出家法名：释省庵（大师）
地位：净土宗十一祖
俗名：时（姓）实贤（名）
出生地：江苏常熟人
出生年：1686年 | 往生年：1734年
代表作品：《净土诗》、《西方发愿文注》、《劝发菩提心文》、《续往生传》等
Monastic Dharma Name: Shi Xǐng’ān (Great Master)
Status: Eleventh Patriarch of Pure Land Tradition (School)
Family Name: Shí (Surname) Shíxián (Name)
Place Of Birth: Jiāngsū province, Chángshú city
Year Of Birth: 1686 C.E. | Year Of Rebirth: 1734 C.E.
Best Known Works: Pure Land Poems, Commentary On Verses For Giving Rise To Aspiration For Birth In The Western Pure Land, Essay On Exhortation To Give Rise To The Bodhi Mind, Continuation On Rebirth Biographies etc.
省庵大师出生于1686年，江苏常熟人，在一个世代书香之家，大师自小就不吃荤腥，少年时便有出尘的志向。父亲早亡，母亲张氏知儿子宿具善根，便命其出家修道。七岁时，大师礼清凉庵僧容选为师。大师聪慧俊彦，经典过目不忘。15岁剃度受戒，兼通世典，吟诗书法俱精，然并未顷刻忘怀生死大事。
Great Master Xǐng’ān was born in 1686 C.E., in Jiāngsū Province’s Chángshú City, to a family with generations of literary reputation. Since young, Great Master would not eat meat or fish. When young, he already had the aspiration to renounce the household life. As his father soon passed away, and as his mother Madam Zhāng knew her son had good roots from his past lives, she then ordered him to renounce, for cultivating the path. At the age of seven, Great Master paid homage to the monks at Qīngliáng Monastery, with Venerable Róngxuǎn as his teacher. Great Master was intelligent and an outstanding scholar, with the sūtras once passing before his eyes not forgotten. At 15, he had tonsure and received the monastic precepts. He was also an expert in worldly classics, with poetry recitation and calligraphy together proficient. However, never for an instant did he forget about the great matter of birth and death.
有一天，大师到普仁寺，见一僧人仆地而死，大师瞿然悟世无常，修持益加精进，严持戒律，不离衣钵，日止一食，胁不贴席，终生不懈。后云游参学，庚寅年（1710年）24岁时依渠成法师与绍昙法师听教，昼夜研穷方等经典，越三年，三观十乘之旨，性相之学，无不通贯。绍昙法师为大师授记莂，传灵峰四世天台正宗。
One day, when Great Master reached Pǔrén Monastery, he saw a monk, who fell to the ground and died. Great Master was startled and awakened to the impermanence of the world. His practice became increasingly diligent. He strictly upheld the precepts, never parted from his robes and alms bowl, having only one meal a day. Diligently, with his sides not attached to his seat, he was indefatigable throughout his life. Later, he travelled to visit and study. In 1710 C.E., at the age of 24, he followed the teachings of Dharma Master Qúchéng and Dharma Master Shàotán. In day and night, he studied the Great Vehicle’s (Mahāyāna) sūtras completely. With the passing of three years, on the purposes of the Threefold Contemplations and Ten Vehicles, with study of nature’s form (i.e. essential nature), there was none he was not proficient in. Dharma Master Shàotán gave him a prediction of his Buddhahood, and conferred him as a master of the Spirit Peak’s 4th Generation’s authentic Tiāntái Tradition.
