兩卷無量壽經宗要 1.2

1.2

將申兩卷經旨，略開四門分別：初述教之大意、次簡經之宗致、三者舉人分別、四者就文解釋。言大意者，然夫眾生心性融通無礙，泰若虛空、湛猶巨海。若虛空故，其體平等，無別相而可得，何有淨穢之處？猶巨海故，其性潤滑，能隨緣而不逆，豈無動靜之時。爾乃或因塵風，淪五濁而隨轉，沈苦浪而長流；或承善根，截四流而不還，至彼岸而永寂。若斯動寂，皆是大夢；以覺言之，無此無彼，穢土淨國本來一心，生死涅槃終無二際。然歸原大覺，積功乃得；隨流長夢，不可頓開。所以聖人垂迹有遐有邇，所設言教或褒或貶。至如牟尼世尊現此娑婆，誡五惡而勸善；彌陀如來御彼安養，引三輩而導生。斯等權迹，不可具陳矣。今此經者，蓋是菩薩藏教之格言、佛土因果之真典也。明願行之密深、現果德之長遠。十八圓淨，越三界而迢絕；五根相好，侔六天而不嗣。珍著法味遂養身心，誰有朝餓夜渴之苦？玉林芳風溫涼常適，本無冬寒夏熱之煩。群仙共會，時浴八德蓮池，由是長別偏可厭之皓皺；勝侶相從，數遊十方佛土，於茲遠送以難𭞊之憂勞。況復聞法響入無相、見佛光悟無生。悟無生故，無所不生；入無相故，無所不相。極淨極樂，非心意之所度；無際無限，豈言說之能盡？但以能說五人之中佛為上首，依正二報之內長命為主，故言佛說無量壽經。設其一軸不足開心，若至其三有餘兩掌。今此經者有上有下，無缺無餘，適為掌珍，言之卷上，故言噵佛說無量壽經卷上。

In intending to explain the purport of the two-fascicle sūtra, I shall briefly open four sections of analysis: first, stating the broad import of the teaching; second, delineating the doctrinal purport of the sūtra; third, adducing persons to analyze [them]; and fourth, approaching the text to interpret it.
Regarding the broad import: the mind-nature of sentient beings is thoroughly unimpeded, vast as empty space, tranquil as a great ocean. Because it is like empty space, its essence is equal, with no distinct characteristics that can be apprehended; how could there be places that are defiled or pure? Because it is like a great ocean, its nature is fluid, able to adapt to conditions without resistance; how could it lack times of motion and stillness?
Thus, sometimes driven by the wind of dusts, beings sink into the five defilements and revolve with them, submerged in waves of suffering and drifting endlessly; or, relying on kuśala-mūla, they cut off the four currents and do not return, reaching the other shore and resting in eternal quiescence. Such motion and stillness are entirely a great dream; speaking from awakening, there is neither this nor that: defiled lands and pure lands are fundamentally of one mind; saṃsāra and nirvāṇa are ultimately without two bounds. However, returning to the source of great awakening is obtained only through accumulated merit; the long dream that drifts with the stream cannot be dispelled all at once.
For this reason, the traces manifested by the sages are far and near, and the teachings they establish praise or disparage. Thus Muni the World-Honored One appeared in this Sahā [world], warning against the five evils and encouraging the good; Amitābha Tathāgata presides over that Peaceful Nourishment, guiding the three grades [of beings] to lead them to rebirth. Such expedient traces cannot be fully recounted.
Now, this sūtra is indeed the maxims of the Bodhisattva Piṭaka teaching, the true scripture of the cause and effect of the Buddha-land. It illuminates the secret depth of vows and practices, and reveals the vast longevity of the virtues of fruition. The eighteen kinds of complete purity surpass the three realms and stand far apart; the five faculties and physical marks rival the six devalokas yet are never succeeded. Treasuring the taste of the Dharma, they nourish body and mind—who has the suffering of morning hunger or evening thirst? In the jeweled groves, fragrant breezes are always temperate and comfortable; there is fundamentally no distress of winter cold or summer heat. Host of immortals assemble together, frequently bathing in the lotus ponds of eight virtues, thereby bidding eternal farewell to the especially loathsome white hair and wrinkles; following superior companions, they frequently travel to the buddha-lands of the ten directions, thereby sending far away the distress and weariness so difficult to endure.
How much more so when hearing the sound of the Dharma, one enters the signless; seeing the light of the Buddha, one realizes the unarisen! Because one realizes the unarisen, there is nothing that does not arise; because one enters the signless, there is nothing that is not manifested. Utterly pure and utterly blissful, it cannot be measured by mind or thought; boundless and limitless, how could words exhaust it?
Yet, because the Buddha is the foremost among the five kinds of people who can preach, and within the two retributions, environmental and primary, long life is primary, it is called the Sūtra of Immeasurable Life Spoken by the Buddha. If there were only one scroll, it would not suffice to open the mind; if it reached three, it would exceed two palms. Now, this sūtra has an upper and a lower, neither deficient nor redundant, properly serving as a jewel in the palm. Calling it the upper fascicle, it is therefore titled Sūtra of Immeasurable Life Spoken by the Buddha, Fascicle One.