A Verse sharing Compassionate Advice and Cautions quoted from ‘In Praise of Pratyutpanna’ by Master Shandao
善導大師《般舟讚》慈悲勸誡
I generally urge all good advisors who aspire to be reborn,
To not separate from those close and intimate companions who aspire to be reborn with the same practice.
We have had hundreds and thousands of parents and children in many past lives,
But none of them was the augmentative causes of our awakening.
They become attached to each other, and together fall into the wretched realms.
Because they receive different bodies as karmic retribution, they will not even recognize each other.
They may be born as one of the six domestic animals, such as pigs and goats,
They may have feathers or horns and never know when their lives may end.
We should treasure having a human body and being able to hear this most important teaching.
We should be determined, to gladly leave the village in which we now live, and return to our home country.
It is very exciting when a father and son meet and recognize each other.
It is similar for Bodhisattvas and Sravakas.
普勸同生知識等,同行相親莫相離。
父母妻兒百千萬,非是菩提增上緣,
念念相纏入惡道,分身受報不相知,
或在豬羊六畜內,披毛戴角何時了。
慶得人身聞要法,頓捨他鄉歸本國,
父子相見非常喜,菩薩聲聞亦復然。
Namo Amituofo!
