[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) › 6.7 # 觀無量壽佛經疏妙宗鈔 6.7 觀無量壽佛經疏妙宗鈔 6.7 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [6.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1751.6.7) 三、後三觀明三輩往生，四：初、立觀所由。此中二義：初即雜觀觀劣應者，位在中下，令識三品，進修勝觀登於上品。次義即是前觀勝應，及修雜想了隨機化，在八九信。今令此人以妙三觀分別九品即《大本》三輩，事理窮深登第十信。既云此下三觀觀往生人有二義，乃是修前觀法行者觀於九品往生之相，非是凡小求生之者。讀今三輩經文改轉行業，縱通此義亦是傍兼，非今增進觀行意也。二、釋會經論，二：初、會論。即無量壽經論，今云《往生論》是也。天親所造，有十七成就。至第十六大義門成就中，偈云「大乘善根男，等無譏嫌名。女人及根缺，二乘種不生。」長行釋云「故淨土果報離二種譏嫌過：一者體、二者名。體有三種：一二乘人、二女人、三諸根不具足人。無此三種過，故名離譏嫌也。名亦三種，非但無三體，乃至不聞二乘、女人、諸根不具三種名故。」此十七成就，俱明彼土果報，故無二乘等悉約彼土，非是此方二乘等不得生也。恐惑者不曉，故和會解釋之。分二：初、會二乘，二：初、會不生。且據彼論「二乘種不生」句，並於此經「小戒得生」，以具足戒及沙彌戒等是小乘種故，二說相違而為詰問。今以住小迴心以會釋之。堅住小道志趣無餘，不求淨土，故云「正處」。若迴小向大，轉小乘業作淨土因，故云「要由」。經就現今向大時說，是以得生。論就本始住小時說，是故不生。然論說彼土無二乘人，由在此身因轉故也。二、「何故」下，釋證果云「垂終迴小向大方生彼國」，何故中輩三品行人生彼復證小乘果邪？今釋意者，迴心故得生，慣習故證小。知大證小不執偏真而為究竟，不久證大也。二、「問論」下，會女人。復舉論偈「女人根缺不生」之文，並於此經韋提侍女得生之說而為詰問，今約彼此會釋二說。論就轉報，是故彼土無有女人及根不具者，若名若體。經就此土修淨業者，故有善心一切得往。故《大彌陀經》薜荔多蠢動蜎蜚皆得往生，故知經論無少相違。二、「問大」下，會經，二：初、對經雙問。「逆罪得生」，即下品下生文。二、「釋有」下，立義雙釋，二：初、悔有輕重。上即利根，下即鈍根。《俱舍》云「愚智所犯，輕重不同。愚作罪小亦墮惡，智為罪大亦脫苦。如團鐵小亦沈水，為鉢鐵大亦能浮。」《涅槃》云「智者有二：一者不造諸惡、二者作已懺悔。愚者亦二：一者作罪、二者覆藏。」如阿闍世王殺父害母，至涅槃會身瘡腫熱，生重慚愧悔過自責。耆婆勸往佛所，佛為說法，得無根信。文載《涅槃．梵行品》。此經明逆罪得生淨土者，即同闍王上根利智能重心懺也。彼經不生者，下根愚人至于臨終不能重悔也。二、「二者」下，約行有定散。「大本就此」者，指上散善力微也。「此經明觀」者，即觀佛三昧。問：若定力得生下下品，云此人苦逼不遑念佛，善友告言：「若不能念者，應稱無量壽佛。如是至心令聲不絕，具足十念。」此與《大本》散心十念理應無別。答：此雖造惡，已曾修觀，故使臨終善友勸稱十念，定心則成，亦是法行乘急戒緩人也。修觀故乘急，造惡故戒緩。由乘急故得值善友，縱現世不修三昧，亦是宿種今熟，故得往生。所以華開見二大士說實相法，自非定善孰至此乎，故《十疑論》云「臨終遇善知識十念成就者，並是宿善業強，始遇知識」等。當知作此解釋，方合此中定善之義。若本不修三昧之者，則屬前悔有輕義也。三、依品定位，二：初、通示九品，二：初、「就三」下，示三中具九。經文顯示三輩各三。二、判九品屬三，二：初、「上品」下，約位判。雖分九品，以義定之不出三位，即內凡、外凡及悠悠者。然習種解行及十信名，乃是別教地前凡位。以為今經往生位者，略有三意：一別位次第對品顯故；二、別具四觀收機廣故；三、九品多判所觀人故。若以九品判今能觀圓觀位者，則以三賢對今十信，彼之十信對今五品，悠悠即對名字人也，以名字位通修未修故。應知疏用此之三位判九品人，其意深細，不可麁心。今試略言：蓋一切善若能迴向，皆淨土因；仍一切惡若能懺願，亦淨土因。故種種善修之淺深，無非九品；其一一惡約懺功力，亦皆九品。故上上品善通下下品，下下品惡通上上品。三心六念或聞或修，未能伏惑屬下三品，以此伏惑入中三品，能破二惑方預上三。如五逆罪，臨終十念為能消功，屬下下品。闍王重悔得無根信，即是上輩三品所攝，豈非五逆隨於懺功自分九品？中間七品若善若惡、若修若懺，隨功淺深，一一皆須明於九品。若據經文，下三唯惡、中下世善、中中中上即小乘行、上三唯大。疏則純用大乘三位判九品者，以中三品迴向大乘故，下三品人依大滅罪故，故九品行一一成大。隨一品行若至三賢，皆上三品；若至十信，皆中三品；全未伏惑，即下三品。應知經為收機盡故，故以大小善惡分其九品，蓋約增勝高下互顯也。大師得意，乃約三位判乎九品，則何機不攝、何行不深。乃由妙解大小觀行善惡之業全修即性，一一具於四種淨土，但能迴向，隨功能顯四種樂邦。如是說者，多約一行隨功淺深歷於九品。亦自有人節節改行歷於九品，若以三位定其高下，改與不改皆悉不濫。問：今十六觀既是圓修，為一一觀皆通九品，為須節節改觀入品，答：雖俱圓觀，而所託境隨其宜樂有改不改，合有二途。若就現文，多從改觀歷於九品，以初心人雖了根塵皆是法界，而心想羸劣勝境難觀，是故如來設異方便，先觀落日於西定心。疏云「除五逆罪，下輩自論」，故知妙觀想落日成，當下下品。次以三觀想水結氷，合在下中。轉想瑠璃粗見彼地，可對下上。若得三昧，見彼寶地及寶樹寶池，雖五品初而五住圓伏，名得三昧，品當中下。總見依報，五品中心合當中中。華座觀成，五品後心即中上品。此之三品，雖成三昧能伏五住，見惑未斷事識猶存，未可即觀勝妙身相，故修三觀觀於寶像，像想現前見思俱盡。所以盡者，以事定力深能伏思，見斷即登圓第七信，即上下品。事識既盡，全依業識可觀三聖真法之身，及普觀成，在八九信，即上中品，故難思相、法界光明、十方佛事悉能洞見。後修雜觀及三輩觀成，當第十信，即上上品，內外塵沙任運除盡，故隨機應相，及差別行業觀察明了、宣示無窮。此約修者從微至著，三聖觀成後修雜想及三輩觀，故當如此。若觀勝相不成就者，始依雜觀觀丈六身，此人或在下之三品、或沾中輩。今觀九品必能進功，從劣觀勝求預上流。是故疏云「令識三輩往生，捨於中下修習上品」，此從節節改觀次第入品，如是說也。有因改觀超品位者，不可定判。此上皆從次第改境修觀者說。其不改者，十六境中宜樂何境，即用妙觀修之不捨，乃從名字修成觀行，入相似位歷乎九品。然十六中佛境最宜，從劣觀勝成於九品，故疏令觀釋迦毫相，以為初心入門之漸。雜觀令觀一丈六像，經雖不云從一相入，據理合然。若《般舟經》則從足下千輻輪相，次第上觀至頂肉髻。故知但解今家住前三位以判九品，於境於行、改與不改，次比自成也。非獨今經九品如此，《法華》五品其義亦然，解一千從矣。二、「何以」下，以經驗。以無生忍位在別圓初地初住，非別十向、圓第十信，何能見佛便登此位？上上既爾，諸品例知。復以造罪驗下三品，以別圓教內外凡位不造眾惡。既約罪說，知是未入外凡人也。「類此似爾」者，經不明示，故以得悟及造罪等比類驗之。此乃大師尊經謙己，近人判解不遜者多。二、別明上三，二：初、「上品」下，約三位定。上以三品判於九品下至悠悠，今則別明上輩三品，故約種性以分三位。