淨土十疑論序
Preface to the Ten Doubts on the Pure Land
宋無為子楊傑述
Composed by Yang Jie, Son of Song Wuwei
愛不重不生娑婆，念不一不生極樂。娑婆，穢土也；極樂，淨土也。娑婆之壽有量；彼土之壽則無量矣。娑婆備諸苦；彼土則安養無苦矣。娑婆隨業轉輪生死；彼土一往則永證無生法忍，若願度生，則任意自在，不為諸業轉矣。其淨穢、壽量、苦樂、生死，如是差別，而眾生冥然不知，可不哀哉？
If attachments are not strong, one would not be born into the Saha world. If the mind is not unified, one cannot reach the Land of Ultimate Bliss. The Saha world is a land of impurity; the Land of Ultimate Bliss is a land of purity. Lifespan in the Saha world is limited; in that land, it is unlimited. The Saha world is filled with all kinds of suffering; that land offers peace, nourishment, and freedom from suffering. In the Saha world, beings revolve in the cycle of birth and death according to their karma. In that land, once there, one eternally realizes the patient endurance of the unborn truth. If one wishes to help beings, one can do so freely, no longer driven by karma. Such are the differences between impurity and purity, limited and unlimited lifespans, suffering and joy, birth and death. Yet sentient beings remain utterly unaware of this—is that not truly lamentable?
阿彌陀佛，淨土攝受之主也；釋迦如來，指導淨土之師也。觀音、勢至，助佛揚化者也。是以如來一代教典，處處叮嚀，勸往生也。
Amitabha is the lord who welcomes beings into the Pure Land; Shakyamuni Tathagata is the teacher who guides us towards that Pure Land. Guanyin and Mahasthamaprapta are the ones who assist the Buddha in spreading this teaching. That is why, throughout all the scriptures of Shakyamuni's lifetime, again and again, he earnestly urges us to seek rebirth in the Pure Land.
阿彌陀佛與觀音、勢至，乘大願船，泛生死海，不著此岸、不留彼岸、不止中流，唯以濟度為佛事。是故《阿彌陀經》云：「若有善男子、善女人，聞說阿彌陀佛，執持名號，若一日乃至七日，一心不亂。其人臨命終時，阿彌陀佛與諸聖眾現在其前，是人終時，心不顛倒，即得往生極樂國土。」又經云：「十方眾生，聞我名號，憶念我國，植諸德本，至心迴向，欲生我國，不果遂者，不取正覺。」所以祇洹精舍無常院，令病者面西，作往生淨土想。蓋彌陀光明遍照法界念佛眾生，攝取不捨。聖、凡一體，機、感相應。諸佛心內眾生，塵塵極樂；眾生心中淨土，念念彌陀。
Amitabha Buddha, together with Guanyin and Mahasthamaprapta, ride the great ship of vows across the ocean of birth and death. They do not cling to this shore, nor remain on the far shore, nor stop in mid-current. Their only work is to rescue and deliver beings. Therefore, the *Amitabha Sutra* says: “If a good man or good woman hears of Amitabha Buddha and holds fast to his name for one day, two days, up to seven days, with a single-minded, undistracted heart, when that person’s life comes to an end, Amitabha Buddha and the holy assembly will appear before them. At that moment, with a mind free from confusion, they will be reborn in the Land of Ultimate Bliss.” Another sutra states: “If sentient beings in the ten directions hear my name, remember my land, plant roots of virtue, and sincerely dedicate their merits, wishing to be born in my land—yet fail to achieve this—may I not attain perfect enlightenment.” This is why the Infirmary at Jetavana Monastery had the sick face west, cultivating thoughts of rebirth in the Pure Land. For the light of Amitabha Buddha shines universally upon all beings who recite his name, drawing them in without abandoning them. Saints and ordinary beings are one; the call and the response are in perfect harmony. Within the minds of all Buddhas, every particle of dust is the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss; within the hearts of beings, every single thought is none other than Amitabha himself.
