Translations

[141] Upholding Āmítuófó’s Name Accords Most With Our Capacities 持名念佛最契机 Should We Uphold Mindfulness Of Āmítuófó With His Name Or Visualisation? 应当持名或观像念佛?Upholding Mindfulness Of Āmítuófó‘s Name Is Accomplishing Buddhahood’s Shortcut 持名念佛为成佛捷径

[应当持名或观像念佛?]
[Should We Uphold Mindfulness Of Āmítuófó With His Name Or Visualisation?]

切不可谓 [1] 持名一法浅近,舍之而修 [2] 观像、[3] 观想、[4] 实相等法。

[You] absolutely must not say [that the] one Dharma [Door of [1] mindfulness of Buddha by] upholding [the] name [of Āmítuófó] (持名念佛) [is] superficial, [and] abandon it [to] then cultivate [2] [mindfulness of Buddha by] visualisation [of Āmítuófó’s] image (观像念佛), [3] [mindfulness of Buddha by] visualisation [of his Pure Land’s forms] (观想念佛), [4] [mindfulness of Buddha’s] true form (实相念佛) [and] other Dharma [Doors].

夫四种念佛,唯 [1] 持名最为契机。

[Of] those four kinds [of methods for] mindfulness [of] Buddha, only [1] upholding [of his] name is [that] most according [with our] capacities.

持至一心不乱,实相妙理,全体显露。西方妙境,彻底圆彰。

[With] upholding until wholeheartedness without [being] scattered, true form’s wonderful principles [will] entirely appear. [The] Western [Pure Land’s] wonderful realm [will] thoroughly [and] completely [become] clear.

即持名而亲证实相,不作观而彻见西方。

Even though upholding [of the] name [of Āmítuófó], yet personally realising [his] true form, not doing visualisation, yet completely seeing [his] Western [Pure Land].

[持名念佛为成佛捷径]
[Upholding Mindfulness Of Āmítuófó‘s Name Is Accomplishing Buddhahood’s Shortcut]

[1] 持名一法,乃入道之玄门,成佛之捷径。

 [1] Upholding [the] name [of Āmítuófó, this] one Dharma [Door], thus [is the] profound door of entering [the] path, [the] shortcut of accomplishing Buddhahood.

今人教理观法,皆不了明。若修观想、实相,或至着魔。弄巧成拙,求升反堕。

Nowadays, people [are with the] teachings’ principles [and] visualisation methods, all not understood clearly. If cultivating [mindfulness of Buddha by] visualisation [of his Pure Land’s forms or mindfulness of his] true form, [they will] perhaps [become] attached [to the] demonic [i.e. with hallucinations and disturbances]. [This is] doing [of that] ‘clever’ [to] accomplish [the] clumsy, seeking [to] ascend, instead falling.

宜修易行之行,自感至妙之果矣。

[There] should [be] practice of cultivating [this] Easy Practice, [to] personally connect [to the] fruit of [the] utmost wonderful.

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):与徐福贤书;
Dharma Master Yìnguāng’s Collected Writings (First Compilation): Letter For Xú Fúxián;
印光大师文钞菁华录(第一百四十一则):三、示修持方法:戊、评修持各法(第四则)
Record [Of] Great Master Yìnguāng’s Collected Writings’ Essence (141st Short Section): 3rd [Chapter]: Guidance [On] Practice Methods: Fifth, Reviews [On] Practices’ Each Method (4th Short Section)
[Ref: #141 / 3.5.4]

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
https://purelanders.com/jinghualu

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