The Difficult and Easy paths
Translation from Master Jing Zong’s dharma talks
Published in Master Jing Ben’s page
In Nagarjuna Bodhisattva’s “Treatise on the Ten Bodhisattva Grounds”, there is a chapter named “Chapter on the Easy Path”. This chapter contains the famous thesis that divides Buddha's teachings into the Easy Path and the Difficult Path. Its aim is to help us make the right choice in our cultivation - to discard the Difficult path and to choose the Easy path.
Presenting the difficulties of the Difficult Path and request for the Easy Path
In the initial part of “Chapter on the Easy Path”, Nagarjuna Bodhisattva identified the difficulties in the attainment of non-retrogression through self-cultivation. By using this point of problem, arise the question if there is any easier way to achieve the target.
Why should one strive for non-retrogression? Because our goal in learning Buddhism is to achieve Buddhahood, however it is not easy. Therefore, the first step to achieve Buddhahood is the attainment of non-retrogression. If one attained non-retrogression, even one has yet to attain Buddhahood, one is considered stable in practice as he will not regress. A non-retrograde Bodhisattva will not regress to a lower state and will only progress towards Buddhahood. No matter how wise or virtuous one may be, if has yet to attain non-retrogression, one might regress to a lower state.
“Chapter on the Easy Path” explains that to attain non-retrogression through self-cultivation, there are three difficulties:
One must perform myriad of difficult practices
One may only achieve non-retrogression after a long period of sustained practice.
In the interim, one may regress to a Sravaka or Pratyekabuddha stage.
“Practice” means to cultivate; “myriad” here means one must perform a variety of practices, such as engaging in various ascetic practices and practising the Six Paramitas.
We are not talking about just one lifetime, two lifetimes, a hundred lifetimes, or even a thousand lifetimes of practices to attain non-retrogression. The “long period” here meant a really long period of consistent cultivation without regression. It was mentioned in the Keyura Sutra, from the point a person commits himself to his practice and consistently sustains many lifetimes of practices without regression, it will take him more than ten thousand Kalpas before he could attain non-retrogression. In short, attaining non-retrogression requires a long period of sustained cultivation; it could not be attained in one lifetime, two lifetimes, one hundred lifetimes, or even a thousand lifetimes.
A Kalpa is a unit of time. It is a very long period and often we say the duration of a Kalpa is incalculable. Shakyamuni Buddha is adept at providing analogies. If a number was given, it would be difficult for us to comprehend its magnitude. For instance, if I mentioned 100 million, 1 billion, 10 billion, as the number gets larger and larger, it gets increasingly hard to grasp its magnitude. Therefore, Shakyamuni Buddha used a rock as an analogy to let us have an idea of a Kalpa duration. Imagine there was an enormous rock as big as a mountain that was 20 kilometers in length, breadth, and height. One Long-Life deva from the Heaven descended every once in a century to brush the rock lightly with his silky cloth. You must know that the clothing of a deva is very thin; it is as thin as a cicada’s wing. Even that was insufficient to describe the thinnest of a deva’s clothing. The clothing was said to be even thinner than the clouds and air. The Buddha told us that even when the deva had eroded the huge rock with his light brushing, one Kalpa had yet to pass.
See, how could you have imagined that! The duration of a Kalpa is immeasurable.
The Bodhisattva Path requires a long period of cultivation before one could attain non-retrogression. The time required is beyond thousands and millions of Kalpa. This period does not even consider the time when one falls into the wretched-realm and thus unable to continue his cultivation. It must be consistent cultivation that lasts throughout many lives until the attainment of non-retrogression. Nagarjuna Bodhisattva told us that according to sutra(Avatamsaka Sutra华严经), self-cultivation is immensely difficult, and it requires many Kalpas to achieve non-retrogression.