《瓔珞經》明六種性：一、十住習種性；二、十行性種性；三、十向道種性；四、十地聖種性；五、等覺性；六、妙覺性。問：今此上品是出假位，合在穢土利益有情，何故求生淨土邪？答：《大論》四十三正有此說，故彼「問云：菩薩法應度眾生，何以但至清淨無量壽佛國土中？答曰：菩薩有二種：一者有慈悲心，多為眾生；二者多集諸佛功德。樂多集功德者，至一乘清淨無量壽國土。好多為眾生者，無佛法眾處讚歎三寶之音。」故知一等斷惑菩薩而好樂不同，故有二別。又論第四十五云「菩薩有二：有先自成就功德，然後度眾生。有先成就眾生，然後自成就功德者。」故知今十向菩薩求生淨土，乃是先自成就功德人也。故《十疑論》明未得無生忍已，還要須常不離佛，故須求生。二、「一得」下，約二義求。上上生已即悟無生法忍，上中經七日得不退轉，上下經三小劫住歡喜地。得無生忍證念不退，即歡喜地也。四、隨文解釋。三即十六中後三觀也。疏前標云「此下三觀觀往生人」。若但讀文，不名為觀。必須覽經所詮之相入一念心，用空假中微妙之觀，照於心性本具淨土因緣果報，生佛咸然三無差別。諸佛淨土因果已滿，能應眾生；眾生由具淨土因果，能感諸佛。感應緣起不一不異，一一融妙相相宛然，隨品隨功感佛感土。觀之不已，則難思俗諦淨土因緣自然明了。明了之位大判有三：若相似明，當上三品；若觀行了，即中三品；名字觀解，屬下三品。論斷伏等雖有高下，而皆了知一切善惡迴向懺悔皆通九品，或共不共、或超不超、或改不改、或進或否，狀類萬差難以言具。若不爾者，豈得名為觀於三輩往生人邪？ > Three: The latter three contemplations clarify the rebirth of the three grades, in four parts: First, establishing the reason for the contemplations. Here there are two meanings: First, those who in the miscellaneous contemplation contemplated the inferior responsive \[body\] are at the middle and lower ranks; \[this is to\] make them know the three grades and progress in cultivating the superior contemplation to ascend to the superior grade. The second meaning is that those who previously contemplated the superior responsive \[body\] and cultivated the miscellaneous visualization to understand manifestations according with capacity are in the eighth and ninth faiths. Now this person is made to use the wondrous threefold contemplation to distinguish the nine grades—that is, the three tiers of the Larger Text—exhausting phenomena and noumenon to their depths and ascending to the tenth faith. Since it is said below that the three contemplations of rebirth have two meanings, they are practitioners who cultivate the previous contemplative methods contemplating the marks of rebirth of the nine grades, not ordinary beings or Hīnayānists seeking rebirth. Reading the text of the three tiers here to reform their practice, even if this meaning is admissible, is only secondary and incidental, not the intention here of advancing contemplative practice. Second, explaining and reconciling the sūtras and treatises, in two parts: First, reconciling with the treatise. This refers to the Treatise on the Sūtra of Amitāyus, which is what is now called the Wangsheng lun. Composed by Vasubandhu, it has seventeen completions. Coming to the sixteenth, the completion of the gate of great meaning, the verse says: 'Men of Mahāyāna good roots / Are equal, without terms of disparagement or reproach. / Women, those with defective faculties, / And those of the two-vehicle seed are not born \[there\].' The prose explains: 'Therefore, the retribution of the Pure Land is free from two kinds of faults of reproach: first, substance; second, name. As for substance, there are three kinds: first, people of the two vehicles; second, women; third, people whose faculties are incomplete. Being free from these three faults is called being free from reproach. Names are also of three kinds: not only are the three substances absent, but even the three names of two vehicles, women, and defective faculties are not heard.' These seventeen completions all clarify the retribution of that