普劝修持五
[5] Fifth Universal Encouragement [Of] Practice
【譬如人入大城中…】
[For Example, Like (A) Person Entering (A) Great City Within…]
譬如人入大城中，必先觅安下处，却出干事，抵暮昏黑，则有投宿之地。先觅安下处者，修净土之谓也；抵暮昏黑者，大限到来之谓也；有投宿之地者，生莲花中不落恶趣之谓也。
For example, like [a] person entering [a] great city within, must first seek [a] resting place, then going out [to] do matters. [If] arriving at dusk’s [and] nightfall’s darkness, then having [a] place of lodging. That first seeking [of a] resting place, [is] that called cultivation [of] Pure Land [practice]. That arriving at dusk’s [and] nightfall’s darkness, [is] that called [the] great limit [i.e. death] arriving. That having [a] place of lodging, [is] that called birth [from] lotus flowers within, [to] not fall [into] evil realms.
又如春月远行，先须备雨具，骤雨忽至，则无淋漓狼狈之患。先备雨具者，修净土之谓也；骤雨忽至者，大命将尽之谓也；无淋漓狼狈之患者，不至沉沦恶趣受诸苦恼之谓也。
Also, like [in] spring’s months far travelling, [there] first must [be] preparing [of] rainwear, [for if a] rain shower suddenly arrives, then [is one] without suffering [from the] difficult situation [of being] dripping wet. That first preparing [of] rainwear, [is] that called cultivation [of] Pure Land [practice]. That rain shower suddenly arriving, [is that] called [the] lifespan going [to] end. That without suffering [from the] difficult situation [of being] dripping wet, [is] that called at least not sinking [into] evil realms, [to] receive all [kinds of] suffering [and] afflictions.
且先觅安下处者，不害其干事；先备雨具者，不害其行远途。是修净土者，皆不妨一切世务，人何为而不修乎？
Moreover, that first seeking [of a] resting place, [does] not harm those doing matters. That first preparing [of] rainwear, [does] not harm those travelling far. [As] those [with] this cultivation [of] Pure Land [practice, are with] all not obstructed [from] all worldly affairs, why [do] people then not cultivate [it]?
予一相识，平生多杀鱼之罪，晚年得疾，有似中风。予怜其罪恶疾苦，乃往见之，劝念阿弥陀佛。
I [have] one acquaintance, [who] throughout life, [created] transgressions of much killing [of] fish, [in his] later years attaining sickness, having [that] similar [to] paralysis [from] stroke. [As] I sympathised [with] his transgressions’ [and] evils’ sickness [and] suffering, thus [did I] go [to] see him, [to] encourage recitation [of] Āmítuófó’s [name] [i.e. Amitā(bha) Buddha].
坚不肯念，但与予说杂话，岂非为恶业所障？疾病所昏，已不能回心念善，闭眼之后，将奈之何？故修此者，宜急早回首也。
[He was] resolutely not willing [to] recite, only with me speaking [of] trivial words. How [can it] not be [by] evil karma that [he was] obstructed? [By] that sickness confused, already not able [to] turn [his] mind inwards, [to be] mindful [of] good, after closing [his] eyes, what can be done? Thus, those cultivating this, should urgently, as soon as possible, turn around.
世间昼必有夜，寒必有暑，人所共知，不可隐者。若曰生必有死，人乃讳之，不肯说出，何太蔽也！
[The] world [with] day, definitely has night, [with] winter definitely has summer, that people together know, that cannot [be] hidden. If saying [with] birth, definitely has death, people however regard this as taboo, [and] not willing [to] speak out [about it], how extreme [is this] concealing!
盖不知所谓我者，初不曾死，唯业缘尽而去耳。故不可不修净土，以求莲华中生，而受清虚之身，无极之寿，以脱一切生死苦恼也。
[This is with] those, because [of] not knowing [that the] so-called ‘self’, [from the] beginning, never has [been] dead, [that it is] only [with] karmic conditions exhausted then leaving only. Thus, [there] cannot [be] no cultivation [of] Pure Land [practice], with seeking [to be from] lotus flowers within born, then receiving bodies of clear emptiness, [and] lifespans of boundlessness, with [these] liberating [from] all births’ [and] deaths’ suffering [and] afflictions too.
宋‧王日休
《龙舒净土文》
第三卷：普劝修持九篇
Sòng [Dynasty’s] Wáng Rìxiū
Lóngshū’s Pure Land Text:
Third Scroll: Nine Essays [On] Universal Encouragement [Of] Practice
Namo Amituofo : Translation by Shen Shi’an
相关文章
Related Articles:
上篇
Previous Essay:
普劝修持四：【此世界中…】
[4] Fourth Universal Encouragement Of Practice: [Within This World…]
https://purelanders.com/2021/12/22/4-fourth-universal-encouragement-of-practice/
下篇
Next Essay:
普劝修持六：【下品下生者…】
[6] Sixth Universal Encouragement Of Practice: [Those Of The Low Grade’s Low Birth…]
https://purelanders.com/2021/12/22/6-sixth-universal-encouragement/
九篇
Nine Essays:
《龙舒净土文》
第三卷：普劝修持九篇
Lóngshū’s Pure Land Text:
[3] Third Scroll: Nine Essays On Universal Encouragement Of Practice
https://purelanders.com/longshu3
