如何万人修念佛而万人去净土
How To [Have] Ten Thousand [Persons] Cultivating Mindfulness [Of] Buddha, Then [With] Ten Thousand Persons Going [To] Pure Land
欲生西方，最初须有真信切愿，若无真信切愿，纵有修行，不能与佛感应道交，只得人天福报，及作未来得度之因而已。
Desiring [to be] born [in the] Western [Pure Land Of Ultimate Bliss] [西方极乐世界], [there] first must be true Faith [and] sincere Aspiration. If without true Faith [and] sincere Aspiration, even if having cultivation [of] practice, [this is] not able [to], with [the] Buddha, [have] connection [and] response [for] mutual interaction, only attaining human [and] heavenly blessed rewards, and [with this] becoming [the] cause of attaining deliverance [in the] future only.
若信愿具足，则万不漏一。永明所谓「万修万人去」者，指信愿具足者言也。
If Faith [and] Aspiration [are] complete, then [is with] ten thousand [persons reaching Pure Land], not leaving out one. [Of the Pure Land Tradition’s Sixth Patriarch Great Master] Yǒngmíng’s [净土宗六祖永明大师] that so-called, ‘[Of] ten thousand [persons] cultivating, [with] ten thousand persons going’, [this is with] reference [to] those [with] Faith [and] Aspiration complete speaking.
[Note: Complete verses with this line in ‘Chán And Pure Land’s Fourfold Explanations’ 《禅净四料简》: https://purelanders.com/2009/12/15/brief-on-four-categories]
念佛不可定执一法
[53] Mindfulness [Of] Buddha Must Not [Have] Fixed Attachment [To] One Method
既有真信切愿，当修念佛正行。以信愿为先导，念佛为正行。
Since having true Faith [and] sincere Aspiration, [there] should [be] cultivation [of] mindfulness [of] Buddha [as the] Main Practice. With Faith [and] Aspiration as [the] guide, mindfulness [of] Buddha is [the] Main Practice.
信愿行三，乃念佛法门宗要。有行无信愿，不能往生。有信愿无行，亦不能往生。
[With] Faith, Aspiration [and] Practice, [these] three, thus [are the] Dharma Door [Of] Mindfulness [Of] Buddha’s essential principles. Having Practice without Faith [and] Aspiration, [this is] not able [to be] reborn [in Pure Land]. Having Faith [and] Aspiration without Practice, [is] also not able [to be] reborn.
信愿行三，具足无缺，决定往生。「得生与否，全由信愿之有无。品位高下，全由持名之深浅。」
[With] Faith, Aspiration [and] Practice, [these] three, complete [and] without [that] lacking, [there is] definite rebirth. ‘Attaining birth [in Āmítuófó’s (阿弥陀佛) Pure Land] or not, [is] all due [to] Faith [and] Aspiration [being] present [or] absent. [The] grade [of birth being] high [or] low, [is] all due [to] upholding [the] name [of Āmítuófó being] deep [or] shallow.’
言念佛正行者，各随自己身分而立，不可定执一法。
Speaking [of] those [with] mindfulness [of] Buddha [as the] Main Practice, each following one’s character then established, [there] must not [be] fixed attachment [to] one method.
如其身无事累，固当从朝至暮，从暮至朝，行住坐卧，语默动静，穿衣吃饭，大小便利，一切时，一切处，令此一句洪名圣号，不离心口。
If their bodies [are] without matters burdened, [they] certainly should, from dawn to dusk, [and] from dusk to dawn, [when] walking, standing, sitting [and] lying down, verbally [and] silently, moving [and] still, wearing clothes, eating meals, defecating [and] urinating, [at] all times [and] all places, cause this one line [of the] great name, [to] not depart [from the] mind [and mouth.
若盥漱清净，衣冠整齐，及地方清洁，则或声或默，皆无不可。
If [with] washing [and] rinsing purified, clothes [and] hats [worn] orderly, and [at] places clean, then perhaps verbally or silently, all [these are] without [those that] cannot [be done].
若睡眠及裸露、澡浴、大小便时，及至秽污不洁之处，只可默念，不宜出声。
If, when lying down and uncovered, bathing, defecating [and] urinating, and [when] arriving [at] those places defiled [and] unclean, [there] only can [be] silent recitation, [as they are] not suitable [for] verbal [recitation].
默念功德一样，出声便不恭敬。勿谓此等时处，念不得佛，须知此等时处，出不得声耳。
Silent recitation’s meritorious virtues [are the] same, [with] verbal [recitation] then not reverent. [Do] not say [that at] these kinds [of] times [and] places, [there] must not [be] mindfulness [of] Buddha, [but it] must only [be] known [that at] these kinds [of] times [and] places, [there] must not [be] verbal [recitation].
