無量壽經義疏 1.9.4

1.9.4

就前廣願中，文別有六：一法藏詣佛所彰己行； 二如來遣說； 三法藏自宣己所發願； 四「我建」下，說已重復立誓自要； 五「法藏比丘說此頌」下，如要相現； 六「於是法藏具足修」下，總以結嘆。 就初段中，「如是修已」，結前生後。 「詣彼佛」等，啟白方便。 「而白佛」等，申己所修。 我已於前五劫之中，攝取嚴土清淨行矣。 第二段中，「佛告比丘，汝今可說」，正勸宣說。 「宜知是時」，催令速說。 「發起悅」等，明說所為，為益諸眾，故須宣說。 「發起悅可一切大眾」，為益凡夫二乘故說。 由彼法藏自說已願，令眾同喜願生其國，名發起悅可一切眾矣。 「菩薩聞」下，為益菩薩。 由彼法藏自說己願，令諸菩薩學之同發，故云聞已修行此法滿足大願。 「聞已修行」，起願始也。 「緣致滿」等，願心成也。 自下第三法藏比丘自宣己願。 「唯垂聽察」，請佛得說。 「如我所願當具足說」，總許宣說。 下正說之，於中合有四十八願，義要唯三，文別有七。 義要三者，一攝法身願、二攝淨土願、三攝眾生願。 四十八中，十二、十三及第十七，是攝法身； 第三十一、第三十二，是攝淨土； 餘四十三，是攝眾生。 文別七者，初十一願，為攝眾生； 次有兩願，是其第二，為攝法身； 次有三願，是其第三，重攝眾生； 次有一願，是其一願是第四，重攝法身； 次有十三，是其第五，為攝眾生； 次有兩願，是其第六，為攝淨土； 下有十六，是其第七，重攝眾生。 就初段中，初有兩願，願生無苦； 後之九願，願生得樂。 無苦中，初一願，願其自國無苦。 「設我得佛，國有地獄餓鬼畜生，不取正覺」。 不取正覺者，諸願不滿，終不成佛。 假設所願不滿得成，誓終可不取，是故說言「設我得佛，國有地獄畜生餓鬼，不取正覺。 」餘亦如是。 言地獄者，地下牢獄是其苦處，故云地獄。 言餓鬼者，飢渴名餓； 恐怯多畏，故名為鬼。 言畜生者，此乃從主畜養為名，一切世人或為噉食、或為驅使，畜養此生，故云畜生。 後之一願，願己國中所有眾生命終，不向他國受苦。 此之兩願，願生無苦。 後九願生得樂之中，初之兩願，願生身樂； 後之七願，願生心樂。 心中五通各別為一，漏盡分二，故有七願。 次有三段，文相易知。 第五段中，初三願，攝他國眾生。 次一願，攝自國眾生。 次一，還攝他國眾生。 後八，還攝自國眾生。 第六段中，明攝淨土，文顯可知。 第七段中，初五攝取他國眾生，三攝取自國眾生，次五還攝他國眾生，次一還攝自國眾生，後二復攝他國眾生。 此第三竟。 自下第四約前所願立誓自要，於中合有十一偈文。 前之十偈，立誓自要； 後一請證。 就前十中，初三自要、後七順求。 前自要中，初偈約佛自德自要。 前所發中求法身願、求淨土願，名超世願。 興心名建。 得果決定，故云必至無上道矣。 此言順舉。 「斯願不滿誓不成」者，是自要也。 後二約就化德自要。 於中初偈舉佛法施化益自要，後偈舉佛名聞普周化德自要。 靡猶無也。 我成佛時名聞十方，有人究竟於我名字無所聞者，不取正覺。 就順求中，初偈是略。 「離欲深正念淨慧修梵行」，舉己善因，下用求果、求無上道、求佛自德、為天人師、求利他德； 餘六偈廣。 於中初有五偈半文，廣舉佛德； 末後半偈，發願求同。 前舉德中，初有兩偈，舉佛化德； 次有一偈，舉佛自德； 次有一偈，復舉化德； 後一偈半，重舉自德。 就初兩偈化德中，「神力演光照無際土」，身業化也。 「消除」已下，口業化也。 消除三垢，濟度厄難。 小乘法教，化斷三毒，名除三垢。 「開彼慧眼滅昏盲闇」，大乘法化。 「閉塞惡道通善趣門」，人天法化。 「功祚」一偈，舉佛自德。 「功祚成滿」，是佛德洪，功果福祚皆悉成滿。

