Translations

[3] That The Buddha Said Cannot Be Presently Not Seen Then Not Believed 佛所言不可目前不见而不信 If The Buddha’s Words Are Not To Be Believed, Whose Words Are Believable? 佛言不信,何言可信?

净土起信三
Third [Essay For] Arising [Of] Faith [In] Pure Land

佛所言不可目前不见而不信
[3] That [The] Buddha Said Cannot [Be] Presently Not Seen Then Not Believed
佛言不信,何言可信?
[If The] Buddha’s Words [Are] Not [To Be] Believed, Whose Words [Are] Believable?

人骤闻净土之景象,多不信之,无足怪也。盖拘于目前所见,遂谓目前所不见者,亦如此而已。

[When] people suddenly hear [about the] circumstances of Pure Land, [with] many not believing it, [this is] not surprising [at all]. Because [they are] constrained presently [by] that seen, thereupon calling that presently not seen, [it is] but like this only.

且如陋巷粪壤之居者,安知有广厦之清净?小器藜藿之食者,安知有食前之方丈?弊箧锱铢之蓄者,安知有天府之充溢?

Also, like those abiding [in] narrow alleys [with] manure [and] soil, how [do they] know [there] is [the] cleanliness of huge buildings? [Like] those eating small vessels [of] pigweed [and] beans [i.e. inferior meals], how [do they] know [there] is eating before square zhàngs [i.e. about a hundred square feet] of [food]? [Like] those storing damaged chests [with] zīs [i.e. one-fourth of one tael each] [and] zhūs [i.e. one-twenty-fourth of one tael each] [i.e. very small amounts of money], how [do they] know [there] is overflowing [of wealth in] government treasuries?

故处此娑婆浊世,不信其有清净佛土。所以生长于胞胎,不知彼有莲华之化生;寿不过百年,不知彼有河沙之寿数;衣食必由于营作,不知彼有自然之衣食;快乐常杂于忧恼,不知彼有纯一之快乐。然则佛之所言,不可以目前所不见而不信也。

Thus abiding [in] this defiled Sahā World, not believing that [there] are pure Buddha lands. Therefore [with] growing in wombs, not knowing that [there] are manifested births from lotus flowers. [With] lifespans not passing [a] hundred years, not knowing that [there] are lifespans’ number [of years] of [a] river’s sands’ [number. With] clothing [and] food [that] must [be] due to labour [and] work, not knowing that [there] is natural clothing [and] food. [With] happiness [and] bliss constantly mixed with worries [and] afflictions, not knowing that [there] is purity [and] singularity of happiness [and] bliss. In contrast, of that [the] Buddha said, [it] cannot [be] with [that] presently not seen then not believed.

况佛切戒人以妄语,必不自妄语以诳人。世人妄语者,非以规利,则以避害。佛无求于世,何规利之有。佛视死生如刀斫虚空,何避害之有。

Moreover, [as the] Buddha strictly admonished people with false speech, [he] definitely [will] not personally with false speech deceive people. Those people [in the] world [with] false speech, [if] not with [it] striving [for] benefits, [are] then with [it for] avoiding harm. [As the] Buddha [is] without seeking in [the] world, what striving [for] benefits [can] he have? [As the] Buddha sees death [and] birth [to be] like knives chopping empty space, what harm is [there to] avoid?

是佛无所用其妄语也。世间中人以上者,犹不肯妄语以丧其行止,况佛乎?其言可信,无足疑者。故先贤云:「佛言不信,何言可信?」

[This] is [why the] Buddha [is] without use [of] that false speech. [If the] world’s average people [and] those above [them, are] also not willing [to have] false speech, [to be] with [it] losing their [moral] conduct, moreover [the] Buddha? [As] his words can [be] believed, [they are] without that worthy [of] doubt. Thus [did] former virtuous [ones] say, ‘[If the] Buddha’s words [are] not [to be] believed, whose words [are] believable?’

昔有以忠臣为奸党者,刻之于石,天雷击之。今以金宝彩色镌刻装绘以为轮藏,贮佛之言。供以香花,严以神龙。

[In the] past, [there are] those with [slander of] loyal officials as treacherous parties, [with] carving of [their names] in stone, [having] heavenly lightning striking them. Now, [there are those] with gold [and] treasures [of] various colours engraving [and] painting, with [these] as [sūtra] treasury [repositories with] rotating [cabinets, for] storing words of [the] Buddha. [They make] offerings [to them] with incense [and] flowers, adorning [them] with gods [and] dragons.

使其言之妄,则又甚于奸党之碑,何为历千百岁而天雷不击之哉?以其言之诚也。言之诚而不信,将何俟哉?是故净土之说,更无可疑者。

If these [are] words of falsehood, thus also [more] ‘extreme’ than [the] stone tablets of ‘treacherous parties’, why [are they with the] passing [of] thousands [of] hundreds [of] years, yet [by] heavenly lightning not struck? [It is] with [the] truthfulness of these words [thus. With] words of truth not believed, what [else] should [we] wait [for]? Therefore, speaking of [the] Pure Land [teachings, they are] even more [so], without that [which] can [be] doubted.

况自古及今,修此者感应甚多,尤不可以不信者也。感应在第五卷。

Moreover, from ancient [times] until today, [as] those cultivating this, [have] connections [with] responses [that are] extremely many, [these] especially, cannot [be] not believed. [Some] connections [with] responses [are] in [the] Fifth Scroll [of this text].

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 [On] Arising [Of] Faith [In] Pure Land

Namo Amituofo : Translation by Shen Shi’an

上篇
Previous Essay:

修者不难,不妨一切俗事
[2] That Cultivation Is Not Difficult And Does Not Obstruct All Mundane Matters 
用力甚少,收功不可尽言
Using Energy Extremely Little Yet Receiving Merits That Cannot Be Completely Spoken
https://purelanders.com/2021/10/05/2-that-cultivation-is-not-difficult-and-does-not-obstruct-all-mundane-matters/

下篇
Next 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/

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

Please be mindful of your speech, Amituofo!

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