無量壽經義疏 2.2.7

2.2.7

次有偈半，舉有善人方乃得聞，顯經微妙。 於中先明有善之人方聞此經。 「曾更見」下，明見佛者方乃信敬歡喜奉行。 次有半偈，舉有惡人不信此法，彰經深重。 下之半偈，舉有善者樂聞是教，顯經微妙。 舉惡不聞，令人捨遠； 舉善得聞，使人慕修。 又此文中，彰經深重，去人輕謗； 顯經微妙，生人信敬。 下有四偈，歎彌陀佛智德殊勝，令人歸趣。 於中初有七句之文，明諸聲聞菩薩不測。 初法、次喻、後合可知。 次有一句，明佛獨了。 次有六句，明一切人悉得聖道，共思不知。 「假使一切」，人之多也。 「具皆得道」，行德勝也。 「淨慧達本」，空解深也。 「億劫思佛」。 觀之久也，「窮力講說」，言之極也。 雖復如此，「盡壽不知」。 下有半偈，結歎顯勝。 「佛慧無邊」，歎佛智廣。 「如是致淨」，嘆佛德淨。 致謂至也。 窮至清淨法性涅槃，故難測知。 下有三偈，以理教勸。 於中初偈，舉彼三難，勸人勤求。 壽命難得，是初難也； 佛世難值，第二難也； 有信慧難，第三難也。 此三難，今已得之，故聞此經應當勤求。 次第二偈，舉彼見聞，能獲大益，勸人發心。 「聞不忘」者，彌陀佛所，聞法不忘。 言「見敬」者，見彌陀佛，心生重敬。 「得大慶」者，明前聞法、見佛恭敬，得善利也。 得善可喜，名得大慶。 「則我善友」，為佛攝也。 行順釋迦，名我善友，是故當發結勸發心。 末後一偈，教令定去。 「設滿世界火，必過要聞法」，決意定去。 「會當成佛，廣濟生死」，明去所為。 「會當成佛」，求自利果。 「廣濟生死」，求利他果。 自下第三重攝下人同生彼國。 於中有三：第一廣舉無量壽國勝妙之事，令人願求； 二從「世人薄俗」已下，明娑婆界穢惡充滿，使人厭捨； 三從「廣禮無量壽」下，就彌陀國辨得彰失，令人修捨。 初中有二：第一廣舉無量壽國勝樂之事； 二「佛告彌勒諸天人」下，勸人往生。 前中有八：一彰彼國壽命長遠、二彰彼眾光明殊妙、三彰彼眾身相具足、四彰彼眾智德殊勝、五彰彼生永離惡趣、六彰彼土興供養多、七彰彼生聞法不絕、八彰彼菩薩行德圓備。 就初段中，彰彼菩薩皆當究竟一生補處。 明壽長遠，無有中夭，除願為物餘國受身。 第二段中，初彰彼國諸聲聞人身光一尋，次彰彼國餘菩薩光照百由旬。 其一由旬，有四十里。 照百由旬，合四千里。 三明觀音及大勢至，光遍三千大千世界。 於中初辨。 「阿難白佛」下，辨其名諱。 「此二菩薩於此國」下，彰此生彼。 第三段中，彰彼眾生身相具足，皆悉具於三十二相，如經廣辨。 「智慧成」下，是第四段，彰彼眾生智德殊勝。 句別有四：一智慧成滿。 深入諸法、證會法性，究暢要妙，窮達教詮。 二神通無礙。 三諸根明利。 四得忍不同。 其鈍根者成就二忍，謂音響忍及柔順忍。 其利根者乃至成佛，得阿僧祇無生法忍。 「又得」已下，是第五段，彰彼生者永離惡趣。 於中初明彼國生者乃至成佛，不更惡趣，神通自在，常識宿命，後除為物他方現生。 釋迦自說，如我國中諸菩薩也。 「語阿難」下，第六段，彰彼生者能興廣供。 於中初明往十方界廣供多佛、次從受法、後明供已未食之頃還歸本國。 前中四偈：一彰彼國諸菩薩等，於一食頃，往十方界遍供諸佛。 二「隨心」下，明諸供具隨心化現。 三「在虛空」下，明於空中化成華蓋。 四「其諸菩薩」下，明諸菩薩共奏天樂歌歎佛德。 僉謂皆也。 眾皆喜躍，名僉欣悅。 復供佛已，未食之前還歸本國。 自下第七，彰彼生者聞法不絕。 於中初明說法之時，眾集講堂，如來為說。 「莫不」已下，明說利益，心解得道。 「即時」已下，設供奉佛。 於中初先風搖樹音； 次吹妙華； 後諸天等持華香樂供養奉獻，娛樂無極。 自下第八，彰彼菩薩行德圓備。

Next are one and a half verses, which bring up how only people possessing goodness are able to hear it, revealing the sublimity of the sūtra. Therein, it first explains that only a person of goodness hears this sūtra. From "Having previously seen" downward, it explains that only one who has seen the Buddhas will then believe, revere, rejoice, and practice accordingly. Next is half a verse, which brings up how evil persons do not believe in this Dharma, making manifest the profundity and weight of the sūtra. The half verse below it brings up how good persons take joy in hearing this teaching, revealing the sublimity of the sūtra. Bringing up the evil who do not hear it leads people to renounce and stay away [from evil]; bringing up the good who obtain the hearing of it causes people to admire and practice it. Furthermore, within this passage, making manifest the profundity and weight of the sūtra dispels people's slighting and slandering; revealing the sublimity of the sūtra generates people's faith and reverence. Below are four verses praising the excellence of Amitābha Buddha's wisdom and virtue to lead people to take refuge in him. Therein, first are seven lines of text explaining that the śrāvakas and bodhisattvas cannot fathom it. The initial statement of the principle, the subsequent metaphor, and the concluding application can be known. Next is one line explaining that only the Buddha alone comprehends it. Next are six lines explaining that even if all people were to attain the noble path and deliberate together, they still would not know it. "Suppose all" refers to the multitude of people. "All attain the path" refers to the superiority of their practice and virtue. "Pure wisdom reaches the origin" refers to the depth of their understanding of emptiness. "Contemplating the Buddha for kotis of kalpas" refers to the duration of their contemplation. "Exerting all strength in preaching" refers to the utmost extent of their words. Although this is so, "To the end of their lives, they cannot know." Below is half a verse concluding the praise and revealing its superiority. "The Buddha's wisdom is boundless" praises the vastness of the Buddha's wisdom. "Reaching such purity" praises the purity of the Buddha's virtue. Zhi (致) means