---
title: "靈峰蕅益大師宗論 · 修淨土懺并放生社序"
description: "靈峰蕅益大師宗論是明末高僧智旭的著作。明末佛教面臨內部僵化與外部挑戰，智旭大師立足天台宗，主張禪教律淨融合，回應時代弊病。該書匯集其書信、註疏與開示，系統闡述性相融通、淨土為歸的佛學思想，強調解行並進與實踐修行。作為中國佛教史上承先啟後的巨著，它深刻影響了後世漢傳佛教的發展，尤其對淨土宗的推廣貢獻卓著，被尊為淨土宗第九祖的智旭，其思想透過此論成為明清佛教的重要指南。"
url: "https://rushiwowen.co/en/r/cmgn46k3s0onvk104zgjp72aj"
---

### 修淨土懺并放生社序

> Preface to the Pure Land Repentance and Life-Release Society

淨土法門，原為眾生迷本自性，不知常寂光理，生死浩然，無有休息，故藉彌陀勝願，為增上緣。因其淨土，有寂光、實報、方便、同居四種，而上三土，非斷惑不生，還同豎出三界之義。故特指西方安養同居，使利根即此頓淨四土，鈍根亦依此先脫苦輪，雖誠簡易，亦非草草。《彌陀經》云「不可以少善根福德因緣，得生彼國，一日乃至七日，執持名號，一心不亂，即得往生。」夫一心不亂，縱未斷惑，可不伏惑邪？儻娑婆事業，在在牽繫，遇五欲時，如膠如漆，遇逆緣時，結恨懷冤，而欲命終，彌陀接引，此決不可得之數也。又《觀經》云「逆惡之人，臨終十念，皆得往生。」夫臨終十念，必深植善根，今逆順境緣，便不復有正念，何況臨終？且臨終苦現，止藉善友提撕，今青天白日，尚不能於明師友真實格言信受奉行，當臨終時，安休善友現前？設現前開示，神識昏迷，而欲求其信解，此又決不可得之數也。至五悔法，本為無知造罪，無可柰何，教以發露披忱，修來改往，逆順十心，痛切懇到，非可視為悠悠泛泛者。兼以四法，助成此行，勸請滅謗法魔障，隨喜滅嫉妒重障，迴向滅慳貪著三有障，發願滅退失喜忘誤障。更有作法、取相、無生，三種懺義。作法，依律所說，對首懺悔。取相，嚴淨道場，專求感應。無生，深觀實相，斷煩惱源。儻旋懺旋犯，作法之所不許。既不能依律作法，必不招賢感聖。既不睹聖賢一色一相，又何能頓證聖賢清淨法身。故三種法，前前不兼後而能通後，後後必具前而不廢前也。由此觀之，淨土法門，藥也。娑婆愛瞋，忌也。五悔法門，藥也。不斷相續，忌也。甫服其藥，又觸其忌，可乎？慈雲大師，合此二種巧妙方便，述為《往生懺儀》。且云：「行人各有無始惡習，速求捨離，勿使行法唐喪其功。」藥忌昭然，亦可思矣。或謂聞白毫名字，功德不可限量。聞一佛二菩薩名，滅無數劫罪，豈現前惡法所能較敵。噫！誤矣。不觀《占察經》邪？經稱地藏菩薩大悲願力，諸大菩薩皆不能及。其言曰：「能聞我名者，謂得決定信，利益行故。若雜亂垢心，稱誦我名字，不名為聞，以不能生決定信解故。」蓋雜亂則無定，不與奢摩他相應。垢則無慧，不與毗婆舍那相應。不與二觀相應，則不知地藏法身、諸佛法身，與自己身，無二無別，故不名為聞也。智者大師釋《十六觀》經題，必約三德祕藏。釋《法華》經題，乃以九旬談妙。故曰：「若聞首題名字，所得功德，不可限量。」若不如所解釋，安獲無量功德？今雜亂垢心，聞猶不聞。現行煩惱，熾然不息。以此脫苦，杯水投車。逮臨終無驗，翻疑佛法不靈。自誤誤他，墮謗法罪。如服藥食忌，反致喪身，遂謂醫王殺人，顛倒至此極矣。獨放生一事，捐所愛資財，以贖彼命，弊端略少。然或重視大形，於微細蛆蟲邊，生下劣想。或多視微物，於現前屠宰者，起慳吝心。或留意異類，偏於人中，妄隔怨親，愛憎不息。既昧平等慈心，無以為念佛禮懺之本。智者大師云：「雖入道場懺悔，惡心不轉，惡業不壞，無益苦行，唐喪劬勞，碓臼上下，竟有何益？」雖舉手低頭，皆成佛道，戲著袈裟，猶為遠因。豈六時勤苦，全無功用？但緣因力弱，不能敵現業流注耳。象巖開士，結往生懺社，買放生命，悲智並運，將此菩提心，為往生正行。予申其說而示之。

