为一大事因缘，佛出广长舌相
For One Great Matter’s Cause [And] Condition, [The] Buddhas Extend [The] Broad [And] Long Tongue’s Form
【经】：各【佛】于其国出广长舌相，遍覆三千大千世界。
[Sūtra]: Each [i.e. Buddha] in his land, extend [the] broad [and] long tongue’s form, [that] covers completely [his] three-thousandfold great-thousandfold world.
…【钞】：…言大事者，《法华》云：「佛为一大事因缘故，出现于世，谓令众生皆入佛乘故。」
… [Collected Writings]: … Speaking [of] that ‘great matter’, [the Wonderful] Dharma [Lotus] Flower [Sūtra]《妙法莲华经》says, ‘[The] Buddhas, for one great matter’s cause [and] condition thus, appear in worlds, which [is to] enable sentient beings [to] all enter [the] Buddha Vehicle thus.’
今赞净土，现此舌相，则知净土法门是为大事，同《法华》也。苟非大事，则所谓「割鸡焉用牛刀」也？…
Now praising [the] Pure Land, appearing [with] this tongue’s form, then knowing [the] Pure Land Dharma Door is as [that] great matter, [the] same [as the] Dharma Flower’s. If not [for that] great matter, [this is] then so-called, ‘[For] cutting [a] chicken, why use [an] ox cleaver?’…
十方三世佛，皆赞叹此经
[The] Ten Directions’ Three Periods’ Buddhas All Highly Praise This Sūtra
【疏】：又十方者，且就横说，若竖说者，通乎三际，无不赞叹。
[Commentary]: Furthermore, [of] those [Buddhas in the] ten directions, [this is] only just horizontally speaking [in terms of space]. If vertically speaking [in terms of time], penetrating those three periods [of past, present and future, the Buddhas are] without [those] not praising highly.
【钞】：以方例世，则前乎迦叶，乃至过去无量诸佛，后乎弥勒，乃至未来无量诸佛，必其广长舌相亦遍覆三际也。
[Collected Writings]: With [this] direction’s examples [of] periods, then in [the] past [were] Kāśyapa [Buddha], and even past immeasurable all Buddhas. In [the] future [are] Maitreya [Buddha], and even future immeasurable all Buddhas. [They] will [be, with] their broad [and] long tongue form, also completely cover [the] three periods.
诸佛相同，则心同、智同、愿同，既六方赞叹此经，知三世诸佛亦必赞叹此经，如六方也，所谓无间说者是也。
[As] all Buddhas [are the] same [as] one another, [they are] then [with] minds [the] same, wisdom [the] same, [and] vows [the] same, thereupon [do the] six directions’ [Buddhas] highly praise this sūtra. Know [that the] three periods’ all Buddhas, also will highly praise this sūtra, like those [in the] six directions too, [who are] so-called uninterruptedly speaking this.
有情无情，出广长舌
[The] Sentient [And] Non-Sentient [Both] Extend [The] Broad [And] Long Tongue
【疏】：称理，则自性周法界，是广长舌义。
[Commentary]: [That] matching principles, then [with] self-nature universally [everywhere in the] Dharma Realm, is broad [and] long tongue’s meaning.
【钞】：古谓溪声即是广长舌，然则广长舌相不独诸佛有之，众生有之，即万象皆有之，是故情与无情融成一舌，舌即法界，法界即舌，说遍覆时，已成双橛。…
[Collected Writings]: [As] ancient [ones] say, mountain streams’ sounds are the same as [those of] broad [and] long tongues, then, [the] broad [and] long tongue’s form [is] not only that [which] all Buddhas have, [as] sentient beings have it, [and] even [the] ten thousand [non-sentient] forms all have it [too]. Therefore, [the] sentient and non-sentient merge [to] become one tongue, [with this] tongue the same as [the] Dharma Realm, [and the] Dharma Realm the same as [this] tongue. When speaking, completely covering [all, they] already become [a] pair [of (‘dualistic’)] pillars [declaring truths]…
代佛弘赞净土，即是报佛深恩
Representing Buddhas [To] Propagate [And] Praise [The] Pure Land [Teachings] Is The Same As Repaying [The] Buddhas’ Deep Kindness
【钞】：… 明智者，当为世人决疑起信，在在处处，弘赞流通【净土法门】，即是代诸佛出广长舌，即是报佛深恩…
[Collected Writings]: … Those wise, should for [the] world’s people, resolve doubts [to] give rise [to] Faith, everywhere propagate [and] praise, transmit [and] spread [the Pure Land Dharma Door, which] is the same as representing all Buddhas [to] extend [their] broad [and] long tongues, the same as repaying [the] Buddhas’ deep kindness…
净土宗八祖莲池大师
Pure Land Tradition’s 8th Patriarch Great Master Liánchí
《佛说阿弥陀经疏钞》
(Collected Writings [On] Commentary [On The] Sūtra [In Which The] Buddha Speaks [Of] Amitā[bha] Buddha)
Namo Amituofo : Translation by Shen Shi’an
