龍舒增廣淨土文

The Pure Land dharma-gate is glimpsed in the "Larger Amitābha Sūtra" together with the "Sūtra of the Sixteen Contemplations," which speak of the practice of cultivating the Pure Land, having a lower and a higher way. One who practices according to the lower way has small merit, and within the rank of the "Nine Grades" dwells only in the lower grades. But one who practices according to the higher way has great merit, and within the rank of the "Nine Grades" attains the upper grades. Yet so long as one is born among the Nine Grades, whether upper or lower, all alike escape the cycle of rebirth (saṃsāra) and attain everlasting life without aging.

Now, first recounting the fruition-ranks of practitioners high and low, we set forth and speak of there being upper grades, middle grades, and lower grades.

CULTIVATING THE DHARMA-GATE

THE FIRST

The Buddha Amitābha made forty-eight vows to save and deliver sentient beings, among which there is a vow that says: When I become a Buddha, if sentient beings in the ten directions, with wholehearted faith and acceptance, wish to be born in My land, then they need only recite My name ten times, and they shall be born in My land. If it were not so, I vow not to become a Buddha.

Thus the Buddha already possesses the vow to deliver people, relying only upon the ten recitations of a person to manifest a heart of utmost sincerity taking refuge in the Buddha.

Therefore each day at early dawn, we join our palms, turn to face the West, bow in reverence, and recite Namo Amitābha Buddha (aloud). Again bow in reverence, and recite the verse-gāthā of the Greatly Compassionate Bodhisattva. Make the vow once thus: I vow that those who recite the Buddha's name together may together be born in the Land of Ultimate Bliss (Sukhāvatī), see the Buddha, and end birth-and-death, as the Buddha vowed to deliver all! Having finished reciting, bow in reverence, then withdraw.

With such utmost sincerity, there is not a single one who shall not be born among the Nine Grades. Even in the lower grades one still gets to hear the Buddha expound the Dharma. By hearing the Dharma, one gradually attains the middle grades and the upper grades.

QUESTION: What of those who cannot read?

ANSWER: Although they cannot read, if we teach them to recite this verse by heart, they too obtain very great blessings and reward.

CULTIVATING THE DHARMA-GATE

THE SECOND

Each day at early dawn, join the palms, turn to face the West, bow in reverence and recite the names: Namo Amitābha Buddha. Namo Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva (Guan Shi Yin). Namo Mahāsthāmaprāpta Bodhisattva (Đại Thế Chí). Namo all Bodhisattvas, Śrāvakas, and the host of supremely virtuous ones (each name 10 times).

Again bow in reverence, and recite the verse in which the Greatly Compassionate Bodhisattva praises the Buddha, repents transgressions, dedicates merit, and makes vows; the whole verse-gāthā is to be recited once thus:

Among the Buddhas of the three times and ten directions,

Amitābha is the foremost Buddha.

With the Nine Grades He delivers sentient beings,

His majestic virtue is beyond all bounds.

I now wholly take refuge,

Repenting the transgressions of the three karmas.

Whatever blessings and good deeds I have,

With single-hearted mind I dedicate them all.

I pray that those who together recite the Buddha's name,

May, responding in their season, behold the Buddha manifest.

At the moment of death, in the realm of the Western land,

The Buddha appears clearly before our eyes.

Those who see and those who hear, all diligent in practice,

Together are born in the Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Seeing the Buddha, ending birth-and-death,

As the Buddha delivers all sentient beings.

Bow in reverence, then withdraw.

This verse has very great majestic power, able to dissolve all transgressions and increase all blessings; and whenever one recites it together with bowing in reverence, burning incense, and prostrating to the Buddha, the blessings increase still more. Doing thus each day, one is sure to be born into the middle grades.

If one teaches others to recite this verse, one obtains very great blessings and reward.

