《嘆異抄》(Passages Deploring Deviations of Faith) 歎異,乃「悲歎異義」之意。此書為唯圓所輯(年紀比親鸞聖人小49歲,親鸞聖人往生時,唯圓41歲),收錄親鸞聖人所言。全書內文共18條,前10條為親鸞聖人的語錄,後8條為唯圓之歎異。
The Tannishō, also known as the Lamentations of Divergences, is a late 13th century short Buddhist text generally thought to have been written by Yuien, a disciple of Shinran. In the Tannishō, Yuien is concerned about the rising doctrinal divergences that emerged in Jōdo Shinshū Buddhism after the death of their founder, so he wrote down dialogues between himself and Shinran that he could recall when his master was alive.
The Tannishō is divided into 18 sections (sometimes called chapters), though many of these sections are very short. Some are no longer than a couple sentences. However, each section deals with a separate doctrinal issue.
Sections 1 through 10 focus on Shinran's thoughts with regard to Jōdo Shinshū, the nembutsu and Amida Buddha, while sections 11 through 18 deal with heretical ideas that Yuien wanted to dispel or correct on the basis of what Shinran had taught him.
Transcript
叹异钞 Passages Deploring Deviations of Faith
唯圆 辑 by Yuienbō
Foreword 前序
When I reflect with deep humility upon the past and the present,
窃回愚案,粗勘古今,
I cannot help but deplore the prevalence of various deviations from the true faith transmitted by word of mouth from our late Master.
叹异先师口传之真信,
So I feel concerned about possible doubts that may arise in the minds of future inheritors of the faith.
思有後学相续之疑惑。
Unless guided by a karmically related teacher, how could anyone expect to enter the gate of easy practice?
幸不依有缘知识,争得入易行一门哉!
Nobody should defile the doctrine of the other-power by his own arbitrary interpretations.
莫全以自见之觉语,乱他力之宗旨。
Therefore I have recorded here the gist of what the late Shinran Shōnin told me,
仍故亲鸾圣人御物语之趣,
while it still reverberates in my ears.
所留耳底,
This has been written solely to clear away in advance any uncertainties that might arise among fellow devotees. So much by way of foreword.
聊注之,偏为散同心行者之不审也。
One 第一章
“At the very moment when we are moved to utter the nenbutsu by a firmfaith that our rebirth in the Pure Land is attained solely by virtue of the unfathomable working of Amida's Original Vow,
信「弥陀誓愿不思议之救度,必得往生」而欲念佛之心,发起之时,
we are enabled to share in its benefits that embrace all and forsake none.
即蒙摄取不舍之利益。
We should realize that Amida's Original Vow never discriminates between the old and the young, the good and the evil,
应知弥陀本愿,不简老、少、善、恶之人;
and that what matters most is the heart of faith alone;
唯以信心为要。
for the vow was originally made for the purpose of delivering sentient beings sorely defiled by their vices and passions.
其故者∶为救度罪恶深重,烦恼炽盛之众生之愿也。
Therefore once faith in the Original Vow is steadfast, no other good is needed,
是故,信本愿者,他善亦非要,
for there is no good superior to the nenbutsu.
无胜念佛之善故;
No evil should be feared,
恶亦不可惧,
for there is no evil powerful enough to obstruct Amida's Original Vow.”
无碍弥陀本愿之恶故。
Two 第二章
“Your earnest aim in coming all the way here to see me, crossing more than ten provinces at the risk of your lives,
诸位越十馀国之境,不顾身命,
is solely to enquire of me the way to rebirth in the Land of Supreme Bliss.
来访之志,偏为闻问往生极乐之道也。
Nevertheless, should you honor me by supposing that I am withholding any esoteric way for rebirth in the Pure Land or that I know of scriptural sources other than the nenbutsu, you go seriously astray.
