無量壽經義疏 2.4

2.4

From here below, third, the text extensively adduces the faults of karmic suffering entailed by the five evils, the five pains, and the five burnings, leading people to feel revulsion and abandon them. Therein, first is a general statement; from "What are..." below is the detailed analysis; and from "The Buddha told Maitreya: 'I say to you...'" below, there is again a general differentiation. Within the first general statement, the text falls into two parts: first, praising what came before to introduce what follows, praising Maitreya's previous reception, understanding, and practice; second, from "Now I..." below, revealing his own intention in transforming [beings], which is to transform sentient beings so that they leave behind the five evils, the five pains, and the five burnings, and so that they uphold the five virtues and obtain the five blessings. In the first part, the opening words, "To rectify the mind and straighten the intention in this evil world, not committing the various evils, is exceedingly supreme virtue," offer direct praise based on its actual character. "In the worlds of the ten directions there is none to compare with it" relies on contrast to display its superiority. From "The reason..." below is the explanation, first asking and then explaining. "In the lands of the various buddhas, beings naturally perform good, do not commit great evils, and are easy to guide and transform" adduces what is easy to display what is difficult, establishing this [practice here] as superior. Within the latter section, "Now in this world I have become a buddha" reveals that he has already attained buddhahood. "Dwelling amidst the five evils..." and so forth manifests the place of his transformation. "Causing them to abandon the five..." and so forth explains his intention in transforming [beings], which is to transform sentient beings so that they have something to escape from and something to attain. What they are made to escape from is departing from the five evils, the five pains, and the five burnings, which are prevented by the five precepts. Killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, false speech, and drinking alcohol are the five evils. Committing these five evils brings punishment by the king's laws in the present life, and the body encounters distress and disaster; this is called the five pains. Through these five evils, one receives retribution in the three destinies in future lives; this is spoken of as the five burnings. All of these [the Buddha] causes them to escape. Regarding what they are made to attain, he subdues and transforms their minds, taming them to accord with the Dharma and causing them to uphold the five virtues. These are the five precepts, which overturn the previous five evils. "Obtaining their blessings" means that through upholding the five precepts, their bodies are secure and free from suffering in the present life, overturning the previous five pains. "Crossing over the world to long life and the path of nirvāṇa" means that they are subsequently born [in the land of] Amitābha and ultimately attain nirvāṇa, overturning the above five burnings. In the second, detailed part, "What are the five evils, the five pains and burnings..." and so forth questions what preceded to introduce what follows, and below differentiations are made in correspondence to each. Within each single category, the evil is first explained, and then the virtue is explained in contrast. In the first category, the evil is explained first, and below the virtue is explained in contrast. Within the evil, the opening statement, "The first evil is..." generally raises it up; next it differentiates it, and then [describes] the Dharma; below, a simile reveals the fault. In the differentiation, it first explains the evil of killing. From "There is the constant way of the world, and under the king's laws..." below, it explains the pain in relation to killing. From "When life ends..." below, it explains the burning with respect to killing. Within the earlier explanation of the evil, "All the heavenly and human..." and so forth explains the persons committing the evil. "Wishing to do evil..." and so forth directly explains the committing of evil. From "Not knowing how to cultivate..." below, it explains the fault of committing evil, within which it first directly explains its fault. From "Moreover, the noble and wealthy..." below, it adduces gain to display loss. The pain and the burning can be known. "This is..." below concludes it. From "It is like..." below, a simile reveals the character of the burning. In explaining the virtue, it first differentiates and then concludes. In the differentiation, the opening statement, "If a person in this can with single mind restrain..." and so forth directly explains the performance of virtue, overturning and contrasting with the previous evil. "Their body alone crosses over and is liberated, obtaining its blessings" overturns and contrasts with the previous pain and the previous burning. From "This is..." below is the conclusion. In the second category, the evil comes first and the virtue after. Within the evil, it is first raised up, next differentiated, then [describes] the Dharma, and below a simile reveals it. In the differentiation, the first is the evil; from "In this present life there are the king's laws..." below, second, it explains the pain. From "Because in their previous lives they did not believe..." below, third, it explains the burning. Within the evil, it again first explains the persons committing the evil. From "Completely lacking righteousness..." below, it directly explains the committing of evil. From "Destroying the household..." below, it explains the fault of committing evil. In directly committing evil, "Completely lacking righteousness and principle, not according with laws and regulations" explains their lack of goodness. "Extravagant, lustful, arrogant..." and so forth explains their committing of evil. "Extravagant, lustful, arrogant, and indulgent, each wishing to gratify their desires" is what gives rise to stealing. "Giving free rein to their minds and acting willfully, mutually deceiving each other..." and so forth directly explains robbery. The rest of the text can be known. In the third category, the evil comes first and the virtue after. Within the evil, it is first raised up, next differentiated, then [describes] the Dharma, and below a simile reveals it. In the differentiation, the first is the evil; from "Also not fearing the king's laws..." below is the pain; from "Such evils cling to..." below