兩卷無量壽經宗要 1
English (machine translation) 1
- Language
- English
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Composed by Shi Wonhyo
1.2
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.
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Second, explaining the doctrinal purport: this sūtra takes the causes and fruits of the Pure Land as its essential doctrine, and taking in sentient beings to attain rebirth [there] as its purpose. Although this is a general formulation, in analyzing it, [we] first elucidate the virtues of fruition and subsequently clarify the causal practice. Within the virtues of fruition, there are briefly four gates: first, the gate of pure and non-pure; second, the gate of form and formless; third, the gate of common and uncommon; fourth, the gate of with-outflows and without-outflows.
First, elucidating the gate of pure and non-pure: [we] briefly clarify its gradations by means of four pairs: namely, the contrast of cause with fruition, the contrast of exclusive with non-exclusive, the contrast of pure with mixed, and the contrast of definitely determined with not definitely determined.
Regarding the gate of the contrast of cause with fruition: the dwelling place of bodhisattvas from the adamantine stage downward is termed a fruition-retribution land and is not termed a pure land, because they have not yet departed from the afflictions of fruition of the truth of suffering. Only the dwelling of the Buddha is termed a pure land, because all toils and afflictions are extinguished without remainder. In accordance with this meaning, the Renwang jing says: “The three [levels of] worthies and ten [stages of] sages dwell in retribution; only the Buddha alone resides in the pure land. All sentient beings temporarily dwell in retribution; ascending to the adamantine source, one resides in the pure land.”
Second, the gate of the contrast of exclusive with non-exclusive: the dwelling places of bodhisattvas from the eighth bhūmi upward receive the name of pure land, because they exclusively transcend the affairs of the three realms and also because they are fully endowed with the four clauses of the meaning of ‘exclusive.’ All dwelling places from the seventh bhūmi downward are not yet termed pure lands, because they do not exclusively transcend the three realms, or because those who transcend the three realms by the power of vows are not fully endowed with the four clauses of ‘exclusive’—namely, exclusive joy, exclusive faultlessness, and exclusive mastery. When those from the seventh bhūmi downward emerge from contemplation, at times they give rise to retribution-indeterminate minds, and the four defilements of manas are then active; thus they are not exclusively pure and not exclusively faultless. Those of the eighth bhūmi upward are not like this. In accordance with this meaning, the Mahāyānasaṃgraha says: “Arising from the functionality of trans-supramundane wholesome dharmas.” Explanation: The wholesome [dharmas] of the two vehicles are termed supramundane. From the eighth bhūmi upward to the Buddha ground is termed trans-supramundane. Supramundane dharmas are called the antidotes to mundane dharmas. Trans-supramundane dharmas serve as the antidotes to supramundane dharmas. Functionality takes the four conditions as its marks; because this pure land arises from the functionality of trans-supramundane wholesome dharmas, it does not take the truth of accumulation as its cause, and so on up to extensive explanations.
Third, the gate of the contrast of pure with mixed: places where ordinary beings and the two vehicles dwell together in mixture cannot be called pure worlds. Only the birthplaces of bodhisattvas who have entered the great grounds can be called pure worlds. Those [places] are not purely pure, whereas these are purely pure. In accordance with this meaning, the Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra says: “Worlds are immeasurable; they are of two kinds, namely pure and non-pure.” In a pure world, there are no naraka [hells], beasts, or hungry ghosts, nor is there a desire realm, form realm, or formless realm; only an assembly of bodhisattvas abides therein, and therefore it is called a pure world. Bodhisattvas who have entered the third bhūmi are born there by the power of their vows, and there are no ordinary beings, nor non-ordinary śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas. If bodhisattvas who are non-ordinary beings attain rebirth there, it is explained: this third bhūmi is the Joyful Ground (Pramuditā-bhūmi), because according to the gate of the seven kinds of bodhisattva grounds, it is the third ground of pure and superior intention; subsuming thirteen stations, seven kinds of grounds are established, exactly as expounded in that treatise.