CULTIVATING THE DHARMA-GATE

THE THIRD

Each part is recited and chanted as before, only that while reciting the Buddha's name, in the mind one imagines one's own body in the Pure Land, before the Buddha, palms joined, reciting with reverence. When reciting the names of the Bodhisattvas, do likewise. When reciting the names of all the Bodhisattvas, Śrāvakas, and the supremely virtuous ones, one imagines one's body in the Pure Land. The sound of one's reciting and chanting resounds throughout, before all the Bodhisattvas, Śrāvakas, and supremely virtuous ones. When bowing in reverence, one also imagines being within the Pure Land paying homage to the Buddha. When reciting the verse, one also imagines being in the Pure Land, before the Buddha, palms joined, reverently reciting the verse.

Only when there are images of the Buddha and the Bodhisattvas is there no need for such visualization. Yet one must imagine those images as the Buddha and Bodhisattvas truly manifesting their bodies here, receiving one's homage and hearing one's recitation and chanting; concentrating wholeheartedly thus, one attains rebirth in a grade that is by no means low (it is very high).

CULTIVATING THE DHARMA-GATE

THE FOURTH

THE STORY: When the Buddha Śākyamuni was still in the world, He taught two elderly people to recite the name of Amitābha here; one must not doubt this. If a person with wholehearted mind holds and recites the rebirth dhāraṇī (vãng sinh thần chú), then having attained rebirth, one even gains extended lifespan (living long) and obtains very great blessings and reward. One ascends to realize the fruit of the Supreme Forbearance (Vô thượng nhẫn) at the stage of Non-retrogression (Bất thối)—how could this not be precious? Mr. Lữ Nguyên Ích recorded these words to exhort practice.

To recall: in the period when the Buddha Śākyamuni was still in the world, there was an old man and an old woman, frail and bent, who used grains of rice to keep count of their recitations. Reciting Amitābha Buddha to seek the Western land, whenever they recited Namo Amitābha Buddha they dropped one grain of rice into a jar. The Buddha Śākyamuni taught them: I have a special method that is excellent indeed; I shall teach you to recite the Buddha's name once and gain a great many grains of rice. The two people, overjoyed, at once bowed in reverence and begged to be taught.

The Buddha bade them recite: Namo, of the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, three hundred sixty thousand million, one hundred ten thousand nine thousand five hundred of one same name and one same title, the greatly compassionate, greatly merciful, Amitābha Buddha. Pouring out the rice and counting, it came to one hộc, one thousand eight hundred grains (that is, two thousand tạ of rice).

The Buddha often used this name to teach the two elderly ones; from this one knows how vast is the merit and virtue of reciting the Buddha's name, and so one ought to understand thus. (Drawn from the Treatise of the Jewel King—Bửu Vương Luận.)

If a person is utterly dull and unable to remember to recite that long passage, then keeping to the recitation of the customary six characters is also acceptable. And teaching others to recite obtains very great blessings and reward; or one may also hold and recite the Smaller Amitābha Sūtra, or the Larger Amitābha Sūtra, or other Buddhist sūtras (the Bhaiṣajyaguru—Dược Sư, the Universal Gate—Phổ Môn, and so forth).

According to whether one chants much or little, after chanting one dedicates the merit, seeking the Western land, and this too is acceptable. And one recites the dhāraṇī "Bạt nhất thế nghiệp chướng căn bổn đắc sinh Tịnh độ Đà la ni" (the Dhāraṇī for Uprooting All Karmic Obstructions at Their Root and Attaining Birth in the Pure Land). That is to say, chanting the rebirth dhāraṇī for rebirth in the Pure Land. Chant the rebirth dhāraṇī thus:

Nam mô A di da bà dạ, đa tha già da dạ, đa điệt dạ tha. A di rị đô bà tỳ, A di rị đa tất đam bà tỳ. A di rị đa tỳ ca lang dế, A di rị đa tỳ ca lang đa, dà di nị, dà dà na, chỉ đa ca lệ, ta bà ha.

