無量壽經義疏 1.3

1.3

Now, the phrase 'The Sūtra of Immeasurable Life Spoken by the Buddha' designates the specific title of this sūtra. The reason all sūtras head their texts with titles is to show the Dharma they elucidate. This sūtra primarily reveals the practices, attainments, and embraced conversions of Amitāyus; therefore, it is raised at the beginning. However, those various sūtras derive their titles differently: some refer solely to Dharma, such as the Nirvāṇa [Sūtra], etc.; some refer solely to persons, such as the Tiwei jing, Taizi jing, etc.; some refer singly to events, such as the Kushu jing, etc.; some refer exclusively to metaphors, such as the Dayun jing, Baoqie jing, etc.; some refer to times, such as the Shi feishi jing; some refer to places, such as the Laṅkāvatāra-sūtra, Gayāśīrṣa-sūtra, etc. Some refer to both person and Dharma, such as the Vimalakīrti-sūtra, Śrīmālā-sūtra, etc.; some raise both event and Dharma, such as the Vaipulya Mahāsaṃnipāta-sūtra, etc.; some manifest both Dharma and metaphor, such as the Avataṃsaka, Saddharmapuṇḍarīka-sūtra, etc.; some raise both person and Dharma, such as the Śāriputra-paripṛcchā-sūtra, etc. Cases such as these are not singular. Now, this sūtra takes its title from persons. In listing persons, there are four kinds in all: first, raising the speaker, as in the Vimalakīrti, etc.; second, raising the questioner, as in the Mañjuśrī-paripṛcchā, etc.; third, raising the person spoken of, as in the Taizi jing, etc.; fourth, raising the person converted, as in the Sumatidārikā, Yuye jing, etc. Now, the head of this sūtra comprehensively raises both the one who can speak and the one who is spoken of. The initial word 'Buddha' raises the speaker. 'Amitāyus' raises the one spoken of. There are five different modes of origin for what is spoken, as Nāgārjuna says: first, spoken by the Buddha himself; second, spoken by sacred disciples; third, spoken by devas; fourth, spoken by ṛṣis and the like; fifth, spoken by apparitional persons. This sūtra was spoken by the Buddha; to distinguish it from the other four, 'Buddha' is therefore raised. 'Buddha' is a foreign word, translated here as 'Awakened One.' Awakening has two meanings: first, awakening as examination, which opposes afflictive obscurations. Afflictions invade and harm, acting just like thieves; only the sage examines and knows them, and is not harmed by them, hence named 'awakening.' This single meaning is explained as in the Nirvāṇa [Sūtra]. Second, awakening as enlightenment, which opposes cognitive obscurations. The slumber of ignorance acts just like sleep; when sacred prajñā arises, one brightly has a great awakening, just like awakening from sleep, hence named 'awakening.' The ignorance opposed by this is of two kinds: first, the ignorance of delusion regarding the nature of reality and defilement, which deludes and veils the true nature; opposing and eliminating this, one transforms delusion and accords with the true, and awakening to the real is named 'awakening.' Second, lack of knowledge concerning phenomenal matters, deluded about the characteristics of all phenomena; opposing and eliminating this, one awakens to and understands all phenomena of the three collections of good, bad, and indeterminate, hence named 'awakening.' Thus the Bodhisattvabhūmi says: 'Equally illuminating and awakening to the collection of beneficial meaning, the collection of non-beneficial meaning, and the collection of neither-beneficial-nor-non-beneficial meaning, one is therefore named Buddha.' Beneficial meaning is good, non-beneficial is unwholesome, and neither-beneficial-nor-non-beneficial is indeterminate; knowing all of these, one is therefore named 'awakened.' Having already awakened oneself, being further able to awaken others, and with the practice of awakening perfected and complete, one is therefore named 'Buddha.' Saying 'awakening oneself' distinguishes him from ordinary beings; saying 'awakening others' differentiates him from the two vehicles; 'with the practice of awakening perfected and complete' distinguishes him from bodhisattvas. Therefore, he alone is specifically named 'Buddha.' Uttering and proclaiming with the mouth is designated as 'spoken.' 'Amitāyus' is what is spoken of. This sūtra expounds the practices, attainments, and embraced conversions of Amitāyus. As for 'practices': it expounds the vows that Buddha originally made and the practices he originally cultivated. As for 'attainments': it expounds the two kinds of fruition, dharmakāya and Pure Land, which he has now attained. As for 'embraced conversions': it universally embraces sentient beings of the ten directions who possess karmic conditions, leading them together to that land; the benefit of transforming them through the path and Dharma is named 'embraced.' Furthermore, that all bodhisattvas and others now learn his practices, attain his realizations, and share in what he embraces is called 'embraced.' Such differences cannot be fully enumerated. Subsuming virtues under the person, it is therefore merely called 'speaking of Amitāyus.' The names of buddhas are of two kinds: first, general; second, specific. 'Tathāgata,' 'Arhat,' and so forth are their general names. 'Śākyamuni,' 'Maitreya,' 'Amitāyus,' and so forth are their specific designations. Establishing names within the specific is of various kinds: some derive from lineage, such as Buddha Śākyamuni, Buddha Kāśyapa, etc.; some derive from the physical body, such as Buddha Shenzun, Buddha Shenshang, etc.; some derive from voice, such as Buddha Miāoyīn, Buddha Miāoshēng, etc.; some derive from radiance, such as Buddha Puguāng, etc.; some derive from internal virtue, or are expounded in terms of metaphor—cases such as these are not singular. This Buddha manifests his name from his lifespan. Lifespan has the true body and the manifested body: the true is eternally abiding, its nature identical to space; the manifested lifespan is indeterminate, either long or short. What is discussed here is the manifested, not the true. Among manifested lifespans, this Buddha's lifespan is long, so that ordinary beings and the two vehicles cannot measure or calculate its limits; hence it is called 'immeasurable.' A boundary of life is called 'lifespan.' How is it known to be manifested and not true? As the Sūtra on the Prediction of Avalokiteśvara and Mahāsthāmaprāpta says: 'Although the lifespan of Amitāyus is long, it also has an end. After that Buddha passes away, Avalokiteśvara and Mahāsthāmaprāpta will become buddhas in succession.' Therefore, we know it is the manifested body. As for 'sūtra': in foreign languages it is called sūtra, translated here as 'thread.' The words of the sage can thread all phenomena together, just as a thread strings flowers, hence named 'thread.' Saying 'scripture' (jing): a thread can string flowers, and the warp (jing) can hold the weft; their functions are similar, hence named 'scripture.' If based on conventional etymology, jing means 'constant.' Persons differ between past and present, but the ritual model of teaching is an enduring standard; hence it is called 'constant.' How do jing and chang (constant) relate to and illuminate one another? One explains jing by means of 'constant.' In explaining it, jing means 'to pass through.' For any single phenomenon, passing through antiquity and experiencing the present continually without interruption is its meaning of constancy; therefore, it can be named 'constant.'