Fourth, the gate of the contrast of definitely determined with not definitely determined: lands where sentient beings of the three categories of beings are born to suffering are defiled lands; only places where those of the samyaktva-niyata-rāśi dwell are called pure lands. Therein are also śrāvakas of the four fruits, and even ordinary beings of the four doubts; there are only no beings of the mithyātva-niyata-rāśi or aniyata-rāśi. Now, this sūtra’s exposition of the Land of Immeasurable Life is explained as a pure land according to the fourth gate. Why is this? Because it intends to universally accommodate both Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna, and simultaneously draw both ordinary beings and sages, so that they are reborn together in an excellent place and advance together toward the Great Path. As a passage below says: “If, when I attain Buddhahood, the humans and devas in my land do not abide in the samyaktva-niyata-rāśi and inevitably reach extinction, may I not attain right awakening.” It also says: “If, when I attain Buddhahood, there should be anyone able to calculate and know the number of śrāvakas in my land, may I not attain right awakening,” and so on up to extensive explanations. Moreover, the Guan jing says that having been reborn in that land, they attain the fruit of an arhat, and so on up to extensive explanations. As for the treatise’s statement that “women, those with defective sense organs, and the lineage of the two vehicles are not born [there],” this speaks of the two vehicles of definite gotra, not of śrāvakas of indefinite capacity. In order to distinguish this, it is called the “lineage of the two vehicles.” For this reason, there is no contradiction. Furthermore, the mention of “women and those with defective sense organs” means that when born there, they are neither women nor defective in their sense organs; it does not mean that women and such cannot attain rebirth, just as Vaidehī was able to attain rebirth. However, the Drum-Sound King Dhāraṇī Sūtra says: “The father of the Buddha Amitābha was named Candrocchaya the Wheel-Turning Sagely King, and his mother was named Utpalāvatī,” and so on up to extensive explanations; this refers to the transformation land inhabited by a nirmāṇabuddha. What the treatise speaks of is an enjoyment land. By this reasoning, there is therefore no contradiction. The pure lands expounded in the above four gates are all accomplished by the Tathāgata’s vows and practices, not accomplished by the self-power of those born there; unlike the outer container world of defiled lands which is accomplished solely by the shared karma of sentient beings, they are therefore all generally called pure lands.
Next, second, elucidating the gate of form and formless: among the four kinds of gates expounded above, the first gate shows the land for self-enjoyment, and the latter three gates explain lands for others' enjoyment. That the three gates have form requires no debate. Regarding the land for self-enjoyment, exponents differ. Some say: the body of self-enjoyment takes the Pure Land of Dharma-nature, far removed from corporeal forms, as its dwelling place, and therefore no marks of form at all can be found. As the Benye jing says: “Disciples of the Buddha, the fruition-essence is consummate; there is no virtue it does not possess, no principle it does not encompass; it dwells in the supreme truth of the middle way. The pure land is boundless, nameless, and signless; not a single dharma can be found, neither having an essence nor lacking an essence,” and so on up to extensive explanations. The Awakening of Faith says: “The Buddhas, Tathāgatas, are solely the dharmakāya, the body of the marks of wisdom. As the ultimate truth, it has no realm of conventional truth and is free from intentional activity, yet simply in accordance with sentient beings seeing and hearing, all attain benefit; hence it is called function. This function has two kinds: first, that which is seen by the minds of ordinary beings and the two vehicles is called the response body. Second, that which is seen by the minds of bodhisattvas from their initial aspiration up to the ultimate ground of bodhisattvas is called the saṃbhogakāya.” Relying on these texts, one should know that visible marks of form and the like all belong to the body of enjoyment for others, and that within self-enjoyment there is neither form nor mark.
Others say: the body of self-enjoyment has subtle, unhindered form, and its supporting land fully possesses the superior realms of the six sense objects. As the Satyaka-nirgrantha Sūtra says: “Gautama’s Dharma-nature body / Has wondrous form that is ever serene. / Such a Dharma-nature body / Is equal to sentient beings, boundless.” The Avataṃsaka-sūtra says: “When the Tathāgata, the Truly Awakened One, accomplished bodhi, he attained a body equal to all sentient beings, attained a body equal to all dharmas, and so on up to attaining a body equal to the realm of all practices, attaining a body equal to the tranquil realm of nirvāṇa. Disciples of the Buddha! In accordance with the body attained by the Tathāgata, you should know that his voice and unhindered mind are also like this. The Tathāgata is fully endowed with these three kinds of pure immeasurability.” The Mahāyānasaṃgraha says: “If in a pure land there are no terrors, the dharmas enjoyed by the six sense faculties are all fully present. Furthermore, not only are they present, but all implements of enjoyment are supreme and peerless. This is the consummate cause of the Tathāgata’s practices of merit and wisdom, evoking the supporting place of the Tathāgata’s superior retribution; therefore it is supreme.” Relying on these texts, one should know that the body of self-enjoyment evoked by the consummate cause relies upon the six sense objects.
Others say: what both masters have expounded is reasonable, for they equally have sūtras and treatises that cannot be contradicted, and the Tathāgata’s Dharma-gate is unobstructed. Why is this? The retribution Buddha’s body and land briefly have two gates: if in terms of the gate of returning to the source of right marks, it is as the first master expounded; if relying upon the gate of perfecting virtues from nature, it is as the latter master expounded. The cited sūtras and treatises are spoken according to their respective gates, and therefore they do not contradict each other. This is the second gate of form and formless.
