今欲皈依，并受五戒，必要认清净土法门宗旨，庶可现生了生脱死，超凡入圣。
Now desiring [to] take refuge, and receive [the] Five Precepts, [there] must [be] clear recognising [of the] Pure Land Dharma Door’s objective. Hopefully, [there] can [be, in this] present life, liberation [from the cycle of] birth [and] death, transcending [the] ordinary [to] enter [the] noble.
勿成无禅无净者
[242] [Do] Not Become Those [With] Neither Chán Nor Pure Land [Practice]
须知净土法门，以信愿念佛求生西方为宗旨。
[It] must [be] known [that the] Pure Land Dharma Door, [is to be] with Faith [and] Aspiration, mindful [of the] Buddha[‘s name] [i.e. Āmítuófó (阿弥陀佛)], [for] seeking birth [in his] Western [Pure Land Of Ultimate Bliss] [西方极乐世界], as [its] objective.
世人每每以此为平常无奇，遂以宗门参究之法为殊胜，而注重于开悟，不注重信愿求生，美其名曰「禅净双修」。
[The] world’s people often regard this as ordinary [and] unremarkable, thereupon with [the] Chán Door’s method of contemplative investigation as excellent, then emphasising [on] awakening, not emphasising on [cultivating] Faith [and] Aspiration [to] seek birth [in Pure Land]. Calling this [with the] glorified name [of ‘with] Chán [and] Pure [Land] both cultivating’.
[Note 1: Chán (禅) can also more broadly refer to all other self-powered (自力) meditative cultivation (禅修) methods.]
究其实，则完全是「无禅无净土」。何以言之？不到大彻大悟，不名有禅。今之参禅者，谁是真到大彻大悟地位？
[Upon] examining them truthfully, [they] are then completely ‘without Chán [and] without Pure Land [practices]’. Why [is it] with this said? [With] not arriving [at] great penetration [and] great awakening, [this is] not named [as] ‘with Chán’. Now, of those [with] Chán contemplation, who are [those who have] truly arrived [at] great penetration [and] great awakening’s position?
[Note 2: These teachings are on ‘Chán And Pure Land’s Fourfold Explanations’ 《禅净四料简》: https://purelanders.com/2009/12/15/brief-on-four-categories, especially the fourth verse.]
由注重于参，遂将西方依正庄严，通通会归自心，则信愿求生之念毫无。虽名之曰念佛，实则与念佛之道相反，或又高张其辞曰，「念实相佛」。
Due [to] emphasising on [Chán] contemplation, thereupon with [the] Western [Pure Land’s] circumstantial [and] direct adornments, all meeting [and] returning [to] one’s mind, then not in the least [with the] thought of [cultivating] Faith [and] Aspiration [to] seek birth [in Pure Land]. Although naming this [as] mindfulness [of] Buddha, actually, with [the] path of mindfulness [of] Buddha contradicting each other. Perhaps also highly arrogant [with] their words, saying [they are practising] ‘mindfulness [of] true form’s Buddha’.
实相，虽为诸法之本，凡夫业障深重，何能做到？弄到归宗，禅也靠不住，净也靠不住。
[That] true form, although is [the] root of all dharmas, [with] ordinary beings’ karmic obstacles deep [and] heavy, who [is] able to accomplish [this]? Getting to returning [to the] essentials, [‘with’] Chán, also not able [to] rely [on it, and ‘with’] Pure [Land], also not able [to] rely [on it].
仗自力，即到大彻大悟地位，以惑业未断，不能了生死。未悟到大彻者，更不须论。
Relying [on] self-power, even if arriving [at] great penetration [and] great awakening’s position, with confusions [and evil] karmas yet [to be] severed, [they are] not able [to be] liberated [from the cycle of] birth [and] death. Those yet [to be] those awakened [to] arrive [at] great penetration, furthermore. [do] not need [to be] discussed.
仗佛力，须具真信切愿念佛求生西方，方可。
Relying [on the] Buddha’s power, [it] must possess true Faith [and] sincere Aspiration, [to be] mindful [of the] Buddha [for] seeking birth [in his] Western [Pure Land]. Then [is this] possible.