CULTIVATING THE DHARMA-GATE

THE FIFTH

The Buddha asked Ānanda: Do you wish to see those in the hells?

Ānanda replied: Yes, I wish to see them, but how can they be seen?

The Buddha taught: Those in the hells are those whose body does evil, whose mouth speaks evil words, and whose mind thinks evil things—such are those in the hells.

It is argued thus: In the world, a person's good or evil is nothing other than the three karmas of body, speech, and mind.

Now, when the three karmas are all evil, this is wholly called black karma (hắc nghiệp), and so one enters the hells.

If the three karmas are all good, this is wholly called white karma (bạch nghiệp), and one is born up in the heavenly realms.

But if, among the three karmas, there is one wholesome karma, this is called mixed karma (tạp nghiệp), and one likewise escapes entering the hells.

Therefore even though the karma of body and the karma of mind are evil, if the karma of speech recites the Buddha's name, this too is called one wholesome karma. It is far better than having all three karmas evil.

How much more so when the karma of speech, while reciting the Buddha's name, can also bring the mind to contemplate the Buddha—then the karma of mind is wholesome. The body sitting upright, the hand holding a string of beads—then the karma of body is wholesome. The three karmas constantly being wholesome, and using this to cultivate the Pure Land, one is sure to be born into the highest rank: the upper grade of the upper grades (thượng phẩm thượng sinh).

I (Vương Nhựt Hưu) once, in the land of Trấn Giang, heard a shrimp-seller. Crying out his shrimp with a single shout, by this one knows that those three karmas of his are all evil.

Why? The body carrying the shrimp is the karma of body being evil; the mind wishing to sell the shrimp is the karma of mind being evil; the mouth crying out the shrimp for sale is the karma of speech being evil. Thus one knows that a single shout of crying shrimp reveals all three karmas to be evil. This is why the Buddha said that such a person is one dwelling in the hells.

Contemplating and examining by this, then before one's very eyes one already sees a great many people in the hells—how could one not be afraid! Sentient beings, through a mind of foolish delusion, not knowing cause and effect, fall into evil and transgression; this is most pitiable. I, wishing to open up and instruct them—this is called the giving of Dharma (Pháp thí). The giving of Dharma is a most vast form of almsgiving; how could the blessings and reward it obtains be easily measured!

Someone may ask: As for a person who recites the Buddha's name once or merely twice—if one keeps reciting it relentlessly, how does one escape the Buddha's displeasure? Just as when calling out someone's name, at most a couple or a few times is enough; but if one keeps yelling it without end, how does one keep that person from giving rise to anger!

Therefore one knows: To recite the Buddha's name relentlessly with a single bent—to my thinking this is not yet wholesome!

ANSWER: To argue thus is not so. For sentient beings, from beginningless aeons until now, the transgressions of the karma of speech are more numerous than the mountains and seas. One must recite the Buddha's name truly very many times before one may hope to wash them clean, and even then it is feared this is not yet enough. How then could one cling to the name of an ordinary person and compare it with the name of the Buddha, who is a supremely honored one brimming with compassion!

How much more so when the Buddhas open and teach the dharma-gate of reciting the Buddha's name, precisely to lead sentient beings to wholesomeness in the karma of speech, gradually progressing to wholesomeness in the karma of body and the karma of mind. Therefore to say that single-mindedly reciting His name continually is not yet enough to be wholesome—how could one cling to the words of mouth of worldly people and disparage the golden-mouthed words by which the Compassionate Father teaches and instructs sentient beings?

CULTIVATING THE DHARMA-GATE

THE SIXTH

One who keeps wholly the fasting precepts, and also pays homage to the Buddha, recites the Buddha's name, reads and chants the Mahāyāna scriptures, understands the foremost meaning, and uses this merit and virtue to dedicate and vow rebirth in the Western land—such a one is surely born into the highest rank, the upper grades.

– What is meant by holding the fast (trì trai)?

