觀無量壽佛經疏 1.4

1.4

Explicating the five meanings of the sūtra: name, essence, principle, function, and characteristics of the teaching (and so forth). First, regarding the explication of the name: all sūtras have both shared and distinct names. The shared [name] is the single word 'sūtra'. The distinct [names] are sevenfold: either single persons, dharmas, or metaphors, or compound, or complete. Now this sūtra establishes its name based on the person who can preach and the person who is preached about. That is, the distinction of teachings shares the same name of 'sūtra', meaning the teaching is shared, while the practices are different. From one up to immeasurable is the distinction of practices; converging equally in constant bliss is the commonality of practices. Although principle has no name, using doors to name principle, principle accords with the doors: four times four is sixteen, which is called the distinction of principle; the doors accord with principle, which is called the commonality of principle. This clarifies shared and distinct according to a single teaching era. Further, regarding the single title: 'The Buddha said' is the teaching; 'contemplation' is the practice; 'Amitāyus Buddha' is the principle. With teaching, practice, and principle complete, the meaning of shared and distinct is naturally present. Furthermore, to speak in terms of a single character, the Treatises say: 'Practicing as was preached.' 'Preaching' is the teaching; 'as' (tathatā) is the principle; 'practicing' is the practice. 'Buddha' is the dharmakāya; 'contemplation' is prajñā; 'Amitāyus' is liberation. One should know that to realize the three is to realize the one, and to realize the one is to realize the three; within one, to understand the immeasurable, and within the immeasurable, to understand the one. If even in a single character one realizes immeasurable meanings, how much more so with many characters, how much more so with a whole title, how much more so with a whole sūtra, and with all sūtras! Therefore the sūtra says: 'If one hears the name of the initial title, the merit obtained cannot be measured.' If one does not understand in accordance with the above, how could one attain boundless merit? First, explaining 'Buddha': 'Buddha' has the meaning of 'awakened', which has six kinds. That is, the Nirvāṇa Sūtra says: 'All sentient beings are themselves Buddha, like the poor woman's house where all treasures and things exist complete, or like the strongman's forehead pearl which is round, bright, and instantly present.' The Tathāgatagarbha Sūtra offers ten metaphors: gold wrapped in tattered cloth, a statue inside an earthen mold, jars and pots in a dark room, seven treasures in a well—originally present of themselves, not just arising now. The Vimalakīrti says: 'All sentient beings are identical to Suchness.' The Ratnakaraṇḍaka says: 'The realm of buddhas and the realm of sentient beings: the one realm has no separate realm.' This is round wisdom and round awakening to all dharmas, pervading all places without failing to be luminous and clear. Even the five avīci karmas are all marks of liberation; even in dull blindness and inverted delusion, its principle exists. This principle is blazing and clear, eternally abiding in the world; having a buddha cannot increase it, and having no buddha cannot diminish it; attaining it does not make one high, and losing it does not make one low. Therefore it is said that sentient beings are themselves Buddha: this is the Buddha of principle. If the Buddha did not preach such a principle, no one would be able to know it. The Lotus says: 'For one hundred and eighty kalpas, passed in vain without a buddha. When the World-Honoured One had not yet appeared, the ten directions were perpetually dark and blind.' The Nirvāṇa says: 'For immeasurable ages, one does not even hear the name of a Tathāgata appearing in the world or of a Mahāyāna sūtra. Only if a buddha appears in the world can he spread the sun of wisdom, make known the radiant light of the Three Jewels, open the gate of nectar, and make known the wondrous taste of the ten epithets.' Because of preaching, understanding arises, and there is delight in the treasure; thus when Sudatta heard the name, his body hairs all stood on end, the dark night became broadly illuminated, and the great barrier swung open on its own. This is the Buddha of verbal name. Regarding the Buddha of contemplative practice: one contemplates the marks and signs of the Buddha like a cast gold image, the mind aligning with the wondrous form to face the eyes; whether opening the eyes or closing the eyes, whether in light or in darkness, constantly never departing from it. One sees the Buddha, the World-Honoured One, flowing out minor marks from the great ocean of marks, vast and expansive like the waters of the great kalpa, looking all around without anything not being the buddha-realm. Mindful of one buddha is equal to all buddhas of the ten directions; mindful of the present buddha is equal to the buddhas of the three periods of time; one body is one wisdom; the powers and fearlessnesses are also thus. Mindful of the form body, mindful of the Dharma-gates, mindful of true reality, constantly wielding mindfulness without any moment of non-mindfulness, thought after thought all awakened. This is named the Buddha of contemplative practice. Regarding the Buddha of resemblance: mindful of the Buddha's body of marks and signs, one attains resemblance and correspondence; mindful of the Buddha's body of Dharma-gates, one attains resemblance and correspondence; mindful of the body of true reality, one attains resemblance and correspondence. 