[505] 何尽心力为临终亲人念佛求往生？
[505] How [To, With] All [Of One’s] Mind [And] Efforts, For Close Ones Approaching [Life’s] End, Recite [Āmítuó]fó[’s Name To] Seek Rebirth [In His Pure Land]?
◎ 人生世间，无论久暂，终有一死。其死不足惜，其死而所归之处，可不预为安顿乎？有力量者，自己预为安顿妥帖，则临终固不须他人为之辅助。然能辅助，则更为得力。无力量者，当令家属代为念佛，则必能提起正念，不致恩爱牵缠，仍被爱情所缚，住此莫出也。
◎ [Summary]: [In this] human life’s world, regardless [of for] long [or] temporarily, [in the] end has a death. This death [is] not worth pitying, [while for] this death then, that place of ‘return’, [how] can [there be] not in advance for [it having] peaceful settlement? Those [who] have strength, [if are with] themselves in advance for peacefully settling [themselves] properly, then [when] approaching [life’s] end, [they] certainly [do] not need other people for [offering] them complementary support. However, [if] able [to have] complementary support, then [will they] be even more capable. Those without strength, should enable family members [to] represent [them] with reciting [of Āmítuó]fó[’s name (阿弥陀佛)]. Then [will they] definitely [be] able [to] give rise [to] Right Mindfulness, not likely [to be with] affection [and] love entangled, [to] still [be] those by love bound, [to] dwell here [and] not exit.
接手书，知夫人身婴贵恙，已经月余。用药颇难，诸医束手。当此时机，正好用万病总持之阿伽陀药。
Receiving [in] hand [your] letter, knowing [your] wife’s body [is] suffering [from] her illness, already passing more [than a] month. [With] using [of] medicine extremely difficult, [and] all doctors’ hands tied. When [with] this opportunity, [it is] just right [to] use [the] Āgada medicine that totally manages [the] ten thousand sicknesses.
阁下每以此药，普施于人，何于夫人之病，尚沾沾然以难于用药为忧哉？
[As] your excellency very often with this medicine, universally gives [it] to others, why [are you] for [the] sickness of [your] wife, still inflexible thus, with difficulty of using [this] medicine as [a] worry?
其令郎令爱令媳等，既受生育之恩，当此大病临身，存亡莫保之时，教以各各为其母志诚恳切念南无阿弥陀佛，以祈寿未尽则速愈，寿已尽则速得往生西方。
Such [as] your esteemed son, your precious daughter, your daughter-in-law [and] others, since receiving [the] kindness of [her] bearing [and] bringing [them] up, when [with] this great sickness befalling [her] body, when [with] living [and] dying that [are] not guaranteed, teach each [and every] one [to], for their mother, [be] with sincerity and single-minded earnestness, reciting ‘Námó Āmítuófó’, with [the] prayer [that if her] lifespan [is] yet [to] exhaust, [to] then [have] quick healing, [and if her] lifespan [is] already exhausting, [to] then quickly attain rebirth [in the] Western [Pure Land Of Ultimate Bliss (极乐世界)].
令郎等孝心淳笃，当必皆如救头然，而常持念也。如是则岂但有益于夫人，实则深有益于令郎等也。
[As] your esteemed son [and] others’ filial minds [are] pure [and] sincere, [they] should certainly all, [be] like saving [their] heads [from] burning, then constantly uphold recitation. Thus then, not only having benefits for [your] wife, [this] actually has deep benefits for your esteemed son [and] others too.
辅助念佛，更为得力
[192] [With] Complementary Support-Chanting [Of The] Buddha[‘s Name, Be] Even More Capable
凡人有病，可以药治者，亦不必决不用药。不可以药治者，虽仙丹亦无用处，况世间药乎？
All people [who] have sicknesses, can [be] those [using] medicine [for] treatment, also not needing [to] not use medicine at all. [However], those [who] cannot [be] with medicine treated, although [with an] ‘elixir’, [it is] also without usefulness, moreover [with] worldly medicine?
[Note 1: While sicknesses arise from evil karma, having appropriate medicine available arises from good karma, which can be used to counter or treat the sicknesses, if they are still treatable. If there are very serious sicknesses, even with very good medicine, they cannot be treated, as the evil karma is too strong. If available, it is sensible to also use physical medicine to complement spiritual medicine, as below, to expedite possible healing.]
无论能治不能治之病，皆宜服阿伽陀药。此药绝不误人，服则或身或心，必即见效。
Regardless [of having] sicknesses that [are] able [to be] treated [or] not able [to be] treated, all should take [the] Āgada medicine [with sincere mindfulness of Āmítuófó‘s name (阿弥陀佛)]. This medicine absolutely [will] not harm people, [with the] taking [of it], perhaps [with the] body or mind, definitely immediately seeing [its] efficacy.
[Note 2: Āgada medicine (阿伽陀药) refers to the Ten Thousand Virtues’ Great Name (万德洪名) of Āmítuófó (阿弥陀佛), which is a panacea or cure-all. With sincere mindfulness of the Buddha’s name, if physical or mental healing is still possible here, there will be swift healing here. Otherwise, there will be complete and lasting healing upon reaching his Pure Land, as there will be no more sicknesses there, while having immeasurable life (无量寿) too.]
然人生世间，无论久暂，终有一死。其死不足惜，其死而所归之处，可不预为安顿乎?
