不肖愚下凡夫僧实贤，泣血稽颡，哀告现前大众及当世净信男女等，唯愿慈悲，少加听察。
I, the unworthy, foolish, lowly and ordinary monk Shíxián [i.e. ‘Truly Virtuous’ literally], weeping blood and prostrating with my forehead to the ground, piteously beg this great assembly before me, and this present age’s men and women with pure faith and others, only wishing that you will, with loving-kindness and compassion, slightly grant me your listening, to examine what I have to say.
尝闻入道要门，发心为首；修行急务，立愿居先。愿立则众生可度，心发则佛道堪成。
It is formerly heard that entering the path’s essential door, is with giving rise to the [Bodhi] Mind [i.e. to guide one and all to Buddhahood] as the foremost. Cultivation of practices’ urgent task, is with establishing of vows positioned first. With vows established, then can sentient beings be delivered. With the Bodhi Mind given rise, then can the Buddha path be accomplished.
苟不发广大心，立坚固愿，则纵经尘劫，依然还在轮回；虽有修行，总是徒劳辛苦。
If not giving rise to the vast and great [Bodhi] Mind, by establishing firm vows, then even if passing dust motes of kalpas, we will as before, still be reborn. Although having cultivation of practices, they will always be futile and with hardship.
故《华严经》云：「忘失菩提心，修诸善法，是名魔业。」忘失尚尔，况未发乎？故知欲学如来乘，必先具发菩萨愿，不可缓也。
Thus, the Flower Adornment Sūtra says, ‘Forgetting and losing the Bodhi Mind, then cultivating all good dharmas, these are named as demonic karmas.’ Forgotten and lost still being thus, moreover if yet to have given rise to it? Thus know that if desiring to learn the Thus Come Ones’ Vehicle, there must first be complete giving rise of Bodhisattva Vows, which must not be delayed.
净土宗十一祖省庵大师
Pure Land Tradition’s 11th Patriarch Great Master Xǐng‘ān
《劝发菩提心文》
Essay On Exhortation To Give Rise To The Bodhi Mind
待续 To be continued…
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Complete Text:
《劝发菩提心文》
Essay On Exhortation To Give Rise To The Bodhi Mind
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