– It means: Not eating meat, not drinking wine, not engaging in sexual misconduct, and not eating the five pungent foods (the five acrid herbs, ngũ vị tân).

– What is meant by keeping the prohibitory precepts (cấm giới)?

– It means: Such things as killing, stealing, and sexual misconduct are the three karmas of the body. Lying, embellished speech, double-tongued speech, and harsh speech are the four karmas of the mouth. Greed, hatred, and wrong views are the three karmas of the mind. Altogether these are the ten precepts.

If one can keep these ten precepts without transgressing them, it is called the ten wholesome deeds (the Ten Virtues—Thập thiện). But if one does not keep them and lets them be transgressed, it is called the ten evil deeds (the Ten Evils—Thập ác).

Keeping these ten precepts completely, one may then be born in the heavenly realms. As for keeping the first four precepts, with the precept against drinking wine added, that makes five precepts (the householder keeps the five precepts). If a person can keep these five precepts, one constantly escapes losing the human body.

If one gives rise to the mind to cultivate the Pure Land, then one does not belong to this category. But one who keeps fully the ten precepts, adding thereto as the previous text states the merit and virtue obtained, is certainly born into the upper grades.

If, however, one keeps only the five precepts while cultivating the Pure Land, one still does not fail to be born into the upper grade of the middle rank, or the lower grade of the upper rank. And if one cannot even keep the five precepts, how could one not strive to keep at least the precept against killing? Why? Because killing is the first among the five precepts. It is also the first among the ten precepts, and likewise the first among the two hundred and fifty precepts of the bhikṣu. Thus the precept (against killing) which one can keep makes one called a person of Great Goodness. But killing makes one called a person of Great Evil.

Therefore the Śūraṅgama Sūtra (Kinh Lăng Nghiêm) says: Whoever wishes to kill, why not examine himself! Suppose someone were to kill you—would you accept it? The life of a creature is just the same (as one's own). Therefore one who does not kill obtains the blessing and reward of long life. One who kills receives the retribution of dying young, lame and crippled. It is argued: I wish my own life to be long; creatures too wish their lives to be long. If I kill a life merely to fill my mouth and belly, then when is the craving of the mouth and belly ever satisfied? After setting down the chopsticks, the savory taste is already gone, but the karma of killing still remains.

If one kills to entertain a guest—if that guest knows that we ordinarily do not kill, then that guest will not reproach or be displeased at all. How much more so since the transgression of killing is something one does and one bears oneself (eating together, yet the transgression is one's own). Therefore the sūtra says: When coming to be reborn, one comes alone; when dying, one goes alone. In saṃsāra one bears it alone. The fruits of retribution one carries alone.

Looking at this, how could one kill to feast for the sake of a guest! And if one kills to make offerings to the ancestors, there is surely no shortage of vegetarian dishes and precious things. Confucius (Đức Khổng Tử) said: Though it be coarse rice and vegetable broth, in making sacrificial offerings it is still reverence; and once there is reverence, how could it not be accepted.

Yet sacrificial offering lies not only in the offered articles; what is most needed is to burn incense, chant the sūtras, and rely upon the Buddha's power, to seek to rescue and aid the departed, and then the departed will surely attain a higher rebirth and escape death. Therefore sacrificial offering is by no means to be settled upon the act of killing.

If anyone can keep this one precept against killing, and then keeps cultivating the Pure Land, one does not dwell in the lower grades (one is born into the middle grades or the upper grades).

CULTIVATING THE DHARMA-GATE

THE SEVENTH

With the fasting precepts purifying oneself, the mind clear and thoughts still (settling the mind, free of deluded thoughts). Sit facing the Western direction, eyes gently closed, and contemplate the true body of golden hue, the Buddha Amitābha in the Western land, within the pond of seven jewels, seated upon a very great lotus blossom, His body one trượng and six tall (16 cubits), and at the spot between the brows there is a beam of radiant light shining forth, His face of golden hue, His body also of golden hue.

