---
title: "淨土警語 · 名字說與金水若居士"
description: "淨土警語是清代高僧行策大師的著作。行策大師生於清初，是淨土宗的重要祖師，專弘淨土法門。該書彙集了大師對淨土教義的精闢闡釋，內容聚焦於念佛修行的方法、淨土往生的要領以及對修行者的警策與鼓勵，強調信願行三資糧的重要性。此著作語言簡練直指核心，在淨土宗典籍中具有極高權威性，被視為修學淨土法門的重要指南，對後世淨土行者影響深遠，是淨土宗根本經典之一。"
url: "https://rushiwowen.co/en/r/cmcz5g8o600vkju04tnq2flf2"
---

### 名字說與金水若居士

天台以六佛揀濫。初曰理性。次曰名字。始聞聖教。乃至明心見性。皆未出名字位。故知名字其時甚長。而其義亦甚深無量也。居士名善。字水若。達此名。識此字。於見性成佛之道。思過半矣。告子曰。性猶湍水也。決諸東方則東流。決諸西方則西流。人性之無分於善不善也。猶水之無分於東西也。異哉。告子之言性也。雖非儒宗中至義。乃翻有類乎如來之契經也。惜其屈於孟子之辯。而卒無以申明其說。是亦如蟲禦木耳。夫十法界本乎一心。則善不善法。皆性具明矣。所謂性中有染淨種子。故世出世間無有一法。而能外乎性。率性中淨種子而起現行。則為君子之道。謂之修善。率性中染種子而起現行。則為小人之道。謂之修惡。中庸曰。率性之謂道。孔子曰。道二。仁與不仁而已矣。道無分於仁不仁。即性無分於善不善也。若性惟善。而無不善。則三塗惡趣。非由心造。又豈得稱為法界乎。是故一闡提人雖斷修善。不斷性善。若斷性善。則終不成佛。諸佛聖人但斷修惡。不斷性惡。若斷性惡。則不能現穢惡世界。折伏眾生。此性修之關所當洞達。既不能離性以起修。亦不得廢修而言性也。請以水言之。所謂性者。即溼而就下。東流西流者也。所謂修者。即決之東方。決之西方者也。居士欲修淨業。可不顧名思義。而審其所以修之之術乎。若其心念念趣貪瞋癡。日深月甚。輓之不回。引之不出。發於身口。多與惡相應。則所謂決之東方。終為震旦國中人物。若其心念念厭離五欲。繫想阿彌陀佛。願樂親近。如子憶母。不為業境之所牽。不為他岐之所惑。則所謂決之西方。定於極樂世界。蓮華化生。見佛受記。由是觀之。見性成佛亦在乎。決之而已。若能決之西方。而為西流之水。則必不入三塗鼎沸之水。必不雜人天渴愛之水。不混凡夫之濁水。不沾魔外之惡水。不墮二乘之死水。不同權乘之客水。常得理水。以潤心田。智水以融萬行。即此名字位中。而圓合如來之性水。既得與性水合。則會歸七寶池中。為澄淨。為清冷。為甘美。為輕輭。為潤澤。為安和。為除患。為增益。而究竟成八功德之聖水矣。西流而極於此。真能盡水之性者與。然吾審居士之名與字。是從孟子義也。非告子義也。若夫決擇善法。修習令滿。決破不善法。修除令盡。則君子道長。小人道消。而終止於至善之地。是未嘗不與告子合。未嘗不與宣聖合。亦未嘗不與西方之大聖人合也。居士其力決之乎。

