《印光大师文钞菁华录》序
‘Record [Of] Great Master Yìnguāng’s Collected Writings’ Essence’s Preface
《大集经》云：「末法亿亿人修行，罕一得道，唯依念佛得度生死。」
[The] ‘Great Collection Sūtra’ says, ‘In the] Dharma-Ending [Age, when a] hundred million [of a] hundred million people cultivate [the] path, rarely [will] one attain [the] path. Only relying [on] mindfulness [of] Buddha, attaining deliverance [from the cycle of] birth [and] death.’
是念佛一法，乃上圣下凡共修之道，若智若愚通行之法。以其专仗佛力，故其利益殊胜，超越常途教道也。
This mindfulness [of] Buddha’s one Dharma [Door], thus [is] higher noble [and] lower ordinary [beings’] path of common cultivation. If wise or foolish, [it is the] Dharma [Door] of common practice. With them focusing [on] relying [on the] Buddha’s power, thus [with] its benefits’ excellence, surpassing common teachings’ paths.
惟净土法门，最不易使人起信。如无生而生，无念而念诸语，非深解心作心是之旨，安能无惑？
Because [the] Pure Land Dharma Door, [is that] most not easy [to] enable people [to] give rise [to] Faith. Like ‘without birth then [having] birth’, ‘without [being] mindful then mindful’, [with] all [these] words, [if] not deeply understanding [the] purpose of ‘[that the] mind becomes, [that the] mind is’, how [is this] able [to be] without confusion?
故我世尊于本无言说中，而炽然常说者，无他，盖欲一切众生自明其本具觉性，进趋佛果也。
Thus, our World-Honoured [One], from within [what is] originally without words spoke, yet [with] that vigorously [and] constantly spoken, without another, because [of] desiring all sentient beings [to] personally understand their originally possessed awakened nature, [to] enter [the] Buddha fruit.
知自性即弥陀，方可与论唯心净土。随其心净，则佛土净。
Knowing self-nature is the same as [Ā]mítuó[fó] [i.e. Amitā(bha) Buddha (阿弥陀佛)], then can [there be] discussion with mind-only Pure Land. According [to] that mind [which is] pure, then [is the] Buddha land pure.
果能谛信，切愿，力行，则感应道交，已握往生之券。
If able [to have] true Faith, sincere Aspiration [and] diligent Practice, then [with] connection [and] response [for] mutual interaction, [this] already holds [the] contract of rebirth [in Pure Land].
顾世之狂慧者，动辄以浅易而轻之，欲别求其所谓玄妙者，而期有所悟证。讵知净土一门，实为默契佛心，至顿至圆之教乎。
Looking at those of [this] world [with] mad ‘wisdom’, [they are] readily with [it as] shallow [and] easy then slighting it. Desiring other seeking [of] that so-called profound [and] wonderful, then hoping [to] have that awakening [and] realisation. How [can they] know [that the] Pure Land, [this] one [Dharma] Door, truly is [that] silently agreeing [with the] Buddha’s mind, [the] teaching that [is] utmost sudden [and] utmost complete.
夫佛心无为，不堕诸数。念佛，则能念之心，历历分明，而了不可得，非即有为而契无为者乎？
[As] that Buddha’s mind [is] unconditioned, [it does] not fall [into] all [those] numbered. [When] mindful [of the] Buddha[‘s name] [i.e. Āmítuófó], then [with the] mind that [is] able [to be] mindful, understood distinctly [and] clearly, yet completely [with what] cannot be attained, [is this] not the same as that conditioned, yet agreeing [with the] unconditioned?
了不可得，而历历分明，非暗合道妙者乎？是则念佛者，念念佛也。
Completely [with what] cannot be attained, yet understood distinctly [and] clearly, [does] this not implicitly agree [with the] path’s wonders? This then [is with] those mindful [of the] Buddha, thought after thought [the] Buddha too.
