[36]《阿弥陀经》的要义是什么？
[36] What Is [The] Essential Meaning [Of The] Amitā[bha] Sūtra?
◎ 说净土依正妙果令生信，劝闻者，应求往生以发愿，令行者，执持名号以立行，信，愿，行三，为净土法门之纲宗。
◎ [Summary]: [That] spoken [on the] Pure Land’s circumstantial [and] direct wonderful fruits [to] enable giving rise [to] Faith, [is to] encourage listeners, [who] should seek rebirth with giving rise [to] Aspiration, [and] enable practitioners, [to] firmly uphold [Āmítuófó’s (阿弥陀佛)] name for establishing Practice. [With] Faith, Aspiration [and] Practice, [these] three, [they] are [the] guiding principles [of the] Pure Land Dharma Door.
于舍卫国，给孤独园，说净土依正妙果令生信，劝闻者，应求往生以发愿，令行者，执持名号以立行。
In Śrāvastī City’s Giver-[To]-Orphans-[And-The]-Lonely’s Grove, [that] spoken [on the] Pure Land’s circumstantial [and] direct wonderful fruits [to] enable giving rise [to] Faith, [is to] encourage listeners, [who] should seek rebirth with giving rise [to] Aspiration, [and] enable practitioners, [to] firmly uphold [Āmítuófó’s (阿弥陀佛)] name for establishing Practice.
信，愿，行三，为净土法门之纲宗。
[With] Faith, Aspiration [and] Practice, [these] three, [they] are [the] guiding principles [of the] Pure Land Dharma Door.
具此三法，或毕生执持，已得一心。或临终方闻，止称十念，均得蒙佛接引，往生西方。是《阿弥陀经》……
Complete [with] these three Dharma [teachings], perhaps [for] all [of] one’s life firmly upholding [the Buddha’s name], already attaining wholeheartedness. Perhaps [when] approaching [life’s] end then hearing [it], only reciting ten thoughts, all [will] attain receiving [of the] Buddha’s reception [and] guidance, [for] rebirth [in the] Western [Pure Land Of Ultimate Bliss] [西方极乐世界]. [This] is [the] Amitā[bha] Sūtra…
《阿弥陀经》，言简义丰，摄机尤普。以故禅、教、律诸宗，皆奉为日课焉。
[The] Amitā[bha] Sūtra, [is with] words concise [and] meanings abundant, [with] gathering [of] capacities especially universal. Therefore, [of] Chán, [Sūtra] Teachings [and] Vinaya, all traditions, all offer [it] as [part of their] daily chanting [practices].
《灵岩山笃修净土道场启建大殿记》
(Língyánshān Sincere Building [Of] Pure Land’s Place [For Practising The] Path’s Commencement [And] Construction [Of] Great Hall’s Record)
求其文简义丰，词约理富，三根普被，九界同遵，下手易而成功高，用力少而得效速，笃修一行，圆成万德，顿令因心，即契果觉者，其唯《佛说阿弥陀经》欤！
Seeking that [with] text concise [and] meanings abundant, phrases brief [and] principles rich, [with the] three roots universally covered, [that the] nine realms [can] together follow, [with] starting [of practice] easy, yet [with] success high, [with] exerting [of] efforts little, yet attaining results quickly, [it is with] sincere cultivating [of the] one practice [of mindfulness of Āmítuófó’s name (阿弥陀佛)], that completely accomplishes [the] ten thousand virtues. Suddenly enabling [the] causal [ground’s] mind, [to] immediately agree [with the] fruit [ground’s] awakening, it [is] only [with the] Sūtra [In Which The] Buddha Speaks [Of] Amitā[bha Buddha]!
良由一闻依正庄严，上善俱会，则真信生而切愿发，有若决江河而莫御之势焉。
Truly, because [of] once hearing [about the Pure Land’s] circumstantial [and] direct adornments, [with those of] superior goodness together meeting [there], then [with] true Faith arisen and sincere Aspiration given rise, [these] have [the] power of [that] like breached streams [and] rivers, [that] cannot [be] resisted then.
从兹挙挙服膺，执持万德洪名，念兹在兹，以至一心不乱。
From now [on, with] every [thought] raised, sincerely bearing [it] in mind, firmly uphold [the] great name [of] ten thousand virtues. Mindful [of] this in [the] here and] now [i.e. from thought to thought not forgetting it], leading to wholeheartedness without [being] scattered.
能如是，则现生已预圣流，临终随佛往生，开佛知见，同佛受用。
Able [to do] thus, then [in this] present life already [in] advance [entering the] noble stream, [when] approaching [life’s] end, following [the] Buddha [to be] reborn [in his Pure Land], opening [to the] Buddha’s knowing [and] seeing, [to be] similar [to the] Buddha [in] receiving [his] benefits.
是知持名一法，括囊万行。全事即理，全妄即真。因该果海，果彻因源。
[It] is [to be] known [that] upholding [Āmítuófó’s] name, [this] one Dharma [Door], includes [and] brings together [the] ten thousand practices. Complete practices [are] thus [the] principles, [and the] completely ‘false’ [is] thus [the] true. [With the] cause possessing [the] effect’s ocean, [and the] effect pervading [the] cause’s source.
诚可谓归元之捷径，入道之要门。
[This] truly can [be] called [the] shortcut of returning [to the] fundamental, [the] essential door of entering [the] path.
古德谓余学道，如蚁子上于高山；念佛往生，似风帆扬于顺水，良有以也。
Ancient virtuous [ones] say others learning [the] path, [are] like ants going up [a] high mountain. Mindfulness [of Āmítuó]fó [for] rebirth [in his Pure Land, is] similar to [a] sailing boat hoisting [its sail to] follow [the] current. [It] has [this] very reason.
《重刻佛说阿弥陀经序》
(Preface [For] Re-carving [Of The] Sūtra [In Which The] Buddha Speaks [Of] Amitā[bha Buddha])
宝塔巍巍耸太空，无边法藏悉包融。
极乐庄严全显现，弥陀光寿总形容。
[With] treasure pagodas towering, rising [into] space, boundless Dharma treasuries [are] all included harmoniously. [The Land Of] Ultimate Bliss’ adornments’ complete appearances, [are by Ā]mítuó[fó’s] light [and] life, in summary described.
六方诸佛常赞叹，九界众生尽朝宗。
归根结顶高深处，只在洪名一句中。
[The] six directions’ all Buddhas constantly highly praise [them, for the] nine realms’ sentient beings [to] all have audience [with the Dharma] King [法王]. [For] returning roots [to] form [on the] peak, [at the] highly profound place, [it is] only within [his] great name’s one line [of Āmítuófó (阿弥陀佛)].
《阿弥陀经塔赞》
Amitā[bha] Sūtra’s Pagoda’s Praise
净土宗十三祖印光大师
Pure Land Tradition’s 13th Patriarch Great Master Yìnguāng
《印光法师答念佛600问》
Dharma Master Yìnguāng’s Answers [For] Mindfulness [Of] Buddha’s 600 Questions
释宗柱法师审阅
[By] Dharma Master Shì Zōngzhù Reviewed
Namo Amituofo : Translation and notes by Shen Shi’an
相关经典
Related Sūtra:
《阿弥陀经》
Amitābha Sūtra?
https://purelanders.com/sutra
相关教理
Related Teachings:
持名一法，括囊万行
[316] The One Dharma Door Of Upholding The Buddha’s Name Includes And Brings Together The Ten Thousand Practices
https://purelanders.com/2022/03/18/the-one-dharma-door-of-upholding-the-buddhas-name