> The Tiantai school distinguishes six stages of Buddhahood to prevent confusion. The first is the stage of principle nature; the second is the stage of name. From first hearing the sacred teachings to understanding the mind and seeing one’s true nature, one has not yet left the stage of name. Therefore, it is known that the stage of name lasts a very long time, and its meaning is also immeasurably profound. The lay practitioner is named Shan, with the courtesy name Shui Ruo. By comprehending this name and recognizing this word, one has already grasped more than half of the path to seeing one’s nature and attaining Buddhahood. Gaozi said, “Nature is like swirling water. If you channel it east, it flows east; if you channel it west, it flows west. Human nature has no distinction between good and evil, just as water has no distinction between east and west.” How extraordinary is Gaozi’s view of nature! Though it is not the ultimate meaning within Confucianism, it curiously resembles the scriptures of the Tathagata. It is a pity that he was silenced by Mencius’s debate and could not fully expound his theory—this is like an insect gnawing on wood. The ten dharma realms originate from a single mind. Therefore, it is clear that both good and evil dharmas are inherent in nature. That is to say, nature contains both defiled and pure seeds. Hence, in the mundane and supramundane worlds, there is not a single dharma that can exist outside of nature. When one follows the pure seeds in nature and activates their manifestations, this is the path of the noble person—called cultivating goodness. When one follows the defiled seeds in nature and activates their manifestations, this is the path of the petty person—called cultivating evil. The Doctrine of the Mean says, “Following nature is called the Way.” Confucius said, “There are only two paths: benevolence and non-benevolence.” The Way has no division between benevolence and non-benevolence—just as nature has no division between good and evil. If nature were only good and not evil, then the three evil realms would not be created by the mind, and how could they be called dharma realms? Therefore, even an icchantika, though they have cut off cultivated goodness, have not cut off the inherent goodness of nature. If inherent goodness were cut off, they would never attain Buddhahood. The Buddhas and holy beings have cut off cultivated evil, but not the inherent evil of nature. If inherent evil were cut off, they could not manifest impure, evil worlds to subdue sentient beings. This relationship between nature and cultivation must be thoroughly understood. Since one cannot cultivate apart from nature, one also cannot speak of nature while discarding cultivation. Let us use water as an analogy. What is called nature is the wetness that flows downward, whether east or west. What is called cultivation is the act of channeling it east or channeling it west. Lay practitioner, if you wish to cultivate the pure karma, should you not consider the meaning of your name and carefully examine the method of cultivation? If your mind continually inclines toward greed, anger, and delusion, deepening day by day, becoming harder to turn back, harder to draw out, manifesting in body and speech with much correspondence to evil—this is what is meant by channeling it east, and you will ultimately become a person in the land of Jambudvipa. If your mind continually turns away from the five desires, fixes its thoughts on Amitabha Buddha, delights in drawing near, like a child remembering its mother, not pulled by karmic circumstances, not confused by divergent paths—this is what is meant by channeling it west, and you will surely be born in the Land of Ultimate Bliss, transformed from a lotus flower, see the Buddha, and receive a prophecy of enlightenment. Thus, seeing one’s nature and attaining Buddhahood lies simply in the act of channeling. If you can channel yourself west, becoming water that flows westward, then you will certainly not enter the boiling water of the three evil realms, nor mingle with the thirst-water of gods and humans, nor mix with the muddy water of ordinary beings, nor touch the poisonous water of demons and heretics, nor fall into the stagnant water of the two vehicles, nor be like the guest-water of provisional vehicles. You will constantly have the water of principle to moisten the field of the mind, and the water of wisdom to integrate all practices. In this very stage of name, you will perfectly merge with the nature-water of the Tathagata. Once merged with the nature-water, you will return to the seven-jeweled pond, becoming clear, cool, sweet, soft, moistening, peaceful, beneficial, and increasing—ultimately attaining the eight qualities of holy water. To flow westward and reach this point—truly one has exhausted the nature of water! However, I examine the lay practitioner’s name and courtesy name; they follow Mencius’s meaning, not Gaozi’s. Yet if you choose good dharmas, cultivate them to completion; choose evil dharmas, cultivate their removal until they are gone—then the noble person’s path grows, the petty person’s path diminishes, and you will ultimately rest in the highest good. In this, you are not at odds with Gaozi, nor with the Sage Confucius, nor with the Great Sage of the West. Lay practitioner, will you strive to channel yourself?