觀無量壽佛經疏妙宗鈔 4.3.2

4.3.2

三、「即得」下，略付阿難。 經「如執明鏡」等者，觀法如鏡、修之如執，觀成土現，如見面像。 是知外有三種淨業、內備十六妙觀，乃得見也。 此雖略付淨業，意說妙觀。 「初住初地」者，圓住別地俱破無明，是無生忍位。 《妙玄》一實位云「若入初住，正破無明，是明圓教無生忍位」，今意在圓。 引仁王五種忍位者，用顯無生居三忍上。 若依別教，十信伏忍、十住信忍、十行去順忍、十地無生忍、妙覺寂滅忍。 若約圓位五品伏忍，六根清淨信順二忍，初住至等覺名無生忍，妙覺名寂滅忍。 然別初地即圓初住，故引《仁王》以證今位。 行者應知，如來將說十六觀法，預彰所說是圓妙觀，故云一切眾生觀於極樂，觀成即得無生法忍。 是故韋提聞說十六，隨語觀成，說訖即證此之妙位。 經示此觀是取初住徑捷之門，故不可云想事而已。 二、「初明」下，明十六妙觀答正受，二：初、分科。 二、「汝是」下，隨釋，二：初、明韋提見土之由。 經「未得天眼」等者，問：阿那律天眼最勝，但見大千； 豈有得天眼者越十萬億土見安養乎？ 答：此語未得分真菩薩天眼，非二乘也。 故《大經》二十二云「菩薩所得清淨天眼，異於聲聞緣覺所得。 」以是異故，一時遍見十方世界現在諸佛。 《大論》亦同此說。 「韋提實大菩薩」者，此顯韋提本住法身，為欲發起淨土觀法故示同凡。 「此會即得無生忍」者，即者方將也。 此會聞觀將證法忍，非謂前文說無生忍是韋提證。 前文乃是通說未來眾生修十六觀能得無生，人見示同凡夫之言，便謂前文是韋提證。 須知即得，非已得也。 既云實大菩薩，乃是久證無生，如來據迹言是凡夫心想羸劣。 劣想凡夫修之得忍，顯茲妙觀能革下凡頓成圓聖。 「異方便」者，十六觀法奇異方便也。 故《起信論》云「修多羅說有勝方便，繫念極樂令生彼國」。 「非直觀名方便」者，謂彼依正有二方便，能令此土凡夫得見。 一者修觀正受方便，令心眼見。 二佛神力示現方便，能令目擊。 既得見之由有其二種，故云非直觀名方便。 佛力令見，亦是方便。 韋提乃得二種之見：一者將有隨文作觀之見，二者已蒙佛力示現見也。 故云「韋提見土之由」。 二、「韋提」下，為未來請見土之法，二：初、請。 韋提先領，示現方便而為請由。 是故經云「如我今者以佛力故見彼國土」，然復正請觀法方便，乃以眾生而為請緣。 故經云「若佛滅後諸眾生等，濁惡不善五苦所逼，云何當見極樂世界」。 五苦者，疏有二釋：初、以五道非樂釋。 二、以五罪招報釋者，地獄燒煮苦、餓鬼飢虛苦、畜生屠割苦、人間八種苦、天上五衰苦。 次釋者，聖意多含，更明五惡招於二報。 名出大本《無量壽經》，今云「大經」是也。 疏文先列三五之名。 次、「五惡」下，釋出三五。 殺至飲酒，五惡因也。 「如大經」下，釋五痛即華報也。 「五燒」下，釋五燒即果報也。 然其二報並無五相，各稱五者，皆從五種惡因而立。 故彼五文，後皆結云「是為一大惡一痛一燒」，乃至總云「五大惡五痛五燒」，故知二五皆從因立。 二、答，二：初、列觀分科，二：初、列觀。 《義例》云「夫三觀者，義唯三種：一者從行，唯於萬境觀一心。 萬境雖殊，妙觀理等，如觀陰等即其意也。 二約法相，如約四諦五行之文，入一念心以為圓觀。 三託事，如王舍耆闍名從事立，借事為觀以導執情，如方等普賢其例可識。 」問：今十六觀於三種中屬何義邪？ 答：既不撮乎法相入心成觀，信非附法。 又非借彼事義立境立觀，驗非託事明矣。 如來直談十六觀行修證之門，正當從行也。 問：《義例》三種皆是理觀，今之十六歷依正事，何預三種邪？ 答：託事、附法二種三觀有事有理，且置未論，從行三觀以何義故不得歷事？ 既言從行，必四種行。

Third, from "will instantly obtain" onward, [the Buddha] briefly entrusts [the teaching] to Ānanda. The sūtra's phrase "like holding a bright mirror" and so forth means that the method of contemplation is like a mirror, cultivating it is like holding it, and when the contemplation is completed and the land appears, it is like seeing the reflection of one's own face. From this we know that only when one externally possesses the three kinds of pure karma and internally prepares the sixteen wondrous contemplations can one see it. Although this briefly entrusts the pure karma, its intention is to explain the wondrous contemplation. Regarding "the first abode and the first ground," both the abode of the Perfect [Teaching] and the ground of the Separate [Teaching] break through fundamental ignorance, which is the stage of anutpattika-dharma-kṣānti. The Miaoxuan, regarding the stage of the single reality, states: "If one enters the first abode, one directly breaks through fundamental ignorance; this clarifies the stage of anutpattika-dharma-kṣānti according to the Perfect Teaching." The intention here lies in the Perfect [Teaching]. Citing the five kinds of forbearance stages from the Benevolent Kings [Sūtra] serves to demonstrate that anutpattika-dharma-kṣānti resides above the [first] three forbearances. If based on the Separate Teaching: the ten faiths are the forbearance of subduing; the ten abodes are the forbearance of faith; from the ten practices onward is the forbearance of compliance; the ten grounds are the forbearance of non-arising (anutpattika-dharma-kṣānti); and wondrous awakening is the forbearance of quiescent extinction. If according to the stages of the Perfect [Teaching]: the five grades are the forbearance of subduing; the purity of the six faculties consists of the two forbearances of faith and compliance; from the first abode to equal awakening is named the forbearance of non-arising; and wondrous awakening is named the forbearance of quiescent extinction. However, since the first ground of the Separate [Teaching] is none other than the first abode of the Perfect [Teaching], the Benevolent Kings [Sūtra] is cited to verify the present stage. Practitioners should know that as the Tathāgata was about to expound the sixteen methods of contemplation, he made known in advance that what was expounded is the perfect, wondrous contemplation; therefore, he said that when all sentient beings contemplate Sukhāvatī and the contemplation is perfected, they will instantly obtain anutpattika-dharma-kṣānti. For this reason, when Vaidehī heard the sixteen [contemplations] expounded, her contemplation was