Next, with a stilled mind, single-mindedly contemplate that white radiant light, not letting there be even the slightest stir of any other thought; with eyes barely closed (just slightly), all is to be seen as the Buddha. Thus one wishes, in each and every thought, that no thought forget Him. Doing thus over a long time, the mind's contemplation grows seasoned, and naturally, through responsive resonance, one is able to see the whole body of the Buddha.

This method is of the very highest rank. It means: When the mind contemplates the Buddha, that very mind is the Buddha. It also has a superior portion beyond mere recitation by mouth. The future body (the body of the life to come) is sure to be born into the highest rank, the upper grade of the upper grades.

In the Tang dynasty, Mr. Khải Phương and Mr. Viên Quả—these two people constantly cultivated this contemplation-practice, and in only five months they themselves knew that their bodies went forth to the Pure Land, saw the Buddha, and heard the Buddha expound the Dharma (this story will appear in the fifth scroll). Not only here is the practice of contemplative visualization taught, but the Sūtra of the Sixteen Contemplations (Kinh Thập Lục Quán) has already spoken of it fully.

CULTIVATING THE DHARMA-GATE

THE EIGHTH

Contemplate the body of the Buddha Amitābha as exceedingly tall and exceedingly great. Seated upon a lotus blossom that is also tall and great in due proportion. Again single-mindedly contemplate that between the brows there is a beam of white radiant light flashing forth. Each detail is as the previous passage has stated. This contemplation-practice is truly of the highest rank. For when the mind contemplates the Buddha, this very mind is the Buddha. When the mind's contemplation is great, then the wholesome thought is also great. If not so, then contemplating a small image is also acceptable. But one must be wholly refined and concentrated, not letting scattered, deluded thoughts intrude.

According to the Sūtra of the Sixteen Contemplations: Contemplate the Buddha Amitābha, both His bodily marks and His radiant light, dazzling like a hundred thousand myriad million measures of Jambūnada gold. The Buddha's body is six hundred thousand million nayutas([1]) of Ganges-sands of yojanas([1]) tall. The white radiant light between His brows envelops the five Mount Sumerus all around. His eyes are clear as the waters of the four great oceans, white and blue distinctly, and with the loving-kindness that is without condition (vô duyên từ) He gathers in and delivers sentient beings.

To speak merely of one Ganges-sand of yojanas is already so vast it cannot be told. How much more so reaching to six hundred thousand million, and myriad million Ganges-sands of yojanas?

CULTIVATING THE DHARMA-GATE

THE NINTH

Contemplate the Buddha Amitābha, and contemplate Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva (Quán Thế Âm), whose body is also tall and great. Eight hundred thousand million nayutas of yojanas. The body of deep golden hue, the palms of the hands transforming into lotus blossoms of many tints and many colors, with eighty-four thousand beams of radiant light, gentle and cooling; those who meet this radiant light have their sicknesses ended and their afflictions ended, for by His precious hands He leads and guides sentient beings.

Next contemplate Mahāsthāmaprāpta Bodhisattva (Đại Thế Chí). His body too is eight myriad million nayutas of yojanas, His whole body suffused with radiant light glowing of golden hue; only those sentient beings who have the affinity (duyên) get to see that radiant light.

Next contemplate one's own body being born in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, dwelling within a lotus blossom, seated cross-legged in the full lotus posture (kiết già), within a lotus bud; then contemplate the lotus blossom opening to see the Buddha and to see the Bodhisattvas filling the whole of empty space.

CULTIVATING THE DHARMA-GATE

THE TENTH

In cultivating the Pure Land, give rise to the mind to save and deliver sentient beings, give rise to the mind of utmost sincerity, give rise to the mind that is firm and resolute, give rise to the mind that is deep and profound, and add to this paying homage and reciting the Buddha's name. Doing thus, in the present life one relies upon His protection and blessing. The future body (the life to come) is sure to be born into the highest rank, the upper grade of the upper grades.