Next, third, elucidating the gate of common and uncommon: speaking in terms of general characteristics, lands are of two kinds: first, internal lands; second, external lands. The external land is a common retribution. The internal land is an uncommon retribution. Within the internal land there are also two kinds: first, the five aggregates of sentient beings, serving as the primary retribution land; because persons rely upon and dwell in them, they are called lands. Second, supramundane sagely wisdom, called the real wisdom land, because it can uphold subsequent wisdom, and because relying upon fundamental wisdom it is free from inversion. As the Benye jing says: “‘Land’ is the name for the dwelling place of all worthies and sages; therefore all sentient beings, worthies, and sages each dwell in their own land of fruit-retribution.” Ordinary sentient beings dwelling in the five aggregates constitute the land of primary retribution, while the shared mountains, forests, and great earth constitute the land of environmental retribution. Sages of the first bhūmi also have two lands: first, the real wisdom land, where the prior wisdom dwells, taking the subsequent wisdom as land; second, transformation pure and defiled lands, manifested in accordance with the count of kalpas. Up to the stainless ground (Vimalā-bhūmi), the lands are also like this. All sentient beings up to the stainless ground are entirely non-pure lands, because they dwell in retribution.
Although this is a general explanation, in analyzing it: regarding the land of primary retribution having the meaning of an uncommon retribution, there are no divergent views. Regarding the land of environmental retribution being a common retribution, various explanations differ. Some say: things like mountains and rivers are not an aggregation of subtle atoms possessing an actual single entity evoked in common by multiple causes; rather, they are merely diverse formations uniquely transformed by each sentient being, similar in the same location and not obstructing each other, like the light of many lamps. Just as when multiple causes are dreamed, the categories of causes are identical, and the marks of the fruits resemble each other. The location is not distinct, and is conventionally designated as common, but in reality each is distinct. One should know that the pure lands of the Buddhas are also like this: transformed by distinct consciousnesses, they all pervade the Dharma realm; being in the same location and resembling each other, they are spoken of as ‘common,’ but in reality they are not common. If there were a single land not following individual consciousnesses, it would then be outside the mind and not the principle of consciousness-only. As the Saṃdhinirmocana-sūtra says: “I say that the cognitive objects of consciousness are only what is manifested by consciousness.” The Vijñaptimātratā-śāstra says: “Karmic perfuming is within consciousness, yet one clings to the fruit being produced outside. For what reason, in the place where perfuming occurs, does one not speak of the fruit therein?”
Others say: although the environmental fruit of the pure land is not separate from consciousness, yet the consciousnesses are distinct while the marks of the land are one, because it is jointly accomplished by those distinct consciousnesses. Just as combining the four sense objects accomplishes a single pillar, the mark of the single pillar is not separate from the four subtle atoms, yet it does not follow the four subtle atoms to become four pillars. One should know that the reasoning here is also like this. Therein, if in terms of the land for self-enjoyment, Buddha and Buddhas jointly possess one land, just as with the dharmakāya, which all Buddhas jointly rely upon. If discussing the characteristics of the land for others' enjoyment, the Buddha and bodhisattvas jointly possess it, just as a king and his ministers jointly possess a single state. Moreover, the two enjoyment lands are also not distinct entities. Just as a practitioner of contemplation views a stone as jade, while one without supernormal wisdom still sees it as stone: the marks of stone and jade are different, yet they are not distinct entities. That the two lands share the same location should be known to be also like this. As the Saṃdhinirmocana-sūtra says: “What is the difference between the Tathāgata’s activity and the Tathāgata’s realm? The Buddha said: ‘The Tathāgata’s activity means all modes; the Tathāgata shares in common an immeasurable multitude of merits, adorning the pure Buddha land.’ The Tathāgata’s realm means all modes: the distinctions of the five realms, namely the sentient being realm, the world realm, the Dharma realm, the discipline realm, and the discipline-expedient realm.” Explanation: This speaks of the land for self-enjoyment being jointly possessed by all Buddhas, not distinct for each. The Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra says: “Things such as marks have uncommon conceptual construction as their cause, or have common conceptual construction as their cause. If arisen from common conceptual construction, even though conceptual construction is absent, because it is upheld by the conceptual construction of others, it does not permanently perish. If it were not so, the conceptual construction of others would have no fruit. Although it does not perish, one who has attained purity correctly sees purity in that thing. Just as numerous practitioners of contemplation, within a single thing, on account of their concentrated minds, can obtain various different views; that is also like this.” Explanation: This says that environmental retribution does not follow the distinctions of consciousness. If one clings to common fruits following the distinctions of consciousness, then although my fruit perishes, another’s fruit still exists; then another’s conceptual construction ought not to be without difference. Therefore, that [former view] cannot resolve this text. The Mahāyānasaṃgraha says: “Furthermore, enjoying such a pure land is exclusively pure, exclusively joyful, exclusively faultless, and exclusively sovereign.” Commentary: Ever free from mixed defilement, hence it says ‘exclusively pure.’ Only experiencing wondrous joy, free from suffering and neutral feeling, hence it says ‘exclusively joyful.’ Solely true wholesomeness, free from evil and indeterminate [states], hence it says ‘exclusively faultless.’ All matters do not depend on other conditions at all and are accomplished entirely by one’s own mind, hence it says ‘exclusively sovereign.’ Furthermore, relying upon great purity it speaks of ‘exclusively pure’; relying upon great joy it speaks of ‘exclusively joyful’; relying upon great permanence it speaks of ‘exclusively faultless’; relying upon great self it speaks of ‘exclusively sovereign.’ Explanation: Here, the first ‘furthermore’ reveals the meaning of others' enjoyment. The second ‘furthermore’ reveals the meaning of self-enjoyment. Although the meanings differ, there are no distinct lands. Therefore, the root treatise offers only a single explanation. Thus one knows that the two lands are also not distinct entities. Question: What are the merits and faults of these two explanations? Answer: If taken literally, they simply cannot be established; if reconciled through their meaning, both are reasonable. This is the third gate of common and uncommon.