land; therefore, the absence of the two vehicles and so forth all refers to that land, not that the two vehicles and so forth of this world cannot attain rebirth. Fearing that the confused would not understand, it is therefore harmonized and explained. This divides into two: First, reconciling the two vehicles, in two parts: First, reconciling non-rebirth. Taking for now the phrase in that treatise, 'those of the two-vehicle seed are not born,' and matching it against this sūtra's 'those with small precepts attain rebirth,' because the full precepts and the novice precepts belong to the Hīnayāna seed, the two teachings seem contradictory and a query is raised. Now it is reconciled and explained in terms of dwelling in the small and turning the mind. Resolutely dwelling in the small path, aspiring to remainderless \[nirvāṇa\] and not seeking the Pure Land, is called 'proper dwelling.' If one turns from the small toward the great, transforming Hīnayāna karma into the cause for the Pure Land, it is called 'necessarily by means of.' The sūtra speaks from the perspective of the present turning toward the great; hence they attain rebirth. The treatise speaks from the perspective of originally and initially dwelling in the small; hence they are not born. However, that the treatise says there are no two-vehicle persons in that land is because their cause is transformed while in this body. Second, from 'Why is it' onward, explaining the realization of the fruit, which says: 'Only when approaching the end and turning from the small toward the great are they born in that land; why do practitioners of the three middle grades, once born there, again realize the fruits of the small vehicle?' Now the intended meaning of the explanation is: because of turning the mind they attain rebirth, but because of habituation they realize the small. Knowing the great while realizing the small, they do not cling to biased emptiness as ultimate, and before long they realize the great. Second, from 'Question: The treatise' onward, reconciling women. Again raising the treatise verse, 'Women and those with defective faculties are not born,' and contrasting it with this sūtra's statement that Vaidehī's maidservants attained rebirth to raise a query, now the two statements are reconciled in terms of here and there. The treatise addresses transformed retribution; therefore, in that land there are no women or those with defective faculties, in either name or substance. The sūtra addresses those who cultivate pure karma in this land; therefore, having a wholesome mind, all may go. Thus the Larger Sukhāvatīvyūha states that pretas, wriggling worms, and flying insects all attain rebirth; hence we know the sūtra and the treatise do not conflict in the least. Second, from 'Question: The Larger' onward, reconciling sūtras, in two parts: First, a paired question confronting the sūtras. 