仁王護國般若經疏 4.45

4.45

Question: Among the previous three and two [lands] there are also pure lands; why is Silent Light alone called a pure land? Answer: In the land where ordinary and noble beings dwell together, the noble are few and the ordinary are many, so it is defiled, not pure. In the land of expedient means with remainder, only views and thoughts are eliminated while ignorance has not been severed; the purity of partial truth is not true purity. The Lotus Treasury realm still carries the expedient means of the distinctive [teaching] and is not yet purely clean. Silent Light has none of these, hence it receives the name of pure land. Regarding "all sentient beings temporarily abide in retribution," some say: Although sentient beings have no beginning, they have an end and temporarily receive retribution; the Buddha has neither beginning nor end, and thus resides in the pure land. We now say: When the Buddha ascends to wondrous awakening, he should abide in Silent Light; it is in order to transform sentient beings that he temporarily manifests long or short lifespans and undergoes retributive fruition, which is why it is said. From "the Tathāgata's three karmas" below, the second [part] praises the retributive fruition of the Dharmakāya. The pure land is the circumstantial retribution; now clarifying the Dharmakāya is the direct retribution. The upper line directly praises it, and the lower line pays homage to the single-substance Three Jewels. From "the Dharma King is unsurpassable" below, the third [part] praises the fruition of transforming others. In the text, the first verse adduces an analogy to offer praise, which is the physical benefit. The next verse uses doctrinal explanation to praise the Buddha's vocal karma, which is the vocal benefit. Non-Buddhists completely lack the meaning; the two vehicles are partial; bodhisattvas are not yet complete—only the Buddha possesses both text and meaning. "Mind-wisdom" is contemplation; "quiescence" is the cognitive object; when contemplation and object are quiescent, it is termed "illumination without cognitive objects." Furthermore, externally forms cannot be cognized, and internally the mind cannot be illuminated. The next verse explains the offerings made by the great assembly. The next verse explains the shaking of the earth. The next verse concludes the praise: the Buddha among humans is the honored one of humans, and among devas is the honored one of devas. Furthermore, the Great Sūtra says: "The human king is indeed the deva king." The fourteen kings are the three ranks of worthies, the ten sages, and so forth. If explained extensively, it is feared that the assembly at the time would encounter difficulties; hence he praises briefly. Moreover, the Buddha's virtues are limitless and cannot be praised exhaustively; hence he praises briefly.