Is it even guaranteed that we would achieve non-retrogression after many Kalpas? The answer is No! Because at any moment, there is still a risk that we could regress. Regress into what? As mentioned earlier, we may regress to a Sravaka or Pratyekabuddha stage. Why do we consider falling back to a Sravaka as a regression? Because, relative to a Bodhisattva who commits himself to great vows and the goal of attaining Buddhahood, regressing to become a Sravaka means that one has become someone who is only concerned with his own liberation, and all the earlier efforts put into attaining Buddhahood would have gone to waste. In one of the sutras, it is mentioned that when one becomes a Sravaka, it means the death of a Bodhisattva. It is a tremendous loss of benefits, and it is akin to a Bodhisattva who has lost his head and died because a Sravaka is only seeking to achieve self-liberation benefit, he does not generate great vows to help other sentient beings, and thus, certainly cannot attain supreme and perfect enlightenment. Therefore, this means that we have lost a Bodhisattva and a Buddha.
Nagarjuna Bodhisattva used three words to describe the difficulties in attaining non-retrogression through self-cultivation:
Multitude - One must perform myriad of difficult practices
Long - One must go through an unimaginable long period of cultivation.
Regress - In the interim, one is not insured against the risk of regressing to a Sravaka.
Certainly, self-cultivation is only for those who have the determination and ability to truly cultivate. For us, we do not fall into this category since we are sentient beings that are drowned in the sea of Samsara for eons; hopelessly trapped in the never-ending cycles of birth and death.
A person who understood the difficulties of the Difficult Path thought to himself, “the Difficult Path is so tough! Should I let out my last breath now, I do not know where I would go for my next rebirth.” Therefore, one certainly hopes that there is an Easy Path instead. A path that could allow him to attain non-retrogression swiftly and easily.
“Chapter on the Easy Path”:
If the Buddhas’ teachings contains the Easy Path, enable one to achieve non-retrogression quickly, (the person who asking question) wishes (that Nagarjuna Bodhisattva) could teach him.
Nagarjuna Bodhisattva’s criticisms before teaching the Easy Path
After raising such a question, Nagarjuna Bodhisattva first criticized him before sharing with him the teachings of the Easy Path. How did Nagarjuna Bodhisattva criticize him?
“Chapter on the Easy Path”:
From what you have just said, those were statements made by a weak person who does not possess great resolve. Those were not words of a man with great determination and ambition. Why is that so? If a person vowed to achieve supreme enlightenment and yet to attain non-retrogression, he should neglect his life to exert himself relentlessly to his practice as if his head was on fire.
“Those words exhibit a lack of determination and a lack of great resolve. This clearly shows that you are a weak, cowardly, and inferior person who lacks determination. Why? As the Buddha said, one who vows to achieve supreme and perfect enlightenment, in the long journey before the attainment of non-retrogression, should be vigorous in practice without even caring for one’s life. You should practice day and night as if your head is on fire. You should not rest for a single moment.”
Even if one was solely concerned with his own liberation and strived to be a Sravaka, he too should be vigorous in his practice. Compared to a Sravaka, a Bodhisattva should be more diligent in his practice by a billion-fold. As ordinary people, it is difficult for us to comprehend the practice of a Sravaka, much less the practice of a Bodhisattva.
“Chapter on the Easy Path”:
As a Mahayana practitioner, Buddha said: The aspiration to achieve Buddhahood is heavier than lifting a great chiliocosm.
An ordinary man can easily lift a table. A man with more strength may lift a 100-kilogram rock. However, if one aspired to be a Buddha, the challenges would be tougher than lifting a great chiliocosm. This is because, for someone aspiring to be a Buddha, you must bear the karmic burdens of all sentient beings. When all the karmic burdens lie on your shoulders, you must take full responsibility. As the saying goes, “Take responsibility for all sentient beings and shoulder their heavy karmic burdens”. This is extremely challenging.
Nagarjuna Bodhisattva said in “Chapter on the Easy Path”:
You mentioned that: “To achieve non-retrogression is extremely difficult, and it requires a long period of self-cultivation. Is there an Easy Path to achieve non-retrogression quickly and easily?” “Those are words of a weak and inferior being, and not of one who possesses great resolve.”
By asking for an Easy Path, aren’t you retreating from your practice already? Aren't you being a lowly coward?” However, if someone said: “That's all I'm capable of, what else can I do?” Therefore, Nagarjuna Bodhisattva still taught him the Easy Path.
Nagarjuna Bodhisattva stated in “Chapter on the Easy Path”:
“If you insist to know the Easy Path, I will share it with you the Easy Path.”
