無量壽經連義述文贊 1.2

1.2

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.