Next, fourth, elucidating the gate of with-outflows and without-outflows: there are briefly two propositions: first, generally regarding all dharmas, revealing the meaning of with-outflows and without-outflows; second, specifically regarding the pure land, clarifying the characteristics of with-outflows and without-outflows. In the first, general gate: the Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra states: “With-outflows and without-outflows each have five gates. The five with-outflows are: first, by reason of thing; second, latent disposition (anuśaya); third, conjunction (samprayukta); fourth, cognitive object (ālambana); fifth, arising. The five without-outflows are: first, separation from fetters; second, severance of latent dispositions; third, being cessation; fourth, liberation of the self-nature of the continuum through the antidote abandoned by seeing; fifth, liberation of the self-nature of the continuum through the antidote abandoned by cultivation.” The details therein are as extensively explained in that text. Now, formulating four clauses, [we] briefly reveal its characteristics: first, there are dharmas that are exclusively with-outflows, namely all defiled mental states and mental factors, because they are with-outflows through the meaning of conjunction, and because they lack the five kinds of without-outflows marks. Second, there are dharmas that are exclusively without-outflows, namely the mental states and mental factors at the time of the path of seeing, because they possess the meaning of self-nature liberation, and because they lack the five kinds of with-outflows marks. Third, there are dharmas that are both with-outflows and without-outflows, namely retribution-indeterminate mental states and mental factors, because they are bound by latent dispositions yet separated from fetters; although they are without-outflows, they belong to the truth of suffering, because they arise from karma and afflictions. Fourth, there are dharmas that are neither with-outflows [nor without-outflows], namely profound dharmas that do not fall into categories.
Next, within the specific explanation there are also two gates: first, the gate with boundaries; second, the gate without obstruction. Regarding the gate with boundaries: in terms of the pure land inhabited by the Buddhas, among the four clauses there are only two clauses. Relying on the gate of possessing form and possessing mind, it is exclusively without-outflows, because of the meaning of liberation of the self-nature of the continuum, and because it is far removed from the five kinds of with-outflows marks. In terms of the gate of neither form nor mind, it is neither with-outflows nor without-outflows, because it is neither existent nor non-existent, and is free from marks and free from nature. In terms of bodhisattvas, there are also two clauses: considering the two wisdoms, the pure land manifested [by them] is exclusively without-outflows, subsumed under the truth of the path. As the Mahāyānasaṃgraha says: “The consciousness-only wisdom of bodhisattvas and Tathāgatas is signless and effortless, and is therefore called pure. Being free from all hindrances and without regress, it is therefore called sovereign. Since this consciousness-only wisdom is the essence of the pure land, it does not take the truth of suffering as its essence,” and so on up to extensive explanations. In terms of the gate of transformation by the fundamental consciousness (ālaya-vijñāna), it is also without-outflows, because it does not arise from the with-outflows of the three realms and is an enjoyable without-outflows realm, therefore it is without-outflows. Because it arises taking the ground of ignorance as condition, it is called a fruition-retribution land, and is therefore with-outflows. Although it is without-outflows, it is mundane; hence within the gate of the unconditioned four truths, it is subsumed under the fruit-retribution of the truth of suffering. As the sūtra says: “The three [levels of] worthies and ten [stages of] sages dwell in retribution.” The Ratnagotravibhāga says: “Relying upon the realm without outflows, there are three kinds of mind-made bodies; one should know that because their cause is produced by wholesome roots without outflows, they are called mundane; because they are free from mundane dharmas produced by karma and afflictions with outflows, they are also called nirvāṇa.” In accordance with this meaning, the Śrīmālādevī-sūtra says: “World-Honored One! There is a conditioned mundane and an unconditioned mundane; there is a conditioned nirvāṇa and an unconditioned nirvāṇa.” Thus what is spoken of here as the mind-made body is the primary retribution transformed by the ālaya. Since primary retribution is like this, environmental retribution is also like this, because both are transformed by the fundamental consciousness. However, this land transformed by the ālaya and the pure land manifested by the two wisdoms, although subsumed under the two truths of suffering and path, are not of distinct entities, but are merely subsumed differently according to the meaning. Just as with the defiled land upheld by another’s conceptual construction, one who has attained purity sees it as pure; although pure and defiled differ, they are not of distinct entities. One should know that the two meanings here are also like this. This is explained according to the gate with boundaries.
