过去诸佛，念佛而生
[16] All Past Buddhas [From] Mindfulness [Of] Buddha Thus Arise
疾成佛者，无过念佛
[To] Swiftly Accomplish Buddhahood, Nothing Surpasses Mindfulness [Of] Buddha
莲宗四祖，法照大师，于大历二年，栖止衡州云峰寺，屡于粥钵中，现圣境，不知是何名山。有曾至五台者，言必是五台。后遂往谒。
[The] Lotus Tradition’s Fourth Patriarch, Great Master Fǎzhào, in Dàlì’s second year (767 C.E.), [was] staying [to] rest [at] Héngzhōu’s Cloud Peak Monastery (Yúnfēngsì), [when] constantly within [his] porridge alms bowl, appeared [a] sacred realm, [while he did] not know which famous mountain [it] was. [There] were those [who] previously arrived [there, who] said [it] must be [the Mountain Of] Five Terraces (Wǔtáishān: 五台山). [He] later thereupon went [to] visit [it].
[Note 1: A more detailed account of the Master’s biography can be seen at https://purelanders.com/2018/01/02/biography-of-the-fourth-patriarch-of-the-chinese-pure-land-tradition-great-master-fazhao. Héngzhōu (衡州) is the present Héngyáng City (衡阳市).]
大历五年，到五台县，遥见白光，循光往寻，至大圣竹林寺。师入寺，至讲堂，见文殊在西，普贤在东，据师子座，说深妙法。
[In] Dàlì’s fifth year (769 C.E.), reaching Five Terraces’ County, [from] afar [he] saw white light, [and] followed [the] light [to] go [in] search [of it, to] arrive [at the] Great Noble Bamboo Grove Monastery (Dàshèng Zhúlínsì). [When the] Master entered [the] monastery, [he] arrived [at the] lecture hall, [and] saw Mañjuśrī [Bodhisattva] in [the] West, [and] Universal Virtue [Bodhisattva] in [the] East, occupying lion thrones, speaking [the] profound [and] wonderful Dharma.
[Note 2: Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva (文殊菩萨) embodies and expresses perfect Great Wisdom (大智). Universal Virtue (Samantabhadra) Bodhisattva (普贤菩萨) embodies and expresses perfect Great Practice(s) (大行). Both Bodhisattvas vowed to reach the Western Pure Land Of Ultimate Bliss (西方极乐世界), as can be seen at https://purelanders.com/2017/05/31/manjusri-bodhisattvas-verses-of-aspiration-for-birth-in-pure-land and https://purelanders.com/2020/05/31/10-the-tenth-great-vow-universally-dedicating-of-universal-virtues-practices-and-vows-chapter respectively.]
师礼二圣，问言：「末代凡夫，去圣时遥，知识转劣，垢障尤深，佛性无由显现。佛法浩瀚，未审修行，于何法门，最为其要？唯愿大圣，断我疑网。」
[The] Master prostrated [to the] two noble [ones, and] asked, ‘[The Dharma-]Ending [Age’s] ordinary beings, [are] from [the] noble [ones], distant [in] time, [with] knowledge transformed [to be] lowly, [with] defilements [and] obstacles especially deep, [with their] Buddha-nature unable [to] appear. [As the] Buddha’s Dharma [doors are] vast, [and I have] yet [to] examine [and] cultivate [all their] practices, [for] reliance, which Dharma door, is that most essential? I only wish [the] great noble [ones, can] break [my] doubts’ net.’
[Note 3: We have already entered the Dharma-Ending Age (末法时期), during which the quality of the Buddha’s Dharma (佛法) being learnt, practised, realised and shared is in general decline.]