然而,若谓亲鸾念佛之外,尚知往生之道,及法文等,则大错也。
Should you harbor such ideas, then there are a number of authoritative scholars in Nara, the Southern Capital, as well as on Mount Hiei, the Northern Peak, 若尔者,则南都北岭,多有优越学匠,
whom you should visit and ask to your heart's content about the essentials for rebirth in the Pure Land.
亦可诣彼,善闻往生之要。
“For me, Shinran, there is no alternative but to accept and trust in the teaching of my master Hōnen:
於亲鸾者,仰信善知识法然上人之言∶
that simply by uttering the nenbutsu I shall be given deliverance by Amida.
唯念佛蒙弥陀救度之外,别无思虑也。
Is the nenbutsu really the seed of rebirth in the Pure Land, or is it a karmic cause of falling into the lowest hell?
念佛者,实是生净土之因,或堕地狱之业,
Of such questions I know absolutely nothing.
全然不知也。
Even if I had been deceived by my master, Hōnen Shōnin, and were to fall into hellish torment, I would have no regrets at all!
设虽受法然上人之骗,念佛而堕地狱,亦绝不後悔。
The reason is that, had I been one who was certain to attain buddhahood by striving at some other spiritual discipline 其故者∶若修念佛以外之行能成佛之人,
and yet fell into an infernal state through uttering the nenbutsu,
而因念佛堕地狱者,
I might well be justified in regretting that I had been deceived.
则诚然被骗而当後悔;
But as I find myself totally incapable of any kind of meritorious deed,
然任何行皆不能之人,
the lowest hell would in any event be my destined abode.
地狱是一定之故乡。
“If Amida's Original Vow is unfailing, then ?ākyamuni's teaching cannot be false.
若弥陀本愿真实者,则释尊说教无虚言;
If ?ākyamuni's teaching is true, then Shandao's sacred commentaries cannot be unfounded.
若释尊说教真实者,则善导之释无虚言;
If Shandao's commentaries are well founded, how can Hōnen Shōnin's sayings be in error?
若善导之释真实者,则法然之言岂虚耶!
If Hōnen Shōnin's sayings are trustworthy, how then can what I, Shinran, am telling you be in vain?
若法然之言真实者,则亲鸾之语焉虚哉!
Summing up, such are the humble convictions of my ignorant self.
总之,愚身之信心如是,
Beyond this, it depends entirely on each of you as to whether you adopt and trust in the nenbutsu or cast it aside.”
而今而後,取念佛而信之,或舍而别求,各自抉择。
Three 第三章
“‘Even a virtuous person can attain rebirth in the Pure Land, how much more easily a wicked person!'
「善人尚得往生,何况恶人。」
But ordinary people usually say:
然世人常言∶
‘Even a wicked person can attain rebirth in the Pure Land, how much more easily a virtuous person.'
「恶人尚往生,何况善人。」
At first sight, this view may appear more reasonable,
此说似理,
but it really is quite contrary to the intention of the other-power of the Original Vow.
然背本愿他力之意趣。
The reason is that since a person who does deeds of merit by his own effort lacks total reliance on the other-power, he is self-excluded from Amida's Original Vow.
其故者∶自力作善之人,缺乏任凭他力之心故,非弥陀本愿;
But as soon as his attitude of self-effort is redirected and he dedicates himself exclusively to the other-power, his rebirth in the True Land of Reward is at once assured.
然而,若翻转自力之心,仰凭他力者,必得往生真实报土也。
“It was solely to enable the wicked to attain buddhahood that Amida took his vows, out of compassion for those like us who, defiled to the core, have no hope of liberating ourselves from the cycle of birth and death through any other discipline.
烦恼具足之我等,任何修行皆不能离生死,弥陀哀愍,发愿之本意,
And so an evil person who dedicates himself to the other-power is above all endowed with the right cause for rebirth.
在於「恶人成佛故」,
归信他力之恶人,最是往生之正因也。
Hence Shinran's saying:‘Even a virtuous person can attain rebirth in the Pure Land,
how much more easily a wicked person!'”