甲午年(1714年)28岁，大师叩灵鹫和尚于崇福，参「念佛是谁」话头，功夫绵密，凡历四月，恍然契悟，说：「我梦醒矣!」自那以后，应机无碍，才辩纵横，灵鹫和尚欲付以衣拂，大师不受，辞去后于真寂寺闭关，日阅三藏梵筴，夜夕持念阿弥陀佛名号。三年期满，寺众恭请大师讲《法华经》，大师升座开演，辞义犹如河悬泉涌，沛然莫御。自此，化缘日盛。
In 1714 C.E., at the age of 28, Great Master requested Most Venerable Língjiù for blessings, and contemplated on the huàtóu (i.e. short koan), ‘Who is the one mindful of Buddha?’ With efforts meticulous and careful, around the fourth month that year, he had a sudden awakening, saying, ‘I have from a dream awakened!’ From then on, when complying with opportunities to teach, he had no obstacles, with eloquence unhindered. Venerable Língjiù wished to offer the robes and whisk (i.e. Abbotship) to him, but Great Master refused to accept them. He bade farewell and went to Zhēnjì Monastery to have a solitary retreat, where he read the Tripiṭaka daily, and recited Amitābha Buddha’s name nightly. When the three-year period ended, the monastery’s assembly respectfully invited Great Master to teach the Dharma (Lotus) Flower Sūtra. When Great Master ascended to the seat and expounded, his words and their meanings flowed, just like a river raging, a spring rising, with abundance yet not to be resisted. Since then, the conditions to transform others flourished by the day.
己亥春(1719年)，大师诣四明阿育王山瞻礼舍利，先后五次燃指香供佛。每年佛涅槃日，讲演《遗教经》与《佛说阿弥陀经》，开示是心是佛的奥旨。三根普摄，法化洋溢。江浙一带的四众弟子，倾心归仰大师，历有十年，法筵之盛况，胜过诸方。
In 1719 C.E., Great Master visited Sìmíng’s King Asoka Mountain, to view and pay homage to the Buddha’s relics, making finger-burning incense offerings to the Buddha five times. Every year, during the Buddha’s Parinirvāṇa Day, he would expound the Sūtra Of The Buddha’s Bequeathed Teachings and the Sūtra In Which The Buddha Speaks Of Amitābha Buddha, teaching the profound meaning that it is this mind that is Buddha. With beings of the three spiritual roots universally gathered, with the Dharma he transformed, brimming with enthusiasm. The fourfold assembly of disciples in Jiāngzhè’s region wholeheartedly took refuge in and relied on the Great Master. For more than 10 years, the Dharma events were so grand that they surpassed those in all directions.
大师受请住持诸寺院，每晋院模范一新，清规肃穆，日讲《法华经》、《首楞严经》诸部，执经请益者云集。后大师退隐杭城仙林寺，不出户庭，力修净业。继而受众弟子请，住持凤山梵天讲寺，于是屏绝诸缘，纯提净土，结长期念佛会，严立规约，昼夜六时，互相策励，人咸称大师是永明大师再来。先后住持古刹禅院十余载，得度弟子甚众。
Great Master was invited to be the Abbot of many monasteries. With every monastery entered, he renewed it to be exemplary, with pure monastic rules solemnly and respectfully observed, with daily teaching of the Dharma (Lotus) Flower Sūtra, Śūraṅgama Sūtra and many other sūtras. Those who came to uphold the sūtras and request for teachings like clouds gathered. Later, Great Master retreated for seclusion in Háng City’s Xiānlín Monastery. Not stepping beyond the outer courtyard, he resolutely cultivated pure karma. Afterward, he was invited by many disciples to be the Abbot of Fèngshān’s Fàntiānjiǎng Monastery. Thereupon, he set aside all other conditions, only mentioned the Pure Land teachings, and formed long-term assemblies for mindfulness of Buddha, with strict establishing of rules and regulations, in the six periods of day and night, with encouragement of one another for practice. Everyone praised the Great Master as the return of Great Master Yǒngmíng. Successively, he was the Abbot of ancient Chán monasteries for more than 10 years, and disciples who were delivered were extremely many.
大师的净土思想大多从真实修持处开发，其撰文与开示，语语结归心地，不蹈空疏之谈。兹将大师思想概述如次。
Great Master’s Pure Land thought mostly arose and developed from true practice. His articles and teachings, are with every word binding to return to the mind’s ground, with no talk like empty dancing. Now, we will illustrate an overview of the Great Master’s thought, as follows.
