以菩提心，为福为善根
With [The] Bodhi Mind, As Blessing [And] As Good Root
【疏】：问：何故《观经》「发菩提心」在第三福？
[Commentary]: Question: For what reason [is the] Contemplation Sūtra [with ‘to] give rise [to the] Bodhi Mind’ as [the] Third Blessing?
答： 以福有事理，不专事故。
Answer: With blessings having [those in] practice [and] principle, [they do] not focus [only on] practice thus.
《观经》三福：「一者，孝养父母，奉事师长，慈心不杀，修十善业；二者，受持三归，具足众戒，不犯威仪；三者，发菩提心，深信因果，读诵大乘，劝进行者。」
[On the] Contemplation Sūtra’s Three Blessings, ‘First, [is to have] filial support [of their] fathers [and] mothers, attend [to their] teachers [and] seniors, [with] loving-kindness’ mind not kill, [and] cultivate [the] Ten Good Karmas. Second, [is to] accept [and] uphold [the] Threefold Refuge, [be] complete [with] all precepts, [and] not violate majestic conduct. Third, [is to] give rise [to the] Bodhi Mind, [have] profound faith [in] cause [and] effect, study [and] recite [the] Great Vehicle’s [sūtras, and] encourage progress [of] practitioners.’
难谓：「云何『发菩提心』，而与上之二者同名曰福？今明福有事理，此菩提心是般若中如虚空不可思量之福，非达摩所斥人天有漏之福也。故前二福犹共凡小，此独擅大乘耳。然今疏不以配福，而属之善根者何？」
[Those] having difficulty [with this might] say, ‘Why [is “to] give rise [to the] Bodhi Mind”, then with those two above similarly named [as] blessings? Now explaining [on] blessings having [those in] practice [and] principle, this Bodhi Mind is [with] prajñā within, like blessings of [an] inconceivable quantity, not [of] Bodhidharma, those reproached human [and] heavenly [beings’] blessings [that] have outflows too. Thus, [with the] previous two blessings also together ordinary [and] small, this alone [is] independently [of the] Great Vehicle. However, now, [the] commentary [is] not with [this] matching blessings, then how [does it] belong [to] that of good roots?’
良以善之与福，别之则二，总之则一，别而言之，则菩提心偏属善根；总而言之，则菩提心亦可云福，《观经》总举，言福无碍。
[This is] really because [of] those good [roots] and blessings, distinguishing them, [they are] then [as] two, generalising them, [they are] then [as] one, thus [does the] Bodhi Mind particularly belong [to] good roots. Generally then speaking of [it], thus can [the] Bodhi Mind likewise [be] called [a] blessing. [As the] Contemplation Sūtra [is] generally raising, [it] speaks [of] blessings without obstacles.
问：《宝积》、《大本》云：「欲见无量寿佛者，应发无上菩提心，复当专念彼国，积集善根。」则菩提、善根，似为二事，今何直以善根属菩提心？
Question: [The Great] Treasures’ [Collection Sūtra《大宝积经》, and the] Greater Version say, ‘Those desiring [to] see Immeasurable Life Buddha, should give rise [to the] unsurpassable Bodhi Mind, [and] again should [have] focused mindfulness [of] that land, [to] accumulate [and] collect good roots.’ Thus, [the] Bodhi [Mind and] good roots, seem to be as two matters, now, why [is it] directly with good roots [as] belonging [to the] Bodhi Mind?
答：彼但言善根，此乃云多善根，「多」之一字，非菩提心，何以当此？
Answer: That [was] only speaking [about] good roots, [while] this then [is] speaking [about] much good roots. Of ‘much’, [this] one word, [if] not [with the] Bodhi Mind, with what [else] should this [be]?
净土宗八祖莲池大师
《佛说阿弥陀经疏钞》
Pure Land Tradition’s 8th Patriarch Great Master Liánchí
(Collected Writings [On] Commentary [On The] Sūtra [In Which The] Buddha Speaks [Of] Amitā[bha Buddha])
Namo Amituofo : Translation by Shen Shi’an
以上教理
Previous Teaching:
善根为因，福德为缘
With Good Roots As Cause, And With Blessed Virtues As Condition
https://purelanders.com/2021/10/28/with-good-roots-as-cause-and-with-blessed-virtues-as-condition/
以下教理
Following Teaching:
善根为因，福德为缘
With Good Roots As Cause, And With Blessed Virtues As Condition
https://purelanders.com/2021/10/with-good-roots-as-cause-and-with-blessed-virtues-as-condition
