無量壽經義疏 2.2.7

2.2.7

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.