鹦鹉往生净土记
[117] Record Of A Parrot Reborn In Pure Land
◎ 唐 • 鹦鹉
Táng [Dynasty]: Parrot
【往生鹦鹉】
[Reborn Parrot]
唐河东裴氏家，有鹦鹉，以其名载梵经，常狎而敬之。
[In the] Táng [Dynasty], Hédōng’s Péi family had [a] parrot. With its ‘name’ recorded [in the] Sanskrit sūtras [i.e. such as the Amitābha Sūtra《阿弥陀经》], [they] constantly got close to and revered him.
告以六斋之禁，比及辰后，非时之食，终夕不视。
[After] telling [him to] accord with prohibitions of [the] Six Purification [Days], when after early morning [i.e. 11 am], of food [at the] wrong time, [to the] end [of the] night, [he did] not look at [it].
[Note 1: The prohibitions of the Six Purification Days (六斋日) are the Eight Precepts (八戒), to be upheld on every lunar month’s 8th, 14th, 15th, 23rd, 29th and 30th days (or 28th days for minor months [小月] without the 30th days): https://purelanders.com/2018/06/29/eight-precepts-ceremony.]
或教以持佛名号者，当自有念以至无念，则仰首奋翼，若承若听。
Perhaps [when there are] those teaching [him to be] with upholding [of the] Buddha’s name [i.e. Āmítuófó (阿弥陀佛)], [that it] should [be] from having recitation [or thought] until [being] ‘without’ recitation [or thought], [he would] then look upwards [with his] head [and] beat [his] wings, [as] if accepting [and as] if understanding [this].
[Note 2: The teaching was to be so mindful that there is no separation from that mindful of, thus as if with mindfulness yet ‘without’ mindfulness (念而无念).]
其后或俾之念佛，则默然而不答；或谓之不念，即唱言「阿弥陀佛」。
After that, perhaps [when] making him recite [the] Buddha’s [name], then silent and not answering; perhaps [when] calling him [to] not [be] reciting, [he] thus calls ‘Āmítuófó’ loudly.
每虗室戒曙，发和雅音，穆如笙竽，念念相续。闻者莫不洒然。
Every [time in an] empty room, [at the] break [of] dawn, [he would] give rise [to] harmonious [and] elegant sounds, [that are] beautiful like [a] reedpipe [and] woodwind instrument, [with] recitation [after] recitation [in] continuous succession. Those listening [were with] none not happy [and] delighted.
贞元十九年七月，悴而不怿。
[In] Zhēnyuán’s 19th year’s [i.e. 803 C.E.] 7th month, [he was] haggard [and] not joyful.
驯养者知其将尽，乃鸣磬告曰：「将西归乎？为尔击磬。尔其存念，每一击磬，一称阿弥陀佛。」
That [person who] tamed [and] nurtured [him], knowing his [life was] going [to] end, thus sounded [a guiding] bell [and] told [him, ‘Are you] going [to] “return” [to the] West[ern Pure Land? I] will for you strike [the guiding] bell. You [should with] it retain mindfulness, [with] every one strike [of the guiding] bell, [have] one recitation [of] “Āmítuófó”.’
[Note 3: The crisp and clear ‘bright’ sounding of the bell helps to ensure wakefulness and pace the recitation.]
暨十击磬而十念成，敛羽委足，不震不仆，奄然而绝。
Reaching ten strikes [of the guiding] bell, then [with] ten recitations accomplished, [he] folded back [his] wings [and] bent [his] legs. Not shaking [and] not falling, suddenly thus, [he] then died.
[Note 4: This happens to align with Āmítuófó’s Eighteenth Vow Of Those With Ten Thoughts All Born In My Land (第十八：十念皆生我国愿): ‘If I attain Buddhahood, of the ten directions’ sentient beings, with the sincere mind of joyful faith, desiring birth in my land, and even with ten thoughts, if there are those not born there, I shall not obtain Right Awakening. Only excluded are those with the Five Heinous Transgressions, who slandered [the] Right Dharma.’ (设我得佛，十方众生，至心信乐，欲生我国，乃至十念，若不生者，不取正觉。唯除五逆，诽谤正法。)
As all sentient beings have Buddha-nature (佛性), there are none of whom Āmítuófó, with his great compassion, is not willing to receive and guide (接引) to his Pure Land, including small animals and insects.]
闍维，得舍利十余粒，节度使韦皋为之记。
[After his] cremation, attaining śarīras [of] more [than] ten ‘grains’, [this was] by [the] military commissioner Wéi Gāo that recorded.
[Note 5: The biggest lesson from the parrot for us, is that if he, as an animal could practise mindfulness of Āmítuófó sincerely with the Three Provisions (三资粮), to reach his Pure Land (净土) relatively easily and successfully, so too should we, as humans, aspire to do so, with regular and diligent practice.]
《佛祖通载》
Buddhas [And] Patriarchs’ Common Records
《净土圣贤录》：
Record [Of] Pure Land’s Noble Sages:
录九 • 往生物类第八
Ninth Scroll: Eighth [Section On] Reborn Kinds [Of] Animals
清彭希涑撰
Compiled [By] Qīng [Dynasty’s] Péng Xīsù
Namo Amituofo : Translation and notes by Shen Shi’an
相关教理
Related Teachings:
净土之妙鸟妙音
[24] Pure Land’s Wonderful Birds And Their Wonderful Sounds
https://purelanders.com/2019/10/08/pure-lands-wonderful-birds-their-wonderful-songs
若鸟亦可往生净土，何况人？
[177] [115] If Birds Also Can Be Reborn In Pure Land, What More Humans?
https://purelanders.com/2025/03/25/177-if-birds-also-can-be-reborn-in-pure-land-what-more-humans
八八儿口生莲华
[114] [37] From Bābā’er’s Mouth Grew A Lotus Flower
May Amigo’s Best Friend Be Āmítuófó!
https://purelanders.com/2024/11/21/37-from-babaers-mouth-grew-a-lotus-flower
阿弥陀佛如何以化成鹦鹉的十二种方便引导往生净土
[19] How Āmítuófó Manifested To Guide To His Pure Land With Twelve Skilful Means As A Parrot
https://purelanders.com/2020/06/04/how-amituofo-manifested-to-guide-to-his-pure-land-with-twelve-skilful-means-as-a-parrot
[118] How Our Bird Sprouty Hopped Onto Āmítuófó’s Palm
https://purelanders.com/2025/02/13/118-how-our-bird-sprouty-hopped-onto-amituofos-palm