以一向以西方净土，无量寿，无量光，一一通会归自心，而自心只是徒执其名，未证其实。
With all along, with [the] Western Pure Land, immeasurable life [and] immeasurable light, each [and every] one, all meeting [and] returning [to] one’s mind, [this] however, [is with] one’s mind only in vain upholding that name, yet [to] realise it truly.
西方之佛，无感不能有应。自心之佛，在因无有威德。
[On the] Buddha of [the] Western [Pure Land], without connection [to him, one is] not able [to] have response. [The] Buddha of one’s mind, on [the] causal [ground, does] not have [his] majestic virtues.
世之好高务胜者，每每皆成弄巧成拙，求升反坠。而知识欲人以圆融见称，亦绝不肯作如是说。
Of those [in the] world fond [of the] ‘higher’ [and] striving for [the] ‘superior’, [they] often all accomplish doing [of that] ‘clever’ [to] accomplish [the] clumsy, seeking [to] ascend, instead falling. And [their] friends, desiring others [to be] with [them as those] ‘interpenetrating’ praised, [are] also absolutely not willing [to] practise thus said.
致如来以大慈悲心，欲令一切众生，现生即了生死，而依旧不能了。
Causing [the] Thus Come [One], with [his] mind [of] great loving-kindness [and] compassion, [although] desiring [to] enable all sentient beings [to, in this] present life immediately [be] liberated [from the cycle of] birth [and] death, then [be] as before, not able [to] liberate [them].
此生既不能了，将来或可能了。而尘沙劫又尘沙劫，仍在轮回六道中者，当居多数也。
[In] this life, since not able [to be] liberated, [in a] future [life], perhaps able [to be] liberated. However, [in] dust [motes and] sands’ kalpas of dust [motes and] sands’ kalpas, still [as] those reborn within [the] six paths, those majority [in] number.
如真能识得此种利害，再息心看净土各经书，方知此念佛求生西方一法，其大无外。
If truly able [to] recognise these kinds [of] advantages [and] disadvantages, again ceasing [distracting] thoughts [to] study each Pure Land sūtra [and] book, then knowing [that] this one Dharma [Door of] mindfulness [of] Buddha [for] seeking birth [in his] Western [Pure Land], its greatness [is] without [that] outside.
十方三世一切诸佛，上成佛道，下化众生，无不资此以成始成终也。
[The] ten directions [and] three periods’ all Buddhas, [for] higher accomplishing [of the] Buddha path, [and] lower transforming [of] sentient beings, [are] without [those] not using this, for accomplishing [these, from the] beginning [to the] end.
净土宗十三祖印光大师
Pure Land Tradition’s 13th Patriarch Great Master Yìnguāng
《印光法师文钞》（续编）：复张纯一书；
Dharma Master Yìnguāng’s Collected Writings (Second Compilation): Reply Letter [To] Zhāng Chúnyī;
印光大师文钞菁华录（第两百四十二则）：七、分禅净界限（第四则）
Record [Of] Great Master Yìnguāng’s Collected Writings’ Essence (242nd Short Section): 7th Chapter: Differentiation Of Chán And Pure Land Traditions’ Boundaries (4th Short Section)
[Ref: #242 / 7.4]
Namo Amituofo : Translation and notes by Shen Shi’an
相关典籍
Related Text:
《印光大师文钞菁华录》
Record Of Great Master Yìnguāng’s Collected Writings’ Essence
https://purelanders.com/jinghualu
相关文章
Related Articles:
《禅净四料简》
Chán And Pure Land’s Fourfold Explanations
https://purelanders.com/2009/12/15/brief-on-four-categories
如何和解《金刚经》与《阿弥陀经》对相的教理？
How To Reconcile Teachings Of The Vajra Sūtra And The Amitābha Sūtra On Forms?
https://purelanders.com/2022/02/08/how-to-reconcile-teachings-of-the-vajra-sutra-and-the-amitabha-sutra-on-forms
同书：一切人须严持五戒
From Same Letter: All People Must Strictly Uphold The Five Precepts
https://purelanders.com/2022/02/10/all-people-must-strictly-uphold-the-five-precepts
