---
title: "憨山老人夢遊全集 · 示念佛切要"
description: "憨山老人梦游全集是明代高僧憨山德清所著的文集由弟子福善等编录憨山德清是明末四大高僧之一身处佛教复兴时期其著作涵盖经论注疏法语书信及诗文等内容涉及禅教性相诸宗融合儒释道三家思想体系博大精深该书不仅是研究憨山大师佛学思想的重要文献也是了解晚明佛教史与思想史的珍贵资料在汉传佛教中具有崇高地位对后世禅宗及佛教义理发展影响深远"
url: "https://rushiwowen.co/en/r/cmgmzo6f306zcl404c1dt3nq9"
---

### 示念佛切要在雲棲為聞子將子與母氏說

念佛求生淨土一門，元是要了生死大事，故云：「念佛了生死。」今人發心，因要了生死方纔肯念佛，只說佛可以了生死，若不知生死根株，畢竟向何處念？若念佛的心斷不得生死根株，如何了得生死？如何是生死根株？古人云：「業不重不生娑婆，愛不斷不生淨土。」是知愛根乃生死之根株，以一切眾生受生死之苦皆愛慾之過也。推此愛根不是今生有的，也不是一二三四生有的，乃自從無始最初有生死以來，生生世世捨身受身皆是愛欲流轉直至今日，翻思從前何曾有一念暫離此愛根耶？如此愛根種子積劫深厚故生死無窮。今日方纔發心念佛，只望空求生西方，連愛是生死之根的名字也不知，何曾有一念斷著？既不知生死之根，則念佛一邊念，生死根只聽長，如此念佛與生死兩不相關。這等任你如何念，念到臨命終時，只見生死愛根現前，那時方知佛念不得力，卻怨念佛無靈驗，悔之遲矣！故勸今念佛的人，先要知愛是生死根本。而今念佛念念要斷這愛根，即日用現前在家念佛，眼中見的兒女子孫、家緣財產，無一件不是愛的，則無一事無一念不是生死活計，如全身在火坑中一般，不知正念佛時心中愛根未曾一念放得下，直如正念佛時只說念不切，不知愛是主宰，念佛是皮面，如此佛只聽念、愛只聽長。且如兒女之情現前時，回光看看這一聲佛，果然敵得這愛麼？果然斷得這愛麼？若斷不得這愛，畢竟如何了得生死？以愛緣多生習熟，念佛纔發，心甚生踈又不切實，因此不得力。若目前愛境主張不得，則臨命終時畢竟主張不得，故勸念佛人第一要知為生死心切，要斷生死心切，要在生死根株上念念斬斷，則念念是了生死之時也，何必待到臘月三十日方纔了得？晚之晚矣！所謂：「目前都是生死事，目前了得生死空。」如此念念真切，刀刀見血這般用心，若不出生死則諸佛墮妄語矣！故在家出家但知生死心，便是出生死的時節也，豈更有別妙法哉？

> The practice of reciting the Buddha's name and seeking rebirth in the Pure Land is ultimately about resolving the great matter of birth and death. Hence, it is said: "Recite the Buddha's name to end birth and death." People today resolve to do this because they want to end birth and death, and only then are they willing to recite. They think that reciting the Buddha's name alone can end birth and death, but if they don't understand the root of birth and death, where exactly are they reciting to? If the mind that recites cannot cut off the root of birth and death, how can it end birth and death? What is this root of birth and death? The ancients said: "Without heavy karma, one is not born into this Saha world; without cutting off attachment, one cannot be born into the Pure Land." Thus, we know that attachment is the root of birth and death, for all beings suffer the pains of birth and death because of desire and craving. This root of attachment did not arise in this life alone, nor in two, three, or four lifetimes. Rather, since beginningless time, when birth and death first began, life after life, we have been discarding one body and taking another, all driven by the flow of desire and craving, continuing right up to this very day. Reflect: has there ever been a single moment when we were free from this root of attachment? Because this seed of attachment has accumulated over countless eons, deeply entrenched, birth and death are endless. Now, today, we finally resolve to recite the Buddha's name, yet we only hope to be reborn in the West, without even knowing the name of attachment as the root of birth and death. How could we have cut it off even for a moment? Since we don't know the root of birth and death, while we recite the Buddha's name on one side, the root of birth and death just keeps growing. Such recitation and birth and death remain completely unrelated. No matter how you recite, when the time of death comes, you will only see the root of attachment arise before you. Only then will you realize that reciting the Buddha's name had no power, and you might blame it for being ineffective — but repentance would be too late! Therefore, I urge those who recite the Buddha's name today to first understand that attachment is the root of birth and death. And now, with every recitation, you must cut off this root of attachment. Look at your daily life: while reciting at home, the children, grandchildren, family ties, and property you see with your eyes — every single one is an object of attachment. There is not a single matter or thought that isn't a pursuit of birth and death. It's like being trapped in a pit of fire, yet you don't realize that even while reciting the Buddha's name, your mind's root of attachment has never been let go for even one thought. It's just like saying your recitation isn't earnest enough, not knowing that attachment is the master, while reciting the Buddha's name is only the surface. Like this, the Buddha's name gets recited while attachment keeps growing. For example, when feelings for your children arise, turn your light inward and look at this single recitation — can it truly overcome that attachment? Can it truly cut it off? If it cannot, then how can birth and death possibly be ended? Because the conditions of attachment have been familiar for many lifetimes, while the mind of recitation has only just arisen, is unfamiliar, and lacks true sincerity — thus it has no power. If you cannot master the objects of attachment now, then at the moment of death, you certainly won't be able to master them either. So I urge those who recite the Buddha's name: first, be truly earnest about ending birth and death, be truly earnest about cutting off birth and death, and cut away at the root of birth and death in every thought. Then every thought is a moment of ending birth and death. Why wait until the thirtieth day of the twelfth month? That would be far too late! As it is said: "Everything right now is a matter of birth and death; if you resolve it now, birth and death become empty." If you practice like this, thought after thought, true and earnest, each thrust drawing blood, and still you do not escape birth and death, then all Buddhas would be telling lies! Therefore, whether monastic or lay, once you simply know the mind of birth and death, that is the very time to transcend birth and death. What other wonderful method could there be?