。
The following is an excerpt from the Pure Land Tradition’s 9th Patriarch Great Master Ǒuyì’s ‘Essential Explanation Of The Sūtra In Which The Buddha Speaks Of Amitābha Buddha’ with its Third Layer Of Profound Meaning’s on Six Faiths.
此经以信愿持名为修行之宗要。非信不足启愿，非愿不足导行，非持名妙行，不足满所愿而证所信。经中先陈依正以生信，次劝发愿以导行，次示持名以径登不退。
This [Amitābha] Sūtra is with Faith and Aspiration upholding the name [of Āmítuófó] as the essential principle of cultivating Practice. If not with Faith, it is not enough to inspire Aspiration. If not with Aspiration, it is not enough to guide Practice. If not with upholding the name’s wonderful Practice, it is not enough to fulfil that Aspiration and realise that with Faith in. The sūtra within first states the Circumstantial and Direct Rewards for giving rise to Faith, next encouraging giving rise to Aspiration for guiding Practice, next showing upholding of the name for directly ascending to non-retrogression.
信则信自、信他、信因、信果、信事 、信理。愿则厌离娑婆，欣求极乐。行则执持名号，一心不乱。
Faith thus is [1] Faith in Self, [2] Faith in Other, [3] Faith in Cause, [4] Faith in Effect, [5] Faith in Practice, and [6] Faith in Principles. Aspiration thus is with revulsed renunciation of the Sahā World, and joyfully seeking of the Land Of Ultimate Bliss. Practice thus is to [faithfully and] firmly uphold the name with wholeheartedness without being scattered. [Note 1: The simplest way to understand wholeheartedness without being scattered is to be utmost sincere without change of mind.]
信自者，信我现前一念之心，本非肉团， 亦非缘影，竖无初后，横绝边涯，终日随缘，终日不变。十方虚空微尘国土，元我一念心中所现物。我虽昏迷倒惑，苟一念回心，决定得生自心本具极乐，更无疑虑。是名信自。
[1] That called Faith in Self, is to have Faith that my presently manifested one thought of the mind, is originally not this meat lump, also not a conditioned image, vertically without before and after, horizontally surpassing boundaries, all day according to conditions, all day not changing. The ten directions’ empty space’s dust motes of lands, are originally from my one thought of the mind within that appears with objects. I, although am with dullness and inverted confusions, if with one thought returning to this mind, definitely can attain birth in one’s mind’s originally possessed Land Of Ultimate Bliss, without further doubts and misgivings. This is named Faith in Self.
信他者，信释迦如来决无诳语，弥陀世尊决无虚愿，六方诸佛广长舌决无二言。随顺诸佛真实教诲，决志求生，更无疑惑。是名信他。
[2] That called Faith in Others, is to have Faith that Śākyamuni Thus Come One is definitely without deceitful speech, Āmítuófó, the World-Honoured One is definitely without empty vows, and the six directions’ all Buddhas who extend their broad and long tongues are definitely without different speech. Following all Buddhas’ true teachings and instructions, to be determined in seeking birth, without further doubts and confusions. This is named Faith in Others.
信因者，深信散乱称名，犹为成佛种子，况一心不乱，安得不生净土？是名信因。
[3] That called Faith in Cause, is to have profound Faith that as with the scattered mind reciting the name, is still with accomplishing of Buddhahood’s seed, moreover, if wholehearted without being scattered. How can this not attain birth in Pure Land? This is named Faith in Cause.
信果者，深信净土诸善聚会，皆从念佛三昧得生。如种瓜得瓜，种豆得豆，亦如影必随形，响必应声，决无虚弃。是名信果。
[4] That called Faith in Effect, is to have profound Faith that Pure Land’s all good persons who gather and meet there, are all from Samādhi From Mindfulness Of Buddha who attained birth. [Note 2: With Āmítuófó firmly connected to with wholehearted (i.e. utmost sincere) mindfulness of his name, thus with his blessings, this concentration will naturally arise.] Like how planting melon seeds attains melons, and planting beans attains bean [sprouts], also like how shadows definitely follow forms, and echoes definitely respond to sounds, it is definitely without those with Faith in vain and abandoned. This is named Faith in Effect.
信事者，深信只今现前一念不可尽故，依心所现十方世界亦不可尽。实有极乐国在十万亿土外，最极清净庄严，不同庄生寓言。
[5] That called Faith in Practice, is to have profound Faith that as this presently manifested one thought cannot be exhausted thus, relying upon this mind are those appearing ten directions’ worlds, that likewise cannot be exhausted. There truly is the Land Of Ultimate Bliss at ten of ten thousand of koṭis of lands beyond, that is the most ultimately pure and magnificent, that is not the same as Zhuāng Shēng’s allegories. [Note 3: Zhuāng Shēng is Zhuāngzi (庄子)，who used fictitious allegories to illustrate various principles he wished to explain.] This is named Faith in Practice.
信理者，深信十万亿土，实不出我今现前介尔一念心外，以吾现前一念心性实无外故。又深信西方依正主伴，皆吾现前一念心中所现影。全事即理，全妄即真，全修即性，全他即自。我心遍故，佛心亦遍，一切众生心性亦遍。譬如一室千灯，光光互遍，重重交摄，不相妨碍。是名信理。
[6] That called Faith in Principles, is to have profound Faith that ten of ten thousand of koṭis of lands, are truly not outside my presently manifested and even utmost small one thought’s mind externally, with my presently manifested one thought’s Mind-Nature truly without that external thus. Also with profound Faith that the Western Pure Land’s Circumstantial and Direct Rewards, Master and companions, all are my presently manifested one thought’s mind within that appear with images. Complete Practice is the same as Principles, the completely false is the same as the true, complete Cultivated Virtues (修德) is the same as Nature’s Virtues (性德), complete Other is the same as Self. With my mind pervasive thus, the Buddha’s mind is likewise pervasive, and all sentient beings’ Mind-Nature is likewise pervasive. For example, a room with a thousand lamps, has each and every one of their lights, one another pervading it, layer upon layer intersecting and gathering, not obstructing one another. This is named Faith in Principles.
如此信已，则娑婆即自心所感之秽，而自心秽，理应厌离；极乐即自心所感之净，而自心净，理应欣求。
Like this, with Faith already, thus know that this Sahā World is the same as the defilements of one’s mind, that induces them, and of one’s mind’s defilements, there should be revulsed renunciation of them. The Land Of Ultimate Bliss is the same as the purity of one’s mind, that induces it, and of one’s mind’s purity, there should be joyful seeking of it.
欲读完整中英《要解》，请看 purelanders.com/yaojie
To read complete Chinese-English version of the ‘Essential Explanation’, please see purelanders.com/yaojie
Namo Amituofo : Translation by Shen Shi’an
(This translation was originally published here.)