perfected following his words, and when the exposition concluded, she immediately realized this wondrous stage. The sūtra shows that this contemplation is a direct, shortcut gate for attaining the first abode; therefore, it cannot be said to be merely imagining phenomena. Second, from "First, clarifying" onward, [the commentary] clarifies the sixteen wondrous contemplations in reply to [the request for] correct contemplation, which has two parts: first, dividing the sections. Second, from "You are..." onward, explaining the text, which has two parts: first, clarifying the cause of Vaidehī's seeing the land. The sūtra says: "Have not yet attained the heavenly eye," and so forth. Question: Aniruddha's heavenly eye is foremost, yet he only sees a trichiliocosm; how could someone who has attained the heavenly eye cross a hundred thousand kotis of lands to see Anyang? Answer: These words refer to one who has not yet attained the heavenly eye of a true partial bodhisattva, not to the two vehicles. Therefore, Chapter Twenty-Two of the Large Sūtra states: "The pure heavenly eye attained by a bodhisattva is different from that attained by voice-hearers and pratyekabuddhas." Because of this difference, they see all the present Buddhas of the ten directions simultaneously and everywhere. The Dazhidulun also shares this explanation. Regarding "Vaidehī is actually a great bodhisattva," this shows that Vaidehī originally abides in the dharmakāya, but in order to initiate the contemplation method of the Pure Land, she manifested as an ordinary person. Regarding "In this assembly, she will instantly obtain the forbearance of non-arising," "instantly" means "about to." In this assembly, upon hearing the contemplation, she is about to realize the dharma-forbearance; it does not mean that the previous passage speaking of anutpattika-dharma-kṣānti was Vaidehī's realization. The previous passage was speaking generally of future sentient beings who, by cultivating the sixteen contemplations, can attain non-arising. When people see the words "manifested as an ordinary person," they mistakenly think that the previous passage was Vaidehī's realization. One must know that "will instantly obtain" does not mean "has already obtained." Since it is said that she is actually a great bodhisattva, she had already long realized non-arising; the Tathāgata, relying on her trace manifestation, stated that she had the feeble and inferior mental imagery of an ordinary person. When an ordinary person of inferior imagery cultivates this and attains forbearance, it demonstrates that this wondrous contemplation can transform an inferior ordinary person, suddenly turning them into a perfect sage. Regarding "extraordinary expedient," the sixteen contemplation methods are extraordinary expedients. Therefore, the Treatise on the Awakening of Faith states: "The sūtras say that there is a superior expedient: fixing one's mindfulness on Sukhāvatī, causing one to be born in that land." Regarding "it is not simply the contemplation that is called an expedient," this means that regarding that environment and self, there are two expedients that can cause the ordinary persons of this land to see them. First is the expedient of correct contemplation through cultivating contemplation, which enables the mind's eye to see. Second is the expedient of the Buddha's spiritual power manifesting them, which enables the physical eyes to witness them. Since the cause of attaining vision has these two kinds, it is said that it is not simply the contemplation that is called an expedient. Causing them to see by the Buddha's power is also an expedient. Vaidehī thus obtained two kinds of vision: first, the vision she was about to have by performing the contemplation in accordance with the text; second, the vision she had already received through the manifestation by the Buddha's power. Therefore, it is called "the cause of Vaidehī's seeing the land." Second, from "Vaidehī" onward, requesting the method of seeing the land for the sake of future [beings], which has two parts: first, the request. Vaidehī first acknowledged the manifestation expedient as the reason