無量壽經義疏 1.6.2

1.6.2

Regarding entering the Buddha-Dharma, in general there are three aspects: first, teaching; second, meaning; and third, practice. Teaching is shallow, meaning is profound, and practice is supreme. Śrāvakas are of dull faculties and derive their name from teaching: "sound" (śrava) is teaching, and through drinking in the sound they awaken to understanding; therefore they are called "śrāvakas" ("voice-hearers"). Pratyekabuddhas are next in superiority and establish their designation on the basis of meaning: "conditions" (pratyaya) are meaning, and through conditions they awaken to understanding; therefore they are called "pratyekabuddhas" ("condition-enlightened ones"). Bodhisattvas are the utmost, manifesting their name on the basis of practice: because they are able to accomplish the path that benefits both oneself and others, bringing benefit to both, this person is called a "path-sentient-being" (bodhisattva). Therefore the Bodhisattvabhūmi states: "Śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas can only save themselves. Bodhisattvas are not like this: they deliver both themselves and others; therefore they are termed 'superior in the path.'" Being superior in the path, they are called "path-sentient-beings." Assembling together is termed "in company with" (jù). Next, their names are listed. Here, those bodhisattvas who attain Buddhahood in the Bhadrakalpa are listed first. From "and Bhadrapāla" onward, bodhisattvas who attain Buddhahood in other kalpas are separately [listed]. Within the Bhadrakalpa, the three individuals Samantabhadra, Mañjuśrī (Myōtoku), and Maitreya (Cishi) are individually listed. "Myōtoku" is Mañjuśrī. As for "Cishi", Maitreya's clan name is "Benevolence" (ci), so he is called Cishi; his personal name is Ajita, which is translated here as "Invincible". "And so forth" refers to the remaining bodhisattvas in the Bhadrakalpa. All these bodhisattvas of the Bhadrakalpa are grouped broadly according to time. In explaining the bodhisattvas of the other kalpas, according to their pre-eminence, sixteen virtuous men are briefly mentioned. "And sixteen virtuous men such as Bhadrapāla": by mentioning the first, the rest are categorized, and they are listed together as a whole. "Shan-siyi" and so forth are listed separately according to what is included under "and so forth". "They all adhered to the practice of the great being Samantabhadra" reveals what they trained in; it may also be termed distinguishing the lower from the upper. Next, their virtues are praised; herein it is divided into two parts: first, praising their two virtues of expedient means and reality; second, from "the practices they cultivated were pure" onward, praising their two virtues of benefiting oneself and benefiting others. In the former part there are three sections: first, briefly praising their virtues in terms of their own stage; second, from "entering the Buddha-Dharma" onward, praising their virtues extensively in terms of their progressive advancement; third, from "fully possessing subtle and wondrous merits" onward, concluding with praises for both together. In the initial brief section, real virtues are praised first; from "wandering through" onward, their expedient virtues are praised. In reality, they are endowed with all immeasurable practices and vows, cultivating them fully. "Practices" refers to the six perfections, the four means of embracing, and so forth. "Vows" refers to the immeasurable vows of bodhi-practice. As taught in the Avataṃsaka, they possess all of these. "Firmly abiding in the Dharma of all merits": their accomplished virtues are complete and fully equipped, and having accomplished virtue, there is no regression; therefore it is said "firmly abiding". Every virtue is thus accomplished; therefore it is said "all". "Merit" (gōng) refers to efficacious function: all practices possess the efficacious function of bringing benefit, and so they are called gōng. This gōng is the virtue belonging to good actions; therefore it is called "meritorious virtue" (guṇadharma). Just as coolness and purity are virtues of water, so it is called meritorious virtue. When the sūtras speak of meritorious virtue, there is a general and a specific sense: generally, all practices are it; specifically, actions of wisdom are explained as knowledge (jñāna), and the remaining precepts, giving, and so forth are called meritorious virtue. Here it is understood generally; the essence of the virtue is called Dharma. In the expedient section, it first says: "wandering through the ten directions"—bodily forms are without obstruction. "Practicing expedient means"—their activities of transformation are skillful. Manifesting various forms according to what is