is the burning. Within the evil, it first explains the persons committing the evil. From "Constantly harboring depravity..." below, it directly explains committing the evil of sexual misconduct. From "Associating and gathering..." below, it explains the fault of committing evil. Committing acts such as killing and stealing for the sake of lust is its fault. The rest of the text can be understood. In the fourth category, the evil comes first and the virtue after. Within the evil, it is first raised up, next differentiated, then concluded, and below revealed with a simile. In the differentiation, the first is the evil; from "Such various evils the heavenly spirits record..." below explains its pain. From "When their lifespan ends..." below explains its burning. Within the evil, it first explains the persons committing the evil. From "Not thinking of cultivating..." below, it directly explains committing the evil of false speech. The four faults of speech, because they do not accord with the Dharma, are collectively called false speech. From "Increasing envy toward the good..." below, it explains the fault of committing evil. In the pain, it explains that their past good is exhausted and the benevolent spirits abandon them and stay far away; having nothing to rely upon, their bodies encounter many disasters, which is their pain. In the burning, it explains that they are dragged by their evil karma, recorded by ghosts and spirits, and led into the evil destinies to suffer roasting and scorching; this is called the burning. The rest of the text can be known. In the fifth category, the evil comes first and the virtue after. Within the evil, it is first raised up, next differentiated, then [describes] the Dharma, and below a simile reveals it. In the differentiation, the evil comes first; from "Such people of the world whose minds and intentions..." below is the pain; from "When their great life is about to end, they regret and fear..." below is the burning. Within the evil, it first explains the persons committing the evil; from "Wavering, indolent, unwilling..." below, it directly explains committing the evil of drinking alcohol. A person who drinks alcohol does not cultivate virtuous practices, does not attend to the family business, and violates instructions. Anger makes them fond of fighting, turning their backs on kindness, disregarding righteousness, bullying, and resisting—these are also discussed along with it. From "Giving rein to the mind, dissolute, reckless, haughty, and defiant..." below, it explains the fault of committing evil. The marks of these faults are numerous, and are fully manifested in the text. In the pain, it explains that they currently possess ignorance, with dark hindrances covering their minds so that they know nothing; this is taken as the pain. There should also be their being punished by the king's laws, but the text omits it and does not speak of it. The burning and so forth can be known. The above was the detailed discussion; below, there is again a general differentiation. Therein, it also first explains the five evils. From "The Buddha told Maitreya: 'The world being like this, the Buddha pities them all'..." below, it overturns evil to explain virtue. Within the evil, it first generally explains the five evils, the five pains, and the five burnings generating one another in turn. From "Merely committing..." below, it manifests them in detail. Within the detail there are two rounds: first, it explains that from evil arise pain and burning; from "When their bodies die, following..." below, it explains that from burning arise evil and pain. In the former, the opening words, "Merely committing various evils, not cultivating the roots of virtue," explain their evil. "All naturally enter the various evil destinies" explains the arising of burning. "Or in this present life they first suffer misfortune..." and so forth explains the arising of pain. In the latter, the opening words, "When their bodies die, following their actions they enter the three evils..." and so forth explain the burning. From "Until long after..." below, evil arises from burning. "Until long after, they mutually form grudges; starting from small and slight beginnings, they eventually become great enmities" gives rise to the evil of killing living beings. "All due to greed and attachment, unable to practice generosity" gives rise to the evil of robbery. "Forced by ignorant lust, following the mind's thoughts..." and so forth gives rise to the evil of sexual misconduct. "Enriching oneself and vying for profit, without any reflection" gives rise to the evil of false speech. "Wealth, honor, glory, and splendor gratifying the desires for the moment, unable to endure..." and so forth gives rise to the evil of drinking alcohol. These generate evil. From "Their bodies involved..." below, pain arises from evil. Involved in the previous five evils, their bodies undergo labor and suffering, the suffering increasing without cease; this is called "prolonged and greatly severe." Below, it displays the character of its severity. For all those in the world, the principles of heaven and earth are naturally established; therefore it is said, "The way of heaven is spread out." Committing evil will certainly be exposed; this is called "spontaneous bringing to light." The body faces the net of the law; therefore it is called "the net of governance." Noble and lowly, superior and inferior, none fail to accord with the law; therefore it is called "superiors and inferiors corresponding." The guilty return to it with no companion or peer; hence it says, "Solitary and frightened, they must enter into it." From "From ancient times to the present, there has been..." below, it concludes to display the fault. The above explained evil; below it overturns it to explain virtue. "The Buddha told Maitreya: 'The world being like this'" cites the previous evils; "the Buddha pities them all" displays his compassion. From "With majestic spiritual power..." below, he teaches the eradication of the previous evils and transforms them so they accord with virtue. "Destroying and extinguishing all evils, causing all to turn to virtue" teaches the cultivation of mundane goodness. "Casting aside what was thought, upholding the scriptures..." and so forth teaches the practice of supramundane goodness. From the beginning up to "without loss" explains the supramundane cause; from "ultimately attaining..." below establishes the supramundane fruit. The above was the third section, explaining the faults of the karmic suffering of the five evils and so forth.