However, [in this] human life’s world, regardless [of for] long [or] temporarily, [in the] end has a death. This death [is] not worth pitying, [while for] this death then, that place of ‘return’, [how can there be] not in advance for [it having] peaceful settlement?
[Note 3: Even when healing is still possible here, there can never be complete and lasting healing, since it is in the universal karma of all ordinary beings (凡夫) to have eventual departure here. Thus, healing here should not always be pined for, especially when already very old and/or seriously sick. There should only be sincere practice of mindfulness of Buddha with Aspiration (愿) to reach his Pure Land then.]
有力量者，自己预为安顿妥帖，则临终固不须他人为之辅助。然能辅助，则更为得力。无力量者，当令家属代为念佛，则必能提起正念，不致恩爱牵缠，仍被爱情所缚，住此莫出也。
Those [who] have strength, [if are with] themselves in advance for peacefully settling [themselves] properly, then [when] approaching [life’s] end, [they] certainly [do] not need other people for [offering] them complementary support. However, [if] able [to have] complementary support, then [will they be] even more capable. Those without strength, should enable family members [to] represent [them] with reciting [of Āmítuó]fó[‘s name]. Then [will they] definitely [be] able [to] give rise [to] Right Mindfulness, not likely [to be with] affection [and] love entangled, [to] still [be] those by love bound, [to] dwell here [and] not exit.
[Note 4: While it is best to not need complementary support, it is always better to have complementary support than not, if available, to boost one’s efforts. Those who need support should have family members and good-knowing friends (善知识) offering guidance (开示) and support-chanting (助念). When loved ones do so sincerely, knowing their kind intentions to help them be focused on mindfulness of Buddha to reach his Pure Land, this also helps to lessen worldly attachment to them.]
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）：复黄涵之书一；
Dharma Master Yìnguāng’s Collected Writings (First Compilation): First Reply Letter [To] Huáng Hánzhī;
印光大师文钞菁华录（第一百九十二则）：四、论生死事大：丙、示临终切要（第二则）
Record [Of] Great Master Yìnguāng’s Collected Writings’ Essence (192nd Short Section): 4th [Chapter]: Discussion [On] Births [And] Deaths’ Great Matter: Third, Guidance [On] When Approaching [Life’s] End’s Definite Essentials : (2nd Short Section)
[Ref: #192 / 4.3.2]
光之为此言者，非徒为令夫人计也。乙太夫人已经八十有三，虽阁下之德，足能延亲之寿，而期颐之后，终必有去世之一日。
[Yìn]guāng, for this speaking that, not only [is] for your wife planning. [With the] second old lady [i.e. your mother-in-law] already eighty-three, although [the] virtues of your excellency, [are] sufficient [and] able [to] lengthen [the] lifespan of [your] mother, yet after [becoming a] centenarian, [in the] end, [there] certainly has [the] one day of passing away.
恐阁下未能虑及于此，而犹复注意于医药，则为舍本逐末，益不能得。而反将一心念佛，由忙碌于医药而成间断，不能纯一，则其损大矣。
Fearing your excellency [is] yet [to be] able [to] consider for this, yet still again paying attention to medicine, [which] then is abandoning [the] roots [to] pursue [the] tips, benefits [are] not able [to be] attained. Then, instead [of being] with wholehearted reciting [of] Āmítuó[fó[’s name], due [to being] busy for medicine, then becoming interrupted, not able [to be] purely singular, then [are] those harms great.
故借夫人之病，预为阁下陈其尽心力于亲之神识得所，以期阁下究竟能报亲恩耳。
Thus relying on [the] sickness of [your] wife, in advance for your excellency stating [how to be with] all [of] your mind [and] efforts, [practise] for that attained place of your mother’s consciousness, with hope [that] your excellency [is] ultimately able [to] repay [your] mother’s kindness.
今将《陈了常之佛性助念发隐》附函寄来，虽文不雅驯，而意义有可取焉。
Now with ‘Chén Lecháng’s Buddha-Nature [And] Support-Chanting’s Hidden [And Profound Meanings] Elucidated’ attached [in this] letter, sending [it] over, although [the] text [is] not refined, yet [its] meanings can [be] obtained.
《复黄涵之居士书一》
First Reply Letter [To] Layperson Huáng Hánzhī
净土宗十三祖印光大师
Pure Land Tradition’s 13th Patriarch Great Master Yìnguāng
《印光法师答念佛600问》
Dharma Master Yìnguāng’s Answers [For] Mindfulness [Of] Buddha’s 600 Questions
释宗柱法师审阅
[By] Dharma Master Shì Zōngzhù Reviewed
Namo Amituofo : Translation and notes by Shen Shi’an
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Next Part:
作将死想，念佛求接引
[193] Have The Thought Of Being About To Die, Recite The Buddha’s Name To Seek Reception And Guidance
https://purelanders.com/2022/08/16/193-have-the-thought-of-about-to-die-recite-the-buddhas-name-to-seek-reception-and-guidance
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只重神识得所，不在场面好看
[191] Only Emphasising Attaining Settlement Of The Consciousness, Not Caring About The Scene Looking ‘Good’
https://purelanders.com/2022/08/18/191-only-emphasising-attaining-settlement-of-the-consciousness-not-caring-about-the-scene-looking-good
完整典籍
Complete Text:
《印光大师文钞菁华录》
Record Of Great Master Yìnguāng’s Collected Writings’ Essence
https://purelanders.com/jinghualu
