[284] 为什么说求生西方，比求来生做人容易?
[284] Why Say Seeking Birth [In The] Western [Pure Land], Compared [With] Seeking [In The] Future Life Becoming Human [Is] Easier?
◎ 人一生中所造罪业，不知多少。无量劫来所造罪业，更是无量无边。宿业若现，三途恶道，定规难逃。想再做人，千难万难。求生西方，仗佛力加被，宿世恶业容易消。纵未能消尽，以佛力故，不致偿报。今幸遇净土法门，当生信发愿，求生西方，则不负佛恩。
◎ [Summary]: [A] human, within one lifetime, [of] all created transgressive karmas, not known [is] how many [there are]. Immeasurable kalpas since, those created transgressive karmas, then are immeasurable [and] boundless. Past karmas, if manifesting, [the] three realms’ evil paths, [will] definitely [be] difficult [to] escape [from]. Thinking [of] again becoming human, [is with a] thousand difficulties [and] ten thousand difficulties. Seeking birth [in the] Western [Pure Land], relying on [the] Buddha’s power [of] blessings, past lives’ evil karmas [are] easily eliminated. Even if yet able [to be] eliminated completely, with [the] Buddha’s power thus, not leading to repaying [with] retribution. Now fortunately encountering [the] Pure Land Dharma Door, [there] should [be] giving rise [to] Faith [and] giving rise [to] Aspiration, [to] seek birth [in the] Western [Pure Land], then not betray [the] Buddha’s kindness.
又汝既皈依佛法念佛，当依佛教而行。佛教你求生西方，你偏不肯求生西方，偏要求来生。
Also, you, since [having] taken refuge [in the] Buddha’s teachings [to be] mindful [of] Buddha, should rely [on the] Buddha’s teachings and practise [accordingly. The] Buddha taught you [to] seek birth [in the] Western [Pure Land Of Ultimate Bliss (极乐世界), yet] you [are] stubbornly not willing [to] seek birth [in the] Western [Pure Land], stubbornly wanting [to] seek [a] future life.
[Note 1: The central purpose of taking refuge in the Triple Gem is to emulate the Saṃgha in learning and practising of the Buddha’s Dharma teachings for the liberation of one and all.]
你今活了几十年，不知经过多少回刀兵水旱饥馑疾疫等灾。
You [have] now lived for [a] few decades [already], not knowing [having] passed [through] how many rounds [of] wars, floods, droughts, famines, plagues [and] other disasters.
[Note 2: Such is the nature of prevalent suffering in this human realm, with increase of natural and human-made disasters in time to come, as this Dharma-Ending Age progresses, as the collective karma of humans worsen.]
若未遇佛法，不知出离之方。
If yet [to] encounter [the] Buddha’s teachings, [you will] not know [the] method [for] departure.
[Note 3: Practice of the Buddha’s teachings is for liberation of one and all. To learn, practise and share the Pure Land teachings is how this can both be done in this lifetime. To personally reach Pure Land is to be liberated. To encourage others to be reach Pure Land is how they can be liberated too.]
则莫有法子，只好任其死后轮回。
Then not having [a] way [out, you will] only have to bear your rebirth after death.
[Note 4: This rebirth refers to that in the rounds of rebirth as an ordinary being; not rebirth in Pure Land.]
今既遇佛法，且复皈依为佛弟子，偏偏不信佛的话，任自己的愚见，胡思乱想，想来生还做人。
Now, since [having] encountered [the] Buddha’s teachings, moreover again, [having] taken refuge as [the] Buddha’s disciple, [you are] deliberately contradicting, not believing [the] Buddha’s words, relying on personal foolish views, recklessly considering [and] confusedly thinking, thinking [of in the] future life still becoming human.
[Note 5: The Buddha repeatedly urged all to seek rebirth in the Western Pure Land.]
你要晓得来生做人，比临终往生还难。
You must know, [that in the] future life becoming human [again], compared [with when] approaching [life’s] end [being] reborn [in Pure Land, the first is] even more difficult.
[Note 6: It is also increasingly easy in this Dharma-Ending Age, with limited Self-Powered (自力) practice, to break the Five Precepts in this life, the observation of which are necessary for securing a human rebirth. If the human rebirth is lost, there will be fall into the three lower realms of hell-beings, hungry ghosts and animals. Even in the Buddha’s time, he taught in the Nakhasikhā Sutta, that like the little bit of dirt in one of his fingernails representing the relatively very few beings reborn as humans, who are ‘next to nothing’, those reborn in non-human realms are much more, like the dirt on the rest of the great earth. Thus, as humans, we should make good use of this life to secure our next rebirth, in where liberation is guaranteed. This safest place is Āmítuófó’s Pure Land.]
何以故？人一生中所造罪业，不知多少。
Why [is this] thus? [A] human, within one lifetime, [of] all created transgressive karmas, not known [is] how many [there are].