suitable for beings is called expedient means. The above briefly praises them in terms of their own stage. Next, in terms of progressive advancement, their virtues are praised extensively, wherein their real virtues are also praised first. From "manifesting the attainment of Buddhahood in immeasurable realms" onward, their expedient virtues are praised. In the real section, it first says "entering the storehouse of the Buddha-Dharma": witnessing and matching with it is called "entering". "Reaching the ultimate other shore": manifesting the finality of fruition. The other shore of nirvāṇa, having reached it, is called "ultimate". In the praise of expedient means below, "manifesting the attainment of correct awakening in immeasurable realms" is a general praise. This praises their progressive advancement; hence the attainment of Buddhahood is cited as an expedient virtue. From "dwelling in Tuṣita" onward, it is shown specifically. In discussing this fully, there should be ten phases: 1. ascending to Tuṣita Heaven; 2. descending and entering the womb; 3. dwelling in the womb; 4. being born; 5. the phase of being a youth; 6. the phase of taking a wife; 7. the phase of leaving household life; 8. the phase of attaining the Buddha-way; 9. the phase of turning the dharmacakra; 10. the phase of parinirvāṇa. In this present text, the dwelling in the womb is missing, leaving the other nine phases. In the first phase, "dwelling in Tuṣita Heaven" means the body ascends to Tuṣita. "Tuṣita" was originally a single name, but varied in transliterated sound. Here it is translated as "Wondrous Contentment", and also called "Contentment"; it is the fourth heaven in the desire realm. Why be born here? As explained in the Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra, Tuṣita Heaven is superior, which is why one is born there particularly. Why is it superior? The sūtra itself explains it: the higher heavens are dim and dull, while the lower heavens are heedless; that heaven is free of these faults, and so is called superior. Furthermore, by cultivating giving and precepts, one attains the lower and upper heavens; by cultivating giving, precepts, and concentration, one is born in Tuṣita Heaven; therefore that heaven is superior. Question: Tuṣita is a distracted realm of the desire realm; how can one cultivate concentration and be born in that heaven? Explanation: This is not the concentration of the eight dhyānas, but rather cultivating the Buddha-mindfulness samādhi within the mind of contemplative wisdom of the desire realm, being born in that heaven; this is called being reborn based on concentration. As in the Daśabhūmika-śāstra, there are immeasurable analyses that cannot be fully discussed. "Broadly proclaiming the true Dharma" is transformation through vocal karma. This completes the first phase. Relinquishing that heavenly palace and descending into the mother's womb is the second phase. Question: Why abandon the bliss of the higher heavens? In order to cause the sentient beings of Jambudvīpa to all bear the Buddha's grace and give rise to a reverent mind, it must be abandoned. What does this mean? Due to his abandoning heavenly bliss, the sentient beings of Jambudvīpa all think: "The Buddha abandoned heavenly bliss and came to be born in Jambudvīpa out of compassion for us," giving rise to a reverent mind. Question: Among those types of birth, why did the Tathāgata specifically take womb-birth? Explanation: Among the four forms of birth, egg-birth and moisture-birth have base and inferior fruitional retributions, so the Buddha is not born from them. Spontaneous birth, although superior, entails multiple considerations, so the Buddha is not born in that way. As explained in the Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra, there are briefly eight reasons: 1. At the beginning of the kalpa, sentient beings were born spontaneously; at that time, their sicknesses had not yet arisen and they did not require the Buddha's transformation, so the Buddha did not appear. When the Buddha appeared in the world, sentient beings were womb-born, so in order to augment the power of common birth, he accepted womb-birth. 2. To lodge in a noble clan to demonstrate the supremacy of the Dharma, he accepted womb-birth. 3. To be born into a royal lineage, relying on it to protect the Dharma, he accepted womb-birth. 4. Wishing to teach people the practice of respecting parents, he accepted womb-birth. 5. To be born into a noble clan in order to quell the arrogance of beings, he accepted womb-birth. 6. He accepted womb-birth to quell the slander of beings. What does this mean? If the Buddha were born spontaneously, many people would slander him, saying that the Buddha is an illusion, not real.