---
title: "靈峰蕅益大師宗論 · 四十八願卷跋"
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/cmgn46ma50oy3k104ndvrzwq7"
---

### 四十八願卷跋

> Postscript to the Scroll of the Forty-Eight Vows

《大般若》云「恆沙菩薩，發無上心，或一二得不退者，蓋無善巧方便，雖多劫勤行六度，不免退墮聲聞辟支佛地，況不能勤行六度者乎。」然《法華》云「若聞一句一偈，我亦與授阿耨多羅三藐三菩提記」，又何也？須知《法華》乃原始要終之論，縱墮塵劫，後必成佛，以無人出佛性外故。而大通佛時結緣眾，今有住聲聞地者，乃至未來聲聞弟子，猶十六王子所化，則《般若》所明退墮之多，讀《法華》而益驗矣。夫一聞佛名，畢竟成佛，退不退，遲速天淵。然退墮之緣，在一時耳，乃流轉五道，動經無量百千萬億恆河沙劫，受無量苦，試一深思，能不寒心喪膽也哉。釋尊成道，以佛眼觀過去同發心者，或在三塗，方嬰劇苦；或在人天，正耽欲樂；或生色無色界，固守癡頑；或證聲聞辟支，保空滯寂。嗟嗟！與釋尊同發心者，尚爾稽遲。從王子初結緣者，何疑久墜。吾人旦夕稍有病苦難緣，尚覺難忍。乃甘一念之錯，招長時頭出頭沒之殃，豈非人無遠慮，必有近憂者哉。何謂善巧方便？般若明觀一切法空，度一切眾生是也。觀一切法空，何名利之足縈懷。度脫一切眾生，何苦行不能黽勉。觀空不度生，墮二乘地；度生不觀空，墮愛見慈。況恣我慢并無世慈，貪利名并障偏理，一芥翳天、一指蔽目，摩尼願寶長隱淤泥，甚可惜矣。然一芥一指，亦何難撤，不肯撤耳。果念念緣此願王，不負初心因地，杲日當空，霧靄消滅。法藏比丘，所以速成正覺，由此而已。

> The \*Great Perfection of Wisdom\* sutra says, "Of bodhisattvas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges who set their minds on supreme enlightenment, perhaps only one or two reach the stage of non-retrogression. This is because they lack skillful means. Even if they diligently practice the six perfections for countless eons, they still fall back to the level of voice-hearers or pratyekabuddhas—let alone those who cannot even practice the six perfections diligently." Yet the \*Lotus Sutra\* declares, "If someone hears even a single phrase or verse, I will also give them a prediction for supreme perfect enlightenment." Why is this? You must understand that the \*Lotus Sutra\* speaks of the ultimate outcome from beginning to end: even if one falls into the dust of eons, in the end they will surely become a buddha, because no one ever goes outside the buddha-nature. The beings who made connections with the Buddha at the time of the Great-Access Buddha are now among the voice-hearers, and even the future voice-hearer disciples are still those transformed by the Sixteen Crown Princes. So the decline and backsliding described in the \*Great Perfection of Wisdom\* become even more evident when reading the \*Lotus Sutra\*. Hearing a buddha's name just once, one will inevitably become a buddha. Non-retrogression versus retrogression—their speed differs like the gap between heaven and earth. Yet the circumstances of falling back may be just a single moment, but the resulting cycle through the five realms can last indefinitely through countless billions, trillions, and hundreds of thousands of eons, bringing untold suffering. Try to deeply ponder this—can you not feel a chill in your heart and trembling fear? When Shakyamuni Buddha attained enlightenment, his buddha-eye saw those who had once made the same vow as he: some were in the three lower realms, suffering severe pain; some were among humans or gods, indulging in sensory pleasure; some were born in the formless or form realms, stubbornly clinging to their dull delusion; some had attained the level of voice-hearers or pratyekabuddhas, guarding their emptiness and stagnating in stillness. Alas! Those who had the same aspiration as Shakyamuni Buddha still moved so slowly. As for those who first connected with him through the Crown Princes, why be surprised they have suffered long falls? Even a minor difficulty or pain we face day and night feels hard to bear. How much more so when a single mistaken thought leads to eons of suffering, endlessly sinking and emerging? Isn't this exactly the idea that "if one has no long-term concern, one will surely have near-term trouble"? So what are "skillful means"? The \*Great Perfection of Wisdom\* teaches: clearly see that all phenomena are empty, yet save all beings. Seeing emptiness, how can fame and profit still bind your heart? Saving all beings, how can you not endure hardship diligently? If you see emptiness but do not save beings, you fall into the level of the two vehicles. If you save beings but do not see emptiness, you fall into a compassion that is mere attachment and opinion—let alone indulging in arrogance while lacking even worldly compassion; or greedy for fame and profit, which also blocks partial understanding. A mustard seed can block out the sky, a finger can hide the sun—the precious wish-fulfilling gem remains long buried in mud. What a pity! Yet the mustard seed or the finger is not hard to remove—what is lacking is the will. If truly each thought adheres to this king of vows and never betrays your original aspiration, then, like the bright sun in the sky, all fog and mist vanish. That is why the monk Dharmakara quickly attained perfect enlightenment.