'Resemblance' means two things being similar to each other, like brass resembling gold, or like a melon compared to a gourd; like fire being warm first, or wading into the ocean being level at first. Water's nature is supremely cold; only one who drinks it knows. If one does not dig a well when thirsty, what is the use of listening to explanations? Briefly to state its essentials, like the purity of the six sense faculties in the Lotus: this is its mark. It is named the Buddha of resemblance. Regarding the Buddha of partial realization: in the stage of initial resolve, when one resolves, all resolve—resolving on all merit, resolving on all wisdom, resolving on all realms; not before, not after, and also not at one time; the three wisdoms are attained in a single mind. One attains the Tathāgata's wondrous form body, serenely responding to everything, opening the secret storehouse, abiding within it by means of the non-abiding Dharma. By universally manifesting the form body, one makes diverse forms and images; with a single voice, one replies with various sounds according to their kind, not moving from the true limit while all feelings are equally pleased. When one should cross over beings by the three wheels, one can accomplish the path through the eight marks, fully equipped with the Buddha's deportment, crossing them over and liberating them by means of the Buddha's voice and skillful means; how much more so the three wheels of the nine dharma-realms! If the initial stage is already like this, how much more so equal awakening! This is named the Buddha of partial realization. Regarding the ultimate Buddha: the path reaches the stage of wondrous awakening, reaching its limit at the letter ḍha; therefore only a buddha together with a buddha can thoroughly exhaust the true reality of all dharmas, boundary-wisdom fulfilled, and seed-awakening instantly perfected. The 'Unsurpassed Knight' means having nothing more to sever. The 'Unsurpassed Knight' means there is none who surpasses him. Like the moon on the fifteenth day, round and fully complete, king among all the stars, supremely high and supremely victorious, particularly revered in awesome virtue. This is named the meaning of the ultimate Buddha. The Buddha has immeasurable virtues and should have immeasurable titles; mentioning one encompasses all. The Avataṃsaka has one hundred thousand titles. Other sūtras also have ten thousand titles. The buddhas of the three periods of time generally have ten epithets; in the Vimalakīrti, three titles could not be exhausted even if spoken of for the span of a kalpa's lifespan, how much less all the titles! Regarding 'speaking' (said): it is to gladden what is held in the heart; that is, the twelve divisions of sūtras, the eighty-thousand Dharma-stores, the six perfections, the four immeasurables, and all Dharma-gates. Furthermore, within a single dharma one makes a distinction into four doors, and in each and every door skillfully works the benefits of the four siddhāntas, so that hearers rejoice, praise, apply, receive, and practice, so that faith, precepts, vigor, and mindfulness are developed, greed, anger, and delusion melt away completely like ice, and transforming from ordinary to noble, they enter the flowing water of the Dharma. There may be three, two, or one benefit; if there is no benefit at all, one delights in silence. If a single capacity is struck and the sage provides four benefits in one door, the remaining three doors are also thus. As it is when preaching one dharma for one condition, so it is for all conditions and all dharmas. Regarding 'contemplation': it is contemplation. There are the three contemplations in sequence and the threefold contemplation in a single mind. The contemplation of entering emptiness from the provisional is also called the contemplation of the two truths; the contemplation of entering the provisional from emptiness is also called the contemplation of equality; with the two emptiness contemplations as skillful means, one is able to enter the contemplation of the supreme ultimate truth of the middle way, thought after thought extinguished and quiet, naturally flowing into the ocean of sarvajñā. These names come from the Yingluo jing. Now to explain their meaning: the provisional is illusory and false, the conventional truth. Emptiness is real and true, the ultimate truth. Now, desiring to leave the conventional and return to the real, it is called the contemplation of entering emptiness from the provisional. The provisional is the vehicle for entering emptiness; one must first contemplate the provisional, and knowing the provisional to be illusory and false, one is able to join with the true; therefore it is called the contemplation of the two truths. If this contemplation is completed, one realizes sarvajñatā. Regarding the contemplation of entering the provisional from emptiness: if one abides in emptiness, how does it differ from the two vehicles? It does not accomplish the Buddha-Dharma, nor does it benefit sentient beings. For this reason, contemplating emptiness, one does not abide in emptiness but enters into the provisional, knowing the illness and recognizing the medicine, prescribing the medicine in accord with the illness and causing them to take and practice it; therefore it is named the contemplation of entering the provisional from emptiness. As for calling