'Those of rebellious transgressions attain rebirth' refers to the passage on the lowest rebirth of the lowest grade. Second, from 'The explanation has' onward, establishing the meaning and offering a paired explanation, in two parts: First, repentance has light and heavy degrees. The superior refers to sharp faculties; the inferior refers to dull faculties. The Kośa says: 'The offenses committed by the foolish and the wise differ in gravity. When the foolish commit a small offense, they still fall into evil; when the wise commit a great offense, they still escape suffering. Just as a small lump of iron sinks in water, while a large iron vessel can still float.' The Nirvāṇa says: 'The wise are of two kinds: first, those who do not commit evils; second, those who repent after having committed them. The foolish are also of two kinds: first, those who commit offenses; second, those who conceal them.' Just as King Ajātaśatru killed his father and harmed his mother, and coming to the Nirvāṇa assembly his body had sores, swelling, and burning heat, he generated deep shame and remorse, repenting his errors and reproaching himself. Jīvaka urged him to go to the Buddha's place, where the Buddha preached the Dharma for him, and he attained rootless faith. The passage is found in the Nirvāṇa's 'Chapter on Pure Conduct.' This sūtra's clarification that those with rebellious offenses attain rebirth in the Pure Land is identical to King Ajātaśatru, having superior roots and sharp wisdom, being able to repent with deep earnestness. That sūtra's non-rebirth refers to foolish people of inferior roots who, upon reaching the end of life, cannot deeply repent. Second, from 'Second' onward, according to practice having concentrated and dispersed. 'The Larger Text refers to this' points to the weakness of dispersed goodness mentioned above. 'This sūtra clarifies contemplation' refers to the buddhamanasikāra-samādhi. Question: If one attains rebirth in the lowest grade through the power of concentration, it says this person is oppressed by suffering and has no leisure to be mindful of the Buddha, so a good friend tells him: 'If you cannot be mindful, you should invoke Amitāyus. With an earnest mind like this, let the voice not cease, completing ten recitations.' This, in principle, should be no different from the dispersed mind's ten recitations in the Larger Text. Answer: Although this person committed evil, he had already cultivated contemplation in the past; therefore, at the end of life, when a good friend urged him to invoke ten recitations, his concentrated mind was accomplished. This is also a person of Dharma practice whose vehicle is urgent while his precepts are slack. Because he cultivated contemplation, his vehicle was urgent; because he committed evil, his precepts were slack. Owing to the urgency of the vehicle, he met a good friend. Even if he did not cultivate samādhi in the present life, the past seeds ripened in the present, so he attained rebirth. Therefore, when the lotus opens and he sees the two Great Beings preach the Dharma of the real mark, if not for concentrated goodness, who could reach this? Thus the Shiyi lun says: 'Those who at the end of life meet a good spiritual friend and accomplish the ten recitations all have strong wholesome karma from the past, only then meeting