[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [觀無量壽佛經疏妙宗鈔](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1751) › 5.2.5 # 觀無量壽佛經疏妙宗鈔 5.2.5 觀無量壽佛經疏妙宗鈔 5.2.5 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [5.2.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1751.5.2.5) 又以世人不知《法華》開權之妙即劣顯勝，只執身大相多為報，故就其見斥云「巍巍不應塔內」。 此用世人通解之義，而破於彼不可據此便令法華相非尊特。 只如《記》云「尚非應身豈具三身」，亦非今家盡理之說。 如荊谿據論「若知像性遍虛空，三身宛然、四德無減。 泥木之像尚具三身，豈全身舍利皆不具邪？ 」雖曲引文欲令非報，然終不能令法華機非業識見佛也。 問：《請觀音疏》云「無量有二義。 若生身無量，是有量之無量； 法身無量，是無量之無量。 」《大論》云「法性身色像無邊，尊特之身猶如虛空。 」既云法性身，此乃不滅方名尊特。 今第九觀觀於佛身、第十即觀觀世音身，觀音既是補處菩薩，驗佛有滅，豈非生身有量無量，安以此身便為尊特？ 答：藏通補處彰佛有量，別圓補處顯佛無量，以十方三世一切如來更無彼此，迭相見故； 同一法身，一智慧故。 菩薩機忘、如來應息名補佛處，實異藏通前佛定滅後佛定生為補處也。 故《金光明》四佛降室，疏乃釋云「若見四佛同尊特身，一身一智慧，即是常身，弟子眾一故。 若見四佛佛身不同，即是應化，弟子眾多故。 」故知只就同與不同、常與無常分於二身。 藏通三乘故弟子多，別圓純菩薩故弟子一，豈論相好多少等邪？ 既同一身復云常身，豈竪分當現、橫論彼此？ 是知觀音補法身處，愈彰尊特無量之無量矣。 且《華嚴》佛身委明八相，既是尊特； 此論補處與彼何異，云是生身？ 是知今佛全法界身，故滅即非滅； 觀音補處，生即非身。 不滅不生，常身義成、尊特相顯。 問：今所觀佛高六十萬億那由他由旬，雖云高大，只是淨土常所見身。 何以知然？ 如《法華》中淨光莊嚴國妙音菩薩欲來娑婆，彼佛誡云：「汝身四萬二千由旬，我身六百八十萬由旬。 汝往彼土，於佛菩薩勿生劣想。 」故知淨土常身高大，安以常身便為尊特？ 答：於同居中淨光莊嚴土唯演頓，如淨名中眾香之土，以其所被純菩薩故，所以但現高大之身。 佛知妙音所將之眾不知娑婆開權之妙，於佛輒起定小之譏，故寄妙音規未達者，意令得悟即劣之勝祕妙之權。 既誡勿生下劣之想，乃是令起尊特之心。 若謂不然，安得皆獲普現三昧？ 若安養土漸頓俱談，聲聞菩薩共為僧故，故使佛示生身法身二種之相。 三十二相通於生法，大小共見。 若八萬相，局在法身，大乘賢聖方得見也。 是故眾經多說彌陀生身常相，今當略出。 《小彌陀經》云「彼土蓮華大如車輪」，《大彌陀經》說「彌陀浴池廣四萬八千里」，以依驗正，身未極大。 《般舟經》說「阿彌陀佛三十二相」，此經中說「慣習小者，生彼即得見佛聞法，便證小果，更有丈六八尺之身」。 此等豈非常身常相邪？ 若今所觀八萬相好，別圓真似方得見之，故上品下生疏判已登習種性位，生彼七日見佛眾相心不明了，三七日後乃了了見，及聞眾聲皆說妙法。 唯上品上生道種性位，生彼即見眾相具足，光明寶林皆說妙法，即悟無生。 三賢菩薩依業識故，知心現佛，乃就尊特論乎明昧。 若慣習小者及諸凡夫依事識故，不於尊特而論明昧，良以此等雖因臨終迴向得生，佛順本習，故且用小令其證果。 既說無常苦空之法，須以生身相好應之。 浴池之身三十二相，正對此機，故《般舟經》云「在菩薩眾中說經」，又云「在比丘僧中說經」。 信三十二相，通大小人常所覩見。 是故彼經觀法之初，不託日氷便觀此相，斯蓋凡心可想之境故也。 若八萬相是彼如來現奇特身，增進深位念佛三昧，非是凡夫心力所及，是故此經初令觀日。 疏釋齊於下品下生，以驗想氷至假想地屬下三品，當名字人。 次得三昧，見彼實地，合入觀行，初二兩品。 次觀寶樹及以池樓，至總觀成，當三四品。 寶座觀成，當第五品。 > Furthermore, because ordinary people in the world do not know the wondrous opening of the provisional in the Lotus Sūtra—which reveals the superior right in the inferior—and merely cling to a great body with many marks as being the reward body, the commentary refutes their view by saying, "One of imposing stature could not be contained within the stūpa." This applies the common understanding of worldly people in order to refute them, but one must not rely on this to claim that the marks in the Lotus Sūtra are not the exalted body. It is just as the Record says: "When it is not even the response body, how could it possess all three bodies?" This is likewise not our school's definitive discourse. As Jingxi noted based on the treatise: "If one knows that the nature of an image pervades empty space, the three bodies are fully present and the four virtues suffer no diminution. If even an image of mud or wood possesses the three bodies, how could the relic of the whole body not possess them?" Although he cited texts in a roundabout manner wishing to make it not a reward body, in the end he could not cause the Lotus assembly's faculties to see the Buddha with anything other than karmic consciousness. > > Question: The Commentary on the Sūtra of Invoking Avalokiteśvara states: "'Immeasurable' has two meanings. If it is the physical body's immeasurability, it is an immeasurability that has measure; if it is the dharmakāya's immeasurability, it is an immeasurability without measure." The Great Treatise states: "The dharma-nature body's physical forms are limitless; the exalted body is like empty space." Since it says "dharma-nature body", it is called the exalted body only because it is unceasing. Now the ninth contemplation contemplates the Buddha's body, and the tenth contemplation contemplates Avalokiteśvara's body. Since Avalokiteśvara is a bodhisattva bound to one more birth, this proves that the Buddha undergoes cessation; is this then not the physical body that is immeasurable with measure? How can this body be considered the exalted body? > > Answer: Succession in the Tripiṭaka and Common Teachings indicates that the Buddha has measure; succession in the Separate and Perfect Teachings reveals that the Buddha is immeasurable. This is because all Tathāgatas of the ten directions and the three times have no