又睡若出声，非唯不恭，且致伤气，不可不知。
Also, lying down, if verbally [reciting, this is] not only not reverent, moreover leading [to] harming [of] breathing [i.e. qì], [this] must not [be] not known.
虽则长时念佛，无有间断。须于晨朝向佛礼拜毕，先念《阿弥陀经》一遍，《往生咒》三遍毕，即念《赞佛偈》，即「阿弥陀佛身金色」偈。
Although then, [with] long [periods of] time reciting [the] Buddha[‘s name], not having interruption, [there] must [be], in early morning, [with] towards [the] Buddha prostrating completed, first recite [the] Amitā[bha] Sūtra one time. [With the] Rebirth Mantra three times completed, then recite [the] ‘Verse [For] Praise [Of] Buddha’, [which is] then [the] verse [with] ‘Amitā[bha] Buddha’s body [is] golden [in] colour’.
[Note 1: Complete ‘Verse For Praise Of Buddha’ 《赞佛偈》: https://purelanders.com/2018/06/26/verse-for-praise-of-buddha]
[Note 2: Complete Amitābha Sūtra《阿弥陀经》and Rebirth Mantra《往生咒》: https://purelanders.com/sutra]
念偈毕，念「南无西方极乐世界大慈大悲阿弥陀佛」，随即但念「南无阿弥陀佛」六字，或一千声，或五百声，当围绕念。
[With] reciting [of the] verse completed, recite ‘Námó Western Land [of] Ultimate Bliss’ Āmítuófó [of] great loving-kindness [and] great compassion’, following which, only recite ‘Námó Āmítuófó’, [these] six words, perhaps [with] one thousand recitations, or five hundred recitations, [there] should [be with] circumambulation reciting.
（须从东至南至西北绕，为顺从，为随喜。顺从有功德。西域最重围绕，此方亦与礼拜均行。见《正编·复马契西书五》）
([There] must [be] from [the] East to [the] South, to [the] West [and] North circumambulating, for complying [with, and] for rejoicing. [With] complying having meritorious virtues. [In the] Western Regions, [the] most important [is] circumambulation. [In] this region, also with prostrations, [they] equally [can be] practised. See ‘First Compilation’s Fifth Reply Letter [To] Mǎ Qìxī’)
慈云忏主之十念法门
[53] Repentance Master Cíyún’s Dharma Door [Of] Ten Recitations
若不便绕，或跪、或坐、或立皆可。念至将毕，归位念观音、势至、清净大海众菩萨各三称，然后念《净土文》，发愿回向往生。
If not convenient [for] circumambulating, perhaps kneeling, or sitting, or standing, all can [be done. With] recitation, until leading [to its] completion, return [to the] seat [to] recite [‘Homage to] Contemplator [Of The World’s] Sounds [Bodhisattva]’ [南无观世音菩萨], [‘Homage to Great] Power Arrived [Bodhisattva]’ [南无大势至菩萨], [and ‘Homage to the] pure [and] great ocean-[like] assembly [of] Bodhisattvas’ [南无清净大海众菩萨], [with] each [having] three recitations. After that, recite [the] ‘Pure Land Text’, [for] giving rise [to] Aspiration [and] dedication [for] rebirth [in Pure Land].
[Note 3: Complete ‘(Small) Pure Land Text’ 《（小）净土文》or ‘Repentance Master Cíyún’s Pure Land Text’ 《慈云忏主净土文》: https://purelanders.com/2019/07/18/repentance-master-ciyuns-pure-land-verses-minor-pure-land-verses]
念《净土文》者，令依文义而发心也。若心不依文而发，则成徒设虚文，不得实益矣。
Those reciting [the] ‘Pure Land Text’, [should be] led [to] follow [the] meaning [of the] text, [to] then give rise [to the] mind [of Aspiration and dedication]. If [the] mind [does] not rely [on the] text [to] then give rise [to them, this] then only becomes establishing [of an] empty formality, not attaining [its] true benefits.
《净土文》毕，念《三归依》，礼拜而退。此为朝时功课，暮亦如之。
[With the] ‘Pure Land Text’ completed, recite [the] ‘Three[fold] Refuge’, prostrate and retreat. [With] this as morning time’s chanting, [in the] evening also like this.