The whole point of Nagarjuna Bodhisattva’s criticism was to let us know our capabilities. He said, “If you want to walk on the difficult path, you must know that it is extremely challenging, and it is not an easy feat!”. Nagarjuna Bodhisattva, a non-retrograde Bodhisattva, has surely walked the path, so he knew how difficult it was. In the end, he too turned towards the Easy Path. Therefore, his criticisms served as a convenient means to humble us. Its aim was to let us know that self-cultivation is extremely difficult and thereby induce our desires for the Easy Path. Lastly, he said, “If you really must know, I’ll tell you!”
The Two Paths: The Easy Path and the Difficult Path
Next, Nagarjuna Bodhisattva categorized Buddha’s teachings into two paths: the Difficult Path and the Easy Path. Not all teachings of the Buddha are difficult paths; there are also Easy Paths.
“Chapter on the Easy Path”:
There are countless paths within the Buddha’s teachings.
Just like worldly routes, there are difficult ones and easy ones.
A walking journey is exhausting, while a journey on the ship is pleasant.
There are countless paths in the Dharma. They are just like the worldly paths; there are difficult paths, and there are easy paths. When you travel far on foot, the journey will be exhausting. If you board a ship instead and sail along with the wind and tide, you could reach your destination much faster and with less effort. At the same time, you feel more at ease in your journey.
A poem from Li Bai (a famous poet) describes the Easy Path (Journeying on a ship) very well.
“I departed Baidi under rosy clouds at dawn to Jiangling
I returned after a day’s journey of a thousand miles.
Although the incessant howl of gibbons along both shores has yet to crease,
my tiny boat has already passed countless mountains.”
Early in the morning, when the sun just rose; Li Bai boarded a light boat and set off for his journey to Jiang Ling. Baidi city and Jiangling were a thousand miles apart. In the olden days, transportation was not developed, so a thousand miles was considered a long journey. Despite Jiangling being a thousand miles away, sailing along the river; he could reach Jiangling within a day. The last two sentences of his poem were cleverly written. It says along the way, there were incessant howls of the gibbons along both shores. While he could still hear the howl of those gibbons in between his ears, his tiny boat has surpassed countless mountains. Coasting along the river, he reached his destination swiftly. It means briskly, without many obstacles, and effort.
The practice of “Namo Amituofo-recitation” is like Li Bai’s poem. While the noises of suffering from the Saha world are still right by our ears, we are reborn in the Land of Bliss.
Master Shan Dao has two lines of gatha that illustrate the ease of attaining rebirth in the Land of Bliss.
In the Saha world, one lowers his head to give prostration to the Buddha;
raising his head to find himself reborn in the Land of Bliss.
A reciter at his death had left the Saha world and instantly achieve rebirth in the Land of Bliss despite the land being ten thousand billion of Buddha worlds away. This was even quicker than what Li Bai wrote in his poem - “my tiny boat has already passed countless mountains”. Our end of life may seem far away. But, if you were to think about it, it was just an “Ah..” away. Our lives are just that short, as short as the time taken to lower and raise our heads to discover that we have reached the Land of Bliss.
Nagarjuna Bodhisattva told us about two routes: you could travel on foot by land, or you could travel on a ship by sea. The use of sea travel on a ship as an analogy for the Pure Land School is originated from Nagarjuna Bodhisattva. The well-heard saying of “The ship of great vow with Namo Amituofo” came from here.
However, it is exhausting if travel on foot. If you were a senior person with a weak body, poor eyesight and no sense of direction; coupled with the harsh environment, the frequent appearances of robbers, and the lack of resources, how could you have traveled far? Furthermore, you would be restricted by time (Our short lifespans). Within a short period, you must travel a thousand miles (Crossing the sea of Samsara). That would be impossible. As such, there are many factors limiting us from taking the overland route.
“Chapter on the Easy Path”:
Bodhisattva's path is similar.
There are those who work diligently in their practices, and there are those who have faith in the expedient method to attain non-retrogression.
“The Bodhisattva’s path is similar”:
In the earlier section, Nagarjuna Bodhisattva uses the worldly path as an analogy for the Bodhisattva's path. In the later section, Nagarjuna Bodhisattva provides a further explanation that the path of the Bodhisattva is like the worldly path; it includes both difficult and easy paths.
