净土十疑论 (1)
Treatise on Ten Doubts
about Pure Land (Part 1)
隋(suī)天台智者大师说
As Taught by Great Master Zhi Zhe of Sui Dynasty (581-618)
(Translated to English by Shen Shi'an 沈时安)
第一疑: 舍离众生疑
问曰。
诸佛菩萨以大悲为业。若欲救度众生。秖(zhǐ;only)应愿生三界。于五浊三途中。救苦众生。
因何求生净土。自安其身。舍离众生。则是无大慈悲。专为自利障菩提道。
The First Doubt: Doubt of
Abandoning Sentient Beings
Question: All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas have Great
Compassion as their action. If we aspire to save and deliver
sentient beings, we should only aspire to be born in the Three
Spheres, within the Five Corruptions and Three (Lower) Paths, to
save suffering sentient beings. For what reason should we aspire to
be born in Pure Land? To personally abide in tranquility, to
forsake sentient beings, is thus lacking in great loving-kindness
and compassion. To focus on self-benefit obstructs the Path to
Bodhi.
答曰。 菩萨有二种。 一者久修行菩萨道。 得无生忍者。 实当所责。
二者未得已还及初发心凡夫。 凡夫菩萨者。 要须常不离佛。 忍力成就。 方堪处三界内。 于恶世中。
救苦众生。
Answer: There are two types of Bodhisattvas. The
first have cultivated the Bodhisattva path for a long time, and
attained the Tolerance [Patience] of Non-Birth [insight into the
non-origination of dharmas]. This reproach really applies to them.
The second are those who have not attained it, and ordinary beings
who have just developed the Bodhi Mind [Bodhicitta]. Ordinary
Bodhisattvas need to always never be away from Buddha[s] to perfect
this power of Tolerance. Then can they enter the Three Spheres
within this evil world [age], to save suffering sentient
beings.
故智度论云。 具缚(fù)凡夫。
有大悲心愿生恶世。 救苦众生者。 无有是处。
As the Perfection of Wisdom Treatise (Mahaprajnaparamita Sastra)
states: 'For ordinary beings bound by afflictions [to the cycle of
life and death by the Three Poisons], who have the mind of Great
Compassion to aspire to be born in this evil world [age], to save
suffering sentient beings, there is no appropriate place
[within].
何以故。 恶世界烦恼强。 自无忍力。 心随境转。 声色所缚。 自堕三途。
焉(yān)能救众生。
Why is this so? Afflictions of this evil age and world are
powerful. One who lacks the power of Tolerance [of Non-Birth] will
have one’s mind swayed by [changing] conditions, enslaved by sounds
and forms. With oneself falling into the Three Paths, how can one
save sentient beings?
或因施戒修福。 得生人中。
得作国王大臣富贵自在。
Or if one practised generosity, morality and cultivated blessings,
and is born in the human realm, becoming a country’s king, great
official, attaining wealth, honour and comfort
[non-restraint].
纵(zòng)遇善知识。
不肯信用。 贪迷放逸。 广造众罪。 乘此恶业。 一入三途。 经无量劫。
Even if one meets good knowing advisors, one refuses to have faith
and follow their advice. Greedily obsessed and lax, one creates
great and many kinds of misgivings. Through such evil karma, once
one enters the Three Paths, immeasurable kalpas are
experienced.
从地狱出。 受贫贱身。 若不逢善知识。 还堕地狱。 如此轮回。 至于今日。 人人皆如是。
此名难行道也。
After leaving the hells, one is reborn as a poor and lowly human.
If one does not come across good knowing advisors, one will still
fall into the hells. Being reborn as such, to as far as this
present day. Everyone is like so. This is called the “Path of
Difficult Practice.”’
故维摩经云。 自疾(jí)不能救。
而能救诸疾人。
As the Vimalakirti Sutra states, 'If your own disease cannot be
cured, how can you cure all who are diseased?'
又智度论云。 譬如二人各有亲眷。 为水所溺。 人情急。 直入水救。 为无方便力故。
彼此俱没。
The Perfection of Wisdom Treatise further states: 'For example,
like two persons, each has relatives who are being drowned by
water. One person is anxious, and directly enters the water to save
[another]. Due to lack in skilful strength, they sink with each
other together.
一人有方便。 往取船筏。 乘之救接。
悉皆得脱水溺之难。
One person has skilful means, and goes to get a boat. Relying on it
to save and receive, all attain liberation from the disaster of
drowning.
新发意菩萨。 亦复如是。 未得忍力。 不能救众生。 为此常须近佛。 得无生忍已。
方能救众生。 如得船者。
Newly aspiring Bodhisattvas are also like so [i.e. the first
person], not having attained the power of Tolerance yet, and cannot
save sentient beings. Due to this, they often need to be near
Buddha(s). After attaining the Tolerance of Non-Birth, then can
they save sentient beings, like the person who has the boat.'
又论云。 譬如婴儿不得离母。 若也离母。 或堕坑井。
渴乳而死。
The Treatise further states: 'For example, this is like a baby who
should not leave the mother. If the mother is also left [behind],
the baby might fall into a well, or die from thirst for milk.
又如鸟子翅羽未成。 秖(zhǐ:
only)得依树傅枝。 不能远去。 翅翮(hé)成就。 方能飞空。
自在无碍。
Also like a baby bird, whose wings and feathers are not yet fully
developed, who only relies on trees, sticking to branches, and
cannot go far. When the wings are developed, then can it fly to the
sky, with ease and no obstacles.
凡夫无力。唯得专念阿弥陀佛。
使成三昧。
Ordinary beings lack the power of Tolerance. The only way is to
focus on mindfulness of Amituofo, to develop Samadhi.
以业成故。
临终敛(liǎn:gather)念得生。 决定不疑。
见弥陀佛。
As this action is accomplished, before dying, their mindfulness is
gathered. Resolute and without doubt, they will see [meet] Amituofo
[Amita(bha) Buddha].
证无生忍已。 还来三界。 乘无生忍船。 救苦众生。 广施佛事。
任意自在。
Having attained the Tolerance of Non-Birth, they return to the
Three Spheres. Relying on the boat of Tolerance of Non-Birth,
saving suffering sentient beings, widely practising generosity, and
accomplishing deeds of the Buddha at will and with ease.’
故论云。 游戏地狱。 行者生彼国。 得无生忍已。 还入生死国。 教化地狱。
救苦众生。
Thus the Treatise states: 'Able to course freely in the hells, the
practitioner who is born in that land, having attained the
Tolerance of Non-Birth, returns into the lands of life and death,
to teach and transform hell beings, to save suffering sentient
beings.
以是因缘。 求生净土。 愿识其教。 故十住婆沙论。
名易行道也。
With these as the causes and conditions, one should aspire to be
born in Pure Land, and aspire to know this teaching. As such, in
the Treatise on the Ten Abodes of Bodhisattvas (Dasa
Bhumika
Vibhasa
Sastra),
this is called the "Easy Path of Practice".'