distinction of self and other and mutually perceive one another; they share the same dharmakāya and the same wisdom. When the bodhisattvas' capacity lapses and the Tathāgata's response ceases, it is called succeeding to the Buddha's position; this is truly different from the Tripiṭaka and Common Teachings where the preceding Buddha definitely passes into cessation and the subsequent Buddha definitely arises to succeed him. Hence in the Golden Light Sūtra, when the four Buddhas descend to the chamber, the commentary explains: "If one sees the four Buddhas sharing the same exalted body, one body and one wisdom, it is the constant body, because their assembly of disciples is single. If one sees the bodies of the four Buddhas to be different, they are responsive transformations, because the assembly of disciples is multiple." Thus we know that the two bodies are distinguished solely by being identical versus different, constant versus non-constant. In the Tripiṭaka and Common Teachings there are three vehicles, so disciples are multiple; in the Separate and Perfect Teachings there are solely bodhisattvas, so disciples are single. How could it be debated based on the number of marks and signs? Since it is one body and moreover called a constant body, how could one vertically divide it into future and present, or horizontally discuss self and other? Therefore, we know that Avalokiteśvara's succession to the position of the dharmakāya all the more reveals the exalted body that is immeasurable without measure. > > Furthermore, the Avataṃsaka Sūtra details the Buddha's body through the eight phases, which is already the exalted body; how is the discussion of succession here any different from that, such that you claim it is a physical body? Thus we know that the present Buddha is the body of the total dharmadhātu, and therefore cessation is non-cessation; Avalokiteśvara's succession means that birth is non-birth. Being neither ceasing nor arising, the principle of the constant body is established, and the exalted marks are made manifest. > > Question: The Buddha contemplated here is six hundred thousand nayutas of koṭis of yojanas tall. Although said to be tall and great, this is merely the body constantly seen in that pure land. How is this known? For instance, in the Lotus Sūtra, when Bodhisattva Gadgadasvara of the land of Pure Light Adornment wished to come to the sahā world, that Buddha admonished him: "Your body is forty-two thousand yojanas, and my body is six million eight hundred thousand yojanas. When you go to that land, do not give rise to thoughts of inferiority regarding the Buddha and bodhisattvas." Thus we know that the constant body in a pure land is tall and great; how can a constant body be taken as the exalted body? > > Answer: Among lands of common residence, the land of Pure Light Adornment exclusively expounds the sudden teaching, like the land of Many Fragrances in the Vimalakīrti Sūtra; because those whom it receives are purely bodhisattvas, it displays only a tall and great body. The Buddha knew that the assembly led by Gadgadasvara did not know the wonder of opening the provisional in the sahā world and would rashly give rise to ridicule that it was definitively small. Therefore, through Gadgadasvara he cautioned those who had not yet comprehended, intending to lead them to awaken to the superior that is identical to the inferior and to the secret and wondrous provisional. Since he admonished not to give rise to thoughts of inferiority, he was leading them to give rise to the mind of the exalted body. If this were not so, how could all have attained the samādhi of universal manifestation? In the land of Anyang, both gradual and sudden are expounded, because śrāvakas and bodhisattvas share the Saṅgha together. Therefore, the Buddha is caused to display both the physical body and the dharmakāya. The thirty-two marks apply to both the physical and dharma bodies, seen by both great and small alike. As for the eighty thousand marks, they are restricted to the dharmakāya, and only the sages and worthies of the Mahāyāna can see