No. 1467-A重刊禮念彌陀道場懺法序
Preface to the Republished Ritual Recitation of Amitabha Repentance Ceremony
余觀古今論念佛往生者，多誇自力，所謂「唯心淨土不往而往，自性彌陀不成而成」之類也。竊意，斯論似輕佛力也。夫佛也者，其體明淨，無幽不燭。或有人，雖不知佛之所以為佛，但隨人言稱南無佛，其人已於如來妙觀察智中成就佛地正因，之謂蓮生瑤池矣。譬如游魚吞鈎，雖不知鈎之所以為鈎，其魚已入鈎者之手矣。故知「佛」之一字，即覺海之一鈎也。
I observe that in discussions of reciting the Buddha’s name for rebirth in the Pure Land, both ancient and modern, many people emphasize their own efforts. They say things like, “The Pure Land is only mind—there is no need to go anywhere; the Buddha is your own nature—there is no need to become anything.” In my view, such statements seem to underestimate the power of the Buddha.
The Buddha’s nature is clear and pure, illuminating all darkness. Even someone who does not truly understand what the Buddha is, but simply says “Namo Buddha” after hearing others do so, has already planted the true cause for Buddhahood within the Tathagata’s wisdom of perfect insight. This is called “a lotus blossoming in the jeweled pond.”
It is like a fish biting a hook. The fish does not understand what the hook is, but once it bites, it already belongs to the one holding the line. Therefore, know that the single word “Buddha” is a hook cast into the ocean of enlightenment.
大都大天源延聖寺高麗三藏法師旋公，久默斯要，偶觀金時王子成所撰《彌陀懺法》，其開誘之術，與公兼濟之心，若合符契。乃損己資，委其同志比丘祖栢，旁募眾緣，鳩工入梓，以傳諸遠。俾余為之序引。余曰：「未曾有也。佛有八萬四千相好光明，徧照十方世界念佛眾生攝取不捨。何如吾三藏公以文字般若。攝取眾生，其光亘於萬古盛大，俾見者聞者同登不退轉地，永祝聖人金剛無量壽域，可謂能下覺海之一鈎者也。」
The eminent Tripitaka Master Xuan of the Daecheon Yeonwon Temple in Dadu had long kept his profound teachings to himself. By chance, he came across *The Amitabha Repentance Rite* composed by Prince Wang Zicheng of the Jin Dynasty. He found that its methods for awakening and guiding beings aligned perfectly with his own aspiration to benefit all. Therefore, he donated his own funds and entrusted this work to his like-minded fellow monk Zubo, who also raised support from the community. They organized the carving of woodblocks for printing, so that the teachings could be widely transmitted. He asked me to write a preface.
I replied, "How extraordinary! The Buddha possesses eighty-four thousand marks and radiances, which universally illuminate the worlds in all ten directions, embracing and never abandoning those who recite his name. How does this compare with our Tripitaka Master, who uses the Wisdom of Words and Letters to gather beings? His light shines across the ages, immense and vast, so that those who see and hear may together ascend to the stage of non-retrogression and forever bless the sage with the diamond-like, limitless lifespan of the Buddha. Truly, this is like casting a hook into the ocean of awakening!"
旹至順三年七月 日
大都大覺住持日本國沙門至道序
Preface by the Japanese Monk Shodō, Abbot of the Great Temple of Great Enlightenment