[Note 7: All other transgressive karma created in many past lives are not taken into account yet.]
别的罪有无且勿论，从小吃肉杀生之罪，实在多的了不得。
[With] other [lives’] transgressions existent [or] not moreover not [yet] discussed, from young, [the] transgressions of eating meat [and] killing lives, [are] truly [so] many, [that they] cannot [be] known.
[Note 8: These are just two common examples of how many transgressions have been created, as related to the First Precept. How the other four precepts have been and/or are being broken in the present and many past lives should be noted too, even if not remembered.]
要发大慈悲心，求生西方，待见佛得道后，度脱此等众生，则仗佛慈力，即可不偿此债。
[You] must give rise [to the] mind [of] great loving-kindness [and] compassion, [and] seek birth [in the] Western [Pure Land]. Awaiting [to] see [the] Buddha, after attaining [the] path, delivering [and] liberating these [and] other sentient beings, then relying on [the] Buddha’s compassionate power, then can [there be] no repaying [of] these [karmic] debts.
[Note 9: To completely repent for the suffering caused to sentient beings through breaking of precepts, there should be seeking of rebirth in Pure Land, so as to most swiftly train to be Bodhisattvas through learning from the Buddha, for delivering them to liberation.]
[Note 10: As rebirth in Pure Land is to attain liberation from all karmic rebirths, all karmic debts to other beings will be eliminated.]
若求来生，则无大道心，纵修行的工夫好，其功德有限。
If seeking [the] future life [as a human], then [is it] without [the] great path’s mind. Even if cultivated practices’ skills [are] good, their meritorious virtues are limited.
[Note 11: To merely seek rebirth as a human is to not seek liberation of one and all, thus not being on the great path to Buddhahood.]
以系凡夫人我心做出来，故莫有大功德。
With bound ordinary beings’ minds [of attachment to] persons [and] self created, thus not having great meritorious virtues.
[Note 12: Even if there is aspiration to be reborn human to help other beings, one without substantial spiritual accomplishment in this lifetime will not be able to remember this aspiration in the next life, just as one cannot remember one’s immediate past life’s aspiration now. Not having realised non-self yet, meritorious virtues will naturally be limited.]
况汝从无量劫来，不知造到多少罪业。宿业若现，三途恶道，定规难逃。想再做人，千难万难。
Moreover, you from immeasurable kalpas since, [do] not know [you have] created how many transgressive karmas. Past karmas, if manifesting, [the] three realms’ evil paths, [will] definitely [be] difficult [to] escape [from]. Thinking [of] again becoming human, [is with a] thousand difficulties [and] ten thousand difficulties.
[Note 13: The first danger of not seeking rebirth in Pure Land is that there might be loss of the human rebirth. The second danger is that even if human rebirth is retained, there might be experience of more physical and spiritual dangers due to the regressive nature of the Dharma-Ending Age. The third danger is that after loss of the human rebirth, there will be fall into the three lower realms. The fourth danger is that after loss of the human rebirth, it will be extremely difficult to regain the human rebirth. The fifth danger is that after regaining the human rebirth, the whole cycle above might repeat, with liberation still afar, if not even further.]
是故说求生西方，比求来生做人尚容易。以仗佛力加被故，宿世恶业容易消。纵未能消尽，以佛力故，不致偿报。
Therefore, saying [that] seeking birth [in the] Western [Pure Land], compared [with] seeking [in the] future life [to] become human, [the first is] yet easier. With relying on [the] Buddha’s power [of] blessings thus, past lives’ evil karmas [are] easily eliminated. Even if yet able [to be] eliminated completely, with [the] Buddha’s power thus, not leading to repaying [with] retribution.
[Note 14: With the Buddha’s great Other-Power (他力) too, it is easier to be reborn in his Pure Land, than to be reborn human. With sincere and diligent practice of mindfulness of Buddha in everyday life now, it will be naturally more difficult to break the precepts too, which connects to his blessings to eliminate transgressive karma now, not only when about to reach Pure Land or after reaching it. Reaching Pure Land surpasses the human rebirth and escapes the three lower realms. With its pure environment there, no precepts will ever be broken again, with swiftest progress towards Buddhahood enabled.]
《复智正居士之母书》
Reply Reply Letter [To] Mother Of Layperson Zhìzhèng
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
相关教理
Related Teachings:
来生做人比往生净土难
[48] In The Future Life Becoming Human Is Harder Than Being Reborn In Pure Land
为何破见重过破戒？
Why Is Breaking Right Views Worse Than Breaking Precepts?
如何知道那些是该接受的教理？
How To Know Which Are The Right Teachings To Receive?
https://purelanders.com/2017/07/26/why-is-it-easier-to-reach-pure-land-than-to-retain-human-rebirth
