如何真报佛恩
How To Truly Repay The Buddhas’ Kindness
若得一人舍苦出生死者，是名真报佛恩。何以故？
If [there are] those [able to] get one person [to] renounce suffering, [to] exit [the cycle of] birth [and] death, [this] is named [as] true repaying [of the] Buddhas’ kindness. Why [is this] thus?
诸佛出世，种种方便劝化众生者，不欲直令制恶修福受人天乐也。人天之乐，犹如电光，须臾即舍，还入三恶，长时受苦。
All Buddhas arise [in] worlds, [with] all kinds [of] skilful means that encourage [and] transform sentient beings, not desiring [to] directly enable [them to] restrain [from] evil, [for] cultivating blessings [to] receive human [and] heavenly [beings’] joy. [The] joy of human [and] heavenly [beings, is] similar to lightning, [in a] moment immediately abandoning [them, then] returning [to] enter [the] three evil [paths, for a] long time receiving suffering.
为此因缘，但劝即令求生净土，向无上菩提。是故今时有缘相劝誓生净土者，即称诸佛本愿意也。
For this cause [and] condition, only encouraging, [to] immediately enable seeking [of] birth [in] Pure Land, [to go] towards unsurpassable Bodhi. Therefore, when [there are] those now, [who have] conditions [to] encourage one another [to] vow [for] birth [in] Pure Land, [this is] called [the fulfilling of] all Buddhas’ fundamental vows’ intention.
净土宗二祖善导大师
《观经四贴疏》
Pure Land Tradition’s 2nd Patriarch Great Master Shàndǎo
(Commentary On The Contemplation Sūtra In Four Fascicles)
Namo Amituofo : Translation by Shen Shi’an