(1) 发菩提心，圆成净业
大师将菩提心视为修行佛道，圆成净业的根本条件。其《劝发菩提心文》，不仅理事圆融，知见透辟，而且至诚恳切，感人至深。文中首陈发菩提心的功用云：「入道要门，发心为首；修行急务，立愿居先；愿立则众生可度，心发则佛道堪成。苟不发广大心，立坚固愿，则纵经尘劫，依然还在轮回，虽有修行，总是徒劳辛苦。」
(1) Give Rise To The Bodhi Mind, To Completely Accomplish Pure Karma
Great Master viewed giving rise to the Bodhi Mind (Bodhicitta) to be for cultivating the path to Buddhahood, and as the root cause for completely accomplishing pure karma. His Essay On Exhortation To Give Rise To The Bodhi Mind, not only has principle and practice in perfect harmony, its knowledge and insight are also clear and penetrating. Also with utmost sincerity and earnestness, it is extremely moving and profound. In the essay, he first explained the function of giving rise to Bodhicitta: ‘Entry to the path’s essential door, is with giving rise to Bodhicitta as foremost; cultivation of practice’s urgent task, with establishing of vows positioned first; with vows established, then can sentient beings be delivered, with the Bodhicitta given rise, then will the Buddha path be capable of being accomplished. If not giving rise to the great mind, to establish firm vows, then even if passing dust motes of kalpas, one will still be reborn, although having cultivation of practice, it will always be futile and exhausting. ‘
由于十种因缘，菩提心得以发起。一者念佛重恩故，二者念父母恩故，三者念师长恩故，四者念施主恩故，五者念众生恩故，六者念死生苦故，七者尊重己灵故，八者忏悔业障故，九者求生净土故，十者为念正法得久住故。
Due to 10 kinds of causes and conditions, Bodhicitta is then able to arise. First, is with mindfulness of the Buddhas’ deep kindness thus. Second, is with mindfulness of our fathers’ and mothers’ kindness thus. Third, is with mindfulness of our teachers’ and seniors’ kindness thus. Fourth, is with mindfulness of our benefactors’ kindness thus. Fifth, is with mindfulness of sentient beings’ kindness thus. Sixth, is with mindfulness of the suffering of death and birth thus. Seventh, is with reverence for our spiritual nature thus. Eighth, is with repentance and reformation of karmic obstacles thus. Ninth, is for seeking for birth in Pure Land thus. Tenth, is for mindfulness of the Right Dharma, to abide long in the world thus.
在诠释第九种因缘时，大师开示发心与求生净土的内在关系：「云何求生净土？谓在此土修行，其进道也难；彼土往生，其成佛也易；易故一生可致，难故累劫未成；是以往圣前贤，人人趣向；千经万论，处处指归。末世修行，无越于此。然经称少善不生，多福乃致。言多福，则莫若执持名号；言多善，则莫若发广大心。是以暂持圣号，胜于布施百年；一发大心，超过修行历劫。盖念佛本期作佛，大心不发，则虽念奚为?发心原为修行，净土不生，则虽发易退。是则下菩提种，耕以念佛之犁，道果自然增长；乘大愿船，入于净土之海，西方决定往生。」
When expounding on the ninth cause and condition, Great Master taught on the inner relationship between giving rise to Bodhicitta and seeking birth in Pure Land: ‘Why seek birth in Pure Land? Speaking of in this land cultivating practice, in it entering the path, is also difficult. In that land reborn, in it accomplishing Buddhahood, is also easy. Easy thus as in one lifetime can it be reached. Difficult thus as in successively many kalpas yet to be accomplished. Therefore, of former noble ones and past virtuous ones, every one turned towards it. Thousands of sūtras and ten thousands of treatises, everywhere pointed return to it. In the Dharma-Ending Age cultivating practice, it is without that surpassing of this. However, a sūtra says those with little good roots cannot be born, and those with much blessed virtues can then reach it. Speaking of much blessed virtues, then is nothing better than to firmly uphold the name (of Āmítuófó). Speaking of much good roots, then is nothing better than to give rise to the vast and great mind (of Bodhicitta). With this temporarily upholding of the name, it surpasses giving for a hundred years. Once giving rise to the great mind, this surpasses cultivation of practice passing kalpas. Because mindfulness of Buddha is originally with the hope of becoming a Buddha, the great mind, if not given rise to, then although mindful, what would it be for? As giving rise to the mind of Bodhicitta originally is for cultivating practice, if Pure Land is not born in, then although giving rise to it, it is easy to retreat. Even though having sown the Bodhi seed, cultivate it with the plough of mindfulness of Buddha, and the path’s fruit will naturally grow. Riding great vows’ ship, for entering the ocean of Pure Land, in the Western Pure Land, there will definite be rebirth.’