[Note 4: Complete ‘Threefold Refuge’ 《三皈依》: https://purelanders.com/2025/05/21/threefold-refuge-verses]
若欲多多礼拜者，或在念佛归位之时，则拜佛若干拜。九称菩萨，即作九礼，礼毕即发愿回向。或在功课念毕礼拜，随己之便，皆无不可。但须恳切至诚，不可潦草粗率。蒲团不可过高，高则便不恭敬。
If [there are] those desiring [to have] many more prostrations, perhaps [when] reciting [the] Buddha[‘s name], at [the] moment of returning [to the] seat, then prostrate [to the] Buddha [for a] certain number [of] prostrations. [With] nine recitations [of the] Bodhisattvas, then making nine prostrations, [with] prostrations completed, then giving rise [to] Aspiration [and] dedication. Perhaps when [with] chanting completed prostrating, according to [the] convenience of oneself, all [are] without [that which] cannot [be done]. However, [there] must [be] earnestness [and] utmost sincerity. [It] must not [be] slovenly [and] rough. [The] cushion must not [be] too high, [with it] high, then not reverent.
若或事务多端，略无闲暇，当于晨朝盥漱毕，有佛则礼佛三拜，正身合掌念「南无阿弥陀佛」，尽一口气为一念，念至十口气，即念《小净土文》。
If perhaps [with] matters many [and] varied, completely without free time, [there] should [be], in early morning, [with] washing [and] rinsing completed, [if there] is [a] Buddha [image], then prostrating [to the] Buddha [with] three prostrations, [with the] upright body [and] joined palms reciting ‘Námó Āmítuófó’, [to the] utmost [in] one breath as one recitation, reciting until ten breaths. Then recite [the] ‘Small Pure Land Text’.
或但念「愿生西方净土中」四句偈，念毕礼佛三拜而退。若无佛，即向西问讯，照上念法而念。
Perhaps only reciting ‘May [there be] birth within [the] Western [Pure Land Of Ultimate Bliss’, its] four-lined verse. [With] recitation completed, prostrating [to the] Buddha [with] three prostrations, then retreating. If without [a] Buddha [image], then towards [the] West half-bowing, accord with [the] mindfulness method above [to] then recite.
[Note 5: Compete ‘Dedication Verse’ 《回向偈》: https://purelanders.com/2021/01/28/dedication-verse-1]
此名十念法门，乃宋慈云忏主为王臣政务繁剧，无暇修持者所立也。
This [is] named [the] Dharma Door [Of] Ten Recitations, thus [by the] Sòng [Dynasty’s] Repentance Master Cíyún, for kings [and] ministers [with] government affairs extremely heavy, those [who] have no time [to] practise that established.
何以令尽一口气念？以众生心散，又无暇专念。如此念时，借气摄心，心自不散。
Why [is there] leading [to the] utmost [in] one breath [to] recite? With sentient beings’ minds scattered, also having no time for focused recitation. When like this reciting, relying on [the] breath [to] gather [the] mind, [the] mind [will] not [be] scattered.
然须随气长短，不可强使多念，强则伤气。又止可十念，不可二十、三十，多亦伤气。
However, [there] must [be] according to [the] breath, [be it] long [or] short. [There] must not [be] forcibly [having] more recitations, [with] forcing then harming breathing. Also, [there] only can [be] ten recitations [at the most. There] must not [be] twenty, [or] thirty, [with] more also harming breathing.
以散心念佛，难得往生。此法能令心归一处，一心念佛，决定往生。念数虽少，功德颇深。
With [the] scattered mind reciting [the] Buddha[‘s name, it is] difficult [to] attain rebirth [in Pure Land]. This Dharma [Door is] able [to] lead [the] mind [to] return [to] one point, [with] wholehearted mindfulness [of] Buddha, [to] definitely [be] reborn. [Even with] recitations’ number although little, meritorious virtues [will be] quite profound.
极闲极忙，既各有法。则半闲半忙者，自可斟酌其间，而为修持法则也。
[Those] extremely idle [and] extremely busy, thereupon [can] each have [this] Dharma [Door for practice]. Then, those semi-idle [and] semi-busy, can personally deliberate [with] their time, then for practising [this] method 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》（正编）：与陈锡周书；
Dharma Master Yìnguāng’s Collected Writings (First Compilation): Reply Letter [To] Chén Xīzhōu;
印光大师文钞菁华录（第五十三）：三、示修持方法：甲、示念佛方法（第一则）
Record [Of] Great Master Yìnguāng’s Collected Writings’ Essence (53rd Short Section): 3rd [Chapter]: Guidance [On] Practice Methods: First, Guidance [On] Mindfulness [Of] Buddha’s Methods (1st Short Section)
[Ref: #53 / 3.1.1]
Namo Amituofo : Translation 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