reaching (至). He has thoroughly reached the pure Dharma-nature and nirvāṇa, and therefore it is difficult to fathom and know. Below are three verses offering admonition and encouragement by means of principle and teaching. Therein, the first verse brings up the three difficulties to encourage people to seek diligently. A human life is difficult to attain: this is the first difficulty. Meeting a Buddha's age is difficult to encounter: this is the second difficulty. Possessing faith and wisdom is difficult: this is the third difficulty. Having obtained these three difficulties now, upon hearing this sūtra one should seek diligently. The second verse brings up how seeing and hearing can obtain great benefit, encouraging people to generate the aspiration. "Hearing without forgetting" means hearing the Dharma in Amitābha Buddha's presence and not forgetting it. "Seeing and revering" means seeing Amitābha Buddha and generating deep reverence in mind. "Attaining great rejoicing" explains that through the aforementioned hearing of the Dharma and reverence upon seeing the Buddha, one obtains wholesome benefit. Obtaining good that brings joy is called attaining great rejoicing. "Then they are my good friends" means being embraced by the Buddha. Those whose practice accords with Śākyamuni are called my good friends; therefore, one should generate [the aspiration], concluding with encouragement to generate the aspiration. The final verse instructs them to be resolved to go. "Even if fire fills the world, one must definitely pass through to hear the Dharma" shows being firmly resolved to go. "One will surely attain Buddhahood and broadly deliver [beings from] birth and death" explains the purpose of going. "One will surely attain Buddhahood" is seeking the fruit of benefit for oneself. "Broadly deliver [beings from] birth and death" is seeking the fruit of benefit for others. From here downward is the third part, which brings together the inferior persons once more so that they are reborn together in that land. Therein are three parts: first, it extensively presents the sublime matters of the Land of Immeasurable Life to lead people to wish and seek for it; second, from "Worldly people are frivolous and vulgar" downward, it explains that the Sahā world is filled with defilement and evil, causing people to revile and abandon it; third, from "Extensively pay homage to Amitāyus" downward, it analyzes the gains and makes manifest the losses with respect to Amitābha's land, leading people to cultivate and renounce. Within the first part are two: first, it extensively presents the supreme joys of the Land of Immeasurable Life; second, from "The Buddha told Maitreya, devas, and humans" downward, it encourages people to be reborn there. Within the former are eight: 1. making manifest the longevity of that land; 2. making manifest the wondrous light of that assembly; 3. making manifest the complete bodily marks of that assembly; 4. making manifest the superior wisdom and virtue of that assembly; 5. making manifest that those born there are eternally free from the bad destinies; 6. making manifest that abundant offerings are made in that land; 7. making manifest that those born there hear the Dharma without cessation; 8. making manifest that those bodhisattvas are fully endowed with practice and virtue. In the first section, it makes manifest that those bodhisattvas are all ultimately to be bound to one more birth. It explains their longevity, that there is no untimely death, except when by vow they take birth in other lands for the sake of beings. In the second section, first it makes manifest that the bodily light of the śrāvakas of that land is one fathom; next, it makes manifest that the light of the other bodhisattvas of that land