無量壽經連義述文贊 1.2

1.2

經曰「佛說無量壽經上」者，述云：將講此經，略作三門：一者來意、二者釋名、三解本文。初、來意者，略有三義：一者欲顯淨土之所因故。謂前經中雖言華座由法藏比丘願力所成，而猶未說極樂依正二報莊嚴皆依法積本誓力成，故今更須廣說宿世四十八願，以顯彼土今現之因。二者欲辨本誓之不虛故。謂一切佛雖發本願，本願亦有不能果遂，如般若中所有眾生令得滅度。法積願力即不如此，故今廣說依正功德嚴淨，以顯宿願必有所辨，使增行者往生之意。三者欲示穢土之苦惱故。謂觀經中雖言未來一切眾生為煩惱賊之所苦害，而眾生不聞痛惱之相即不能起欣厭之意往生之業亦不得成，故今廣宣五惡痛燒以於苦害，令修行者厭此苦域、欣彼樂方，修福觀行，速出娑婆而生淨土。如其次第，即所成所化之二也。以是三義，故次《觀經》後說此經也。第二、釋名者，觀乎歷代傳來經本，經本題名雖復多途，今且申三代經之首名也。魏時帛延顯「無量清淨平等覺經」之號；吳時支謙立「諸佛阿彌陀三耶三佛薩樓佛檀過度人道經」之稱，亦名大阿彌陀；今西晉法護名「無量壽經」。故經之名雖復廣略，其義大同。欲釋法護經本之名，即有四對：一、總別相對，即佛說及經名總，無量壽名別故；二、人法相對，即佛者人，餘名法故；三、詮旨相對，即無量壽名旨，經者詮也，說兼二故；四、首尾相對，即上者對下之言，下亦對上之詞，如次首尾故。委細之義如前釋。

Regarding the sūtra text: "The Sūtra of Immeasurable Life, Spoken by the Buddha, Fascicle One": The commentary states: Being about to lecture on this sūtra, I will briefly establish three divisions: first, the purpose of its arrival; second, explaining the title; third, interpreting the main text. First, concerning the purpose of its arrival, there are briefly three meanings: First, because [the Buddha] wished to reveal the cause of the Pure Land. That is, although in the preceding sūtra it was said that the flower-seat was brought about by the vow-power of the monk Dharmākara, it has not yet explained that the adornments of Sukhāvatī's environmental and personal retributions are all brought about relying upon Dharmākara's original vow-power; thus, it is now necessary to explain extensively the forty-eight vows of his past lifetimes in order to reveal the cause of that land's present appearance. Second, because [the Buddha] wished to distinguish that the original vow is not in vain. That is, although all Buddhas generate original vows, there are also original vows that cannot bear fruit and succeed, as [stated] in the Prajñāpāramitā where all sentient beings are to be brought to extinction. Dharmākara's vow-power, however, is not like this; therefore, the meritorious adornments and purities of the environmental and personal [retributions] are now extensively explained to show that the past vows necessarily accomplished something, thereby increasing practitioners' intention for rebirth [in the Pure Land]. Third, because [the Buddha] wished to demonstrate the suffering and afflictions of the impure land. That is, although the Visualization Sūtra states that all sentient beings of the future are tormented and harmed by the thieves of afflictions, if sentient beings do not hear the characteristics of pain and affliction, they will be unable to arouse the intention of aspiration [for the Pure Land] and revulsion [for the defiled world], and their practice for rebirth [in the Pure Land] will also not be accomplished; therefore, [the Buddha] now extensively proclaims the five evils, pains, and burnings to [show] their torment and harm, causing practitioners to be revolted by this realm of suffering and aspire to that land of joy, cultivate merits and contemplative practice, and swiftly depart Sahā and be reborn in the Pure Land. In this order, these are precisely the two [aspects] of what is accomplished and what is transformed. Due to these three meanings, this sūtra was preached subsequent to the Visualization Sūtra. Second, concerning explaining the title: when examining the sūtra texts transmitted through successive generations, although the titles of the sūtra texts are manifold, we will for now present the initial titles of the sūtras of three dynasties. Bai Yan of the Wei dynasty made prominent the designation *Wuliang qingjing pingdengjue jing*; Zhi Qian of the Wu dynasty established the appellation *Zhufo omituo sanyesanfo saluofotan guodu rendao jing*, also called *Da Emi Tuo*; now Dharmarakṣa of the Western Jin named it *Sūtra of Immeasurable Life*. Therefore, although the titles of the sūtra are either extensive or abridged, their meaning is broadly identical. If we wish to explain the title of Dharmarakṣa's sūtra text, there are four pairs: 1. the general opposed to the specific: "Spoken by the Buddha" and "Sūtra" are general designations, whereas "Immeasurable Life" is specific; 2. person opposed to dharma: "Buddha" is the person, whereas the rest are dharmas; 3. the explication opposed to the purport: "Immeasurable Life" is the purport, "Sūtra" is the explication, and "Spoken" partakes of both; 4. beginning opposed to end: "Upper" (Fascicle One) is a term relative to "Lower", and "Lower" is also a term relative to "Upper", being beginning and end in sequence. The fine details of their meanings are as explained before.