第五疑
Question 5
問：「具縛凡夫，惡業厚重，一切煩惱，一毫未斷。西方淨土，出過三界，具縛凡夫，云何得生？」
Someone asked: "An ordinary person who is still bound by all forms of attachment has a heavy burden of negative karma, and has not yet severed even a single strand of their afflictions. The Western Pure Land, however, exists beyond the three realms. How can such a person ever be reborn there?"
答：「有二種緣：一者、自力；二者、他力。自力者，此世界修道，實未得生淨土。是故《瓔珞經》云：『始從具縛凡夫，未識三寶，不知善、惡因之與果。初發菩提心，以信為本，住在佛家，以戒為本。受菩薩戒，身身相續，戒行不闕，經一劫、二劫、三劫，始至初發心住；如是修行十信、十波羅蜜等無量行願，相續無間，滿一萬劫，方始至第六正心住；若更增進，至第七不退住，即種性位。』此約自力，卒未得生淨土。他力者，若信阿彌陀佛大悲願力，攝取念佛眾生，即能發菩提心，行念佛三昧，厭離三界，身起行施、戒、修福，於一一行中，迴願生彼彌陀淨土，乘佛願力，機、感相應，即得往生。是故《十住婆沙論》云：『於此世界修道有二種：一者、難行道；二者、易行道。』難行者，在於五濁惡世，於無量佛時，求阿鞞跋致，甚難可得。此難，無數塵沙說不可盡，略述三五：一者、外道相善，亂菩薩法；二者、無賴惡人，破他勝德；三者、顛倒善果，能壞梵行；四者、聲聞自利，障於大慈；五者、唯有自力，無他力持。譬如跛人步行，一日不過數里，極大辛苦，謂自力也。易行道者，謂信佛語教念佛三昧，願生淨土，乘彌陀佛願力，攝持決定，往生不疑也。如人水路行，藉船力故，須臾即至千里，謂他力也。譬如劣夫從轉輪王，一日、一夜周行四天下，非是自力，轉輪王力也。若言有漏凡夫不得生淨土者，亦可有漏凡夫應不得見佛身。然念佛三昧，並無漏善根所起，有漏凡夫，隨分得見佛身麁相也；菩薩見微細相。淨土亦爾，雖是無漏善根所起，有漏凡夫發無上菩提心，求生淨土常念佛，故伏滅煩惱，得生淨土，隨分得見麁相；菩薩見微妙相。此何所疑？故《華嚴經》說：『一切諸佛剎，平等普嚴淨，眾生業行異，所見各不同。』即其義也。」
Answer: "There are two kinds of conditions: one is self-power; the other is other-power. With self-power, one cultivates the path in this world and truly cannot yet achieve rebirth in the Pure Land. Therefore, the *Yingluo Sutra* says: 'Beginning from a being bound by afflictions, who has not yet recognized the Three Jewels, and does not know the causes and effects of good and evil, one first gives rise to the mind of enlightenment with faith as its foundation. Dwelling in the Buddha's family is based on moral precepts. Receiving the bodhisattva precepts, maintaining pure conduct continuously, life after life, for one, two, or three kalpas, one finally reaches the stage of initial resolve. Cultivating like this the ten faiths, ten paramitas, and countless other practices and vows, continuously without interruption, for a full ten thousand kalpas, one only then reaches the sixth stage, the stage of a right-minded mind. If one advances further to the seventh stage, the stage of non-retrogression, that is the stage of the spiritual nature.' This refers to self-power, which is ultimately difficult to achieve rebirth in the Pure Land. Other-power means that if one believes in Amitabha Buddha's great compassionate vow-power, which embraces and rescues beings who recite his name, one can then give rise to the mind of enlightenment, practice the Buddha-recitation samadhi, become weary of and reject the Three Realms, and physically engage in acts of giving, keeping precepts, and cultivating merit. In each and every practice, one dedicates the merit and vows to be reborn in that Amitabha's Pure Land. Relying on the Buddha's vow-power, the practitioner's potential and the Buddha's response correspond, and one attains rebirth. Therefore, the *Dasabhūmika-vibhāṣā-śāstra* says: 'Cultivating the path in this world has two kinds: one is the difficult path; the other is the easy path.' The difficult path means that in this evil world of the Five Turbidities, seeking the stage of non-retrogression through countless Buddhas, it is extremely hard to attain. This difficulty is beyond what can be explained in countless numbers of dust motes; I will briefly mention three or five: first, the seeming goodness of externalist teachings confuses the bodhisattva path; second, unscrupulous evil people destroy others' noble virtues; third, perverted good results can ruin pure conduct; fourth, the self-benefiting attitude of Hearers hinders great compassion; fifth, one has only self-power, without the support of other-power. It is like a lame person walking, covering only a few miles in a day, enduring great hardship—this is self-power. The easy path means to believe in the Buddha's teaching, practice the Buddha-recitation samadhi, and vow to be reborn in the Pure Land. Relying on the strength of Amitabha Buddha's vow, one is surely upheld and reborn without doubt. It is like traveling by water: by relying on the power of a boat, one can instantly travel a thousand miles—this is other-power. It is like a weak man with a wheel-turning king, traveling the four continents in a single day and night; it is not his own power, but the power of the wheel-turning king. If someone says that impure ordinary beings cannot attain rebirth in the Pure Land, then it would also follow that impure ordinary beings cannot see the Buddha's body. However, the Buddha-recitation samadhi arises from the basis of pure, undefiled roots of goodness; impure ordinary beings, according to their capacity, see the coarse appearance of the Buddha's body; Bodhisattvas see the subtle appearance. The Pure Land is also like this; although it arises from pure, undefiled roots of goodness, impure ordinary beings, having given rise to the unsurpassed mind of enlightenment seeking rebirth in the Pure Land and constantly reciting the Buddha's name, thereby subdue and eliminate afflictions, attain rebirth in the Pure Land, and according to their capacity see the coarse appearance; Bodhisattvas see the subtle appearance. Why should this be doubted? Therefore, the *Avatamsaka Sutra* says: 'All the Buddha-lands are equally and universally adorned and pure; but due to the differences in sentient beings' karma and actions, what they see is not the same.' This is the meaning of that."