it 'equality': it is called equality in comparison with the previous. Previously, one broke the provisional using emptiness; now, one breaks emptiness using the provisional; since breaking and using are balanced, it is called the contemplation of equality. When this contemplation is completed, one realizes mārgākārajñatā. Regarding 'the two emptinesses as skillful means': first contemplating the emptiness of saṃsāra, next contemplating the emptiness of nirvāṇa; these two emptinesses serve as the skillful means for dual negation. The first contemplation uses emptiness, and the next contemplation uses the provisional; these two applications serve as the skillful means for dual illumination. Thought after thought returns and enters the ocean of sarvajñā, dually illuminating the two truths. When this contemplation is completed, one realizes sarvākārajñatā. These are the three contemplations in sequence. Regarding the threefold contemplation in a single mind: this comes from the Treatises. The Treatise says: 'The three wisdoms are truly attained in a single mind.' It is merely one contemplation yet three contemplations, contemplating one truth yet three truths; therefore it is named the threefold contemplation in a single mind. It is analogous to a single mind having arising, abiding, and cessation: these three marks are within a single mind. When this contemplation is completed, one realizes the three wisdoms in a single mind, also named sarvākārajñatā. One knows the marks of cessation and all kinds of practices, types, and appearances. The mark of cessation is the power of dual extinction. Knowing all kinds of appearances is the power of dual illumination. The Mūlamadhyamakakārikā says: 'Dharmas born of causes and conditions are identical to emptiness, identical to the provisional, identical to the middle.' The Treatises say: 'The three wisdoms are truly attained in a single mind.' This is the meaning. This contemplation is subtle and wondrous: identical to one yet three, identical to three yet one; one contemplation is all contemplations, all contemplations are one contemplation; neither one nor all. Such a contemplation subsumes all contemplations. Regarding 'Amitāyus': India calls him Amitābha Buddha. Originally he has no body, no lifespan, and also no measure. In accordance with the worldly, one discusses three bodies, also discusses three lifespans, and also discusses three measures. Regarding the dharmakāya: taking the Dharma-nature as standard and model, it in turn takes the Dharma-nature as its body. This body is neither material form nor mental consciousness, nor is it grasped or held by skandhas, dhātus, or āyatanas; one merely forces the designation of Dharma-nature as dharmakāya. The lifespan of Dharma-nature is not a life-faculty obtained as retribution, nor is it continuous connection; one merely forces the designation of unshifting and unchanging as lifespan. This lifespan has neither a long measure nor a short measure, without extension or brevity; one merely forces the designation of the measure of the dharmadhātu being identical to empty space. This is precisely the body of non-body, the lifespan of no lifespan, the measure of non-measure. Regarding the saṃbhogakāya: it is induced by practice. The Lotus says: 'Obtained through karma long cultivated.' The Nirvāṇa says: 'Because great parinirvāṇa is obtained by cultivating the path.' Thusness wisdom illuminates the Thusness realm; bodhi wisdom and Dharma-nature correspond and merge with one another. 'Corresponding' is like a box and its lid corresponding. 'Merging' is like water and milk merging. The dharmakāya is neither body nor non-body; since wisdom corresponds and merges, it is also neither body nor non-body; one forces the name of this wisdom as saṃbhogakāya. The Dharma lifespan is neither lifespan nor non-lifespan; since wisdom corresponds and merges, it is also neither lifespan nor non-lifespan; one forces the name of non-lifespan as lifespan. The Dharma measure is neither measure nor non-measure; since wisdom corresponds and merges, it is also neither measure nor non-measure; one forces the name of non-measure as measure. Regarding the nirmāṇakāya: it responds by being identical to all things as body, responds by being identical to continuous connection as lifespan, and responds by being identical to long and short as measure. When wisdom merges with the essence, it can initiate great functioning, like mercury mixed with pure gold being able to gild various shapes. When merit is mixed with the dharmakāya, it responds and manifests everywhere, being able to be a body or non-body, being able to be an eternal lifespan or an impermanent lifespan, being able to be immeasurable or being able to have a measure. Having a measure has two meanings: first, the measure of immeasurability; second, the measure of having a measure. Such as seven hundred asaṃkhyeyas, eighty [years], and so forth are the measure of having a measure. Like Amitābha having a real limit, which humans and devas cannot count: this is the immeasurable of having a measure. Response buddhas both act as two measures, following things and according with conditions, uneven in length and shortness. However, these three bodies and three lifespans cannot be held in parallel, differentiated, regarded as identical, or regarded as distinct; [to do so] violates the essence of the Dharma. Identical to one yet three, identical to three yet one—only this accords with the profound text. The explication of the name is finished.