Translations

Those Without Faith And Aspiration Relying On The Buddha’s Power Will Be Difficult To Be Born In Pure Land 无信愿仗佛力者难生净土

无信愿仗佛力者难生净土
Those Without Faith And Aspiration Relying [On The] Buddha’s Power [Will Be] Difficult [To Be] Born [In] Pure Land

平生绝无信愿者,临终决定难仗佛力。既云善恶俱时顿现,且无论阿弥陀佛四字不现者,不得往生。即现,亦不得往生。何以故?以不愿生故。以不求佛,因不得蒙佛接引故。

Those throughout life absolutely without Faith [and] Aspiration, [when] approaching [the] end [of life], definitely [will be] difficult [to] rely [on the] Buddha’s [Other-]power. Since having good [and] evil [karmas] together [at the same] time suddenly appearing, moreover, not discussing those [with the] four words [of] ‘Āmítuófó’ not appearing [in their minds] not attaining rebirth [in his Pure Land], even [for those] appearing, [they] likewise cannot attain rebirth. Why [is this] so? With not [having] Aspiration [for] birth thus. Without seeking [of the] Buddha, because of [this], not attaining receiving [of the] Buddha’s reception [and] guidance thus.

华严经云,假使恶业有体相者,十方虚空不能容受。古德云,如人负债,强者先牵。心绪多端,重处偏坠。

[The] Flower Adornment Sūtra says, [that] if evil karmas have that [of] physical forms, [the] ten directions’ empty space [is] not able [to] contain [and] receive [them]. Ancient virtuous [ones] say, [that] like [a] person in debt, [is with] that stronger leading first. [And] states of mind [that are] many [and] varied, [will towards the] heavier place lean [to] fall.

今善恶皆现,由无信愿,便不能奈恶业何矣。须知仗自力,则恶业有一丝毫,便不能出离生死,况多乎哉。

Now [with] good [and] evil all appearing, due [to being] without Faith [and] Aspiration, then not able [to know] how [to] deal with [the] evil karmas. [It] must [be] known [that] relying [on] Self-power [only, [if] then having one thread [or] hair [of] evil karma, [one is] then not able [to] depart [from the cycle of] birth [and] death, moreover [having] much [evil karmas].

又无信愿,念至一心,无量无边之中,或可有一二往生。决不可以此为训,以断天下后世一切人往生净土之善根。何以故?以能仗自力,念至业尽情空,证无生忍者,举世少有一二。

Also, [those] without Faith [and] Aspiration, [with] mindfulness reaching single-mindedness, of immeasurable [and] boundless [beings] within, [there] can perhaps be [only] one [or] two reborn. [We] certainly cannot [be] with this as [an] example, with [this] severing [the] world’s later generations’ all persons’ good roots [for] rebirth [in] Pure Land. Why [is this] so? With those able [to] rely [on] Self-power [only, with] mindfulness reaching [evil] karmas’ exhaustion [and] passions’ emptiness, [to] realise Non-Birth’s Forbearance, throughout the world, [there] are [only] one [or] two.

倘人各依此行持,置信愿而不从事。则芸芸众生,永居苦海,无由出离,皆此一言为之作俑也。而其人犹洋洋得意,以为吾言甚高。而不知其为断佛慧命,疑误众生之狂言也。哀哉!

If people each rely [on] this [to] practise, setting aside Faith [and] Aspiration, then not following [true] Practice, then [will] many sentient beings, forever dwell [in] suffering’s ocean, without cause [for] departure, all [with] this one statement as [the] main [initiating] culprit. Yet these persons [are] still very self-pleased [and] proud, assuming [that] ‘my’ statement [is] extremely lofty. Yet not knowing that as severing [of the] Buddha’s wisdom life, confusing [and] misleading sentient beings [with] arrogant words. Alas!

(世间善业,不出轮回,若对信愿具足之往生净业,则彼善业,仍属恶业。)

([With] worldly good karmas, not exiting rebirth, if compared [with the] pure karma [for] rebirth [in Pure Land with] Faith [and] Aspiration complete, then [will] those good karmas, still belong [to] ‘evil’ karmas.)

净土宗十三祖印光大师
《复濮大凡居士书》
Pure Land Tradition’s 13th Patriarch Great Master Yìnguāng
(Reply Letter [To] Layperson Pú Dàfán)

Namo Amituofo : Translation by Shen Shi’an

Please be mindful of your speech, Amituofo!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.