大师有见于发菩提心的重要性，故而苦口婆心劝勉净业行人同发菩提心，未发者令发，已发者增长，已增长者念念相续。愿同生净土，同见弥陀，同化众生，同成正觉。大师的见解与恳劝，深契念佛修持之心要。
As Great Master saw the importance of giving rise to Bodhicitta, he thus patiently persuaded and earnestly advised Pure Land practitioners to give rise to it together. Those who have yet to give rise to it should now give rise to it. Those who have already given rise to it, should increase it. Those who have already increased it, should have this thought after thought in continuous succession. To together aspire to be born in Pure Land, together see Amitābha Buddha, together transform sentient beings, and together accomplish right awakening. Great Master’s views and sincere encouragement, deeply agreed with the essence of mindfulness of Buddha.
(2) 痛斥狂禅，指归净土
大师洞悉末法众生，根机钝劣，略有二类：一愚二狂。愚者茫然无解，固不待论；狂者妄意高远，尝欲踖等。视此念佛法门不啻草芥，不肯自修。不知末法之世靠自力出离生死，罕闻有人。
(2) Painstakingly Denouncing Crazy Chán, Pointing Return To Pure Land
Great Master clearly understood that the Dharma-Ending Age’s sentient beings’ spiritual roots and capacities are dull and inferior, briefly having two kinds. First are the foolish, and second are the crazy. Those foolish are ignorant and without understanding, stubborn and not willing to await for discussions. Those crazy have delusional thoughts of the lofty, often thinking of walking reverently as their equals. They see the Dharma Door Of Mindfulness Of Buddha to be no less than lowly grass, not willing to personally cultivate it. They do not know that during the Dharma-Ending Age, of those relying on Self-power to depart from the cycle of birth and death, rarely heard of are any.
即若禅宗开悟之士，亦应往生净土。悟达之士，虽有见地，不断惑业，若生三界，一入胞胎，便有隔阴之迷；从前所悟，寻复忘失；毕世功夫，一朝唐丧。可作殷鉴。若生西方净土，亲近阿弥陀佛，一入圣阶，便登佛地。故知不悟则已，悟则求生西方净土，当更急切。如人得宝，须觅善地藏之，方得受用。否则，终致散失，悟达之士求生净土，亦复如是。
Even if there are those awakened through the Chán tradition, they also should be reborn in Pure Land. Those with awakening reached, although having the ground of insight, but not having severed confusions and negative karma, if reborn in the three realms, once entering the womb, then will they have confusion from separation (from their previous lives) by death. That awakened to in the past, will immediately and repeatedly be forgotten and lost. All of one life’s skills will immediately be lost and in vain. This can be used for earnest reflection. If born in the Western Pure Land, being close to Amitābha Buddha, once entering a noble rank, there is then ascent to the Buddha’s ground. Thus know, that of those not awakened then already spoken about, of those awakened, to then seek birth in the Western Pure Land, this is even more urgent. Like a person who attained a treasure must seek a good place to bury it, only then can it be benefitted from. Otherwise, in the end, causing it to be lost. Of those who have reached awakening seeking birth in Pure Land, it is likewise thus.
