【诸佛以八苦为师，成无上道，是苦为成佛之本。】
(All Buddhas [are] with [the] eight sufferings as teachers, [to] accomplish [the] unsurpassable path, [as it] is [with] suffering as [the] root of accomplishing Buddhahood.)
出苦消业第一妙法
[96] Foremost Wonderful Method [For] Exiting Suffering [And] Eliminating Evil Karma
念佛要时常作将死，将堕地狱想。
[When] mindful [of the] Buddha, [you] must often be [with ‘I am] going [to] die, [and] going [to] fall [into] hell’ [as] thought.
[Note 1: We are all certainly advancing towards death, although uncertain of when it will arrive – which might be the very next moment, or this very moment. Remembering this helps to cultivate a greater sense of urgency, to practise more diligently and regularly.]
[Note 2: Unless with extremely evil karma ripening upon death, we are not definitely falling into hell after death. However, thinking that this might be so in the worst-case scenario helps to cultivate a greater sense of the importance, of having more sincere mindfulness of the Buddha. This helps as only mindfulness of Buddha when dying can prevent the ripening of otherwise hellish karma.]
则不恳切亦自恳切，不相应亦自相应。
Then, [if] not sincere [and] earnest, [you will] also naturally [become] sincere [and] earnest. [If] not corresponding [with the Buddha, you will] also naturally correspond [with the Buddha].
[Note 3: The above thinking helps to motivate us to have greater sincerity when practising mindfulness of Buddha, thus leading to connection to the Buddha with response (感应).]
以怖苦心念佛，即是出苦第一妙法，亦是随缘消业第一妙法。
With fear [of] suffering’s mind mindful [of the] Buddha, then is exiting [from] suffering’s foremost wonderful method, [and] also is according [with] conditions eliminating [evil] karma’s foremost method.
[Note 4: This is not to focus on mindfulness of fear itself. It is to, due to having fear of suffering as the motivator, to focus better on mindfulness of Buddha instead, all the more sincerely. (When there is truly wholehearted mindfulness of Buddha, there will be no room in the mind for mindfulness of fear or suffering.) Doing so eliminates suffering with maximum possible speed, as swiftly as we are sincerely mindful of the Buddha. This works as mindfulness of the Buddha creates immense blessings and meritorious virtues, that can dilute much evil karma, which is what gives rise to suffering, including from fear.]
[Note 5: The more evil karma we have, the more should we practise sincerely. However, if there is much craving for quick results, we will not be very sincere, thus not having significant results quickly. Similar to the above, to motivate us to have greater sincerity when practising mindfulness of Buddha, we should think we do indeed have much extremely evil karma. After all, if our karma is not very evil, we will not still be trapped in rebirth in this Dharma-Ending Age (末法时期) now.]
[Note 6: Whenever there is time, there can also be mindfulness of Buddha to eliminate evil karma, as much as possible. This is the most excellent method as it is easy to practise, able be done at any time and place without any equipment, while having maximum efficacy. As above, this works as mindfulness of Buddha creates immense blessings and 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》（正编）：复永嘉某居士书六；
Dharma Master Yìnguāng’s Collected Writings (First Compilation): Sixth Reply Letter [To A] Certain Yǒngjiā Layperson;
印光大师文钞菁华录（第九十六则）：三、示修持方法：丙、明对治习气（第三则）
Record [Of] Great Master Yìnguāng’s Collected Writings’ Essence (96th Short Section): 3rd [Chapter]: Guidance [On] Practice Methods: Third, Clear Remedies [For] Habitual Tendencies: (3rd Short Section)
[Ref: #96 / 3.3.3]
【次则以病苦为药，以病为药者，以病作治念佛不恳切之药也，则病亦不为累矣（无爱即无娑婆，不苦不能成佛）。】
(Next, then with suffering [from] sickness as medicine, those with sickness as medicine, [are] with sickness becoming [the] medicine [for] curing mindfulness [of] Buddha not [being] earnest [and] sincere. Then [is] sickness also not as [a] burden. {Without attachment, [it is] then without [the] Sahā [World]. Not [with] suffering, [then] not able [to] accomplish Buddhahood.})
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
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