文殊报言：「汝今念佛，今正是时。诸修行门，无过念佛，供养三宝，福慧双修。此之二门，最为径要。所以者何？我于过去，因观佛故，因念佛故，因供养故，今得一切种智。故知念佛，诸法之王。汝当常念无上法王，令无休息。」
Mañjuśrī [Bodhisattva] replied, ‘You now [should practise] mindfulness [of] Buddha, [as] now is [the] right time. [Of] all doors [to] cultivate practices, nothing surpasses mindfulness [of] Buddha, [and] offering [to the] Triple Gem, [to] cultivate both blessings [and] wisdom. These two doors, are [the] most virtuous essentials. Why [is] that so? I, in [the] past, due [to] contemplation [of] Buddha thus, due [to] mindfulness [of] Buddha thus, due [to] making [of] offerings thus, now attained all-knowing wisdom. Thus know [that] mindfulness [of] Buddha, [is the] King Of All Dharma [Doors]. You should constantly [be] mindful [of this] unsurpassable Dharma King, enabling [it to] never rest.’
[Note 4: ‘Now is the right time’ (今正是时) for us too, in this Dharma-Ending Age. The Triple Gem (三宝) consists of the Buddhas, Dharma and Saṃgha (佛法僧), and is the subject of the Buddhists’ Threefold Refuge (三皈依). All-knowing wisdom (一切种智) is the omniscience of Buddhas.]
师又问：「当云何念？」
[The] Master again asked, ‘How [should I be] mindful [of Buddha]?’
文殊言：「此世界西，有阿弥陀佛，彼佛愿力不可思议。汝当继念，令无间断。命终之后，决定往生，永不退转。」
Mañjuśrī [Bodhisattva] said, ‘[From] this world, [to the] West, is Amitā[bha] Buddha (Āmítuófó). That Buddha’s vows’ power [is] inconceivable. You should continuously [be] mindful [of his name], enabling it [to be] without interruption. After life ends, [you will] definitely [be] reborn [there, to] forever never retrogress.’
说是语已，时二大圣，各舒金手，摩师顶，为授记莂：「汝以念佛故，不久证无上正等菩提。若善男女等，愿疾成佛者，无过念佛，则能速证无上菩提。」语已，时二大圣，互说伽陀。师闻已，欢喜踊跃，疑网悉除。
[Having] said these words already, then, [the] two great noble [ones], each extended [their] golden hands [to rub [the] Master’s crown, [and] for him conferred another prediction. ‘You, with mindfulness [of] Buddha thus, not long [after, will] realise Unsurpassable Right [And] Equal Bodhi. If [there are] good men, women [and] others, those [who] aspire [to] swiftly accomplish Buddhahood, nothing surpasses mindfulness [of] Buddha, [to] then [be] able, [to] quickly realise Unsurpassable Bodhi.’ [Having] said [this] already, then, [the] two great noble [ones, with] each other spoke gāthās. [The] Master, hearing [these] already, [was with] joyful enthusiasm, [with his] doubts’ net all eliminated.
[Note 5: All who reach the Pure Land will be conferred prediction of Buddhahood. Unsurpassable Right And Equal Bodhi (无上正等菩提) is the complete enlightenment of Buddhahood (佛果). Gāthās (伽陀) are teachings in the form of verses.]
此系法照大师，亲到竹林圣寺，蒙二大圣所开示者。五台，乃文殊应化之道场。文殊，乃七佛之师。
This [is] connected [to] Great Master Fǎzhào, [who] personally reached [the] Bamboo Grove Noble Monastery, [to] receive [that the] two great noble [ones] taught. [The Mountain Of] Five Terraces, [is] thus Mañjuśrī [Bodhisattva’s] manifestation [in] response, [his] place of [practising the] path. Mañjuśrī [Bodhisattva, is] thus [the] Teacher Of Seven Buddhas.
[Note 6: The mountain is now regarded as Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva’s sacred mountain (圣山). As the monastery was manifested there, it ‘cannot’ be found now, although there are monasteries named after it. Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva can represent Perfect Wisdom as he already attained it. He is the ancient Buddha (古佛) named Dragon Seed Superior Buddha (龙种上佛), who continues to manifest as a perfect Bodhisattva, to be an example to all non-Buddhas. He was the teacher of seven preceding Buddhas, namely (i) Vipaśyin Buddha (毗婆尸佛), (ii) Śikhin Buddha (尸弃佛), (iii) Viśvabhu Buddha (毗舍婆佛), (iv) Krakucchanda Buddha (拘留孙佛), (v) Kanakamuni Buddha (拘那含佛), (vi) Kāśyapa Buddha (迦叶佛) and (vii) Śākyamuni Buddha (释迦牟尼佛).]
