丙十、令正法久住
C10: Enable The Right Dharma To Long Abide
令正法久住
[10] Enable The Right Dharma To Long Abide
丁一、痛念正法难遇
D1: Painful Mindfulness Of The Right Dharma Being Difficult To Encounter
云何令正法久住？谓我世尊无量劫来，为我等故，修菩提道，难行能行，难忍能忍，因圆果满，遂致成佛。
Why enable the Right Dharma to long abide? Speaking of our World-Honoured One, for immeasurable kalpas since, for myself and others thus, he cultivated the Bodhi path, with that difficult to practise able to be practised, that difficult to endure able to be endured, with the cause perfect and the effect complete, thereupon leading to accomplishment [of] Buddhahood.
既成佛已，化缘周讫，入于涅槃。正法、像法皆已灭尽，仅存末法，有教无人，邪正不分，是非莫辨，竞争人我，尽逐利名，举目滔滔，天下皆是。
Since having accomplished Buddhahood already, and with manifestation’s conditions all completed, with entering of Parinirvāṇa. The Right Dharma and Dharma Semblance Ages have all already ended completely. Only existing is this Dharma-Ending Age, when there are teachings but without noble persons. With the heterodox and orthodox not differentiated, right and wrong not distinguished, with competition between others and oneself, to the utmost chasing gain and fame, raising your eyes to see this torrential flood, the heavens below is all like this.
不知佛是何人，法是何义，僧是何名，衰残至此，殆不忍言。每一思及，不觉泪下。
Not knowing the Buddha is which person, the Dharma has what meaning, the Saṃgha is whose name, declining to be destroyed to this extent, I nearly cannot bear to speak about it. Every time, once when contemplating this, I cannot help having my tears fall.
丁二、正明必须发心
D2: Right Explanation That There Must Be Giving Rise Of The Bodhi Mind
我为佛子，不能报恩，内无益于己，外无益于人，生无益于时，死无益于后。
I, as the Buddha’s disciple, am not able to repay his kindness. Internally, without benefit of myself. Externally, without benefit of people. When alive, without benefit of those in this time. When dead, without benefit of those after.
天虽高，不能覆我；地虽厚，不能载我。极重罪人，非我而谁？
The sky although high, is not able to cover me. The earth although thick, is not able to carry me. This extremely heavily transgressive person, if not me, then who can it be?
由是痛不可忍，计无所出，顿忘鄙陋，忽发大心，虽不能挽回末运于此时，决当图护持正法于来世。
Due to this, with pain unbearable, of methods, it is without that appearing, than to suddenly forget my shallowness, to immediately give rise to the great Bodhi Mind. Although not able to redeem the Dharma-Ending Age’s fortune in this time, I am determined to undertake plans to protect and uphold the Right Dharma for the future.
是故偕诸善友，同到道场，述为忏摩，建兹法会。发四十八之大愿，愿愿度生；期百千劫之深心，心心作佛。从于今日，尽未来际，毕此一形，誓归安养。
Therefore, together with all good friends, together reaching this place for realising the path, for stating repentance, establishing this Dharma assembly. Giving rise to forty-eight of great vows, with vow after vow for delivering sentient beings. Hoping to be with profound resolution for a hundred thousand kalpas, with thought after thought for becoming Buddhas. From today, to the end of future’s limit, at the end of this one form [i.e. body], vowing to ‘return’ to the Land Of Peaceful Nurturing [i.e. Āmítuófó’s Pure Land].
既登九品，回入娑婆，俾得佛日重辉，法门再阐，僧海澄清于此界，人民被化于东方。
Even if having ascended the nine grades, returning to enter this Sahā World, so that the sunlike Buddha can again be glorious, Dharma Doors again be explained, and the Saṃgha’s ocean again be pure and clear in this world, with people of the Eastern direction transformed.
劫运为之更延，正法得以久住。此则区区真实苦心。
May disasters’ misfortunes, because of this be postponed even further, with the Right Dharma able to long abide. These then, are my insignificant but true and painstaking efforts.
是为发菩提心第十因缘也。
This is for giving rise to the Bodhi Mind, the tenth cause and condition.
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
全文
Complete Text:
《劝发菩提心文》
Essay On Exhortation To Give Rise To The Bodhi Mind
https://purelanders.com/quan