“There are those who work diligently in their practices”:
These are the people who must practice a billionfold harder than a Sravaka; sustain an extremely long period of consistent practice; take on ascetic practices. While in the interim, bear the risk of regressing to a lower state. This path is not easy. One must be truly diligent in his practice. This is the Difficult Path. As mentioned earlier, to take on the Difficult Path is akin to lifting a great chiliocosm
“There are also those who have faith in the expedient method to attain non-retrogression”:
Faith opens the gateway to the expedient method. In Buddhism, faith plays an important role; this is even more true in the Pure Land School. This expedient method would not be of any use if you are without faith. However, those who truly believe in the Easy Path will be able to attain non-retrogression quickly and easily, without difficulties, long periods of practice, and the risk of regression.
So, what exactly is this expedient method that requires one’s faith? Nagarjuna Bodhisattva explains to us in the following section that this expedient method is based on Amitabha’s 18th vow.
Name-recitation according to Amitabha’s Fundamental Vow
Like a theatrical performance, there are many performances earlier, but they are all prologues. The main character is yet to appear. Now that the show is about to begin, who is the main character? It is Amitabha Buddha. In the Pure Land School, there is only one main character; all the others are supporting characters, including all the other Buddhas and all the great Bodhisattvas. Our main character has appeared:
“Chapter on the Easy Path”:
Amitabha Buddha’s Fundamental Vow is as such: if someone recites my name and takes refuge in me, this person at once attains the karma of assurance and will achieve supreme enlightenment.
This is the Amitabha Buddha’s fundamental vow. What exactly is the vow about? It is mentioned in the vow, one should recite “Namo Amituofo”. The focus is on name-recitation rather than visualization, or the contemplation of Buddha statues, or the contemplation of the ultimate truth. Amitabha’s fundamental vow is simply the recitation of his name.
“Take refuge” means from our mouths, we recite “Namo Amituofo”. From our hearts, we take refuge in Amitabha Buddha.
“At once attains the karma of assurance” means we attain the karma of assurance at the very moment we recite “Namo Amituofo”. The assurance also means non-retrogression.
“Achieve supreme enlightenment” means the attainment of Buddhahood.
Nagarjuna uses the quote to explain Amitabha’s 18th vow in the “Infinite Life Sutra”. Amitabha’s 18th vow states:
If, when I achieve Buddhahood, sentient beings of the ten directions who earnestly believe and rejoice, wish to be reborn in my land and recite my name, even ten times, should (the sentient beings) fail to be born there, may I not attain perfect enlightenment.
Nagarjuna Bodhisattva uses “if someone” in his quote to explain “sentient beings of the ten directions” in Amitabha’s 18th vow. Essentially, this means anyone can be reborn in the Land of Bliss without condition.
The “recites my name” from Nagarjuna Bodhisattva’s gatha corresponds with the “recite my name, even ten times” of the 18th vow. It’s not about any other recitation, but the recitation of Amitabha Buddha. The emphasis is purely on Amitabha-recitation, not the contemplation of Amitabha’s dharma body or reward body; not the contemplation of Amitabha’s wisdom or physical characteristics. As ordinary people, we will not be able to perform these contemplations properly.
To “take refuge” from the quote means to submit sincerely to Amitabha Buddha. This corresponds with Amitabha's 18th vow that says, “sincerely believe and rejoice”. Taking refuge in Amitabha means one sincerely wishes for rebirth in the Land of Bliss, and has absolute confidence to be reborn there. If we recite verbally, but do not submit ourselves wholeheartedly to Amitabha, and constantly worry about our rebirth in the Land of Bliss, this means we have not taken refuge sincerely and our faith is lacking.
The line, “at once attains the karma of assurance” from the quote means the moment you recite “Namo Amituofo”, you are guaranteed of rebirth in the Land of Bliss and the attainment of non-retrogression. This part of the gatha corresponds with “should (the sentient beings) fail to be born there, may I not attain perfect enlightenment” from Amitabha’s 18th vow. We must know that our rebirth is guaranteed the moment we recite “Namo Amituofo”. We do not need to wait for many years later or until we are near our death to be certain of our rebirth.