吾以是觀之，智慧者易生，能斷疑故；禪定者易生，不散亂故；持戒者易生，遠諸染故；布施者易生，不我有故；忍辱者易生，不瞋恚故；精進者易生，不退轉故；不造善、不作惡者易生，念能一故；諸惡已作、業報已現者易生，實慚懼故。雖有眾善，若無誠信心、無深心、無迴向發願心者，則不得上上品生矣。
I see that this is so: Those who cultivate wisdom are easily reborn, because they can cut through doubt. Those who practice meditation are easily reborn, because their minds are not scattered. Those who uphold moral discipline are easily reborn, because they stay away from all defilement. Those who practice generosity are easily reborn, because they do not cling to possessions. Those who practice patience are easily reborn, because they do not become angry. Those who practice diligence are easily reborn, because they never turn back. Those who neither do good nor commit evil are easily reborn, because their minds can focus on one thing. Those who have already done evil and whose karmic retribution has already appeared are easily reborn, because they truly feel shame and fear. But even if one has many good qualities, if there is no sincere faith, no profound mind, and no mind of dedication and aspiration, then one cannot achieve the highest level of rebirth.
噫！彌陀甚易持，淨土甚易往，眾生不能持、不能往，佛如眾生何？夫造惡業入苦趣，念彌陀生極樂，二者皆佛言也。世人憂墮地獄，而疑往生者，不亦惑哉？
Ah! Amitabha is so easy to hold in mind, and the Pure Land is so easy to reach. Yet sentient beings cannot hold him in mind, cannot reach it—what can the Buddha do for them? Committing evil deeds leads to the realms of suffering; reciting Amitabha's name leads to rebirth in the Land of Ultimate Bliss. Both of these are the Buddha's own words. People worry about falling into hell, yet doubt whether they will be reborn in the Pure Land—isn't this a confusion?
晉慧遠法師，與當時高士劉遺民等，結白蓮社於廬山，蓋致精誠於此爾。其後七百年，僧、俗修持，獲感應者非一，咸見于淨土傳記，豈誣也哉？
Master Huiyuan of the Jin Dynasty, together with the eminent scholar Liu Yimin and others, formed the White Lotus Society at Mount Lu, dedicating themselves with utmost sincerity to this practice. In the seven hundred years that followed, both monastics and laypeople who cultivated this path experienced countless spiritual responses—all recorded in the Pure Land biographies. How could these be false?
然贊輔彌陀教觀者，其書山積。唯天台智者大師《淨土十疑論》最為首冠，援引聖言，開決群惑，萬年闇室，日至而頓有餘光；千里水程，舟具而不勞自力，非法藏後身不能至於是也。
Among those who praise and support the teachings and contemplation of Amitabha, the writings are as numerous as mountains. Yet Master Zhiyi of the Tiantai school, in his *Ten Doubts About the Pure Land*, stands foremost. He draws upon sacred scriptures to resolve all kinds of confusion—like sunlight flooding a room that has been dark for ten thousand years, instantly filling it with light; or like a boat on a thousand-mile water journey, allowing one to travel without exhausting oneself. Only one who is an incarnation of Dharmakara (the being who became Amitabha Buddha) could have achieved such a work.
傑頃於都下甞獲斯文，讀示所知，無不生信，自遭酷罰，感寤益深，將廣其傳，因為序引(熙寧九年仲秋述)。
Recently in the capital, I came across this scripture. After sharing it with those I know, everyone who read it felt inspired with faith. But after experiencing great personal suffering and loss, my own understanding and awakening deepened even further. Wanting to spread this teaching more widely, I am writing this introduction. (Written in mid-autumn of the ninth year of the Xining era.)
淨土十疑論
Ten Doubts About Pure Land
隋、天台智者大師說
Great Master Zhiyi of Tiantai, Sui Dynasty