大师圆融禅净，指归净土。《示禅者念佛偈》云：「一句弥陀，头则公案；无别商量，直下便判。如大火聚，触之则烧；如太阿剑，撄之则烂。八万四千法藏，六字全收；一千七百公案，一刀斩断。任他佛不喜闻，我自心心忆念。请君不必多言，只要一心不乱。」剀切指陈，自行化他。
Great Master perfectly harmonised Chán and Pure Land practices, with pointing of their return to Pure Land. As his ‘Verses For Teaching Chán Practitioners To Be Mindful Of Buddha’ says, ‘One line of Āmítuófó is the leading grade’s kōan. Without other discussions, as directly transmitted, then classified. Like a great fire gathered, touching it then burnt, like the Tài’ē sword, opposing it then broken. The eighty-four thousand Dharma teachings’ treasury, is in the six words (i.e. Námó Āmítuófó: 南无阿弥陀佛) completely gathered. The one thousand seven hundred kōans, are with its single blade severed. No matter if other Buddhas are not happy to hear this, I, personally, from thought to thought, will recollect and be mindful of these words. May you not need to say many words, only needing to have wholehearted mindfulness [of “Āmítuófó”] without being scattered.’ Great Master earnestly pointed out and declared this with his personal practice to transform others.
(3) 欣厌心切，拔除爱桩
大师深知娑婆众生净业难成的原因，主要是爱根难断，故而，撰文开示，多在激发行人厌离娑婆欣求极乐处下手，其《劝修净土诗》、《八苦诗》等，多有指陈。
(3) With The Joyful And Revulsed Minds Sincere, Uproot And Eradicate Attachment’s Post
Great Master deeply knew that the main reason for the Sahā World’s sentient beings’ pure karma being difficult to be accomplished is due to their attachment’s root being difficult to sever. Therefore, he wrote articles to offer guidance, with many for rousing practitioners to have revulsed renunciation of the Sahā World, and to have joyful seeking of the Land Of Ultimate Bliss, starting with those in his ‘Poems For Exhortation To Cultivate The Pure Land Path’, ‘Poems On Eight Kinds Of Suffering’ and others, with many having pointers and declarations.
三界无安，不宜久住，大师劝人急求往生，唯此唯大。大师对那些汲汲于世间善事而淡漠往生的行人，指陈利弊得失。苟不以生死大事为急，而孳孳为善，所作善事如须弥山，皆生死业缘，有何了日。善事弥多，生死弥广，一念爱心，万劫缠缚，可不惧哉！念佛心不专，何也？或是名根未断，或是爱念牵缠，于此二者宜加审察，苟不把家缘世事一刀斩断，六字洪名尽力提起，冀欲出离娑婆世界，生到极乐净土，难矣!
As the three realms are without peace, not suitable for abiding long, Great Master urged people to urgently seek rebirth in Pure Land, only with this as the only one great matter. Towards those practitioners relentless with doing of worldly good deeds, yet indifferent to rebirth in Pure Land, he would point out and declare their benefits and disadvantages, gains and losses. If not with the great matter of liberation from the cycle of birth and death as being urgent, yet diligently doing good, with that good done, that is tall like Mount Sumeru, as all are still conditions for more births and deaths, when will there be the day of liberation? With good deeds extensive and many, births and deaths are then extensive and vast. As with one thought of the mind of attachment, is ten thousand kalpas of bondage, how can this not be feared? If with the mind of mindfulness of Buddha not focused, why is this so? Perhaps it is with fame’s root yet to be severed, or with attachment’s thought entangled. Of these two, there should be additional investigation. If not with family’s conditions and worldly matters, with one blade severed, with the six-worded great name with utmost efforts upheld, hoping and desiring to depart from the Sahā World for birth in the Pure Land Of Ultimate Bliss, this is difficult!
不生净土而欲脱生死，不脱生死而欲免堕落，抑又难矣！纵一生两生不失人身，济得什么事？不以念佛为急，而以世间小善为急；不以生死大事为先，而以人天福报为先，是不知先后也。大抵西方佛国，非悠悠散善所能致；万劫生死，非因循怠惰所能脱，无常迅速，旦暮即至，安得不为之早办耶？
Not born into Pure Land, yet desiring and to be liberated from the cycle of birth and death, while not liberated from the cycle of birth and death, yet desiring to avoid degenerating, this moreover is also difficult! Even if for one life or two lives not losing the human body, this aids the attaining of what matter? If not with mindfulness of Buddha as urgent, yet with worldly minor good deeds as urgent, not with the great matter of liberation from the cycle of birth and death as foremost, yet with accumulating of human and godly blessed rewards as foremost, this is to not know the foremost from the latter. Generally speaking, the Western Buddha’s Pure Land is not with many scattered good deeds that is able to be reached. Tens of thousands of kalpas of births and deaths, are not due to following idleness that are able to be liberated from. As impermanence comes swift, with dawn and dusk promptly arriving, how can there be not doing of that to be earlier prepared?