Next, speaking according to the gate without obstruction, four clauses should be formulated: first, the bodies and lands of all Buddhas are all with-outflows, because they are not separate from all outflows. As the sūtra says: the Buddhas abide in all afflictions such as the three poisons and four outflows to attain anuttarasamyaksaṃbodhi, and so on up to extensive explanations. Second, the bodies and lands of ordinary beings are all without-outflows, because they are separated from the nature of all outflows. As the sūtra says: form is without outflows and without binding, feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness are without outflows and without binding, and so on up to extensive explanations. Third, all ordinary beings and sages, defiled lands and pure lands, are both with-outflows and without-outflows, because the preceding two gates are not separate from each other. Fourth, all ordinary beings and sages, defiled lands and pure lands, are neither with-outflows nor without-outflows, because they lack the nature of binding and the nature of liberation. As the sūtra says: form has neither binding nor liberation, feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness have neither binding nor liberation, and so on up to extensive explanations. This is the fourth gate of with-outflows and without-outflows.
The above four gates combined conclude the first [part], the fruition of the Pure Land.
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Next, second, to clarify the cause of the Pure Land: regarding the cause of the Pure Land, there are two paths: first, the cause of accomplishment; second, the cause of rebirth. Regarding the cause of accomplishment, commentators differ. Some say: innately uncontaminated seeds by nature (dharmatā), cultivated and expanded over three incalculable eons, serve as the productive cause for the manifestation of this Pure Land. As the Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra states: "When born in naraka, one possesses the seeds of the three uncontaminated faculties." Drawing an analogy from this, we know that there are also uncontaminated seeds of the Pure Land. Others say: newly produced seeds perfumed by the two wisdoms serve as the productive cause for that Pure Land. As the Mahāyānasaṃgraha states: "The Pure Land arises from the functional power of trans-supramundane wholesome dharmas." What are the trans-supramundane wholesome dharmas? Non-conceptual wisdom and the wholesome roots produced by wisdom acquired subsequent to the non-conceptual are the trans-supramundane wholesome dharmas. If they were inherently existing, they would not be produced; since they are produced, one should know they are newly formed. Question: Of these two explanations, which is the actual truth? Answer: Both rely on the sacred scriptures; how could they not be the truth? The details among them are as explained in the Examination of the Laṅkāvatāra-sūtra. Next, to clarify the cause of rebirth: generally speaking, all stated causes of rebirth not only induce the adornment of primary retribution, but also induce and complete the environmental retribution of the Pure Land; it is merely that by relying on the power of the Tathāgata's original vow, one receives and enjoys it accordingly. It is not accomplished by the force of one's own karmic causes; therefore it is said that there is no [independent] cause of rebirth. The characteristics of this cause differ between sūtras and treatises. If one relies on the Guan jing, it teaches sixteen contemplations; in the Wangsheng lun, it teaches five gates of practice. Now relying on this sūtra, it teaches the causes for the three grades of rebirth. The cause of the upper grade is stated in five clauses: First, "leaving home, abandoning desire, and becoming a śramaṇa"; this reveals the expedient means for generating the primary cause. Second, "arousing the bodhicitta"; this clarifies the primary cause. Third, "single-mindedly recollecting that Buddha"; this clarifies the cultivation of contemplation. Fourth, "performing various meritorious deeds"; this clarifies the initiation of practice. This contemplation and practice serve as auxiliary perfecting karma. Fifth, "vowing to be born in that land"; this single [clause] is the vow, the preceding four are practice, and through the conjunction of practice and vow one attains rebirth. In the middle grade, four clauses are stated: First, "though unable to become a śramaṇa, one should arouse the mind of unexcelled awakening (bodhicitta)"; this clarifies the primary cause. Second, "single-mindedly recollecting that Buddha"; third, "cultivating wholesome deeds to some extent"; this contemplation and practice serve as auxiliary perfecting karma. Fourth, "vowing to be born in that land." The preceding practice and this vow combine to form the cause. Within the lower grade, two types of persons are spoken of, and for each of the two persons there are three clauses. The three for the first person are: First, "even if unable to perform various meritorious deeds, one should arouse the mind of unexcelled awakening (bodhicitta)"; this clarifies the primary cause. Second, "even down to ten recitations, single-mindedly recollecting that Buddha"; this is the auxiliary perfecting karma. Third, "vowing to be born in that land." This vow and the preceding practice combine to form the cause; this clarifies persons of indeterminate disposition (aniyata-gotra). The three clauses for the second person are: First, "hearing the profound Dharma, rejoicing with faith and delight"; this clause concurrently reveals the primary cause of generating the mind, but merely to distinguish them from the previous person, their deep faith is singled out. Second, "even down to a single thought, recollecting that Buddha"; this is the auxiliary perfecting karma; to reveal that the previous person lacked deep faith, they required ten recitations, while this person possesses deep faith, so they do not necessarily need a full ten recitations. Third, "with a mind of utmost sincerity, vowing to be