Nagarjuna Bodhisattva uses this gatha to express himself. “Chapter on the Easy Path”:
A person who recites Namo Amituofo, receives unlimited power of merits and at once attains the karma of assurance. Therefore, I often recite Namo Amituofo.
If one could recite Namo Amituofo, one would attain the karma of assurance because Amitabha’s name contains unfathomable power, unlimited wisdom, and merits. Therefore, I, Nagarjuna Bodhisattva, frequently recite Namo Amituofo, Namo Amituofo, Namo Amituofo....
中文原稿：难行道与易行道
净宗法师
龙树菩萨《十住毗婆沙论》中有一品叫作《易行品》。其中最著名的论断，就是把一代佛法分成「难易二道」——难行道与易行道，目的是帮助我们抉择，舍弃难行，选择易行。
举难请易
《易行品》首先说明菩萨靠自力修行，要达到「不退转地」是非常困难的；以此为契机，请教有没有容易的方法。
为什么要达到「不退转地」呢？因为我们修行的目的就是要成佛，成佛当然不容易，成佛所要突破的第一个关口就是达到不退转。如果能达到不退转，即使没有成佛，也很稳定了，因为只进不退了。不退转地的菩萨，决定不会再退堕下来，只有升进，不会堕落。如果没有达到不退转，就有可能堕落，不管你有怎样的智慧、德行，都有可能堕落。
要自力修行达到不退转，有三个困难因素：
行诸难行，
久乃可得，
或堕声闻、辟支佛地。
「行」就是修行，「诸」就是很多。种种的难行苦行、六度万行都要去修——「行诸难行」。
不是说一生、两生，或者说一百生、一千生的修行就可以得到不退转，要「久」。这个「久」是很长久很长久的时间。「万劫修功证不退」，从发心修行，生生升进、不堕落的话，都要经过一万劫以上，这是《璎珞经》里所讲的。总之，要达到不退转，需要很长久的时间，不是一生、两生、一百生、一千生。
「劫」是时间单位，很长，无法衡量。世尊很善于打比喻。如果讲一个数字，可能大家没有概念，说「一亿」「十亿」「一百亿」……讲多了，在我们脑子里都是差不多的概念。世尊用盘石的比喻来说明一个劫的长短。说有一块大石头，其实就是一座石山，四十里长，四十里宽，四十里高。这么大的一块石头，有一个长寿的天人，每一百年下来一次，用他的袖子在石头上轻轻拂一下——天人的袖子是非常薄的，「薄如蝉翼」都不足以形容它的薄，比云彩、空气还要稀薄。长寿的天人，一百年来拂一次，一直把这个大石山拂完了，一个劫还没有完。
你看看，怎么可以想象！这个时间久远得不可称计。
修行菩萨道「久乃可得」，是成千上万劫的时间。在这么长的时间之内，如果说有一生不能修行了，堕落成猪马牛羊了，那还不算在内；是要你生生修行，那才算在内的。龙树菩萨就告诉我们：根据经典所说，自力修行非常难，久远大劫才可以得到不退转。
是不是久远大劫一定得到呢？不一定，有危险因素。可能会堕落。堕落成什么呢？堕落成阿罗汉，「或堕声闻、辟支佛地」。成为阿罗汉怎么叫堕落？这是相对于成佛而讲的，相对于发大心的菩萨来讲，成为自了汉了，那等于说前功尽弃。经典里说：如果堕为阿罗汉，「是名菩萨死，则失一切利」，等于菩萨断头了，死掉了，因为阿罗汉讲自利，如果不再发大心，就「灰身灭智」了，这样就不能成就无上正等正觉，等于一尊菩萨、一尊佛没有了。