(4) 精进修持，先求自度
大师于末法世，建精进幢，以身作则，广行道化。大师遵莲池大师持戒念佛之遗风，一生以「行在梵网，志在西方」自励。净业堂规约，每日课堂，十时念佛，九时作观，一时礼拜，且规定黑、白半月诵菩萨戒本。
(4) Diligently Practise, To First Seek Self-Deliverance
Great Master, in the Dharma-Ending Age, established the banner of diligence, with his personal setting of examples, by widely practising the path to transform others. Great Master followed the traditional style of Great Master Liánchí for upholding the precepts and mindfulness of Buddha. His whole life was ‘with practice according to the Bráhma Net Sūtra, and with aspiration for reaching the Western Pure Land’ for self-encouragement. The Hall Of Pure Karma had rules and regulations for daily practice sessions, with ten periods for mindfulness of Buddha — nine periods for practising contemplation and one period for prostration. There was also regulating of the black and white halves of the month (i.e. every new and full moon day) to be for reciting the ‘Bodhisattva Precepts’ Text’.
大师自修精进，如救头然。闭关梵天寺西院，其室名曰寸香斋。尊客相见，略叙道话数语，寸香之外念佛而已。大师绵密用功，端在知见正确。遇有学诗文的弟子，大师痛诫说：「人命在呼吸间，哪有闲工夫学世谛文字，稍一错过这个良机，便成隔世，再想出头来，难呀！」
Great Master’s personal cultivation was very diligent, just like saving his head from burning. At a solitary retreat at the Western courtyard of Fàntiān Monastery, his room was named ‘One-Cùn Studio’. (A cùn is a Chinese ‘inch’, which is 3.71 centimetres.) When meeting with honoured guests, he would briefly speak on the path, saying a few proverbs. After a cùn of incense was burnt, he would be with mindfulness of Buddha only. Great Master was meticulously diligent, beginning practice with having knowing and seeing (or knowledge and insight) that is correct. When meeting disciples who are learning poetry and literature, Great Master would painstakingly admonish, ‘As human life is between breathing in and out, how can there be idle spare time to learn from worldly truths’ words? If slightly once missing this good opportunity, then becoming a separate life, then again thinking of liberating oneself, it will be difficult!’
大师专精念佛，先求往生，然后圆成菩提大愿。对于一些发愿来生，生到中国，童真出家修道，广度众生的行人，大师斥之为愚执。阐明求生西方，总摄一切菩提誓愿，及十方三世一切佛法，无有遗余。
Great Master was with focused diligence in mindfulness of Buddha, to first seek rebirth in Pure Land, thereafter to perfectly accomplish Bodhi’s great vows. Regarding some practitioners who aspire to, in their future lives be born in China, to be Śrāmaṇeras (i.e. novice monastics with childlike simplicity) who have left the household life, to then cultivate the path, and widely deliver sentient beings, Great Master reproached them to be with foolish attachment. He would explain clearly to them, that to seek birth in the Western Pure Land, is to totally gather all Bodhi vows, and all Buddhas’ teachings of the ten directions and three periods, without having anything remaining left out.
以上从四个方面，略述大师的净土思想，深感字字从真实心中流出，不谈玄说妙，不堆砌名相，娓娓道来，全是家常平实话，亦是净土明珠，值得吾人奉为指南。
The four aspects above briefly narrated Great Master’s Pure Land thought, from which we can deeply feel, that from word to word, each flowed out from his truly sincere mind. He never discussed on the mysterious or spoke on the abstruse, and never piled up with names and appearances. Tirelessly spoken, his words are completely ordinary, simple and unadorned, yet they are also Pure Land’s bright gems, worthy for us all, offered as our guides.
