Translations

[100] How To Have Most Sincere Mindfulness Of Buddha? 如何念佛最恳切?Why Have The Thought Of Being Already Dead But Yet To Be Born In Pure Land? 为何作已死未生净土想?

如何念佛最恳切?  
[100] How To [Have] Most Sincere Mindfulness [Of] Buddha?

为何作已死未生净土想?
Why Have [The] Thought [Of Being] Already Dead [But] Yet [To Be] Born [In] Pure Land?

人在世间,不能超凡入圣,了生脱死者,皆由妄念所致。

[Of] those humans in [this] world, [who are] not able [to] transcend [the] ordinary [to] enter [the] noble, [to be] liberated [from the cycle of] birth [and] death, all [are] due to false thoughts, [by] them caused.

[Note 1: As whether all are able to be reach the Pure Land Of Ultimate Bliss (极乐世界) or not is dependent on the last thought just before rebirth being with wholehearted mindfulness of Amitā(bha) Buddha (阿弥陀佛: Āmítuófó) or not, all who do not reach Pure Land are those who had other thoughts instead, which are thus all considered as false (stray) thoughts, that strayed away from right mindfulness (正念) of the Buddha with profound Faith (深信) and sincere Aspiration (切愿).]

今于念佛时,即作已死未往生想。

Now, when mindful of [the] Buddha[‘s name (Āmítuófó)], immediately have ‘[I am] already dead [but] yet [to be] reborn [in Pure Land’ as] thought.

[Note 2: The first way to utilise the truth of impermanence (无常) as motivation for more wholehearted practice is to remember that since we are all going to die, be it sooner or later, we should practise diligently now. However, this method might not work so well for those who are younger and healthier, due to complacence, although death that occurs karmically does not discriminate between the young and old, or the healthy and sick. To summarise, this first way is to think that as death will be occurring, and that it can occur at any time, including now, there should be earnest practice now. This first way inculcates a great sense of urgency.]

[Note 3: The second way, which further utilises the truth of impermanence, is to imagine that the moment of death has already come and passed, with ‘now’ being after physical death but before rebirth has taken place. In this karmically determined window period between one life and the next, that can be as brief as one moment to only as long as 49 days, there is no time to lose. As such, we cannot afford to have even one more stray thought, or we will risk being swept away by the winds of karma, to be reborn in Saṃsāra again. To summarise, this second way is to think that as rebirth will be occurring at any time now, there should be earnest practice now. This second way inculcates a greater sense of urgency than the first.]

于念念中,所有世间一切情念,悉皆置之度外。

In thought [to] thought within, [of] all worldly thoughts [of] attachment, all [should be] set aside [from] consideration.  

[Note 4: With thought to thought of the Buddha, in between, there should be no other thoughts, which are all due to worldly attachments. Without death or rebirth in mind, due to subconscious projecting ahead in terms of this life, stray thoughts tend to arise. With death or rebirth in mind, there is only projecting ahead in terms of reaching Pure Land, thus without stray thoughts.]

除一句佛号外,无有一念可得。

Aside [from this] one line [of the] Buddha’s name, without having [any other] one thought [that] can [be] attained.

[Note 5: It is possible to have less or no stray thoughts without thinking one is already dead, but it might less easy to do so. If truly with the mindset that one is already dead, other than the Buddha’s name, no other thought should arise. If not yet truly with this mindset, all kinds of stray thoughts might still arise.]

何以能令如此?以我已死矣,所有一切妄念,皆用不著。  

With what [thought are you] able [to] enable so? With ‘[As] I [am] already dead, [of] all false thoughts, all have no use.’ 

[Note 6: To increase wholeheartedness in mindfulness of the Buddha, right before doing so, think of yourself as already dead, with no other option than to be mindful of the Buddha, with no other hope than to connect to the Buddha, thus not daring to give rise to even one stray thought, which is both useless and harmful. Thus, will there be swift and true connection. When facing death, we are either more lost with distractions or more focused with wholeheartedness. We can start training towards the latter now. When sick, this should remind us of death’s impending approach too, to be more wholehearted in practice.]

能如是念,必有大益。  

[If] able [to] thus [be] mindful, [this] definitely [will] have great benefits.

[Note 7: If mindful this way when well and alive, there will be the great benefit of being always ready to reach Pure Land. If mindful this way when dying or after death, there will be the great benefit of being able to swiftly reach Pure Land. There is no need to worry about reaching Pure Land ‘too early’ with this method of practice now as reach of it pivots upon Aspiration to do so in the moment.]

[Note 8: To be even more sincere, practise with the Bodhi Mind (菩提心: Bodhicitta) as motivation, which urges us to practise diligently to reach Pure Land, so as to be able to most skilfully guide all remembered and forgotten loved ones (i.e. all beings) to reach Pure Land too.]

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):复朱仲华书二;
Dharma Master Yìnguāng’s Collected Writings (Third Compilation): Second Reply Letter [To] Zhū Zhònghuá;
印光大师文钞菁华录(第一百):三、示修持方法:丙、明对治习气(第七则)
Record [Of] Great Master Yìnguāng’s Collected Writings’ Essence (100th Short Section): 3rd [Chapter]: Guidance [On] Practice Methods: Third, Clear Remedies [For] Habitual Tendencies (7th Short Section)
[Ref: #100 / 3.3.7]

Namo Amituofo : Translation and notes by Shen Shi’an

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Related Article:

如何作往生想?
How To Have Thought Of Being Reborn In Pure Land?
https://thedailyenlightenment.com/2019/03/how-to-have-thought-of-being-reborn-in-pure-land

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

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