illuminates one hundred yojanas. One yojana is forty li. Illuminating one hundred yojanas totals four thousand li. Third, it explains that the light of Avalokiteśvara and Mahāsthāmaprāpta pervades the three-thousand great thousandfold world. Therein, it first analyzes this. From "Ānanda addressed the Buddha" downward, it analyzes their names. From "These two bodhisattvas in this land" downward, it makes manifest their birth in that land from this land. In the third section, it makes manifest that the sentient beings there are completely endowed with bodily marks, all possessing the thirty-two marks, as the sūtra analyzes in detail. From "Wisdom is perfected" downward is the fourth section, making manifest the superior wisdom and virtue of those sentient beings. The clauses are four in distinct: 1. Wisdom is perfected and fulfilled. They enter deeply into all phenomena, realize and unite with the Dharma-nature, thoroughly penetrate the essentials and subtleties, and exhaustively comprehend the scriptural explications. 2. Supernatural powers are unimpeded. 3. All faculties are sharp and clear. 4. The patiences attained are different. Those of dull faculties accomplish two patiences, namely the patience of resonance and the patience of accord. Those of sharp faculties, up until attaining Buddhahood, obtain the asaṃkhyeya patience of non-arising of dharmas. From "Furthermore, obtaining" downward is the fifth section, making manifest that those born there are eternally free from the bad destinies. Therein, it first explains that those born in that land, up until attaining Buddhahood, do not re-experience the bad destinies, have sovereign supernatural powers, always remember their past lives, and later except when manifesting birth in other directions for the sake of beings. Śākyamuni speaks of himself as being like the bodhisattvas in my land. From "Told Ānanda" downward is the sixth section, making manifest that those born there can make extensive offerings. Therein, first it explains going to the worlds of the ten directions to make extensive offerings to many Buddhas; next, receiving the Dharma from them; and later, it explains returning to their own land before the meal hour after having made the offerings. In the former part are four verses: 1. making manifest that the bodhisattvas of that land, within the time of a single meal, go to the worlds of the ten directions to make offerings everywhere to the Buddhas; 2. from "According to their wishes" downward, it explains that the various articles of offering manifest according to their wishes; 3. from "In empty space" downward, it explains transforming into canopies of flowers in the sky; 4. from "Those bodhisattvas" downward, it explains that those bodhisattvas jointly play heavenly music and sing praises of the Buddha's virtues. Qian (僉) means all (皆). The assembly all leaping with joy is called qian xinyue (all rejoicing). Having finished offering to the Buddhas, they return to their own land before the meal. From here downward is the seventh section, making manifest that those born there hear the Dharma without cessation. Therein, first it explains that when the Dharma is preached, the assembly gathers in the lecture hall, and the Tathāgata preaches for them. From "None who do not" downward, it explains the benefit of the preaching, that their minds understand and attain the path. From "Immediately" downward, offerings are set out to present to the Buddha. Therein, first the wind shakes the trees into sound; next, it blows wondrous flowers; later, the devas and others hold flowers, incense, and music to present as offerings, delighting without limit. From here downward is the eighth section, making manifest that those bodhisattvas are fully endowed with practice and virtue.