No. 400-A無量壽經起信論敘
Preface to the Treatise on Awakening Faith in the Infinite Life Sutra
同學友彭生紹升，述無量壽經起信論成書，命有高曰：勉敘之。有高諷經論反覆，光明雲流，骸藏郁潔，喉舌聽視，曠若新有，冰漁膏釋，弗礙弗膠，閣卷欣慶，讚歎作禮：善哉彭生！乃能發起如是大心，乃能擔荷如是大法，乃能唱演如是妙義，乃能流布如是經典。善哉彭生！不忘囑累，不忘宏誓，快得遭逢聖清樂國，仁壽光被萬億器界，恒沙有情應共信受，應共證入無量壽經，今正是時。我觀有情，希望壽命，黃髮難老，百千萬歲。我觀有情，欲無彀期，宮室被服，飲饌什器，園池華鳥，及與音樂，未得欲得，得已欲備，備已欲富，富已欲好，此好彼未，欲彼俱好，彼俱好已，又欲精良，一一精良，淫巧瓌奇，欲轉變生，匪有竟閾。我觀有情，欲善眷屬，色澤壯姣，知心順恉，迎機赴節，團圞和合，富貴聰明。我觀有情，微塵計校，束歸貪欲，不出斯等，諸斯等欲，承誰恩力，舉體光明。無量壽經。無始無明，執吝成想，想幻塵勞，虗妄影事，無住為本，生滅為性，盤古開天，英雄大人，廊廟金貂，巖穴黃緇，散材下走，靡哲靡愚，腸中車輪。轉轉不淨，污薉淨田。雝塔苦本，助發苦芽。蕃苦枝葉，點綴苦華。結苦果仁，甘苦謂飴。戀苦護苦，立苦辨說。建苦皷旗，為苦效忠。爭鋒決勝，如聾如盲。有耳有目，聞見是經。依正莊嚴，功德殊勝。如海爰居，見鐘鼎陳。駭怖竄逃，謂當謀我。離本久遠，智梏情遷。為鸒為蜩，笑九萬矣。游盤豕蝨，湯火寧知。廟犧麗碑，枯魚過河。求悔再及，而并不得。不其痛而，我釋迦尊。慈愍有情，火宅毒藥。昧珠客作，窮露癡顛。順其欲然，激揚引導。權巧方便，曲垂濟拯。十二部經，廣說淨土。而于是經，專指西方。觀經觀行，小本勸信。是經願門，尤異方便。我友彭生，入是願門。竺念有情，繹經述論。謂發大願，全憑信根。于是博攷，大乘經典。約采菁華，疏瀹正信。于是乃知，欲為苦本。欲為道本，用欲知方。出宣大願，于是乃知。佛大願力，我大願力。無二無別，平等平等。于是乃知，十方淨土。依正莊嚴，佛非有餘。我非虧欠，于是乃知。婬怒癡性，當體空寂。無量壽經，無終無始。生佛正等，作如是觀。豈得不信，火則能燒。冰則能寒，飯則能飽。烏啄能毒，如是信已。離信名字，開大願門。出生念力，一聲佛號。忘義忘年，敬作頌曰。
My fellow student and friend Peng Shaosheng, having completed his treatise "Awakening Faith through the Sutra of Immeasurable Life," instructed me, Yougao, saying: "Please compose a preface for it."
I chanted the sutra and studied the treatise repeatedly. A flowing cloud of light arose; my bones and marrow felt cleansed and refreshed. My throat, tongue, hearing, and sight became expansive, as if newly born. Like ice melting and grease dissolving, all obstructions and stickiness vanished. Closing the volume, I felt joyful and celebratory, offering praise and prostrations: "Excellent, Peng Sheng! That you are able to give rise to such a great mind, that you are able to shoulder such a great Dharma, that you are able to expound such wondrous meaning, that you are able to disseminate such a classic sutra. Excellent, Peng Sheng! You have not forgotten the entrusted task, nor the vast vows. Happily, you have encountered the Sage's Pure Land of Bliss, where benevolence and longevity radiate over ten thousand billion realms of beings. Countless sentient beings like the sands of the Ganges should together accept this in faith, should together realize and enter the Sutra of Immeasurable Life. Now is precisely the time.
"I observe sentient beings: they hope for long life, for yellowed hair not to age, for a hundred thousand, a million years. I observe sentient beings: their desires know no bounds—for palaces and dwellings, clothing and coverings, food and drink, utensils and implements, gardens and ponds, flowers and birds, and music. What they have not obtained, they desire to obtain. Having obtained it, they desire to have it complete. Having completed it, they desire abundance. Having abundance, they desire refinement. This is refined, but that is not; they desire that both be refined. When both are refined, they again desire excellence and superior quality. Each item excellent, crafty and ingenious, strange and marvelous—desires give rise to transformations, with no end or limit.
"I observe sentient beings: they desire good companions—with beautiful complexions, strong and handsome, knowing their hearts, complying with their wishes, meeting opportunities, keeping in rhythm, harmonious and united, wealthy, noble, and intelligent.
"I observe sentient beings: they calculate like specks of dust, all bundled into greed and desire, not going beyond these. All such desires—by whose gracious power are they, in their entirety, illuminated? The Sutra of Immeasurable Life.
