龍舒增廣淨土文

The Land of Ultimate Bliss, though it is separated from this realm by a million worlds. To speak of its accounts, words could not exhaust how distant it is. Yet to speak of the Buddha's nature of Wisdom, because it pervades the whole of empty space and all worlds, there is no place where it is not present; therefore all the thoughts, intentions, conduct, and movements of every sentient being abide entirely within the Buddha-nature. Thus for one who is wholehearted and earnest, there is not a single matter that does not bring response; therefore this volume is titled the volume "RESPONSES MANIFEST IN THE PRESENT WORLD."

WITNESSING KILLING AND RECITING THE BUDDHA'S NAME OBTAINS BLESSINGS

In the collection of Guanyin's responses it is recorded that in the land of Raozhou there was a soldier named Zheng Lin, who died and went down to the underworld. King Yama examined the registers and verified them; because he had been seized by mistake, he was released and sent back. King Yama said to him: When you return to the human world, strive to do good.

Whenever you see someone taking life, you must recite the name of Amitabha Buddha together with Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva; the creature will be able to be reborn, you too will obtain great blessings, and it will also be one way of helping me avoid the trouble of punishing the wicked. From this, upon reflection, one can fully see that a person who recites the name of Amitabha Buddha is able to deliver the deceased and also to increase blessings and longevity; not only that, but in a later life he will also be reborn in the Western Paradise.

MASTER CHEN QI RECITING THE BUDDHA'S NAME DISPELS A GHOST

Master Wang Rixiu said: Master Chen Qi, of the land of Wangjiang, was from the same prefecture as I. He often unjustly killed people's lives. Afterward he saw a ghost appear. Qi was terrified, and hurriedly recited the name of Amitabha Buddha; the ghost dared not come near. Chen Qi recited the Buddha's name without ceasing, and the ghost then did not appear. Afterward he constantly recited the Buddha's name, and at the time of his death he passed away sitting upright.

Half a year later, he descended upon and possessed his granddaughter named Miaoguang within the household, saying: Thanks to my reciting the name of Amitabha Buddha, I have already been reborn in the Land of Ultimate Bliss. His movements and speech were just as when he was alive; relatives and acquaintances all came to visit for two or three days.

The members of the household said: It is a pity that while he was alive, we were not able to paint his portrait to enshrine and venerate. Hearing this, Chen Qi immediately manifested his original form just as when he was alive, but his countenance was somewhat more youthful and fresh. Because one who is reborn in the Western Paradise lives forever and does not die, that person's hair resembled the Buddha's hair, for that person was already near to attaining Buddhahood.

This account was related to me by a scholar of the land of Wangjiang, Master Zhou Xianshu.

ZOU XINWANG RECITING THE BUDDHA'S NAME AWAKENS FROM A DREAM

Master Wang Rixiu said: I once urged a scholar of the land of Zhenjiang, Master Zou Xinwang, to expound the cultivation of the Western Paradise.

I said: If you are not at leisure, then each early morning simply join your palms, face toward the West, and recite Namo Amitabha Buddha ten times; that too will suffice.

Xinwang believed this. One day he lay dreaming, and saw himself together with a scholar being led to the execution ground. In the midst of his terror, Xinwang at once recited the name of Amitabha Buddha ten times, and then awoke.

Is this not the Buddha using this very thing to make that person's faith firm and steadfast?

ZHANG JIZU RECITING THE BUDDHA'S NAME TO DELIVER THE DECEASED

Master Wang Rixiu said: I once spoke of matters of the Western Paradise with a scholar of the land of Zhenjiang, Master Zhang Jizu. Jizu believed this. When his wet-nurse died, he often recited the name of Amitabha Buddha on her behalf to deliver her.

One day he lay dreaming and saw his wet-nurse return, borrowing a robe of white cotton to wear, coming to thank Jizu and bidding farewell as she departed for the Western Paradise.

Seeing this, one should know that the method of reciting the Buddha's name to deliver the deceased is truly most efficacious.

LIU HUIZHONG RECITING THE BUDDHA'S NAME SLEEPS PEACEFULLY

Master Wang Rixiu said: Master Liu Huizhong was a knowledgeable friend of mine in former days, a man of the village of Changxing in Huzhou prefecture. Because each night when he lay dreaming he was often terrified, I urged him to recite the name of Amitabha Buddha.