龙树菩萨在这里用三个字形容：
「诸」——种种的难行苦行；
「久」——不可思议、不可想象的长时间的修行；
「堕」——中途不保险，可能会堕落成阿罗汉。
当然，这还是指有道心、能修行的人。就我们来讲，谈不上，我们是「常没常流转」。
有人一听，就想：「难行道这么难！我这辈子一口气上不来，还不知道下辈子到哪里去。」所以就在盼望「如果诸佛教法里有易行道——容易修行的法门，能够快速到达不退转地，这样的教法请你给我讲」。
若诸佛所说有易行道，
疾得至阿惟越致地方便者，愿为说之。
呵问许说
这样的问题提出来之后，龙树菩萨先是批评，批评之后才应许他的要求，说出易行道。怎么批评？
如汝所说，是儜弱怯劣，
无有大心，非是丈夫志干之言也。
何以故？
若人发愿，欲求阿耨多罗三藐三菩提，
未得阿惟越致，
于其中间，应不惜身命，
昼夜精进，如救头燃。
「你这样讲，是没有发大心。你是一个软弱者，你是一个胆小鬼，你胆小，你下劣，你没有发大愿。为什么呢？因为佛讲了，要发心求阿耨多罗三藐三菩提，要发心成佛、求佛果，在没有得到不退转地的这段长远的时间之内，应当精进勇猛，连身体和寿命通通都不爱惜。日夜不停地努力修行，就像头上着了火要立即扑灭一样，一刻也不能耽误。」
然后又说到，一个人即使是自了汉、想成为阿罗汉，都要精进勇猛地修行。菩萨的修行跟阿罗汉相比，还要精进亿倍，所谓「于此二乘人，亿倍应精进」。不是说每天磕多少头、诵多少经叫精进修行，那简直是在玩，太懈怠了！那不叫精进。我们凡夫很难想象阿罗汉的修行，菩萨就更不用说了。
行大乘者，佛如是说：
发愿求佛道，重于举三千大千世界。
一般人能把一张桌子举起来；力气大一点的，一百斤的石头也能举得起来。可是，发心成佛的艰难程度，比我们举起三千大千世界还要困难。因为发心成佛是要承担一切众生的罪业，这些众生的业障压在我们身上，我们都要承担，所谓「荷负群生，为之重担」，这是非常不容易的。龙树菩萨继续说：
汝言「阿惟越致地，是法甚难，久乃可得，若有易行道，疾得至阿惟越致地者」，是乃怯弱下劣之言，非是大人志干之说。
你现在说「如果有易行道，能够快速达到不退转」，你这不是退心吗？你这不是很下劣、很胆小吗？对他进行呵斥。
不过，「我只能这样，怎么办呢？」还是要给他指明道路。
龙树菩萨说：
汝若必欲闻此方便，今当说之。
「当然了，如果你一定想知道，我就跟你讲。」
龙树菩萨是让我们了解自己的根机，说：「你要修行难行道，那是如何如何困难，不容易哦！」龙树菩萨是过来人，他是不退转位的菩萨，他知道自力修行很困难，连他自己最后都走向易行道。所以，他的呵斥是一种折服的方便，等于是欲擒故纵，让我们知道修行不易，而起殷重希求的心，最后说：「你真想知道，我就告诉你！
难易二道
接下来，龙树菩萨把佛教总判为难行与易行两种，并非全是难行，还有易行。
佛法有无量门：
如世间道，有难有易；
陆道步行则苦，
水道乘船则乐。
佛法有无量的法门，像世间的道路，有的困难，有的容易。
「陆道」，在陆地上步行，要到远方去，用脚走路，这就很辛苦了。如果坐在船上，顺风顺水，虽然我们脚不用动一步，但是很快就可以到达目的地：这样就很安乐。
李白的《早发白帝城》很能形容易行道乘船的法门。
朝辞白帝彩云间，
千里江陵一日还。
两岸猿声啼不住，
轻舟已过万重山。
在早晨太阳初升的时候，霞光四射，坐上一叶轻舟出发了，兴高采烈。从白帝城到下游江陵，这中间有千里的距离。古代交通工具不发达，千里的路程是很遥远的。不过，乘船顺江而下，虽然是在千里之外的江陵，一日之间就到达了。后面两句写得更巧妙：沿途的长江两岸有很多猿猴在那里啼叫。耳边猿猴的啼叫声还没有停止，这条小船已经越过了千山万水，一直顺水下去，很快就到了目的地。「轻」代表轻快，没有任何障碍，很轻松。
