Translations

Mindfulness Of The Buddha Is The Same As Taking Āgada Medicine 念佛即是服用阿伽陀药 The Ullambana Festival Can Be With Focused Mindfulness Of Buddha 盂兰盆节可专念佛

white pill on yellow surface
Photo by Anna Shvets on Pexels.com

念佛即是服用阿伽陀药
Mindfulness [Of The] Buddha Is The Same As Taking Āgada Medicine

[盂兰盆节可专念佛]
[(The) Ullambana Festival Can (Be With) Focused Mindfulness (Of) Buddha]

予昔在练磨场中。时方丈谓众云:「中元日当作盂兰盆斋。」

I, [was in the] past, within [a] place [for] practice. Then, [the] abbot said [to the] assembly, ‘[On] Zhōngyuán Day [i.e. the 15th day of the 7th lunar month], [we] should make Ullambana offerings.’

予以为设供也。俄而无设,唯念佛三日而已。

I assumed [there would be] laying [of] offerings. Very soon, without laying [them, there was] mindfulness [of the] Buddha[‘s name (阿弥陀佛: Āmítuófó) for] three days only.

[Note: There can also be offering of some physical food, as a skilful means to entice receiving of spiritual food, as offered by giving guidance (开示) and support-chanting (助念): https://purelanders.com/wake.]

[救苦救难]
[Saving (From) Suffering (And) Difficulties]


又闻昔有院主为官司所勾摄,堂中第一座集众救护,众以为持诵也,亦高声念佛而已。

Also hearing [that in the] past, [there] was [a] superintendent by [a] government office that arrested. Within [the] hall, [when the one in the] Foremost Seat [i.e. Rector] gathered [the] assembly [to] save [and] protect [him, the] assembly [was] with upholding [of] recitation, likewise [with] aloud mindfulness [of the] Buddha[‘s name] only.

[专修念佛]
[Focused Cultivation (Of) Mindfulness (Of) Buddha]


此二事,迥出常情,有大人作略,真可师法。

These two matters, [are] different from common sentiments. Having great persons serving [this] strategy, [they] truly can [be] imitated.

彼今之念佛者,名为专修。

Of those now [with] mindfulness [of the] Buddha[‘s name, they are] named as [having] focused cultivation.

[阿弥陀佛即是阿伽陀药]
[Āmítuófó Is The Same As Āgada Medicine]

至于祷寿命则《药师经》;解罪愆,则《梁皇忏》;济厄难,则《消灾咒》;求智慧,则《观音文》。

As for [some] praying [for] lifespan, then [reciting the] Medicine Master Sūtra; [for] eliminating transgressions [and] faults, then [reciting the] Emperor Liáng’s Repentance; [for] aiding adversities [and] difficulties, then [reciting the] Elimination [Of] Calamities’ Mantra; [for] seeking wisdom, then [reciting the] Contemplator [Of] Sounds’ Text.

向所念佛,束之高阁,若无补于事者。

[With] that former mindfulness [of the] Buddha[‘s name], tying [and] bundling it [on a] high shelf [i.e. put far away], seemingly for those matters not helping in the least.

不思彼佛寿命无量,况百年寿命乎?

Not considering that Buddha’s lifespan [is] immeasurable, moreover [for a] hundred [years’] lifespan?

不思念彼佛能灭八十亿劫生死重罪,况目前罪垢厄难乎?

Not considering mindfulness [of] that Buddha [is] able [to] eliminate eighty koṭis’ kalpas [of] births [and] deaths’ transgressions, moreover present transgressions, defilements, adversities [and] difficulties?

不思彼佛言:「我以智慧光,广照无央界。」况时人所称智慧乎?

Not considering that Buddha said, ‘I, with wisdom light, widely illuminates inexhaustible worlds.’ Moreover, then [with] that people call wisdom?

阿伽陀药,万病总持。

[As] Āgada medicine, [with] ten thousand sicknesses altogether curing.

二三其心,莫肯信服。神圣工巧,独且奈之何哉?

[If with] two [or] three [of] those minds [i.e. not wholehearted], not willing [to] believe [and be] convinced, [even with the] holy [and] skilful, moreover, what can be done?

净土宗八祖莲池大师
Pure Land Tradition’s 8th Patriarch Great Master Liánchí
《竹窗随笔》
Essays [By The] Bamboo Window

Namo Amituofo : Translation and note by Shen Shi’an

Please be mindful of your speech, Amituofo!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.