5月17日

四料簡
宋 永明延壽 ( 904~975 )

有禪有淨土，猶如帶角虎；
現世為人師，來生作佛祖。
無禪有淨土，萬修萬人去；
若得見彌陀，何愁不開悟。
有禪無淨土，十人九磋路；
陰境若現前，瞥爾隨他去。
無禪無淨土，鐵床並銅柱；
萬劫與千生，沒個人依怙。

──選自《蓮修必讀》

May 17

Four Alternatives
Yongming Yanshou (904 - 975, Song Dynasty)
English translation: Zhi Yue

Those who practice both Chan and Pure Land,
    are like tigers with horns;
They become teachers to others in this lifetime,
    and become buddhas or patriarchs in future lives.

Those who do not practice Chan, but practice Pure Land,
    all will go to the Pure Land;
If they’ve seen Amitabha Buddha,
    why worry about not attaining enlightenment?

Those who practice Chan, but do not practice Pure Land,
    nine out of ten will be led astray;
When the negative realms manifest,
    they may swiftly follow it.

Those who do not practice Chan nor the Pure Land,
    will be met with iron beds and bronze columns;
For ten thousand kalpas and a thousand lifetimes,
    they will have no one to rely on.

── from Lianxiu Bidu (Essential Readings for Pure Land Practitioners)