born in that land." This vow and the preceding practice combine to form the cause; this concerns persons of the bodhisattva gotra. Such is the teaching of the sūtra; now this text briefly analyzes the characteristics of their rebirth. In this, there are two parts: first, clarifying the primary cause; second, revealing the auxiliary cause. The primary cause spoken of in the sūtra refers to bodhicitta. Arousing the mind of unexcelled awakening means paying no regard to worldly wealth and pleasure, nor to the nirvāṇa of the two vehicles, but single-mindedly aspiring to the bodhi of the three bodies; this is called the mind of unexcelled awakening. Although such is the general indication, within it there are two aspects: first, generating the mind in accordance with phenomena; second, generating the mind in accord with the ultimate principle. Regarding "in accordance with phenomena": afflictions are countless, I vow to sever them all; wholesome dharmas are immeasurable, I vow to cultivate them all; sentient beings are boundless, I vow to deliver them all. Toward these three matters, one makes resolute aspiration. The first is the primary cause for the Tathāgata's virtue of severance; the next is the primary cause for the Tathāgata's virtue of wisdom; the third mind is the primary cause for the virtue of grace. The three virtues combine into the fruition of unexcelled awakening, which means these three minds together form the cause of unexcelled awakening. Although cause and fruition differ, their breadth and extent are equal; they are balanced without omission, for there is nothing they do not embrace. As a sūtra states: "The initial aspiration and the ultimate [awakening] are not different from each other." Between these two minds, the first mind is difficult: "Before being delivered oneself, first delivering others; therefore I bow to the initial aspiration." Although the retribution-fruition of this mind is bodhi, its blossom-retribution lies in the Pure Land. Why is this? The measure of bodhicitta is vast and boundless, long-enduring and limitless; therefore it can induce the vastly boundless Pure Land of environmental retribution and the long-enduring, immeasurable lifespan of primary retribution. Except for bodhicitta, nothing can correspond to that; therefore this mind is said to be the primary cause for it. This clarifies the characteristics of generating the mind in accordance with phenomena. Regarding generating the mind in accord with the ultimate principle: having faith and understanding that all dharmas are like illusions and dreams, neither existent nor non-existent, beyond speech and cut off from conceptual thought. Relying on this faith and understanding, one arouses the vast mind: although one sees no afflictions or wholesome dharmas, one does not repudiate what is to be severed and what is to be cultivated; therefore, although vowing to sever all and cultivate all, one does not violate the wishless samādhi (apraṇihita-samādhi); although vowing to deliver all immeasurable sentient beings, one maintains no idea of deliverer or delivered, and thus can accord with emptiness and signlessness. As a sūtra states: "Thus delivering immeasurable sentient beings, yet in reality not a single sentient being attains deliverance," and so on at length. Such generation of the mind is inconceivable; this clarifies the characteristics of generating the mind in accord with the ultimate principle. Generating the mind in accordance with phenomena involves the possibility of retrogression; persons of indeterminate disposition can also arouse it. Generating the mind in accord with the ultimate principle is without retrogression; only persons of the bodhisattva gotra can arouse it. Such generation of the mind has boundless merit; even if all Buddhas were to expound its merits for exhausted eons, they could not exhaust them. The characteristics of the primary cause have been briefly expounded in this way.
1.5
Next, to clarify the auxiliary cause. Auxiliary causes are of many kinds; now we briefly clarify the ten recitations of the lower grade. The ten recitations of the lower grade taught in this sūtra contain two meanings within a single phrase: the explicit meaning and the implicit meaning. The implicit meaning is stated with reference to the third pair of pure lands [the purely pure land] as the fruition, explaining the merit of the ten recitations of the lower grade. This is as the Maitreya-paripṛcchā states: "At that time, the Bodhisattva Maitreya said to the Buddha: 'Just as the Buddha spoke of the meritorious benefits of the Buddha Amitābha, if one can recollect that Buddha with ten recitations in continuous succession, one immediately attains rebirth. How should one recollect?' The Buddha said: 'It is not the recollection of ordinary beings, not unwholesome recollection, and not recollection mingled with the fetters. Endowed with such recollection, one immediately attains rebirth in the land of Peaceful Nourishment. There are ten recitations in all. What are the ten? First, toward all sentient beings constantly generating a mind of loving-kindness, and toward all sentient beings not disparaging their conduct; if one disparages their conduct, one will never attain rebirth. Second, toward all sentient beings deeply generating a mind of compassion, eliminating thoughts of harming or injuring. Third, generating a mind to protect the Dharma without begrudging bodily life, not generating slander toward any dharma. Fourth, generating a resolute mind in patience. Fifth, a deeply pure mind, unstained by material gain. Sixth, generating the mind of sarvākārajñatā, constantly recollecting day after day without abandonment or forgetting. Seventh, toward all sentient beings generating a mind of reverence, eliminating thoughts of conceit, and speaking with humility. Eighth, toward worldly talk, not generating an attached mind. Ninth, drawing near to the factors of awakening, deeply generating various wholesome roots, conditions, and causes, distancing oneself from clamour and scattered thoughts. Tenth, right