"From beginningless ignorance, clinging and stinginess form into conceptions. Conceptions, illusory and defiling, are empty, false, shadowy affairs. Non-abiding is their basis; birth and destruction are their nature. Since Pan Gu split the heavens, heroic figures and great men, ministers in court halls with golden sable hats, recluses in mountain caves in yellow and black robes, scattered materials and lowly runners—none wise, none foolish—have had wheels turning in their guts. Turning and turning, impure, defiling the pure field. They pile up the root of suffering, aiding the sprouting of suffering's shoots. They proliferate suffering's branches and leaves, adorn them with suffering's flowers. They bear suffering's fruit and seeds, calling bitterness sweet. They cling to suffering, protect suffering, establish suffering through debate and discourse. They erect suffering's drums and banners, pledging loyalty to suffering. Striving for victory in battle, they are like the deaf and blind.
"Those with ears and eyes, hearing and seeing this sutra: its principal and circumstantial adornments, its merits and virtues, are supremely excellent. Like the sea bird 'Yuanju' seeing bells and tripods arrayed, terrified it flees, thinking, 'They must be plotting against me.' Having been distant from the source for so long, wisdom is shackled and feelings change. They become like the quail or the cicada, laughing at the roc's ninety-thousand-mile flight. Pigs wallowing in mire, lice upon them—how could they know of boiling water and fire? The sacrificial ox adorned in the temple, the dried fish crossing the river—seeking regret when it's too late, they obtain nothing. Is this not painful?
"Our Honored Shakyamuni, compassionate and pitying sentient beings in the burning house of poison, with the pearl forgotten, working as hired laborers, destitute, exposed, foolish, and deranged, followed their desires to kindle them, then stirred and guided them. With skillful means and expedients, he compassionately bent down to rescue and lift them. Among the twelve divisions of the scriptures, he extensively taught of the Pure Land. And within this sutra, he specifically pointed to the Western direction. The Contemplation Sutra details contemplative practices; the shorter sutra encourages faith. This sutra's gate of vows is an especially distinct expedient.
"My friend Peng Sheng has entered this gate of vows. With profound mindfulness for sentient beings, he has elucidated the sutra and composed this treatise. He states that to give rise to great vows depends entirely on the root of faith. Therefore, he extensively researched the Mahayana sutras, selecting and gathering their essential points, clarifying and cleansing right faith. Thereby he came to know: desire is the root of suffering. Desire is also the root of the Path. Using desire, one must know the method. Emerging, he proclaims the great vows. Thereby he came to know: the Buddha's great power of vows and my own great power of vows are not two, not separate—equal, equal. Thereby he came to know: the Pure Lands of the ten directions, their principal and circumstantial adornments—the Buddha has no surplus, I
歸命西方淨滿尊， 圓密三身無量壽。
歸命難思真教體， 歸命難數聖賢僧。
寶臺巍巍淨光明， 徧照微塵國土眾，
本師親口如是說， 是故決定攝受我。
我自未度願度人， 願我聖清萬萬祀，
太平豐熟人康和。
念佛同報君親恩， 人人念佛為忠臣。
人人念佛為孝子， 人人念佛安處善，
人人念佛樂循理， 良男淑女家家有。
甘雨景風調四敘， 人人念佛了自性。
人人念佛證唯心， 一期報盡共往生。
見佛聞法克大果， 不離安養入諸剎。
還以念佛教眾生， 六波羅蜜一聲佛。
諸陀羅尼一聲佛， 如幻聞熏聞中持，
諸圓通根盡皆攝， 我禮十方發是願。
十方三寶證明我， 更願善友若彭生。
生生會值為道侶， 我願如空非思量。
是故歸命無量壽。
I take refuge in the Honored One of the Western Pure Land, The Perfect and Secret Threefold Body, the Immeasurable Life.
I take refuge in the inconceivable true Dharma, I take refuge in the countless holy and virtuous Sangha.
The jeweled terraces, majestic and pure with light, Shine upon all beings in lands as numerous as dust.
My original teacher spoke these words himself, Therefore, I am assured of his compassionate embrace.
Though I myself have not yet crossed over, I vow to help others cross. May our sacred land be blessed for ten thousand generations, With peace, abundant harvests, and the well-being of all.
Reciting the Buddha's name together, we repay the kindness of ruler and parents. May everyone who recites be a loyal subject. May everyone who recites be a filial child. May everyone who recites dwell in goodness. May everyone who recites find joy in following the Way. May every household have virtuous sons and daughters.
May gentle rains and favorable winds harmonize the seasons. May everyone who recites realize their true nature. May everyone who recites awaken to the mind-only truth. When this life ends, may we all be reborn together.
Seeing the Buddha and hearing the Dharma, we attain great fruition. Without leaving the Land of Peace and Nourishment, we enter all Buddha-lands. Then, using the practice of Buddha-recitation, we teach all beings. The Six Perfections are contained in one utterance of the Buddha's name. All Dhāraṇīs are contained in one utterance of the Buddha's name.
Like an illusion, hearing and being permeated, holding within the hearing— All perfect faculties of enlightenment are gathered in this practice. I bow to the ten directions and make this vow. May the Triple Gem of the ten directions bear witness for me.
Further, I pray that good friends, like Peng Sheng, May meet life after life as companions on the Path. My vow is vast as space, beyond all thought. Therefore, I take refuge in the Immeasurable Life.
聖清乾隆四十年旃蒙協洽之歲十一月既望越翼日佛弟子羅有高撰No. 400
無量壽經起信論卷上
菩薩戒弟子 彭際清 述