無量壽經義疏 1.8

1.8

自下第四阿難實答。「無天教我」，對佛前言。「自以所見問斯義矣」，此兩對竟。自下第五如來歎問，勅聽許說。於中初先歎其所問；「阿難當知如來正覺」下，舉佛功德，勅聽許說。歎中初言「善哉阿難！所問甚快」，是總歎也。善謂好耳。哉是助辭。稱機、當法、合時，名快。「發深」下，別。發深智慧，歎其問智。向前念佛五種功德，名發深智。「真妙辯才」，歎其問辭。向前歎佛住於五德，名真妙辯才。辯實名真，言巧稱妙。言能辯了，語能才巧，故曰辯才。愍生問義，歎其問心，亦得名為歎問所為。阿難向前舉佛五德而為請問，此之五德以慧為主，名問慧義。「如來」已下，歎問利益。於中有四：一如來彰己悲心憐生。佛悲殊勝，餘不能加、不能蓋上，名無蓋悲。亦有經本治為「無盡」，「無蓋」是正，不須治改。以此「大悲矜哀三界」。矜猶憐也。欲、色、無色，是其三界。二「所以」下，如來彰己出世為物。「所以出興」，問以起發，下對顯之。「光闡道教」，欲拯群萌，教法利人。惠以真利，證法益物。理是真實，教人名利。三「無量億」下，明佛難值，先法、後喻。四「今所問」下，約對三明問有益。今問多益，總明有益；開化一切，別明益也。上來歎其所問，下舉佛德勅聽許說。於中初先廣舉佛德，述前所歎。「阿難諦」下，勅聽許說，說己所念。又復前段廣舉佛德，明己能說。後勅聽許說，明己欲說。就前段中，先明果勝。「所以者」下，辨因顯果。就明果中，初先對上阿難所念，明佛慧勝。「以一飡」下，對前阿難所見諸根悅豫等事，明佛身勝。明慧勝中，「如來正覺」，總舉佛智。其智難等，別以顯勝。「其智難量」，明智深也。窮證涅槃甚深法性，故智難量，明智深也。此則是前住佛所住難量之智，證法名住。「多所導御」，明智廣也。此則是前住導師行。「慧見無礙」，彰智自在，於諸法門知見無礙，此則是前行如來德。「無能遏絕」，顯其智勝，不為他人之所仰遏絕。顯其勝相，名無遏絕。此則是前住最勝道。下明身勝，以「一飡力能住壽」等，約化顯實。隨化示受一飡之力，能住多劫身無衰損，明佛體常。亦得名為約實顯化，以實常故，隨化現受一飡之力，能住多劫身無衰損。文中初言「以一飡之力能住壽命億百千劫」，彰命常也。「諸根悅」等，明身常也。「諸根悅豫不以毀損」，就上所現諸根悅豫，明其常德。「姿色不變」，就上所現姿色清淨，明其常命。「光顏無異」，就上所現光顏魏魏，明其常定。上來就果明佛身慧二種俱勝。下次舉因顯成前果。「所以者何」，徵問發起。所以如來得此勝慧常身者何？下對釋之。「如來定慧究暢無極」，明其所修成滿故勝。定止、慧觀，此二行主，以是偏舉。餘皆從之，故隱不論。定慧究竟，故名為究。通暢自在，故名為暢。寬廣無邊，稱曰無極。此則是其心自在行。「於一切法而得自在」，明其所學自在故勝。此則是其法自在行。善入一切法界之門，法門之力無所不現，名為自在。上來至此廣舉佛德，述前所歎。「阿難諦」下，勅聽許說，說己所念，謂念西方無量壽佛。「諦聽」，勅也。「為汝」，許也。此第五竟。第六阿難奉教聽受。文顯可知。上來序竟。

