净土起信五
Fifth [Essay For] Arising [Of] Faith [In] Pure Land
高谈玄妙拨无净土之失
[5] Mistakes Of Impractically Speaking [Of The] Profoundly Wonderful [While Denying There Is] Pure Land
世有专于参禅者云：「唯心净土，岂复更有净土？自性阿弥，不必更见阿弥。」此言似是而非也。何则？
[The] world has those [who] focus on Chán contemplation [i.e. Self-powered meditation (自力禅)] saying, ‘[With] mind-only Pure Land, how can it be [that there] also is [the physical] Pure Land? [With] self-nature Ami[tābha Buddha (i.e. Buddha-nature [佛性]), with] no need [to] also see Ami[tābha Buddha].’ These words are as if true yet not [so]. Why thus?
西方净土，有理有迹：论其理，则能净其心，故一切皆净，诚为唯心净土矣；论其迹，则实有极乐世界，佛丁宁详复言之，岂妄语哉？
[The] Western Pure Land, has [that in] principle, [and] has [that with] manifestation. Discussing [on] that principle, then able [to] purify this mind, thus [with] all purified, [this is] truly as mind-only Pure Land. Discussing [on] that manifestation, then truly having [the] Land [Of] Ultimate Bliss, [as Śākyamuni] Buddha [释迦牟尼佛] instructed carefully [and] insistently. Detailedly [and] repeatedly speaking of [it], how can [he have] false speech?
人人可以成佛，所谓自性阿弥者，固不妄矣，然猝未能至此。譬如良材，可以雕刻佛像而极其华丽，必加以雕刻之功，然后能成，不可遽指良材而遂谓极佛像之华丽也。是所谓「唯心净土，而无复更有净土；自性阿弥，不必更见阿弥」者，非也。
[As] everyone can accomplish Buddhahood, that so-called self-nature Ami[tābha Buddha, is] certainly not false. However, [of] sudden [attainment, they are] still not able [to] reach this. For example, good timber can [be] carved [into a] Buddha image, then utmost [with] its splendid beauty. [It] must [be] added with [the] skill of carving, after that, [then] able [to be] accomplished. [One] cannot swiftly point [to the] good timber and thereupon call [it to be a] Buddha image of utmost splendid beauty. [On] those [with] this so-called ‘mind-only Pure Land, then without again also having Pure Land, [with] self-nature Ami[tābha Buddha, with] no need [to] also see Ami[tābha Buddha,’ this is] not [so].
又或信有净土而泥唯心之说，乃谓西方不足生者，谓参禅悟性，超佛越祖，阿弥不足见者，皆失之矣。何则？此言甚高，窃恐不易到。
Also, [there are] those perhaps believing [there] is Pure Land, yet stubbornly constrained [with] speaking of mind-only, also saying [that of the] Western [Pure Land, there is] no need [for] birth [there], saying those [with] Chán contemplation [for] awakening [self-]nature, ‘surpass’ [the] Buddhas [and] ‘exceed’ [the] Patriarchs, [of] Ami[tābha Buddha, with] no need [to] see [him], all lose this [opportunity]. Why thus? This saying [is] extremely impractical, with due respect feared [to be] not easy [to] arrive [at in practice].
彼西方净土无贪无恋、无瞋无痴，吾心能无贪无恋、无瞋无痴乎？彼西方净土思衣得衣，思食得食，欲静则静，欲去则去，吾思衣而无衣则寒恼其心，思食而无食则饥恼其心，欲静而不得静则群动恼其心，欲去而不得去则系累恼其心，是所谓唯心净土者，诚不易到也。
[While] that Western Pure Land [is] without greed [and] without attachment, without aversion [and] without delusion, [are] our minds able [to be] without greed [and] without attachment, without aversion [and] without delusion? [While] that Western Pure Land [is with] thinking [of] clothing attaining clothing, thinking [of] food attaining food, desiring silence then [with] silence, desiring [to] go then going, our thinking [of] clothing [is] yet without clothing, then [with] cold disturbing this mind, [with] thinking [of] food yet without food, then [with] hunger disturbing this mind, desiring silence yet not attaining silence, then [with] all kinds [of] movements disturbing this mind, desiring [to] go yet not going, then [with] connections binding disturbing this mind, those [with] this so-called mind-only Pure Land, [are] truly not easy [to] arrive [at it in practice].