念佛法门就是这样。念着阿弥陀佛，娑婆的种种苦恼声还在耳边，一眨眼，已经往生到极乐世界了。
善导大师也有两句偈语，说明我们往生很容易。
低头礼佛在此国，
举头已入弥陀界。
临终的人，往下低头拜佛，抬头的时候，已经不在娑婆世界了，于一念顷，即得往生十万亿佛土之外的弥陀佛国。「一念之顷越十万亿佛土」，比「轻舟已过万重山」快多了！虽然说的是临终，其实一生的修行也不过是「啊」的一声那么短暂，如同低头举头之间，已经到达极乐。
龙树菩萨就讲了这两条道路、两个方法：一个是陆地步行，靠自己的脚板走路；一个是水上乘船。把净土法门比喻为乘船的法门，这种说法的鼻祖就是龙树菩萨。大家耳熟能详的「六字名号大愿船」，这个「船」的比喻就是从这里来的。
如果步行的话，就会很苦。年纪大，体力差，眼睛花，不认识路，风霜雨雪，盗贼出没，资粮匮乏，怎么能到达遥远的地方呢？何况还给我们限时，「让你短时间之内，快速到达千里之外！」完了，去不了。所以，陆地步行有种种因缘的限制。
菩萨道亦如是：
或有勤行精进，
或有以信方便，
易行疾至阿惟越致者。
「菩萨道亦如是」：
前面是比喻，下面说明菩萨道像世间道，有难有易。
「或有勤行精进」；
要比阿罗汉亿倍精进，要经过无量长的时间艰苦修行，要修行种种难行苦行，中途还会堕落，这个不容易，要「勤行精进」。这是难行道，也就是前面讲的「重于举三千大千世界」。
「或有以信方便，易行疾至阿惟越致者」：
「信」是方便，首先要相信。佛法讲信，净土法门更加强调信心，《阿弥陀经》里就讲「难信之法」。「以信方便」，你没有信，就没有这个方便；能够相信有这个易行道，能够信顺不疑，你就能「疾至」，很快速地到达不退转地。「易」，不难；「疾」，不久；「至」，不堕。
这个「以信方便」「易行疾至」的法门是哪个法门呢？龙树菩萨在下面就说出来，它的核心就是阿弥陀佛的本愿。
本愿称名
就像戏剧表演一样，前面演了很多，都是序幕，主角还没登场。现在登场了，谁是主角？阿弥陀佛。我们这个法门主角只有一个，其他都是配角，一切诸佛、诸大菩萨都是配角。主角出来了：
阿弥陀佛本愿如是：
若人念我，称名自归，即入必定，
得阿耨多罗三藐三菩提。
阿弥陀佛本愿是这样的。哪样呢？「如果有人念我」。怎么念呢？口念，就是「称名」，「称我的名号」。不是观想，也不是观像，也不是实相，而是「念我、称名」。
「自归」：口中称名，心中归命。
「即入必定」：当下、立即进入必定。「必定」就是不退转。
「得阿耨多罗三藐三菩提」：成佛。
龙树菩萨以这段文解释《无量寿经》中阿弥陀佛的第十八愿。第十八愿言：
设我得佛，十方众生，
至心信乐，欲生我国，乃至十念，
若不生者，不取正觉。
「若人」就是只要有人、任何人，是在解释愿文里的「十方众生」，不限任何人。
「念我、称名」是解释愿文里的「乃至十念」。「乃至十念」不是念别的，「是念我阿弥陀佛」；「『念我』不是念我的法身、报身，也不是念我的智慧相好，这些凡夫念不来，是称念我的名号」。
「自归」，发自内心归命、投诚，是解释愿文里的「至心信乐，欲生我国」。没有怀疑心，发起愿往生心，这叫「自归」。如果口中称名、心中不归命，「到底能不能往生？万一不能去怎么办？」时刻准备更换法门，觉得不保险，这样就是内心没有归命，就是没有信心。
「即入必定」，「你只要念我、称名、自归，当下就往生决定了，当下就不退转了！」这是解释「若不生者，不取正觉」。这样的往生，不是等待多少年之后，不是等你快死的时候，而是当下就给你保证。
龙树菩萨接着用偈语表达他的心情：
人能念是佛，无量力功德，
实时入必定，是故我常念。
如果有人能够称念阿弥陀佛的名号——阿弥陀佛的名号具有无量的神通道力和无量的智能功德，当下，「实时入必定」，所以，我龙树就经常念南无阿弥陀佛，南无阿弥陀佛，南无阿弥陀佛……
