觀無量壽佛經疏妙宗鈔 3.2.5

3.2.5

若其不用圓妙三觀感四淨土，則標結文全為無用。 釋題三觀，為被何人？ 為何處用？ 若謂欲感實報寂光二種淨土須圓三觀，若有餘淨但修體空，若同居淨只用事行不須三觀者，此義不然。 偏空體法種種事行，雖是二種淨土之因，非是此經的示宗致。 蓋以此經本為韋提厭同居穢求同居淨，故談妙觀觀彼依正，那得輒云感同居淨不須三觀？ 三觀若成麁垢先落，非有餘淨更生何處？ 豈有餘淨非妙觀耶？ 須知正為生同居淨，故說三觀。 良由觀妙能破三惑，不獨感於同居淨土，隨其惑斷淺深之處，自然感得有餘等三。 如病須藥，本為身安，求得仙方修合服之，不但身安兼能輕骨。 身安可喻生同居淨，輕骨可喻感上三土。 只是一藥効乃深勝，如一妙觀能淨四土。 《起信論》說初心修行大乘正信，懼在此土不常值佛，信心退失，乃教求生極樂世界，令觀彼佛真如法身，畢竟得生，住正定故。 非圓三觀，寧照法身？ 那謂極樂因唯事善？ 四、論用。 宗是自行所修之法，用是利他所施之法。 自行趣理故明妙觀，化他攝機合通眾善。 他宜妙觀，亦須教修自行助道，豈廢眾善？ 是故宗用法必齊等，但有自行化他之異耳。 文二：初、標名略示。 力方有用，故言「力用」。 力用何為？ 生善滅惡也。 行者應知體宗用三。 別明三法，乃從一性起於二修，體是法身所顯性也，宗是般若能顯智也，用是解脫所起力也。 二雖修成，須知本具； 一雖是性，全起成修。 故非縱橫、不可思議。 二德在性，全指惑業，即是性具善惡二修。 今體逆修，既全性具，當處融妙乃化他德，故以此二為經宗用。 用遍一切，非無惡用，以順性故生善滅惡。 故染惡用，稱性用之最能滅惡。 「滅惡」下，約義廣釋，二：初、約善惡具明。 既施力用，必成功德，是故一用而有四名。 偏論滅惡須施功力，偏論生善在於德用，斯是一往。 若二往說，力用功德皆能滅惡，力用功德皆能生善。 須知滅惡極至阿鼻，生善理合至於妙覺，方是圓經力用功德。 二、「苦是」下，就滅惡偏釋，二：初、無惡不除。 所言滅惡，須滅惡因方除惡果。 如果報修因二種行人，不除三毒眾苦之本，縱暫免苦，終非永謝。 今明化他修淨土觀，則令諸惡因果俱滅。 惑縱未斷，生彼不起，斷在不久，故能永滅惡因惡果。 以要言之，此經力用滅五住因、除二死果。 二、「是故」下，從重別顯。 惡之重者莫過五逆，五逆是業，從於上品煩惱而起，招無間苦。 此經大力能滅此等極重三障，即生淨土。 若此三障性非三德，何能無間轉為極樂？ 從極鈍根，且論十念生最下品； 若從利根，非不能生上之八品。 以其五逆體是寂光，故可於此淨四佛土。 五、判教相。 教是聖人被下之言。 相是相狀，覽而可別。 上之四義皆是言教，謂詮名教。 詮體、詮宗、詮用之教，若以其相而分別之，則令覽者觀之顯了，故約五時、二藏、漸頓而示其相。 文二：初、正判所說教，三：初、約五時判，二：初、明教部。 於大小乘，此屬大乘。 經中亦有頻婆證小，然非此教正所被機。 今從正為韋提希等宣淨土觀，尚非通別，豈是小乘？ 於五時中，是其第三方等時也。 二、「赴機」下，明廣略。 且辯文相，未論定散。 二、約二藏判。 約人判法，此屬菩薩。 《阿含》等經雖說三乘，從多從正，屬聲聞藏。 大乘諸部雖有二乘，非部正意，是故判藏歸菩薩也。 三、約漸頓。 若約化儀論漸頓者，《華嚴》屬頓，三時皆漸。 經在方等，非化儀頓。 今經頓者，乃於化法以圓為頓，故就韋提即身得忍判教為頓。 且無生忍位，別在初地、圓在初住。 別教凡夫經無數劫方至此位，唯有圓教即生可入。 若將結益判教偏圓最為明顯，是故今文就其當機證位定之，是頓非漸。 二、「題稱」下，傍簡能說人。 若四人說，如來印之，亦得稱經。

If one does not use the perfect and wondrous threefold contemplation to evoke the four pure lands, then the passages setting forth the topic and concluding it would be utterly useless. For whose sake was the threefold contemplation explained in the title? Where would it be applied? If one says that to evoke the two pure lands of Real Reward and Quiescent Light requires the perfect threefold contemplation, but that for the pure [land] of remainder one needs only to cultivate the contemplation of phenomenal emptiness, and that for the pure [land] of common residence one only needs phenomenal practice without requiring the threefold contemplation, this doctrine is incorrect. Contemplating the emptiness of phenomena in a biased way and various phenomenal practices, although they are causes for these two kinds of pure land, are not the precise purports demonstrated by this sūtra. Because this sūtra was originally preached for Vaidehī, who reviled the defilement of common residence and sought the purity of common residence, it expounds the wondrous contemplation to contemplate that [land's] environment and self; how could one rashly say that evoking the pure [land] of common residence does not require the threefold contemplation? If the threefold contemplation is accomplished, coarse defilements will fall away first; if not the pure [land] of remainder, where else would one be reborn? Could the pure [land] of remainder not be [the result of] the wondrous contemplation? One must understand that it was precisely for rebirth in the pure [land] of common residence that the threefold contemplation was taught. Truly, because this contemplation is wondrous, it can shatter the three delusions; it does not solely evoke the pure land of common residence, but in accordance with the depth or shallowness of one's severance of delusions, it naturally evokes the three [higher lands] including the [land of] remainder. Just as a disease requires medicine primarily to bring peace to the body, when one seeks and obtains an immortal's recipe, compounds it, and takes it, it not only brings peace to the body but can also lighten the bones. Peace of the body can be compared to being reborn in the pure [land] of common residence, and lightening of the bones can be compared to evoking the upper three lands. It is merely a single medicine, yet its efficacy is profound and supreme, just as a single wondrous contemplation can purify the four lands. The Awakening of Faith states that when an initial practitioner cultivates the correct faith of the Mahāyāna, fearing that in this land one will not