釋摩訶衍論 10.12

10.12

論曰：就此文中即有七門。云何為七？一者顯示趣向假人門、二者歸依所學教法門、三者厭惡處所退信門、四者如來方便殊勝門、五者承力得勝妙處門、六者得善處定不退門、七者引經證自所說門，是名為七。言顯示趣向假人門者，所謂顯示得十信位前四種心更不勝進下品眾生故。如本復次眾生故。言歸依所學教法門者，彼十信位下品眾生，歸依甚深無極大乘初學習故。所謂一切諸佛所師，三世不動、四相不遷，自然常住地前地上大道路故。如本初學是法故。言厭惡處所退信門者，彼十信位下品眾生，雖親聽受甚深法門，而其心根極下劣故，怖二大事不能勝進，為欲退故。云何為二？一者國土、二者勝緣。言國土者，即此娑婆世界，處所麁惡、眾生濁亂，發起淨心為勤修行甚極切難故。所以者何？於彼心中違逆境界，於一切時於一切處常恒現前，進心面中不捨離故。言勝緣者，於此世界依正濁亂，一切諸佛出世極尠，無量菩薩赴感時節極遠。諸佛菩薩出現於世，隨順情心之鏡淨不淨故。以此義故，彼修行者不值勝緣，極怖畏故發退意耳。如本欲求正信，其心怯弱，以住於此娑婆世界，自畏不能常值諸佛親承供養，懼謂信心難可成就，意欲退者故。言如來方便殊勝門者，謂諸佛如來有不可思議之甚深極妙大方便故，能善攝護彼人信心，轉勝進故。云何名為勝妙方便？所謂專念如來方便。云何專念？謂專注意憶念他方淨土種種依正，其念相續令不絕故。如本當知如來有勝方便攝護信心，謂以專意念佛因緣故。言承力得勝妙處門者，以諸如來不可思議方便力故，隨自所願即得往生妙樂土故。如本隨願得生他方淨土故。言得善處定不退門者，生彼土已，眼見如來具相好像，耳聞聖者說深妙音，永離惡名，從定不動，心海澄淨身體明白，依妙正清故。如本常見於佛、永離惡道故。言引經證自所說門者，所謂該攝說相屬當經本之辭，贊自所說解釋文故。所引經文說相明故，不須重釋。如本如修多羅說：若人專念西方極樂世界阿彌陀佛，所修善根迴向願求生彼世界，即得往生，常見佛故終無有退。若觀彼佛真如法身，常勤修習，畢竟得生，住正定故故。

The commentary says: Within this text there are seven approaches. What are the seven? First is the approach of revealing the nominal persons who head forward; second is the approach of taking refuge in the doctrinal Dharma being studied; third is the approach of loathing the location and retrogressing in faith; fourth is the approach of the excellence of the Tathāgata's expedient means; fifth is the approach of receiving power to attain an excellent and wondrous place; sixth is the approach of attaining a good place and definitely not retrogressing; seventh is the approach of citing sūtras to verify what one has said. These are named the seven. Regarding the approach of revealing the nominal persons who head forward: this refers to revealing the inferior sentient beings who, having attained the four kinds of minds prior to the stages of the ten faiths, do not advance further. As the basic text states: 'Furthermore, sentient beings.' Regarding the approach of taking refuge in the doctrinal Dharma being studied: this refers to those inferior sentient beings of the stages of the ten faiths taking refuge in the profound and boundless Mahāyāna and first studying it. This refers to the teacher of all Buddhas, unmoving throughout the three times, unchanging through the four marks, the great path that is spontaneously permanent prior to and upon the grounds. As the basic text states: 'first study this Dharma.' Regarding the approach of loathing the location and retrogressing in faith: although those inferior sentient beings of the stages of the ten faiths personally hear and receive the profound Dharma approach, because their mental capacities are extremely inferior, they fear two great matters and cannot advance, wishing to retrogress. What are the two? First is the land; second is excellent conditions. Regarding the land: it is this Sahā world, where the location is coarse and evil, and sentient beings are turbid and chaotic, so generating a pure mind to diligently cultivate is exceedingly difficult. Why is that? Because in their minds, adverse sensory realms are constantly manifesting at all times and in all places, not departing from the presence of their advancing minds. Regarding excellent conditions: in this world, environment and beings are turbid and chaotic; the appearance of all Buddhas in the world is extremely rare, and the times when immeasurable bodhisattvas respond to conditions are extremely distant. Buddhas and bodhisattvas appear in the world according to the purity or impurity of the mirror of the mind of sentient beings. For this reason, that practitioner does not encounter excellent conditions, and being terrified, gives rise to the thought of retrogression. As the basic text states: 'wish to seek right faith, their minds are timid and weak. Because they dwell in this Sahā world, they fear they cannot constantly meet all Buddhas to attend upon and make offerings to them in person, and dreading that faith is difficult to achieve, their intention is to retrogress.' Regarding the approach of the excellence of the Tathāgata's expedient means: this means that the Buddhas, Tathāgatas, possess an inconceivable, profound, and most wondrous great expedient means, so they can skillfully gather and protect that person's faith and cause them to advance more excellently. What is called the excellent and wondrous expedient means? It refers to the expedient means of single-mindedly recollecting the Tathāgata. What is single-minded recollection? It refers to focusing the intention on recollecting the various environments and beings of the pure lands of other directions, causing that thought to be continuous without interruption. As the basic text states: 'They should know that the Tathāgata has an excellent expedient means to protect and maintain faith, namely, through the cause and condition of single-mindedly recollecting the Buddha.' Regarding the approach of receiving power to attain an excellent and wondrous place: because of the inconceivable power of the expedient means of the Tathāgatas, according to one's own vow one immediately attains rebirth in the land of wondrous bliss. As the basic text states: 'according to their vow they obtain rebirth in other Buddha-lands.' Regarding the approach of attaining a good place and definitely not retrogressing: having been born in that land, one's eyes see the Tathāgata possessing major and minor marks, one's ears hear the holy ones speaking profound and wondrous sounds, one is eternally separated from evil reputations, unmoving from samādhi, the mind-ocean clear and tranquil, the body luminous and distinct, because the environment is wondrous and the retribution is pure. As the basic text states: 'constantly see the Buddha, and are eternally separated from the bad destinies.' Regarding the approach of citing sūtras to verify what one has said: this refers to bringing together expressions that correspond to the root sūtra text to praise and explain what one has expounded. Because the expressions of the cited sūtra text are clear, there is no need to explain them again. As the basic text states: 'As the sūtra says: If a person single-mindedly recollects Amitābha Buddha of the Western Realm of Ultimate Bliss, dedicates the wholesome roots they have cultivated, and vows to seek rebirth in that world, they will immediately attain rebirth; because of constantly seeing the Buddha, they will ultimately never retrogress. If they contemplate the tathatā dharmakāya of that Buddha and constantly and diligently practice, they will definitely attain rebirth, because they abide in the stage of right determination.'