至癸丑（1733年）佛成道日，大师对弟子说：「我于明年4月14日长往矣。」自此，掩关寸香斋，规定昼夜持念十万声佛号。次年甲寅（1734年）4月2日出关，12日，告知大众说：「吾十日前见西方三圣降临虚空，今再见矣，吾其生净土乎。」随即交待寺院事务，遍辞城中诸护法居士。
On the Buddha’s Day Of Accomplishing The Path in 1733 C.E., Great Master told his disciples, ‘I will, on next year’s 4th lunar month’s 14th day be long reborn.’ Since then, as he closed his door for retreat in One-Cùn Studio, he regulated himself, for each day and night, to uphold mindfulness of the Buddha’s name with a hundred thousand recitations. On the next year’s (1734 C.E.) 4th lunar month’s 2nd day, he exited from retreat, and on the 12th day, told the great assembly, ‘As I have, ten days ago, seen the Western Pure Land’s Three Sages descend from the sky, and am today again seeing them, I am with them, going to be born in Pure Land.’ Following which, he handed over the monastery’s affairs, everywhere bidding farewell to all Dharma-protecting laypersons in the city.
侍者请大师书偈，大师书云：「身在花中佛现前，佛光来照紫金莲，心随诸佛往生去，无去来中事宛然。」书讫，说：「我14日定往生矣，你们准备为我集众念佛。」13日，断饮食，敛目危坐，五更时沐浴更衣，面西趺坐。
When his attendant requested Great Master to write a verse, he wrote, ‘With my body in the flower within and the Buddhas appearing before me, the Buddhas’ light comes to illuminate my purple-gold lotus. My mind will follow all the Buddhas, to be reborn go, yet without going and coming, within with matters of as if doing so.’ With his writing completed, he said, ‘As I, on the 14th day, will definitely be reborn, you can prepare to, for me gather everyone, to recite the Buddha’s name.’ On the 13th day, having stopped drinking and eating, he closed his eyes and sat in the lotus position. When it was the fifth watch (3 a.m.), he bathed and changed his clothes, facing the West in the lotus position.
至巳时，远近道俗弟子集聚，涕泪膜拜说：「愿师住世度人。」大师复启目说：「我去即来，生死事大，各自净心念佛。」言讫，合掌称佛名而寂。一会儿，鼻筋下垂，面容颜色明润，到封龛时，容色不变。
Reaching the sì period (9 a.m.), as monastic and lay disciples from far and near assembled, with tears crying while prostrating continuously, they said, ‘May teacher abide in the world to deliver people.’ Great Master again opened his eyes and said, ‘I, after going, will immediately come back. As [liberation from the cycle of] birth and death is a great matter, each of you should, with a pure mind be mindful of the Buddha.’ With his words completed, with joined palms reciting the Buddha’s name, he then departed. After a while, when his nose drooped, his face’s colour looked bright and moist. Until when sealing his niche, his countenance did not change.
次年，众弟子奉灵骨塔于琴川拂水岩之西。乾隆七年2月15日，鄮山诸缁素怀念大师道行，迎灵骨重建塔阿育王寺之右，其旧塔用以藏衣钵。大师撰有《净土诗》、《西方发愿文注》、《劝发菩提心文》、《续往生传》等流布于世。后世并尊称大师为净土宗第十一祖。
In the next year, all his disciples reverently built his relic pagoda at the West of Qín River’s Mount Fúshuǐ. On Emperor Qiánlóng’s 7th year’s 2nd lunar month’s 15th day, to commemorate Great Master’s path of practice, all monastic and lay disciples from Mount Mào received his relics for rebuilding his pagoda on the right side of King Aśoka Monastery. His old pagoda was then used for burying his robes and alms bowl. Great Master’s writings include ‘Pure Land Poems’, ‘Annotations On Verses For Giving Rise To Aspiration For Birth In The Western Pure Land’, ‘Essay On Exhortation To Give Rise To The Bodhi Mind’, ‘Continuation Of [Pure Land] Rebirths’ Biographies’ and others, that are still circulating in the world today. Later generations also honourably addressed the Great Master as the Pure Land Tradition’s 11th Patriarch.
完整中文原文 Complete Chinese text: donglin.org
图片 Pictures: 任新宇《净土》
英译 English translation: purelanders.com
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