自言：「我于过去，因观佛故，因念佛故，今得一切种智。是故一切诸法，般若波罗密，甚深禅定，乃至诸佛，皆从念佛而生。」
[He] personally said, ‘I, in [the] past, due [to] contemplation [of] Buddha thus, due [to] mindfulness [of] Buddha thus… now attained all-knowing wisdom… Therefore, all Dharma [teachings], Prajñā Pāramitā, extremely profound meditative concentrations, and even all Buddhas, all from mindfulness [of] Buddha thus arise.’
[Note 7: Prajñā Pāramitā (般若波罗密[多]) is Perfection Of Wisdom. With the principle of ‘eyes on the prize’ until it is ‘won’, and ‘you become what you are mindful of’, it is ultimately with mindfulness of Buddha (念佛) that Buddhahood is accomplished. In this sense, for the goal of reaching Buddhahood, mindfulness of Buddha is so fundamental a practice, that it is the first, ongoing and last Dharma door (法门). It is the also last in the sense that it is the most lasting in (and beyond) this Dharma-Ending Age (for a hundred years).]
过去诸佛，尚由念佛而生，况末法众生，业重福轻，障深慧浅，藐视念佛，而不肯修。
All past Buddhas, [were] still due [to] mindfulness [of] Buddha thus arising, what more [this Dharma-]Ending [Age’s] sentient beings, [with evil] karmas heavy [and] blessings light, obstacles deep [and] wisdom shallow, [who] look down [on] mindfulness [of] Buddha, and [are] not willing [to] cultivate [it]?
意欲一超直入如来地，而不知欲步五祖戒、草堂清之后尘，尚不能得乎？
[With the] mind desiring [to at] once transcend, [to] directly enter [the] Thus Come [Ones’] ground, yet not knowing [that] desiring [to] walk [in the] dust behind, of Wǔzǔ[shān Monastery’s (五祖山寺) Chán Master Shī]jiè (师戒禅师) [and Chán Master] Cǎotángqīng (草堂清禅师), [they are] still not able [to have their] attainments.
[Note 8: To directly enter the Thus Come Ones’ ground (直入如来地) is to attain Buddhahood. The swiftest way to do so is by entering Pure Land with mindfulness of Buddha, as taught above, to learn from a Buddha, and to practise accordingly. To walk in the dust behind (后尘) is to follow the (wrong) footsteps of those before. The public cases (公案) of these two Self-powered (自力) meditation masters serve as cautionary examples. They warn of possible great and unfortunate consequences, faced even by well-known practitioners, who did not seek birth in Pure Land. They can be seen at https://purelanders.com/2021/12/28/2-chan-master-jie-in-his-later-life-becoming-dongpo and https://purelanders.com/2021/12/28/1-qingcaotang-in-his-later-life-becoming-duke-zenglu respectively.]
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）：致广慧和尚书；
Dharma Master Yìnguāng’s Collected Writings (Second Compilation): Letter To Venerable Guǎnghuì;
印光大师文钞菁华录（第十六则）：一、赞净土超胜（第十六则）
Record [Of] Great Master Yìnguāng’s Collected Writings’ Essence (16th Short Section): 1st [Chapter]: Praise [Of The] Pure Land [Dharma Door Being] Transcendental [And] Supreme (16th Short Section)
[Ref: #16 / 1.16]
Translation and notes by Shen Shi’an
相关典籍
Related Texts:
《印光大师文钞菁华录》
Record Of Great Master Yìnguāng’s Collected Writings’ Essence
https://purelanders.com/jinghualu