mindfulness contemplating the Buddha, leaving behind the senses.'" Commentary explains: Since such ten recitations are not those of ordinary beings, one should know that only bodhisattvas of the first bhūmi and above can possess these ten recitations, serving as the cause for the lower grade in the purely pure land. This is the ten recitations of the implicit meaning. As for the characteristics of the ten recitations of the explicit meaning, they are spoken of with reference to the fourth pair of pure lands. As the Guan jing states: "Regarding the lowest birth of the lowest grade, there may be sentient beings who commit unwholesome karma, the five heinous offenses and the ten unwholesome deeds, fully endowed with all unwholesome things. When approaching the end of life, they meet a good spiritual friend who expounds the wondrous Dharma for them and teaches them to be mindful of the Buddha; if they are unable to be mindful, they should recite the name of the Buddha of Immeasurable Life. With such utmost sincerity, causing the sound to be uninterrupted, fully completing ten recitations, calling 'Namo Buddhāya'. Because of calling the Buddha's name, in thought after thought they eliminate the sins of eighty billion eons of birth and death. After life ends, they immediately attain rebirth," and so on at length. With what kind of mind is it called utmost sincerity? What is called ten recitations in continuous succession? Master Kumārajīva said: Suppose a person in a wilderness encounters evil bandits brandishing spears and drawing swords, coming straight at him intent on killing him. The person flees urgently, seeing a river to cross. If he does not cross the river, his head and neck can hardly be preserved. At that time, he thinks only of the means to cross the river: "When I reach the riverbank, shall I cross with clothes on, or cross with clothes off? If I wear clothes and robes, I fear I cannot get across. If I take off clothes and robes, I fear there will be no time." Having only this thought and no other intention, that very thought of crossing the river is a single thought. Ten such thoughts do not intermingle with other thoughts. The practitioner is also like this: whether recollecting the Buddha's name or recollecting the Buddha's marks, uninterruptedly recollecting the Buddha up to ten recitations—such utmost sincerity is called ten recitations. This is the characteristic of the ten recitations of explicit meaning. Now, the ten recitations taught in this two-fascicle sūtra possess both of these meanings: implicit and explicit. However, within them, the ten recitations of explicit meaning differ slightly from the intent of the Guan jing. That Guan jing does not exclude the five heinous offenses, but only excludes the sin of slandering the Vaipulya [sūtras]. Now, in this two-fascicle sūtra, it states: "excluding those who commit the five heinous offenses and slander the True Dharma." Such a contradiction: how is it resolved? That sūtra speaks of those who, though committing the five heinous offenses, are able to repent relying on the Mahāyāna teaching; this sūtra speaks of those who do not repent. Due to this meaning, they are not contradictory. The characteristics of causes and conditions have been briefly expounded in this way. The two gates of fruition and cause expounded above combine to conclude the second part: discerning the essential doctrine.
1.6
Third is differentiation according to persons. Herein there are two parts: first, differentiation according to the three categories of sentient beings, and second, differentiation regarding the sentient beings of the four doubts. First, regarding the three categories, as the sūtra states below: 'If there are sentient beings who are born in that land, they all dwell in the samyaktva-niyata-rāśi. Why is this? In that Buddha-land there are no mithyātva-niyata-rāśi or aniyata-rāśi.' What are the characteristics of these three categories? This meaning is explained in full in the Ratnagotravibhāga. It says: In brief, within the entire realm of sentient beings, there are three kinds of sentient beings. What are the three? The first seek existence; the second are free from seeking existence; the third seek neither of the two. Those who seek existence are of two kinds: first, those who slander the path to liberation and lack the nature of nirvāṇa, who always seek to dwell in the world and do not seek to realize nirvāṇa; second, within the Buddha's teaching, those who share the position of an icchantika because they slander the Mahāyāna. Therefore the Bujeng bujian jing states: 'If there is a bhikṣu down to an upāsikā who gives rise to one view or gives rise to two views, the Buddhas, Tathāgatas, are not their World-Honored One, and such people are not my disciples.' Those who are free from seeking existence are also of two kinds: first, those without the skillful means to seek the path, and second, those with the skillful means to seek the path. Those without skillful means are also of two kinds: first, the many kinds of non-Buddhists with their various erroneous views; second, those within the Buddha's teaching who practice similarly to non-Buddhists, who although they believe in the Buddha's teaching grasp it inverted, such as the Vātsīputrīyas and so forth, down to detailed explanations. Those with skillful means are also of two kinds, namely the two vehicles. Those who seek neither of the two are the foremost sentient beings of sharp faculties, the bodhisattvas and so forth. Furthermore, those sentient beings who seek existence, the icchantikas and those within the Buddha's teaching who share the icchantika's position, are called sentient beings of the mithyātva-niyata-rāśi. Furthermore, among sentient beings free from seeking existence, those who fall into seeking the path without skillful means are called sentient beings of the aniyata-rāśi. The śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, and those who seek neither of the two are called sentient beings of the samyaktva-niyata-rāśi. Thus the treatise explains. Here, it