彼阿弥陀佛福重山海，力挈天地，变地狱为莲华易于反掌，观无尽之世界如在目前，吾之福力尚不能自为，常恐宿业深重，坠于地狱，况乃变作莲华乎？隔壁之事犹不能知，况乃见无尽世界乎？是所谓自性阿弥者，诚不易到也。
That Amitā[bha] Buddha’s blessings [are] heavy [like the] mountains [and] oceans, [with the] power [to] lift [the] sky [and] earth, [to] change hell to [be with] lotus flowers, [as] easily [as] turning over [one’s] palm, contemplating inexhaustible worlds like before [one’s] eyes. Our power [of] blessings [are] still not able [to] personally change [it, thus] constantly fearing past [negative] karma [to be] deep [and] heavy, [to] fall into hell, moreover then, [to] change [it to be with] lotus flowers? With next door’s matters also not able [to be] known, moreover then, [to] see inexhaustible worlds? [On] those [with] this so-called self-nature Ami[tābha Buddha, this is] truly not easy [to] arrive [at in practice].
然则吾心可以为净土而猝未能为净土，吾性可以为阿弥而猝未能为阿弥，乌得忽净土而不修、舍阿弥而不欲见乎？
In contrast, [although] our minds can become Pure Land, yet [they are] still not able [to] suddenly become Pure Land, [and] our nature can become Ami[tābha Buddha], yet [it is] still not able [to] suddenly become Ami[tābha Buddha]. How [can there be] allowing [of] neglecting Pure Land, and not cultivating [to reach it], abandoning [of] Ami[tābha Buddha], and not desiring [to] see him?
故修西方见佛而得道则甚易，若止在此世界，欲参禅悟性、超佛越祖为甚难。况修净土者不碍于参禅，何参禅者必薄净土而不修也？
Thus cultivating [to reach the] Western [Pure Land to] see [the] Buddha and [to] attain [the] path [there is] then extremely easy. If stopping in this world, [at] desiring [to have] Chán contemplation [to] awaken [to self-]nature, [to] ‘surpass’ [the] Buddhas [and] ‘exceed’ [the] Patriarchs, [this is] as [that] extremely difficult. Moreover, [as] those cultivating [to reach] Pure Land [do] not obstruct Chán contemplation, why must those [with] Chán contemplation disdain Pure Land and not cultivate [to reach it] too?
《大阿弥陀经》云：「十方有无量菩萨往生阿弥陀佛国。」彼菩萨尚欲往生，我何人哉，不欲生彼？是果胜于诸菩萨乎？
[The] Great[er] Amitābha Sūtra says, ‘[The] ten directions have immeasurable Bodhisattvas reborn [in] Amitā[bha] Buddha’s land.’ [If] those Bodhisattvas still desire [to be] reborn [there], who [am] I, [to] not desire [to be] born there? Is [my spiritual] fruit superior to all [these] Bodhisattvas?
由此言之，唯心净土、自性弥陀者，大而不要，高而不切，修未到者，误人多矣。不若脚踏实地，持诵修行，则人人必生净土，径脱轮回，与虚言无实者，天地相远矣。
Due to this speaking, those [‘with’] mind-only Pure Land, self-nature [A]mitā[bha Buddha, are with that] great yet not essential, high yet not practical. Those [with] cultivation yet [to] arrive [at it in practice, they] confuse, [hinder and/or harm] many! [This is] not as good as [having] feet standing [firmly on] the ground, [to] uphold recitation [of the Buddha’s name (i.e. Āmítuófó: 阿弥陀佛) to] cultivate practice. Then [with] everyone definitely born [in] Pure Land, [to be] directly liberated [from] rebirth. With those [having] false words without truth, [they are like the] sky [and the] earth, far [apart from] each other!
宋‧王日休
《龙舒净土文》
第一卷：净土起信九篇
Sòng [Dynasty’s] Wáng Rìxiū
Lóngshū’s Pure Land Text:
First Scroll: Nine Essays [For] Arising [Of] Faith [In] Pure Land
Namo Amituofo : Translation by Shen Shi’an
上篇
Previous Essay:
佛教与儒教之同异
[4] Similarities And Differences Between Buddhist And Confucian Teachings
https://purelanders.com/2021/10/06/4-similarities-and-differences-between-buddhist-and-confucian-teachings/
下篇
Next Essay:
为何求生净土不做仙？
[6] Why Seek Birth In Pure Land And Not Be ‘Immortals’?
https://purelanders.com/2021/10/02/6-why-seek-birth-in-pure-land-and-not-be-immortals/
九篇
Nine Essays:
《龙舒净土文》
第一卷：净土起信九篇（等）
Lóngshū’s Pure Land Text:
[1] First Scroll: Nine Essays On Arising Of Faith In Pure Land, etc.
https://purelanders.com/longshu1
