十方世界中最超胜之法门
[17] [The] Ten Directions’ Worlds’ Most Surpassingly Excellent Dharma Door
极乐世界，无有女人。女人、畜生生彼世界，皆是童男之相，莲华化生。
[The Pure] Land [Of] Ultimate Bliss [is] without women. Women [and] animals born [in] that land, are all [with the] forms of young men, [from] lotus flowers [with] transformed births.
[Note 1: That there are no women in the Pure Land should not be mistaken as women here not being able to be reborn there. All male and female beings who have given rise to the Three Provisions (三资粮) of Faith, Aspiration and Practice (信愿行) can reach it: https://purelanders.com/2018/02/08/the-three-provisions.]
[Note 2: The young men there represent the physical prime of youthfulness.]
[Note 3: The single gender there represents the transcendence of (dualistic) sexual desires. Functionally, this is freedom from gender fixations.]
一从莲华中出生，皆与极乐世界人一样，不是先小后渐长大。
Once from lotus flowers within born, [they are] all with [the] Land [Of] Ultimate Bliss’ people [the] same, not first small, [and] later gradually growing up.
[Note 4: With the blessings of the Buddha, all the beings stepping onto the Pure Land will have the same thirty-two great human’s excellent forms (三十二大人相好), without those more beautiful or ugly. This equality gives rise to equanimity. Looking like the Buddha also facilitates knowing and seeing of one another’s Buddha-nature, for realising of Buddhahood. All these refined bodies are also strong and indestructible, impervious to ageing, sickness and death.]
彼世界人，无有烦恼，无有妄想，无有造业之事。
That land’s people, are without afflictions, without false thoughts, [and] without matters of creating [evil] karma.
[Note 5: As forms of evil, and even their names do not exist in the Pure Land, evil thoughts that lead to evil words and deeds do not arise there, thus not giving rise to any afflictions. Although not all beings in the Pure Land are completely pure like the Buddha, with many in the process of purifying themselves, there are no impure conditions there. With only pure direct and circumstantial rewards (正报依报) in terms of body and environment present, only the swiftest progress towards purity is possible there.]
以仗佛慈力，且极容易生。
With relying [on the] Buddha’s loving-kindness’ power, [it is] moreover extremely easy [to be] born [there].
[Note 6: Only with Self-power (自力) connecting to the Buddha’s Other-power (他力), can his Pure Land be reached easily, making this the Easy Practice Path (易行道).]
但以念佛为因，生后见佛闻法，必定圆成佛道。
Only with mindfulness [of the] Buddha as [the] cause, after birth seeing [the] Buddha [and] hearing [the] Dharma, [this] definitely [will] completely accomplish [the] Buddha path.
[Note 7: Being mindful of the Buddha is the cause. (念佛是因) Seeing the Buddha for learning the Dharma from him is the condition. (见佛学法是缘) Accomplishing Buddhahood is the fruit. (成佛是果)]
十方世界，唯此最为超胜。
[The] ten directions’ worlds [are] only [with] this as [the] most surpassingly excellent.
[Note 8: This Dharma Door Of Mindfulness Of Buddha (念佛法门) is the most skilful and thus best path of practice for Buddhahood, in all worlds and for all time.]
一切修持法门，唯此最为易修，而且功德最大。
All practices’ Dharma Doors, [are] only [with] this as [the] most easy [to] cultivate, moreover [with] meritorious virtues [the] most great.
[Note 9: As there is the Other-power always ready for us to connect to, for facilitating our practice, mindfulness of Buddha is easy to practise for clear and substantial results. Also because there is connection to the Buddha’s immeasurable meritorious virtues, mindfulness of Buddha creates great meritorious virtues.]
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》（三编）：复叶福备书；
Dharma Master Yìnguāng’s Collected Writings (Third Compilation): Reply Letter [To] Yè Fúbèi;
印光大师文钞菁华录（第十七则）：一、赞净土超胜（第十七则）
Record [Of] Great Master Yìnguāng’s Collected Writings’ Essence (17th Short Section): 1st [Chapter]: Praise [Of The] Pure Land [Dharma Door Being] Transcendental [And] Supreme (17th Short Section)
[Ref: #17 / 1.17]
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