> The Pure Land Dharma gate is originally intended for beings who are confused about their self-nature and unaware of the principle of Eternal Stillness and Light. Their cycles of birth and death in suffering are vast and endless, with no respite. Thus, we rely on Amitabha's supreme vows as the condition for enhancement. The Pure Land has four types: the Land of Eternal Stillness and Light, the Land of Real Reward, the Land of Expedient Means, and the Land of Co-residence. The three higher lands require severing delusions to be born there, which is similar to the meaning of climbing out of the three realms vertically. Therefore, the Land of Co-residence in the Western Peace and Nourishment is specifically pointed out, so that those with sharp roots can instantly purify all four lands, and those with dull roots can first escape the wheel of suffering through it. Though truly simple and easy, it is not a casual matter. The Amitabha Sutra says, "One cannot be born in that land with few roots of virtue, blessings, and causal conditions. Holding the name single-mindedly without confusion, from one to seven days, one will be reborn there." "Single-minded without confusion"—even if one has not severed delusions, can one not suppress them? If worldly affairs in the Saha world constantly entangle one—sticking like glue when meeting the five desires, and harboring resentment when encountering adverse conditions—and one expects to be received by Amitabha at the end of life, this is utterly impossible. Furthermore, the Contemplation Sutra says, "Even those who commit evil deeds, with ten thoughts at the end of life, can be reborn there." Those ten thoughts at the end of life must stem from deeply planted roots of virtue. Now, when facing favorable or adverse conditions, one loses mindfulness—how much more so at the end of life? Moreover, at death, suffering arises, relying solely on good spiritual friends to guide. If, in broad daylight, one cannot believe and practice the true words of wise teachers, how can good spiritual friends appear at death? Even if they appear to teach, if one's consciousness is confused, expecting to understand and believe is again utterly impossible. As for the five repentance methods, they are originally taught for the ignorant who have created sins, with no other recourse. Through sincere confession and reform, using the ten mindful conditions of both adverse and favorable aspects, one must deeply earnestly apply oneself—this cannot be taken lightly or casually. Along with four additional methods to support this practice: requesting teachings to eliminate the devilish hindrance of slandering the Dharma, rejoicing to eliminate the heavy hindrance of jealousy, dedicating merits to eliminate the hindrance of greed and attachment to the three realms, and making vows to eliminate the hindrance of retreat, forgetfulness, and error. There are also three meanings of repentance: practice-based, sign-based, and signless. Practice-based repentance follows what the precepts say—confessing face to face. Sign-based repentance purifies the place of practice and earnestly seeks responses and signs. Signless repentance deeply contemplates the true nature of reality, cutting off the source of afflictions. If one repents and then immediately repeats the offense, practice-based repentance does not allow it. Unable to practice repentance according to rules, one cannot attract sages and saints. Without seeing even a single form or sign of sages, how can one suddenly realize their pure Dharma body? Thus, the first of these methods does not include the later ones but can lead to them; the later methods must include the former and do not discard them. From this perspective, the Pure Land Dharma gate is medicine. Affection and hatred in the Saha world are taboos. The five repentance methods are medicine. Continuously committing offenses without ceasing is taboo. Just taking the medicine and then touching the taboo—how can it work? Master Ciyun combined these two skillful means and composed the "Repentance Ritual for Rebirth." He said: "Practitioners each have beginningless evil habits; quickly seek to cast them off, and do not let your practice lose its merit." The medicine and its taboos are clear—can one not think about them? Some say: "Hearing the name of the white hair mark brings immeasurable merit. Hearing the names of one Buddha and two Bodhisattvas extinguishes sins from countless eons. How can present evil karma match this?" Ah! This is mistaken. Have they not read the Sutra of the Divination of the Good and Evil Karma? It says that the power of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva's great compassion and vows surpasses all other Bodhisattvas, and states: "One who hears my name attains decisive faith and conducts beneficial practice. If one with a confused and defiled mind chants my name, this is not called 'hearing,' because it cannot give rise to decisive faith and understanding." For a confused mind lacks concentration and does not correspond with shamatha. A defiled mind lacks wisdom and does not correspond with vipashyana. Without these two contemplations, one does not know that Ksitigarbha's Dharma body, the Buddhas' Dharma bodies, and one's own body are not two nor different—thus it is not called "hearing." Master Zhizhe explained the title of the Sixteen Contemplations Sutra, always referencing the three virtues and the secret treasury. When explaining the Lotus Sutra title, he spent ninety days discussing its profound meaning. Thus it is said: "If one hears the title of the sutra, the merit is immeasurable." If one does not understand as explained, how can one gain immeasurable merit? With a confused and defiled mind, hearing is like not hearing. Present afflictions blaze without cease. Trying to escape suffering with this is like throwing a cup of water onto a burning cart. When there is no response at the moment of death, one instead suspects that the Dharma is not effective. This mistakes oneself and others, falling into the sin of slandering the Dharma. It is like taking medicine while violating dietary restrictions, leading to death, and then blaming the healer for killing people—this is the height of delusion. The practice of releasing living beings is one area where one gives up cherished wealth to redeem lives, and its faults are few. However, sometimes one values larger animals and looks down on tiny maggots. Or one focuses too much on small creatures and becomes stingy toward the butcher in front of them. Or one pays attention only to animals but divides humans into enemies and relatives arbitrarily, with love and hate still burning. Not realizing the mind of equal compassion, this cannot be the foundation for mindful Buddha recitation and repentance. Master Zhizhe said: "Though one enters the place of practice to repent, if the evil mind does not change and evil karma is not destroyed, it is like useless ascetic practices that waste effort—like pounding a pestle up and down , what benefit is there?" Even though raising a hand or bowing a head can all become the path of Buddhahood, and even playfully wearing the robe creates a distant cause, how can six periods of diligent practice per day have no effect at all? It is just that the power of conditions is weak and cannot overpower the flowing stream of present karma. The lay practitioner Xiangyan established a repentance society for rebirth, buying and releasing lives, practicing compassion and wisdom simultaneously, using this bodhicitta as the main practice for rebirth. I expand on this teaching and speak thus.