for her request. Therefore, the sūtra states: "Just as I now, by the power of the Buddha, see that land..." But then she formally requested the expedient of the contemplation method, taking sentient beings as the condition for her request. Therefore, the sūtra states: "If after the Buddha's nirvāṇa all sentient beings, oppressed by the five sufferings of impurity, evil, and unwholesomeness, how will they see the world of Sukhāvatī?" Regarding the five sufferings, the commentary offers two explanations: first, explaining them as the lack of bliss in the five destinies. Second, explaining them as the five transgressions incurring retribution: the suffering of burning and boiling in hell, the suffering of hunger and emptiness among hungry ghosts, the suffering of butchery and slaughter among animals, the eight kinds of suffering among humans, and the suffering of the five signs of decay in heaven. As for the next explanation, the sage's intent is rich in meaning, further clarifying that the five evils incur two kinds of retribution. The names come from the larger edition of the Amitāyus Sūtra, which is what is called the "Large Sūtra" here. The commentary's text first lists the names of the three groups of five. Next, from "the five evils" onward, it explains and identifies the three groups of five. From killing to drinking alcohol are the causes of the five evils. From "as in the Large Sūtra" onward, it explains that the five agonies are the flower retribution. From "the five burnings" onward, it explains that the five burnings are the fruit retribution. However, both retributions lack five distinct characteristics; their each being called five is established entirely based on the five kinds of evil causes. Therefore, those five passages all conclude by saying: "This is one great evil, one agony, one burning," up to summarizing them as "five great evils, five agonies, and five burnings." Thus we know that the two groups of five are both established from the causes. Second, the answer, which has two parts: first, listing the contemplations and dividing the sections, which has two parts: first, listing the contemplations. The Yili states: "As for the three contemplations, in meaning there are only three kinds: first, proceeding from practice, contemplating the single mind solely in the midst of myriad objects. Although myriad objects are diverse, the principle of the wondrous contemplation is uniform, just as contemplating the aggregates and so forth is its meaning. Second, based on phenomenal characteristics of the Dharma, such as taking the texts on the four truths and the five practices and entering the single thought-moment of the mind to make a perfect contemplation. Third, relying on phenomena, just as Rājagṛha and Gṛdhrakūṭa derive their names from phenomena, borrowing phenomena to form contemplation in order to guide clung-to attachments, as seen in the examples of the Vaipulya and Samantabhadra [repentances]." Question: Among the three kinds, to which meaning do the present sixteen contemplations belong? Answer: Since they do not extract the phenomenal characteristics of the Dharma into the mind to complete the contemplation, they are certainly not based on the Dharma. Nor do they borrow the phenomenal meanings of those [locations] to establish the object and contemplation, clearly proving that they do not rely on phenomena. The Tathāgata directly discusses the gate of cultivating and realizing the practice of the sixteen contemplations; they properly correspond to 'proceeding from practice.' Question: The three kinds in the Yili are all noumenal contemplations; how can the present sixteen [contemplations], which pass through the phenomenal aspects of the environment and self, be included among the three kinds? Answer: The two kinds of threefold contemplation that rely on phenomena and are based on the Dharma possess both phenomena and noumenon; putting those aside for the moment, on what grounds could the threefold contemplation that proceeds from practice not pass through phenomena? Since it is said to 'proceed from practice,' it must involve the four kinds of samādhi practice.