Regarding the extensive vows above, the text has six divisions: first, Dharmākara visits the Buddha to disclose his practice; second, the Tathāgata directs him to speak; third, Dharmākara himself proclaims the vows he has made; fourth, from "I have established" onward, having spoken, he repeats and establishes vows of personal commitment; fifth, from "When the bhikṣu Dharmākara spoke these verses" onward, signs appear in accordance with his commitment; sixth, from "Thereupon Dharmākara fully cultivated" onward, a general concluding praise. In the first section, "having cultivated thus" links what precedes to what follows. "Visited that Buddha" and so forth is the preliminary approach for addressing him. "And said to the Buddha" and so forth presents what he cultivated: "I have already, during the preceding five kalpas, taken up the pure practices for adorning the land." In the second section, "The Buddha told the bhikṣu: 'You may speak now'" directly encourages proclamation. "You should know that this is the time" urges him to speak swiftly. "Arousing and gladdening" and so forth explains the purpose of speaking: because it is to benefit the assemblies, he must proclaim them. "Arousing and gladdening the entire great assembly" is spoken for the benefit of ordinary beings and the two vehicles; because Dharmākara proclaims his own vows, causing the assembly to rejoice together and vow to be born in that land, it is called arousing and gladdening the entire assembly. From "Bodhisattvas, having heard" downward is for the benefit of bodhisattvas; because Dharmākara proclaims his own vows, causing bodhisattvas to learn them and generate them as well, it says that having heard, they cultivate this Dharma and fulfill the great vows. "Having heard, they cultivate" is the beginning of giving rise to vows; "which leads to fulfilling" and so forth is the completion of the aspiring mind. From here down is the third [division], where the bhikṣu Dharmākara himself proclaims his vows. "Only deign to listen and observe" requests permission from the Buddha to speak. "In accordance with what I have vowed, I shall fully explain" is a general promise to proclaim them. Below is the direct proclamation, wherein there are forty-eight vows in all; their essential points are only three, while the text divides into seven. The three essential points are: first, vows embracing the dharmakāya; second, vows embracing the pure land; third, vows embracing sentient beings. Among the forty-eight, the twelfth, thirteenth, and seventeenth embrace the dharmakāya; the thirty-first and thirty-second embrace the pure land; the remaining forty-three embrace sentient beings. As for the seven textual divisions: the first eleven vows are for embracing sentient beings; next are two vows, which are the second division, for embracing the dharmakāya; next are three vows, which are the third, re-embracing sentient beings; next is one vow, which is the fourth, re-embracing the dharmakāya; next are thirteen, which are the fifth, for embracing sentient beings; next are two vows, which are the sixth, for embracing the pure land; below are sixteen, which are the seventh, re-embracing sentient beings. In the first section, the first two vows wish that those born will have no suffering; the latter nine vows wish that those born will obtain joy. Among those of no suffering, the first vow wishes that his own land will have no suffering: "If, when I attain Buddhahood, there are hells, hungry ghosts, or animals in my land, I will not accept correct awakening." "Not accepting correct awakening" means that if the vows are unfulfilled, he will never become a Buddha; even if he could attain Buddhahood with unfulfilled vows, he pledges that in the end he would not accept it, and therefore says, "If, when I attain Buddhahood, there are hells, hungry ghosts, or animals in my land, I will not accept correct awakening." The others are likewise. "Hells" means prisons beneath the earth, which are places of suffering; hence called "hells." "Hungry ghosts": hunger and thirst are called "hungry"; cowardly and full of fear, they are called "ghosts." "Animals": this takes its name from being kept and raised by masters; all worldly people either eat them or drive them to work, raising these living beings, hence called "animals." The latter vow wishes that all sentient beings in his land, when their lives end, will not go to other lands to suffer. These two vows wish that those born will have no suffering. Among the latter nine vows that those born will obtain joy, the first two wish for bodily joy for those born; the latter seven wish for mental joy for those born. Within the mind, the five supernormal knowledges each form one, and the exhaustion of outflows is divided into two, hence there are seven vows. Next are three sections, whose textual forms are easy to know. In the fifth section, the first three vows embrace sentient beings of other lands; the next one vow embraces sentient beings of his own land; the next one again embraces sentient beings of other lands; the latter eight again embrace sentient beings of his own land. In the sixth section, explaining the embracing of the pure land, the text is clear and can be known. In the seventh section, the first five embrace sentient beings of other lands, three embrace sentient beings of his own land, the next five again embrace sentient beings of other lands, the next one again embraces sentient beings of his own land, and the latter two once again embrace sentient beings of other lands. This concludes the third division. From here down is the fourth, establishing vows of personal commitment based on the previous vows, in which there are eleven verses in total. The first ten verses establish vows of personal commitment; the latter one requests verification. Among the first ten, the first three are personal commitments, and the latter seven are compliant aspirations. Among the former personal commitments, the first verse makes a personal commitment based on the Buddha's own virtues. Among those generated earlier, the vow seeking the dharmakāya and the vow seeking the pure land are called world-surpassing vows. Arousing the mind is called "establishing." Attaining the fruition is certain, hence it says "must reach the unsurpassed path." This phrasing is a direct formulation. "If these vows are not fulfilled, I swear not to become [a Buddha]" is the personal commitment. The latter two make personal commitments based on the virtues of conversion. Within them, the first verse makes a personal commitment citing the benefit of the Buddha's conversion through the gift of Dharma, and the latter verse makes a personal commitment citing the conversion virtue of the Buddha's name being heard everywhere. "Mi" means "not"; when I become a Buddha, my name will be heard in the ten directions, and if there is anyone who ultimately has not heard my name, I will not accept correct awakening. Among the compliant aspirations, the first verse is brief. "Free from desire, with deep mindfulness and pure wisdom, practicing pure conduct" cites his own good causes, which are applied below to seek the fruit—seeking the unsurpassed path, seeking the Buddha's own virtues, being a teacher of devas and humans, and seeking virtues that benefit others; the remaining six verses are extensive. Within them, the first five and a half verses extensively cite the Buddha's virtues; the final half verse gives rise to a vow seeking equality. Among those citing virtues earlier, the first two verses cite the Buddha's virtues of conversion; next, one verse cites the Buddha's own virtues; next, one verse again cites conversion virtues; the latter verse and a half again cite his own virtues. In the first two verses on conversion virtues, "Supernormal power emits light illuminating boundless lands" is conversion through bodily action. From "eradicating" downward is conversion through vocal action: eradicating the three defilements and rescuing from perils and difficulties. The Hīnayāna Dharma teaching converts to sever the three poisons, which is called eradicating the three defilements. "Opening their wisdom-eye and destroying the darkness of blindness" is conversion through the Mahāyāna Dharma. "Closing off the evil realms and opening the gates to good destinies" is conversion through the Dharma of humans and devas. The one verse on "merit and blessings" cites the Buddha's own virtues. "Merit and blessings fulfilled and perfected" means the Buddha's virtues are vast, and the fruits of merit and blessed rewards are all fulfilled and perfected.