constantly encounter a Buddha and that faith will retrogress and be lost, he is taught to seek rebirth in the world of Sukhāvatī, causing him to contemplate that Buddha's tathatā dharmakāya, so that he will ultimately attain rebirth and abide in the correct determination. Without the perfect threefold contemplation, how could one illuminate the dharmakāya? How could one say that the cause of Sukhāvatī is only phenomenal goodness? Fourth, discussing the function. The substance (central theme) is the practice cultivated for one's own practice; the function is the practice applied to benefit others. Because one's own practice inclines toward the noumenon, the wondrous contemplation is illuminated; transforming others to gather faculties must encompass all good deeds. If others are suited to the wondrous contemplation, one must also teach them to cultivate it as an aid to their own practice; how could one discard all good deeds? Therefore, the teachings of the substance and the function are completely equal, differing only as one's own practice and the transformation of others. The text has two parts: first, stating the name and briefly indicating [the meaning]. Only when there is power is there function; hence it says "power and function." What do power and function do? They produce good and eradicate evil. Practitioners should understand the three [aspects of] essence, substance, and function. Explaining these three teachings distinctly, they arise from the single nature into two cultivations: essence is the nature revealed by the dharmakāya; substance is the wisdom that reveals, which is prajñā; and function is the power that arises, which is liberation. Although the two are accomplished through cultivation, one must know that they are inherently present; although the one is nature, it arises in its entirety to become cultivation. Therefore they are neither sequential nor horizontal, and are inconceivable. The two virtues in nature refer entirely to delusions and karma, which are the two cultivations of good and evil inherently contained in the nature. Now, when the inverted cultivations are realized as essence, since they are entirely inherently contained in the nature, being interfused and wondrous right there, they are the virtues for transforming others; hence these two are taken as the substance and function of the sūtra. Function pervades all things; it is not without the function of evil, but because it accords with the nature, it produces good and eradicates evil. Therefore, when defiled and evil functions accord with nature, using them is most able to eradicate evil. Under "eradicates evil," it explains extensively according to the meaning, in two parts: first, clarifying in full according to good and evil. Since power and function are applied, they must accomplish merit and virtue; therefore a single function has four names. Speaking biasedly, eradicating evil requires the application of power, and producing good lies in the virtuous function; this is a preliminary statement. If stated a second time, power, function, merit, and virtue can all eradicate evil, and power, function, merit, and virtue can all produce good. One must know that the eradication of evil reaches down to Avīci, and the production of good properly reaches up to wondrous awakening; only then are they the power, function, merit, and virtue of a perfect sūtra. Second, under "suffering is...," it explains biasedly with regard to eradicating evil, in two parts: first, no evil is not eliminated. Regarding the eradication of evil, one must eliminate the evil cause in order to remove the evil fruit. If practitioners of the two types—those experiencing karmic recompense and those cultivating causes—do not remove the three poisons, the root of all suffering, even if they temporarily avoid suffering, it is not an eternal cessation. Now, clarifying the transformation of others through cultivating the Pure Land contemplation causes all evil causes and fruits to be extinguished together. Even if delusions are not yet severed, upon rebirth there they will not arise, and their severance will