故言「善人尚得往生,何况恶人。」
Four 第四章
“There is a divergence between the compassion of the path of sages and that of the path of the Pure Land.
慈悲有圣道、净土之区别。
The compassion of the path of sages commiserates with and cares for sentient beings,
圣道之慈悲者∶哀怜、悲愍、育护也。
and yet it is least likely to succeed in liberating them as completely as could be wished.
然,如其意得救度者,极为难有。
But the true compassion of the Pure Land path consists in calling the nenbutsu,
thereby quickly attaining buddhahood, and then benefiting all sentient beings with the heart of great compassion and kindness as fully as possible.
净土之慈悲者;念佛而急速成佛,以大慈大悲心,如其意利益众生之谓也。
Because, as you know, no matter how much sympathy and pity we may feel for others in this life it is difficult to save them, as we would wish;
於今生,即虽如何之哀怜、悲愍,已如所知,难得救度,
our compassion is not thorough-going.
此之慈悲,无有始终。
And so the calling of the nenbutsu is the only all-embracing expression of the heart of great compassion.”
是故,唯有念佛,此是彻始彻终之大慈悲心也。
Five 第五章
“I, Shinran, have never called the nenbutsu, not even once, out of filial piety for my deceased parents.
亲鸾未曾为追薦父母,而念佛一遍。
The reason is that through karmic relations during numberless rebirths, all sentient beings are or have been my parents or kinsmen.
其故者∶一切有情,皆是生生世世之父母兄弟也,
So we should attain buddhahood in the next life and then we shall be able to bring deliverance to all other beings.
不论何人,皆应於次生成佛而救度之。
“If the nenbutsu were a deed of merit that could be done by our own efforts, we could deliver our parents by transferring that merit to them.
若念佛是我自力所勤行之善,始可以回向念佛,救度父母。
But this being impossible, only if we abandon our self-efforts and straightaway attain enlightenment in the Pure Land 唯舍自力,速生净土而证佛果,
will the Buddha Amida's superhuman powers and skillful means enable us to deliver first of all those with whom we are closely related by karmic ties, but who find themselves afflicted by suffering in any of the six realms of existence and the four modes of birth.”
则六道四生之间,不论沈於何种业苦,皆能以神通、方便,而先度有缘也。
Six 第六章
“It is unbelievable that any dispute should have arisen among those who devote themselves to the exclusive practice of the nenbutsu as to who are my disciples and who are the disciples of others.
专修念佛之辈,诤论我之弟子人之弟子。此甚为意外之事也。
I, Shinran, do not have a single disciple of my own.
亲鸾者,无一弟子也。
The reason is that if I could induce others to call the nenbutsu through my own influence, then they might well be called my disciples.
其故者∶若以我之力使人念佛,方谓之弟子;
But it is utterly absurd to call them my disciples when they repeat the nenbutsu through the influence of Amida Buddha.
然偏蒙弥陀所催促之念佛,而谓我之弟子者,荒谬之极也。
“When karmic conditions are favorable, master and disciple must meet:
有相随之缘则伴,
when adverse, they must part.
有相离之缘则散。
Despite this, there are those who disconcert the faithful by saying that if they desert their present master and repeat the nenbutsu while following some other master, their rebirth in the Pure Land can never be attained. 离师而从人念佛,不得往生等之言,
At this, words fail me.
不足论也。
Do they mean that they wish to revoke the faith called forth by Amida Buddha, as though it were their own?
将如来所赐之信心,以为我物,而欲取回,
I reiterate that this view must never be allowed to prevail.
甚为不可也。
Once we are in harmony with the spontaneous power of the Vow, we naturally come to realize our indebtedness to Amida Buddha and feel gratitude toward our teachers.”
若与自然之理相应者,既知佛恩,又知师恩也。
Seven 第七章
“The nenbutsu is the one unobstructed path.