Huizhong, with utmost sincerity, recited aloud 108 times, and that night he slept peacefully. The next day he recited as on the day before, and from then on he was able to sleep peacefully. From this I saw that the Buddha's power is vast and great, and there is no place that He does not shelter and protect.

This account I have already set forth in the earlier volume, in the section on reciting the Buddha's name "Calming and Settling Body and Form."

MADAM RUAN RECITING THE BUDDHA'S NAME REGAINS HER SIGHT

Master Wang Rixiu said: There was Madam Ruan Niansansao, in Tianzhuang of Huaining county in the province, from the same prefecture as I, who suffered in both eyes and was nearly blind. She constantly recited the name of Amitabha Buddha, and her eyes regained their sight.

This account is one that I myself witnessed.

KING YAMA URGES OLD MADAM JIANG TO RECITE THE BUDDHA'S NAME

In the land of Zhenjiang, in Jintan county, the village of Zhulin, there was an old Madam Jiang, about 70 years of age, who died and went down to the underworld; but as her allotted lifespan was not yet exhausted, King Yama allowed her to return, and asked: Do you recite the scriptures? She answered: I cannot recite them.

The King said: If you cannot recite the scriptures, then simply recite the name of Amitabha Buddha; that too will do.

Having been released and sent back, Old Madam Jiang then recounted: King Yama taught me to recite the Buddha's name, and I no longer have any doubt. Therefore she constantly recited the Buddha's holy name, and lived to nearly one hundred and two years of age before passing away.

That she was reborn in the Pure Land is certainly assured. Is it not because of her reciting the Buddha's name that she also lived long? If it were not so, then for what reason was she able to live so long?

This account was related to me by a scholar of Jintan county, Master Zhang Yanzhi.

PREFECT SHAO RECITING THE BUDDHA'S NAME ESCAPES CALAMITY

In the land of Jinjiang there was Master Shao Biao, styled Xiwen. While he was still a student, one day he lay dreaming and saw himself coming to a certain government office, where everyone addressed him as the Prefect, Lord An. Shao Biao rejoiced to himself and said: Does this omen not mean that I shall pass the examinations and receive the office of Prefect?

Then he went forward and saw an official who asked: Do you know the reason you have not yet passed your examinations? He answered: I do not know. That official ordered a man to lead Shao Biao to look, and he saw a great cauldron cooking snails and clams.

The snails and clams could speak human language, and seeing Shao Biao pass by, they at once cried out: Shao Biao! Biao was frightened and then recited the name of Amitabha Buddha; the moment he recited a single utterance, the snails and clams transformed into yellow sparrows and flew away.

Indeed, afterward Shao Biao passed the examinations with high honors and rose in office to the rank of Pacification Commissioner. From this one sees that to take life is to block the road that lies before a person—how can one not take warning! And one sees that the Buddha's power is vast and great—how can one not revere it! Official rank has its own predetermined allotment—it cannot be obtained by greedy craving.

RECITING THE BUDDHA'S NAME, LEPROSY DOES NOT ARISE

Master Wang Rixiu said: I was taking passage on someone's boat. Nearly reaching the middle of the river, in the land of Zhenjiang, the water was so shallow that we could not proceed, and so we put in at Jinshan Temple and borrowed four sets of scripture—that is, the Amitabha Sutra.

I wished to collate and revise them, to carve the woodblocks and spread them widely. When I took up the writing brush, my right hand was afflicted with wind; several fingers trembled uncontrollably so that I could not write the characters. I then raised my fingers and recited the holy name of Amitabha Buddha and Avalokiteshvara several times, earnestly imploring that I be cured of this affliction of wind, so that I might finish writing out this scripture.

When the vow was finished, my fingers at once ceased trembling, and even until I had completed the volume there was no pain. From this one sees that the Buddha and the Bodhisattva are ever present before our very faces; it is only that people's faith is not utterly earnest.

RECITING THE BUDDHA'S NAME WITHIN A DREAM TO ESCAPE TERROR

Master Wang Rixiu said: When I am in the midst of a confused dream, there are times when I am terrified, and I recite the holy name of Amitabha Buddha together with Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva; there has never been a time when I did not obtain peace and security, or sometimes I at once awoke.