not be long off; hence it can eternally eradicate evil causes and evil fruits. In short, the power and function of this sūtra eradicates the causes of the five entrenchments and removes the fruits of the two deaths. Second, under "therefore...," it reveals [it] distinctly based on the weightiest. Among evils, the heaviest does not exceed the five heinous offenses. The five heinous offenses are karma arising from upper-grade afflictions, incurring Avīci suffering. The great power of this sūtra can eradicate such extremely heavy three obstacles, immediately leading to rebirth in the Pure Land. If the nature of these three obstacles were not the three virtues, how could Avīci be transformed into Sukhāvatī? For the most dull-rooted, it discusses ten recitations to be reborn in the lowest grade; for the sharp-rooted, it is not impossible to be reborn in the upper eight grades. Because the essence of the five heinous offenses is Quiescent Light, one can thereby purify the four Buddha-lands. Fifth, classifying the characteristics of the teaching. The teaching consists of the words of the sage to guide those below. Characteristics are the appearances, which can be distinguished by inspection. The four meanings above are all verbal teachings; that is, the teachings that explain the name, the essence, the substance, and the function. If one distinguishes them by their characteristics, it will cause those who examine them to see them clearly; hence its characteristics are shown in terms of the five periods, the two piṭakas, and gradual and sudden. The text has two parts: first, directly classifying the teaching expounded, in three parts: first, classifying according to the five periods, in two: first, clarifying the division of the teaching. Between Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna, this belongs to Mahāyāna. In the sūtra there is also Bimbisāra realizing the small [vehicle], yet he was not the primary capacity for whom this teaching was intended. Now, taking [the fact that] it was primarily to preach the Pure Land contemplation for Vaidehī and others, it is not even the Common or Separate [Teachings], so how could it be Hīnayāna? Among the five periods, it is the third, the Vaipulya period. Second, under "responding to capacities...," clarifying broad and brief. This only differentiates the textual characteristics, without yet discussing focused and scattered [contemplation]. Second, classifying according to the two piṭakas. Classifying the teaching according to persons, this belongs to the Bodhisattva [Piṭaka]. Although sūtras such as the Āgamas speak of the three vehicles, based on the majority and the primary focus, they belong to the Śrāvaka Piṭaka. Although various Mahāyāna divisions contain the two vehicles, they are not the primary intent of the division; therefore the classification of the piṭaka returns to the Bodhisattva. Third, according to gradual and sudden. If one discusses gradual and sudden in terms of the converting ritual, the Avataṃsaka belongs to sudden, and the three periods are all gradual. This sūtra is in the Vaipulya [period], so it is not sudden in converting ritual. As for this sūtra being sudden, it takes the perfect as sudden within the converting teaching; therefore, judging from Vaidehī attaining the [anutpattika-dharma-]kṣānti in this very body, the teaching is classified as sudden. Now, the stage of anutpattika-dharma-kṣānti lies at the first bhūmi in the Separate Teaching, and at the first abidance in the Perfect Teaching. An ordinary person of the Separate Teaching must pass through countless kalpas before reaching this stage, whereas only in the Perfect Teaching can one enter it in this very life. If one takes the concluding benefit to classify the teaching, biased and perfect become most obvious; therefore the present text determines it according to the stage realized by the primary capacity: it is sudden, not gradual. Second, under "the title states...," parenthetically selecting the person capable of speaking. If spoken by four [types of] persons and certified by the Tathāgata, it may also be called a sūtra.