To give rise to the mind to save and deliver sentient beings means: I vow to be born in the Pure Land, behold the Buddha and attain the Way, then return to deliver all sentient beings submerged and sinking in the sea of suffering, and not to deliver myself alone.

To give rise to the mind of utmost sincerity means: With utmost sincerity to take refuge and turn toward the Buddha, not carelessly (not heedlessly).

To give rise to the mind that is firm and resolute means: Firmly and resolutely to advance in cultivation, ever without retrogressing.

To give rise to the mind that is deep and profound means: To apply the mind deeply and profoundly, going straight toward the Pure Land. Like one who dives deep to the bottom of the sea to find and obtain the pearl-jewel. The Buddhas of the three times together with all sentient beings in the Dharma-realm likewise all arise from one single mind. If my mind is thus, how could I not be born into the highest rank, the upper grade of the upper grades?

CULTIVATING THE DHARMA-GATE

THE ELEVENTH

Feasting the Saṅgha, making offerings to the Buddha, burning incense, presenting flowers, hanging banners, raising stūpas, reciting the Buddha's name, performing rites of repentance—each act reverently serving the Triple Jewel (Tam Bảo). Using this merit and virtue to dedicate and vow rebirth in the Western land is also acceptable; or, for the sake of all in the world, whatever things bring benefit, we skillfully teach others—as in being a child, one must filially nourish one's parents; being an elder brother, one must love and cherish the younger siblings; being a younger sibling, one must respectfully comply with the elder brothers; within the inner chambers (the household) how could there not be complete goodness; within the clan how could there not be harmony.

Among the hamlet and village, kin and relations, one meets one another with propriety and righteousness, doing kindness and benefit to one another. Even to the point that one who serves the sovereign devotes the whole heart for the country; one who serves as an official is benevolent and benefits the people. As a person of high standing, one skillfully harmonizes among the multitude.

As a person of lowly standing, one diligently serves those above; or one instructs the foolish and deluded, or aids the orphaned, the helpless, the weak. Or one helps people in urgent distress, or gives to the poor and destitute, or repairs bridges and digs wells, or gives medicine and gives food, or reduces one's own portion to feed those who lack, benefiting other people; or gives goods to benefit others while one's own portion is lessened a little; or teaches people to do right, or praises good deeds and restrains evil deeds.

According to one's strength and according to the occasion, doing all wholesome deeds in the world, and taking this merit and virtue to dedicate and vow rebirth in the Western land—this too is acceptable.

Or, for the sake of all benefits in the world, whether great or small, whether many or few—even taking a single coin to give to a person, or holding out a single bowl of water to a person, down to picking up a single thorn in the road so that passersby do not step on it—this too is a wholesome deed, and one also gives rise to a single thought, thinking thus: Using this small and humble merit and virtue, to dedicate and seek rebirth in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss is also acceptable. Constantly causing the mind to keep such a single thought, not letting it be interrupted, with each and every thought inclined toward the Land of Ultimate Bliss—then one will surely, on some future day, be born into the highest rank, the upper grade of the upper grades.

CULTIVATING THE DHARMA-GATE

THE TWELFTH

In the Sūtra of the Sixteen Contemplations, the Buddha taught: To be born in the Pure Land, one must cultivate three kinds of blessings:

1/ Filially nourish father and mother, serve teachers and elders, with a heart of loving-kindness refrain from killing, and cultivate the ten wholesome karmas.

2/ Uphold and keep the rule of the Threefold Refuge (Tam quy), keep fully the precepts, and do not violate dignified deportment.

3/ Give rise to the bodhi-mind (Bồ đề tâm), deeply believe in cause and effect, read and chant the Mahāyāna scriptures. To exhort others to cultivate—these are the three right causes of pure karma of the Buddhas of the three times.

The Threefold Refuge is taking refuge in the Buddha, taking refuge in the Dharma, and taking refuge in the Saṅgha.