念佛者,无碍之一道也。
This is because the gods of heaven and earth bow down in reverence before the devotee of the true faith,
其谓云何?信心之行者∶天神地祗亦敬伏,
but he can never be hindered by the realm of demons or by adherents to heterodox views.
魔界外道亦不能障碍,
No evil deed can bring upon him the retribution of karma,
罪恶亦不能感受业报,
nor can any good deed that he might do surpass the nenbutsu.
诸善亦不及故,
Hence I call this the one unobstructed path.”
无碍之一道也。
Eight 第八章
“For the devotee the calling of the nenbutsu is neither religious observance nor moral worthiness.
念佛者,於行者而言,非行、非善也。
It is not a religious observance because it is not done by his own design.
非我计之行,故言非行;
It is not a moral deed since it is none of his own doing.
亦非我计而作之善,故言非善。
As it springs wholly from the other-power and surpasses all self-effort,
全依他力,离自力故,
I say that for the devotee the calling of the nenbutsu is neither religious observance nor moral worthiness.”
於行者,非行、非善也。
Nine 第九章
“Even when I call the nenbutsu, I rarely feel like dancing for joy,
问曰∶我虽念佛,踊跃、欢喜之心甚薄;
nor do I have any fervent longing to be reborn in the Pure Land.
亦无急生净土之心,
Why is this so?” I asked.
应如之何?
“There was once a time when I, Shinran, also had doubts on this question.
答曰∶亲鸾亦有此不审,
Now, Yuienbō, I find you sharing the same doubts.
唯圆亦同此心乎!
But when I reflect on this more deeply,
细细思之,
I realize that our rebirth in the Pure Land is all the more assured because we cannot feel like dancing for joy as we would wish. That is how you should think of this problem.
应踊於天、跃於地之喜而不喜,弥觉往生一定矣。
It is defilement by evil passions that oppresses our hearts and prevents us from rejoicing.
抑止喜心而不生喜者,是烦恼之所为也。
But since Amida Buddha, knowing this already, has called us 'common beings defiled by ignorance,'
然,佛预知之,故言之谓烦恼具足之凡夫,
I realize that the compassionate vow of the other-power was made for the benefit of just such defiled beings as ourselves, and so I feel it all the more worthy of trust.
知他力之悲愿,正为如是之我等,而弥觉可归信也。
“Moreover, when we have no longing to be reborn instantly in the Pure Land, if we fall even slightly ill, we feel helpless with the fear of death.
又、无急生净土之心,偶有微恙,则怖死而心忧,
This is likewise because of our evil passions.
亦烦恼之所为也。
How strong indeed must they be when we find it so hard to leave our native land of suffering, where we have been wandering through birth and death for numberless kalpas,
从久远劫轮转至今之苦恼故里而难舍,
and when we can feel no longing for Amida's Pure Land, where we have yet to be reborn!
未曾往生之安养净土而不慕,实是烦恼兴盛也。
We are reborn into that land when we have exhausted, even though reluctantly, our karmic relations to this world of suffering and end our lives helplessly.
虽不忍惜别,然婆娑之缘一尽,无力而终时,即得往生彼土也。
So Amida pities above all those who feel no urgent longing to go to the Pure Land.
弥陀特为哀愍,无急速欲生心之人也。
Reflecting on this, we realize all the more how trustworthy is Amida's great compassionate vow and how firmly our rebirth is assured.
因此,弥知大悲大愿之可信,而往生决定矣!
If, on the contrary, our hearts were to rejoice with an eager aspiration for rebirth in the Pure Land,
倘有踊跃欲喜之心,亦有急生净土之念者,
we might believe that we had no evil passions at all.”
则反令人以其为无烦恼而疑之矣。
Ten 第十章
“The meaning of the nenbutsu lies in its freedom from contrivance,
念佛者∶以无义为义;
because it is imponderable, indescribable, and inconceivable,” the Master said.
不可称、不可说、不可思议故。
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