From here below is the fourth [pair]: Ānanda truthfully replies. "No deity instructed me" responds to the Buddha's previous words. "It is on account of what I have myself seen that I ask about this meaning"—this concludes the second pair. From here below is the fifth [pair]: the Tathāgata praises the question, commands him to listen, and promises to speak. Therein, first, he praises what was asked; from "Ānanda, you should know that the Tathāgata, the Fully Awakened One..." onward, he cites the Buddha's virtues, commands him to listen, and promises to speak. In the praise, the initial phrase "Well done, Ānanda! Your question is extremely apt" is the general praise. "Well" means good. "Done" (zai) is an auxiliary particle. Matching the capacity, according with the Dharma, and fitting the time is called "apt". From "Bringing forth deep..." onward is specific [praise]. "Bringing forth deep wisdom" praises the wisdom of his inquiry. Recalling the Buddha's five kinds of virtues earlier is called bringing forth deep wisdom. "True and wondrous eloquence" praises the phrasing of his question. Praising the Buddha earlier for abiding in the five virtues is called true and wondrous eloquence. Discerning what is real is called "true"; phrasing skillfully is designated "wondrous". When the speech can discern clearly and the language can be skillful, it is therefore called eloquence. Pitying sentient beings and asking the meaning praises the intention of his question; it may also be termed praising that for the sake of which he asked. Ānanda earlier cited the Buddha's five virtues to formulate his inquiry; among these five virtues, wisdom is primary, hence it is called asking about the meaning of wisdom. From "The Tathāgata..." onward praises the benefit of the question. Therein are four parts: First, the Tathāgata reveals his own compassionate mind that pities sentient beings. The Buddha's compassion is supreme, such that nothing else can surpass it or cover over it; hence it is called uncovered compassion. There are also editions of the sūtra amended to "inexhaustible" (wujin); "uncovered" (wugai) is correct and does not need to be emended. With this "great compassion, he takes pity on the three realms". Pity (jin) is akin to commiseration. The desire, form, and formless [realms] are these three realms. Second, from "Why..." onward, the Tathāgata reveals his own appearance in the world for the sake of beings. "Why he appears" raises a question to introduce it; below it is revealed in response. "To brightly elucidate the teaching of the Way", desiring to rescue all sentient beings, uses the Dharma of teachings to benefit people. Bestowing them with true benefit uses the Dharma of realization to benefit beings. The principle is real; instructing people in it is called benefit. Third, from "incalculable hundreds of millions..." onward explains that a buddha is difficult to encounter, first through doctrine and next through a metaphor. Fourth, from "what you now ask..." onward, with respect to the three, explains that the question has benefit. That what is now asked has many benefits generally explains that it has benefit; transforming and guiding all beings specifically explains the benefit. The above praises what he asked; below, he cites the Buddha's virtues, commands him to listen, and promises to speak. Therein, first, he extensively cites the Buddha's virtues, reiterating what was praised before. From "Ānanda, attentively..." onward, he commands him to listen and promises to speak, speaking what he himself had been contemplating. Furthermore, the preceding section extensively cites the Buddha's virtues to make clear that he is able to speak. The subsequent command to listen and promise to speak make clear that he desires to speak. In the preceding section, he first clarifies the excellence of the fruition. From "What is the reason?" onward, he analyzes the cause to reveal the fruition. In clarifying the fruition, first, corresponding to what Ānanda contemplated above, he clarifies the excellence of the Buddha's wisdom. From "With the power of a single meal..." onward, corresponding to the matters seen earlier by Ānanda, such as the sense faculties being joyful, he clarifies the excellence of the Buddha's body. In clarifying the excellence of wisdom, "the Tathāgata, the Fully Awakened One" generally cites the Buddha's wisdom. That his wisdom is difficult to measure, etc., specifically reveals its excellence. "His wisdom is difficult to measure" clarifies the depth of the wisdom. Completely realizing the profound dharmatā of nirvāṇa, his wisdom is therefore difficult to measure; this clarifies the depth of the wisdom. This is none other than previously abiding in the Buddha's abode of immeasurable wisdom; realizing the Dharma is called "abiding". "Guiding and leading many" clarifies the breadth of the wisdom. This is none other than previously abiding in the conduct of a guide. "Wisdom and vision without obstruction" reveals the sovereignty of his wisdom; regarding all approaches to the Dharma, his knowledge and vision are unobstructed. This is none other than previously practicing the Tathāgata's virtue. "Nothing can obstruct or cut it off" displays the excellence of his wisdom; it cannot be held back or cut off by another. Displaying its excellent characteristics is called "nothing can obstruct or cut it off". This is none other than previously abiding in the most supreme path. Below, clarifying the excellence of the body: "With the power of a single meal, he is able to sustain his life..." and so forth, through the manifested [body], reveals the true [body]. According with manifestation, he demonstrates receiving the power of a single meal, being able to abide for many kalpas without his body deteriorating, which clarifies that the Buddha's essence is eternal. It may also be called revealing the manifestation on the basis of the true: because he is truly eternal, according with manifestation he appears to receive the power of a single meal, being able to abide for many kalpas without his body deteriorating. In the text, the initial phrase "With the power of a single meal, he is able to sustain his lifespan for hundreds of thousands of koṭis of kalpas" reveals that his life is eternal. "His faculties are joyful..." and so forth clarifies that his body is eternal. "His faculties are joyful without being damaged or impaired", with reference to the faculties being joyful shown above, clarifies the virtue of his permanence. "His complexion does not change", with reference to the purity of his appearance shown above, clarifies his permanent lifespan. "The light of his countenance is no different", with reference to the towering brilliance of his countenance shown above, clarifies his permanent absorption. The above, with respect to the fruition, clarifies that both the Buddha's body and wisdom are excellent. Next, he cites the cause to reveal and establish the preceding fruition. "Why is this?" raises an inquiry to introduce it: what is the reason that the Tathāgata attains such supreme wisdom and an eternal body? Below, it is explained in response. "The Tathāgata's samādhi and prajñā are fully perfected without limit" clarifies that what he cultivated was consummated and fulfilled, and therefore excellent. Samādhi is calming (śamatha) and prajñā is insight (vipaśyanā); these two are the masters of practice, and for this reason they are singled out. The rest all follow from them, and are therefore omitted and not discussed. Samādhi and prajñā are consummate, hence called "fully"; they are penetratingly free, hence called "perfected". Being vast and boundless is termed "without limit". This is his practice of sovereignty of mind. "And he has attained sovereignty over all dharmas" clarifies that what he learned is sovereign, and therefore excellent. This is his practice of sovereignty over dharmas. Skillfully entering the gates of all dharmadhātus, the power of the Dharma gates leaves nothing that is not manifested, which is called sovereignty. Up to this point above, he extensively cites the Buddha's virtues, reiterating what was praised before. From "Ānanda, attentively..." onward, he commands him to listen and promises to speak, speaking what he himself had been contemplating, namely, contemplating the western Buddha Amitāyus. "Listen attentively" is the command. "For your sake" is the promise. This concludes the fifth. Sixth, Ānanda receives the instruction and listens receptively. The text is clear and easily understood. The preface above is concluded.