them. > > For this reason, many sūtras speak of Amida's physical body and constant marks; I will now briefly point them out. The Shorter Amitābha Sūtra says, "The lotus flowers of that land are as large as carriage wheels." The Longer Amitāyus Sūtra says, "Amida's bathing pool is forty-eight thousand li wide." Judging the primary reward by the environmental reward, his body is not exceedingly great. The Pratyutpanna-samādhi Sūtra says, "Amitābha Buddha has thirty-two marks." This sūtra says, "Those accustomed to the small vehicle, upon being born there, immediately see the Buddha, hear the Dharma, realize the fruit of the small vehicle, and see yet another body of one zhang six chi or eight chi." Are these not the constant body and constant marks? As for the eighty-four thousand marks contemplated here, only those in the true and resembling ranks of the Separate and Perfect Teachings can see them. Therefore, regarding the lower birth of the upper grade, the commentary assesses that one has already ascended to the rank of habit nature; born there, for seven days one sees the Buddha's marks indistinctly in mind, and after three weeks one sees them clearly and hears all sounds expounding the wondrous Dharma. Only in the upper birth of the upper grade, the rank of path nature, does one see all marks fully equipped immediately upon being born there, and the luminous jeweled groves all expound the wondrous Dharma, whereupon one awakens to the unproduced. Bodhisattvas of the three stages of worthies, relying on karmic consciousness, know that the Buddha is manifested by the mind, and so clarity or obscurity is debated in terms of the exalted body. Those accustomed to the small vehicle and ordinary beings, relying on phenomenal consciousness, do not debate clarity or obscurity in terms of the exalted body. Truly this is because, although they attained birth through dedication of merit at the end of life, the Buddha accords with their original habit and so temporarily uses the small vehicle to cause them to realize the fruit. Since he expounds the Dharma of impermanence, suffering, and emptiness, he must respond with the marks and signs of the physical body. The body of the bathing pool with thirty-two marks precisely addresses these faculties. Thus the Pratyutpanna-samādhi Sūtra says, "He expounds the sūtra among the assembly of bodhisattvas," and also says, "He expounds the sūtra among the assembly of bhikṣus." Be confident that the thirty-two marks are commonly seen by both great and small persons. Therefore, at the beginning of the contemplation method in that sūtra, without relying on the sun or ice, one directly contemplates these marks, precisely because this is an object that the ordinary mind can conceive. As for the eighty thousand marks, they are the wondrous body displayed by that Tathāgata to advance the buddhamanasikāra-samādhi of deep ranks, and are beyond the power of the ordinary mind. For this reason, this sūtra first directs one to contemplate the sun. > > The commentary's explanation corresponds to the lower birth of the lower grade, which proves that the contemplations from ice to the imagined ground belong to the lower three grades, corresponding to people of names and words. Next, upon attaining samādhi, seeing the real ground corresponds to entering the contemplations of practice, the first and second grades. Next, contemplating the jeweled trees, pools, and pavilions up to the completion of the general contemplation corresponds to the third and fourth grades. When the contemplation of the jeweled throne is completed, it corresponds to the fifth grade. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 5.2.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1751.5.2.4) - [Next: 5.2.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1751.5.2.6) - [Up: 5.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1751.5.2) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1751~en-mt.5.2.5) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1751.5.2.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1751.5.2.5) · Pramāṇa