Translations

[27] How Āmítuófó Receives And Guides Immeasurable Beings At One Time 阿弥陀佛如何一时接引无量众生 [4] How Is Āmítuófó Able To Be With One Body, Yet At The Same Time Be Universally Everywhere, Receiving And Guiding The Ten Directions’ Sentient Beings Who Are Mindful Of The Buddha? 阿弥陀佛何能以一身一时普遍接引十方念佛众生?

或曰:阿弥陀佛,安居极乐。十方世界,无量无边。一世界中念佛众生,亦复无量无边。阿弥陀佛,何能以一身,一时普遍接引十方无量无边世界之一切念佛众生乎?

Someone says: Amitā[bha] Buddha peacefully abides [in his Land Of] Ultimate Bliss [极乐世界]. [The] ten directions‘ worlds [are] immeasurable [and] boundless. [In] one world within, [its] sentient beings mindful [of the] Buddha, [are] also immeasurable [and] boundless. [Of] Amitā[bha] Buddha, how [is he] able [to], with one body, at one time [be] universally everywhere [to] receive [and] guide [the] all those sentient beings mindful [of the] Buddha [in the] ten directions’ immeasurable [and] boundless worlds?

答:汝何得以凡夫知见,推测佛境?姑以喻明,使汝惑灭。

[To] answer: How [are] you, able to, with ordinary beings’ knowledge [and] views, speculate [about the] Buddha’s state? Provisionally with [an] analogy explaining, [may it] enable your confusion [to be] eliminated.

一月丽天,万川影现,月何容心哉?夫天只一月,而大海大江,大河小溪,悉现全月。即小而一勺一滴水中,无不各现全月。

[With the] one moon suspended [in the] sky, [in] ten thousand rivers, [with its] reflections appearing, what [does the] moon have in mind? That sky only [has] one moon, yet [the] great ocean, great rivers, large rivers [and] small streams, all appear [with the] complete moon. Even if small, and [even] within one spoon’s one drop [of] water, [it is] not without each appearing [with the] complete moon.

且江河之月,一人看之,则有一月当乎其人。百千万亿人,于百千万亿处看之,则无不各有一月当乎其人。

Moreover, of [the] moon [on a] river, [when] one person sees it, then is [there] one moon corresponding to that person. [If there are a] thousand million koṭis [of] persons, at [a] thousand million koṭis [of] places seeing it, then [is it] not without each having one moon corresponding to those persons.

若百千万亿人,各向东西南北而行,则月亦于所行之处,常当其人。相去之处,了无远近。若百千万亿人,安住不动,则月亦安住不动,常当其人也。

If [a] thousand million koṭis [of] persons, each towards [the] East, West, South [and] North then walk, then [will the] moon also arrive at those places walked [to], constantly corresponding to those persons. [With] those places distant from one another, completely without [differences for those] far [and] near. If [a] thousand million koṭis [of] persons, peacefully abide [and] not move, then [will the] moon also peacefully abide [and] not move, constantly corresponding to those persons.

唯水清而静则现,水浊而动则隐。月固无取舍,其不现者,由水昏浊奔腾,无由受其影现耳。

Only [when the] waters [are] clear and quiet, [it] then appears, [with the] waters defiled and moving, [it is] then hidden. [The] moon [is] certainly without accepting [and] rejecting. Those [with] it not appearing, [are] due [to the] waters [being] obscured, defiled [and] surging forth, unable [to] receive its reflection’s appearances only.

众生之心如水,阿弥陀佛如月。众生信愿具足,至诚感佛,则佛应之,如水清月现也。

[The] minds of sentient beings [are] like [the] waters, [and] Amitā[bha] Buddha [is] like [the] moon. [When] sentient beings’ Faith [and] Aspiration [are] complete, [their] utmost sincerity [will] connect [to the] Buddha. Then [with the] Buddha responding [to] them, [is] like [the] waters [being] clear, [with the] moon appearing.

若心不清净,不至诚,与贪嗔痴相应,与佛相背,如水浊而动,月虽不遗照临,而不能昭彰影现也。

If [their] minds [are] not pure, not [with] utmost sincerity, with greed, anger [and] delusion corresponding, [they are] with [the] Buddha, [with their] backs [to] each other. Like [the] waters defiled and moving, [the] moon, although not leaving [all] behind, [while] shining light on [them], [is] yet not able [to] reveal [its] reflections [to] appear.

月乃世间色法,尚有如此之妙。况阿弥陀佛,烦惑净尽,福慧具足,心包太虚,量周法界者乎?

[The] moon [is] only [a] worldly form’s phenomenon, [yet] also having such wonders. Moreover, Amitā[bha] Buddha, [with] afflictions [and] confusions completely gone, blessings [and] wisdom complete, [and his] mind embracing [the] great void, that [has its] measure [pervading] everywhere [in the] Dharma Realm?

故《华严经》云:「佛身充满于法界,普现一切群生前。随缘赴感靡不周,而恒处此菩提座。」故知遍法界感,遍法界应。

Thus, [the] Flower Adornment Sūtra says, ‘[With the] Buddha’s body fully filling [the] Dharma realm, [he] universally appears before all sentient beings. According with [their] conditions attending [and] connecting, [with] no[where] not reached, yet constantly dwelling [on] this Bodhi seat.’ Thus knowing [that sentient beings] everywhere [in the] Dharma realm connecting, [are with the Buddha] everywhere [in the] Dharma realm responding.

佛实未曾起心动念,有来去相,而能令缘熟众生,见其来此接引以往西方也。

[The] Buddha truly has not given rise [to his] mind [and] moved [a] thought, [to] have forms [that] come [and] go, yet [is] able [to] enable sentient beings [with] matured conditions, [to] see him come [to] these [persons, to] receive [and] guide [them], with rebirth [in his] West[ern Pure Land Of Ultimate Bliss] [西方极乐世界].

怀此疑者,固非一二。因示大意,令生正信。

Those harbouring this doubt, certainly [are] not one [or] two. Because [of this], teaching [these] general ideas, [to] enable giving rise [to] right Faith.

Námó Āmítuófó : Translation and notes by Shen Shi’an

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欲见实相,竭诚念佛
[28] Desiring To See True Form, Have Wholehearted Mindfulness Of Buddha
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以凡夫心,投佛觉海
[26] With Ordinary Beings’ Minds, Thrown [Into The] Buddha’s Awakening’s Ocean
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完整典籍
Complete 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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