故知：六字统摄万法，一门即是普门。全事即理，全妄即真。全性起修，全修在性。
Thus knowing, [as the] six words [i.e. Námó Āmítuófó (南无阿弥陀佛)] unify [and] gather [the] ten thousand Dharma [Doors, this] one [Dharma] Door is the same as [the] Universal Door. [The] entire practice is the same as [the] principles, [and the] entirely false is the same as [the] true. [With the] entire nature giving rise [to] cultivation, entire cultivation [is] in [one’s] nature.
托彼依正，显我自心。始本不离，直趋觉路。十万亿程，去此不远。九品可阶，一生成办。
Relying on those circumstantial [and] direct [rewards], manifesting my own mind. Then [from] original [nature] not departing, directly tending towards awakening’s path. [A] hundred thousand koṭis’ [Buddha lands’] journey, from here [is] not far. [The] nine grades can [be] ascended, [in] one lifetime accomplished [and] done.
至平常，至玄妙。岂彼暗证盲参者，所可望其项背哉！
Utmost ordinary, [yet] utmost profound [and] wonderful. How can it be [that] those [in the] dark [can] realise [their] blindness [and] investigate [it, as] those [that] can [be] gazed [at are its] neck [and] back?
印光大师乘愿再来，单提正令，不高谈心性，而全显妙心。弘一大师谓为三百年来一人者，岂过誉哉？
Great Master Yìnguāng rode [on his] vows [to] again come, only promoted [the] right decree, not [with] high discussion [of] mind-nature, yet entirely manifesting [the] wonderful mind. Great Master Hóngyī called [him to] be [the] past three hundred years’ that one [foremost] person. How can [this be] overpraising?
机薪既尽，应火须亡，而微言大旨，嘉惠后学，固无时无地然也。
[The] moment firewood [is] already exhausted, immediately, [the] fire must die. Yet [with his] sublime words’ main points, [for] giving benefits [to] later learners, [this] certainly [is] regardless of time [and] regardless of place thus.
师之《文钞》，虽处处指归，而人事倥偬，欲求一目全豹，涵泳有得者，则以李净通居士所编《文钞菁华录》尚矣。
[The] ‘Collected Writings’ of [the] master, although everywhere points [for] return [to Pure Land], yet [with] human affairs pressing, desiring [and] seeking, [to be with] one look [seeing the] whole picture [for] thorough understanding, [to] have that attained, [this] then [can be] with layperson Lǐ Jìngtōng’s that compiled ‘Collected Writings’ Essence’s Record’ [done] also.
是书都三百三十三则，理显真常，语无重见，至精极粹，世鲜其俦。
This book’s all three hundred [and] thirty-three short sections, [are with] principles manifesting [the] true constant, [with] words without [the] repeated seen. [With the] utmost essential [and] utmost pure, [the] world [has] few [like] this companion.
而居士重道尊师之心，尤所难能。
And [the] layperson’s mind of respecting [the] path [and] honouring [the] master, [is] especially that difficult [to] reach.
吾知一卷风行，万流蒙益。正人心而辅郅治，其在斯乎！
I know [this] one scroll [will] become popular, [with] ten thousand groups [of people] receiving benefits. [For] uprighting people’s minds and helping [to] rule extremely well, those [teachings are] in this!
圆瑛拜读之余，欢喜踊跃，难喻于词。谨略述数言，陈诸篇首，所以告同心，志盛缘，非敢序也。
Yuányīng, respectfully studying this after, [am with] joyful enthusiasm, difficult [to] explain in words. Respectfully, briefly stating [these] few words, arranged [to be at] all [its] chapters’ beginning, therefore [for] informing [those with the] same minds [and] aspirations [of these] auspicious conditions, not daring [to be with this as the] preface.
壬辰冬日七五老衲圆瑛识于上海圆明讲堂
[On] Rénchén’s [1952 C.E.] winter day, [by] seventy-five-[year-]old monk Yuányīng recorded at Shànghǎi’s Yuánmíng [i.e. Complete Understanding] Lecture Hall
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
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