唯念佛法门仗佛力
[13] Only [The] Dharma Door [Of] Mindfulness [Of] Buddha Relies [On] Buddha’s Power
如来一代所说一切大小乘法,皆仗自力,故难。
[In the] Thus Come [One’s] one lifetime, [of] those spoken all [other] Great [and] Small Vehicles’ Dharma [Doors], all rely [on] Self-power, thus [being] difficult [for practice].
[Note 1: Even the Small Vehicle has the Dharma Door Of Mindfulness Of Buddha (念佛法门), as one of its 40 subjects of mindfulness (or meditation), although not with Faith and Aspiration required for birth in Pure Land; only for a good or better rebirth, in a human or heavenly realm. Thus, this is not yet the Great Vehicle’s Pure Land Dharma Door (净土法门).]
[Note 2: If without Other-power (他力) at all, solely Self-powered (自力) practices, for self-liberation and/or Buddhahood, all belong to the Difficult Practice Path (难行道).]
唯此一法,全仗阿弥陀佛慈悲誓愿摄受之力,及与行人信愿诚恳忆念之力,故得感应道交,即生了办也。
Only this one [Pure Land] Dharma [Door], completely relies [on] Amitā[bha] Buddha’s power of vows [with] loving-kindness [and] compassion, [which] gather [and] receive, and with practitioners’ power of Faith [and] Aspiration, [with] sincere recollection [and] mindfulness, thus attaining connection [with] response [for] mutual interaction, [in this] immediate life [with] liberation accomplished too.
[Note 3: While the Buddha’s power (佛力) is Other-power, the practitioners’ power is Self-power. There has to be Self-powered practice that connects to Other-power, for the Buddha to be able to guide these practitioners to his Pure Land. With the great boost of Other-power, this makes it the only Easy Practice Path (易行道), for the swiftest progress towards Buddhahood.]
[Note 4: As upon connection to Other-power, when Self-power becomes one with it, with the sense of self somewhat ‘dissolving’ in the moment, the Buddha fully takes over gathering and receiving for birth in his Pure Land, the Pure Land Dharma Door right then essentially ‘completely relies on Amitābha Buddha’s power’, which makes all the difference in effect, (as compared to merely Self-powered practices).
As above in Note 3, this is not to say there is no Self-power needed. If there is no Self-power needed, there will be no need to learn and practise mindfulness of Buddha, to accumulate the Three Provisions (三资粮) of Faith, Aspiration and Practice (信愿行) for birth in Pure Land – which is clearly not true.]
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):福州佛学图书馆缘起;
Dharma Master Yìnguāng’s Collected Writings (Second Compilation): Fúzhōu Buddhist Studies’ Library’s Conditions [For] Arising;
印光大师文钞菁华录(第十三则):一、赞净土超胜(第十三则)
Record [Of] Great Master Yìnguāng’s Collected Writings’ Essence (13th Short Section): 1st [Chapter]: Praise [Of The] Pure Land [Dharma Door Being] Transcendental [And] Supreme (13th Short Section)
[Ref: #13 / 1.13]
Translation and notes by Shen Shi’an
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