CULTIVATING THE DHARMA-GATE

THE THIRTEENTH

I (Vương Nhựt Hưu) have looked everywhere throughout the canon and there is no place that speaks of the matter of depositing into a storehouse in the underworld (gởi kho dưới minh phủ). Thus I respectfully exhort the people of the world not to concoct the depositing into a storehouse, which is a useless expense.

One ought rather to invite the assembly of the Saṅgha, prepare offerings to make, and with single-mindedness seek rebirth in the Western land, and then one is sure to attain rebirth there. If, instead of doing so, one performs the matter of depositing into the storehouse of the underworld, then one's resolve is set upon the underworld, and at death one will go straight into the underworld without fail.

Why? It is as if there were a person unwilling to act according to the conduct of a noble man (quân tử), unwilling to keep company with worthy friends and noble men, who instead bends low to slip money in bribery to the few jailers down in the nether realm, awaiting the moment of entering prison, using that money to ransom his transgressions—how could this not be a delusion?

A DISCOURSE ON EATING MEAT

A DISCOURSE SPEAKING OF EATING MEAT

The Śūraṅgama Sūtra (Kinh Lăng Nghiêm) says: There are immeasurable causes and conditions why one ought not to eat meat. The flesh of all kinds of sentient beings is fundamentally not a thing for us to eat. Why? Because animals have a consciousness-nature like ours—they know pain, know itching, know suffering, know joy, no different from us; yet because we, for so long, have grown accustomed to hearing with the ear and seeing with the eye, we imagine it to be a matter of course, never suspecting transgressions as numberless as the Ganges sands—and who has ever examined this?

Therefore, as for us, whoever is able to cut it off entirely, such a person may then be called a person of the highest rank, or a Bodhisattva who saves and delivers sentient beings. But for one who is not yet able to cut it off entirely, as a temporary expedient one is permitted to eat the three kinds of pure meat (tịnh nhục), gradually diminishing it.

The three kinds of pure meat are: Not seeing the killing, not hearing the killing, and not suspecting that the creature was killed for us to eat—these are the three kinds of pure meat.

Furthermore, if for instance a meal has two dishes, then we reduce it by one dish. For example, where there ought to be two meals of meat, we should make one of them a vegetarian meal.

People of the world have a fixed measure of emolument and fortune; by doing thus, one gains added years of lifespan (long life).

Next it is said: One may, for the sake of the sentient beings (that were killed), recite and chant to seek their deliverance, so as to dissolve the grievance and dispel the transgression.

According to the words of King Yama (vua Diêm La), spoken to the man Trịnh Lân([1]), one knows that whenever one wholeheartedly, for the sake of those sentient beings, recites the Buddha's name, then they are sure to attain rebirth.

A DISCOURSE ON THE SEATED FORM OF AVALOKITEŚVARA

A DISCOURSE SPEAKING OF THE SEATED FORM OF AVALOKITEŚVARA BODHISATTVA (QUÁN THẾ ÂM)

Examining the scriptural canon, it says: The Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, in their hands, feet, and all six sense-faculties, are all upright and proper; therefore there is the phrase "the forty-eight upright and dignified marks of Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva." Because He possesses the 48 upright and dignified marks, sitting in the full lotus posture in a manner of spiritual power and sovereign freedom, in accord with the responsive resonance of sentient beings emitting radiant light to save and deliver them, He is therefore called Avalokiteśvara, the Bodhisattva of Sovereign Contemplation (Quán Tự Tại Bồ Tát). People of the present day imitate this and also sit with leg tucked and arm outstretched, then say: I here am the sovereign-free Avalokiteśvara—this is a great delusion indeed.

NAMO ORIGINAL TEACHER ŚĀKYAMUNI BUDDHA (NAM MÔ BỔN SƯ THÍCH CA MÂU NI PHẬT)

END OF THE FOURTH SCROLL