This sufficiently shows that the awesome spiritual power of the Buddha and the Bodhisattva is as swift as this. As for those who possess full faith, in the place of efficacy, how could He not bear witness?

RECITING THE BUDDHA'S NAME, A HOUSE FAILS TO CRUSH HER TO DEATH

There was an old woman, blind in both eyes, who relied on a young boy to lead her about, and who constantly recited the name of Amitabha Buddha. One day she rested in an old house, and the house suddenly collapsed. The young boy fled, but the old woman was still inside. Then there were two beams that leaned against each other, propping up the space above the old woman so that she was not crushed to death. Thus the method of reciting the Buddha's name is most efficacious in this way.

This account was related to me by the lay practitioner Miaoding.

RECITING THE BUDDHA'S NAME, MALARIA IS HEALED

There was an official named Li Ziqing, who resided in the land of Xiuzhou and was fond of and devoted to the Way of the Immortals. He often studied the Buddha-Dharma with me (Wang Rixiu). Some years ago he contracted malarial fever, and I told him: I only fear that your heart will not believe; if you believe it, your illness will surely be healed.

I gave him a medicinal prescription, instructing him that when the hour came for the illness to break out, he should single-mindedly recite Amitabha Buddha, and then drink this medicine. Master Ziqing heeded these words and did accordingly; that day his illness diminished by eight parts, the next day it likewise diminished by eight parts, and so on until the final day he was healed and well. From then on Master Ziqing greatly believed in the Buddhist principles, and he often kept the writings on the Pure Land in his sleeve, carrying them with him to recite.

AN EMBROIDERED IMAGE OF THE BUDDHA CONSTANTLY PRODUCES RELICS

Master Zhongli Ze, who held the office of Junior Preceptor in the land of Zhenzhou, had his wife Madam Ren, who cultivated the Western Paradise, carve an image of Amitabha Buddha, four inches and eight tenths in height, set within a finely carved shrine. Wherever she went she would constantly carry it upon her head to venerate and bow before it. From between that image's brows there constantly poured forth relic-jewels, as large as grains of rice, their light shining brilliantly.

This account is drawn from the collection of the Precious Pearl.

DREAMING OF THE BUDDHA AND AT ONCE OBTAINING PENETRATING ELOQUENCE

During the Sui dynasty, the Chan master Huisi, on account of a dream in which he saw Amitabha Buddha expound the Dharma for him to hear. Afterward his penetrating eloquence surpassed that of others, and the auspicious omens were not few.

This account is drawn from the Biographies of Rebirth.

RECITING THE BUDDHA'S NAME HEALS ILLNESS

In recent years in the land of Xiuzhou there was a teacher who constantly recited the name of Amitabha Buddha, and on people's behalf treated illness. When a sick person invited him to come and recite the Buddha's name, they would often be healed and made well. The people throughout the region of Xiuzhou all praised him.

RECITING THE BUDDHA'S NAME, A GRANDSON ESCAPES CALAMITY

Master Wang Rixiu said: In my village there was an old man who, whenever there was some matter, would at once join his palms and wholeheartedly recite the name of Amitabha Buddha.

His grandson was only three years of age. Following his mother out to the fields, he suddenly disappeared. The old man searched and inquired but could not find him. After a few days, someone informed him, saying: I saw the footprints of the little boy out beyond that stream!

Indeed, going out there to search, he found him, and saw footprints filling the whole bank. It was not known by what means—that stream being very deep—this little boy was able to cross to the other side, and for so long, yet came to no harm at all.

People said that it was because his grandfather had a wholehearted and sincere mind in reciting the name of Amitabha Buddha that he was able to evoke such a fruit of blessing.

SECTION OF CONCLUDING DISCOURSE

In truth the Buddha-Dharma is a truth that one must experience for oneself; on the other hand, thinking and understanding have not yet truly found the right path when one's observation is not thorough.

With regard to daily life, what does the Buddha-Dharma urge upon us?

One should harmonize the practical life with the ideal of altruism, bring conduct and thought into accord, reject all that is contradictory, and feel deeply and sympathetically into the settled principle of the impermanence of all dharmas.

In short, direct one's life according to the example of the Buddha, and strive to escape the cycle of birth and death and rebirth.

NAMO FUNDAMENTAL TEACHER SHAKYAMUNI BUDDHA

END OF VOLUME EIGHT