generally classifies the two vehicles and bodhisattvas as the samyaktva-niyata-rāśi, but does not yet differentiate the limits of their stages. At what stage does one enter the samyaktva-niyata-rāśi? Based on what meaning is it called the samyaktva-niyata-rāśi? Definitively not regressing into severing the roots of goodness—such is the meaning of the samyaktva-niyata-rāśi. Discussing their stages based on the Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra, there are two kinds of samyaktva-niyata-rāśi: first, the innate samyaktva-niyata-rāśi; second, the samyaktva-niyata-rāśi attained through cultivation. If explained according to this, among the five kinds of gotra, a person of the bodhisattva-gotra who from beginningless time does not commit the five heinous offenses or sever the roots of goodness is named the innate samyaktva-niyata-rāśi. Those of the two-vehicle nature and those of indeterminate nature may commit the five heinous offenses and sever the roots of goodness. When they sever the roots of goodness they fall into the mithyātva-niyata-rāśi; when their roots of goodness continue but they have not yet entered [the path], they belong to the aniyata-rāśi. When they have entered, three grades should then be distinguished: if one who enters originally possesses inferior roots of goodness, up through the stage of ūṣmagata one is still indeterminate, and only upon entering the stage of mūrdhan does one become definitively determined, because the treatise states that 'at the stage of mūrdhan one does not sever the roots of goodness.' If one who enters originally possesses medium roots of goodness, upon reaching the stage of ūṣmagata one is called definitively determined. If one who enters originally possesses superior roots of goodness, at the very moment of entering one becomes definitively determined. As the Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra states: 'If there is one who enters while abiding in inferior roots of goodness, know that the inferior is called having gaps, not yet continuous, and not yet well purified. If there is one who enters while abiding in medium roots of goodness, know that it is medium. If there is one who enters while abiding in superior roots of goodness, know that the superior is called gapless, already capable of continuity, and already well purified.' Such are the characteristics of having entered. Furthermore, that treatise says: 'Relying on this inferior root of goodness conducive to liberation (mokṣa-bhāgīya), the Bhagavān said: If one is endowed with the superior right view of the mundane world, even though passing through a thousand lifetimes, one will not fall into the evil destinies.' This text clearly shows that for one who enters while originally abiding in superior roots of goodness, at the very moment of entering into the inferior good conducive to liberation one attains non-retrogression, because there are no gaps. Furthermore, that treatise says: 'When one abides in inferior maturation, one may still go to the evil destinies. If medium or superior, one does not go to the evil destinies.' This text clearly shows that for one who enters while originally abiding in inferior roots of goodness, even though reaching the inferior maturation stage of ūṣmagata, one has not yet attained non-retrogression and therefore may go to the evil destinies. This is differentiation according to the stages of the two vehicles. If a person of indeterminate gotra enters by proceeding directly toward the Mahāyāna, only upon reaching the gotra stage does one become definitively determined. As the Awakening of Faith says: 'Relying on what kind of person and cultivating what kind of practice does one achieve faith and become capable of generating the aspiration [for enlightenment]? Namely, relying on sentient beings of the aniyata-rāśi who, because of the power of perfumed roots of goodness, have faith in karma and its fruition, are able to perform the ten virtues, are weary of the suffering of birth and death, desire to seek unsurpassed bodhi, and are able to meet Buddhas, personally attend upon and make offerings to them, and cultivate faith. After passing through ten thousand eons, because their faith is perfected, the Buddhas and bodhisattvas instruct them to generate the mind [for enlightenment]; or through great compassion they are able to generate it of themselves; or because the true Dharma is about to be extinguished, by the condition of protecting the Dharma, they are able to generate it of themselves. When faith is perfected in this way, those who are able to generate the mind enter the samyaktva-niyata-rāśi and ultimately never regress; they are said to dwell in the lineage of the Tathāgata, corresponding to the correct cause.' Saying that one 'dwells in the lineage of the Tathāgata' means having entered the stage of the acquired nature (gotra), which is the first abode of the ten abodes—the abode of initial generation of the aspiration. What has been explained above all clarifies the samyaktva-niyata-rāśi attained through cultivation. If one of innate bodhisattva-gotra enters by proceeding directly toward the Mahāyāna, at the very moment of entering one permanently attains non-retrogression and does not fall into the evil destinies through the power of karma. Stated according to this, upon entering the stage of the ten faiths one immediately attains non-retrogression, unlike the aforementioned person of indeterminate nature. Explanations such as these all concern the defiled land. If considered in terms of those who attain rebirth in that Pure Land, the determinate two vehicles are not reborn there; among those of indeterminate nature, persons of the three grades who generate the Mahāyāna mind can all be reborn there, and at the time of rebirth there they immediately enter the samyaktva-niyata-rāśi because of being sustained by the power of external conditions. Such, in brief, is the meaning of the differentiation of the three categories.
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- 兩卷無量壽經宗要 — Classical Chinese