the friend,' and so forth. One should know that only by making this explanation does it accord with the meaning of concentrated goodness here. If it were someone who originally did not cultivate samādhi, they would belong to the previous meaning where repentance was light. Third, determining the ranks according to the grades, in two parts: First, universally indicating the nine grades, in two parts: First, from 'Regarding the three' onward, showing that the nine are contained within the three. The sūtra text displays three within each of the three tiers. Second, assigning the nine grades to the three \[ranks\], in two parts: First, from 'The superior grade' onward, assigning according to rank. Although divided into nine grades, when determined by their meaning, they do not go beyond three ranks: internal ordinary beings, external ordinary beings, and ordinary dabblers. However, the names of the nature of habit, understanding-and-practice, and the ten faiths are the ordinary ranks before the stages in the Separate Teaching. In taking them as the ranks of rebirth in this sūtra, there are roughly three reasons: first, the stages of the Separate Teaching correspond clearly to the grades; second, the Separate Teaching possesses four contemplations and gathers capacities broadly; third, the nine grades mostly judge the persons who are contemplated. If the nine grades are used to judge the ranks of the present perfect contemplation that is capable of contemplating, then the three worthies correspond to the present ten faiths, their ten faiths correspond to the present five grades, and the dabblers correspond to people of verbal identity, because the rank of verbal identity spans both having cultivated and not having cultivated. One should know that when the commentary uses these three ranks to judge the persons of the nine grades, its intention is deep and subtle, not to be taken with a crude mind. Let us now try to state it briefly: All goodness, if capable of being dedicated, is a cause for the Pure Land; likewise, all evil, if capable of repentance and vow, is also a cause for the Pure Land. Therefore, the depth or shallowness of cultivating various kinds of goodness is in every case the nine grades; and the efficacy of repenting each evil is also in every case the nine grades. Thus the goodness of the highest rank of the superior grade connects to the lowest rank of the lowest grade, and the evil of the lowest rank of the lowest grade connects to the highest rank of the superior grade. Hearing or cultivating the three minds and six mindfulnesses, if unable to subdue delusions, belongs to the lower three grades; subduing delusions by these enters the middle three grades; and only when able to destroy the two delusions does one participate in the superior three. For instance, with the five rebellious offenses, taking the ten recitations at life's end as the power to extinguish them belongs to the lowest of the low grade. King Ajātaśatru's deep repentance and attainment of rootless faith is subsumed under the superior three grades; how could it not be that the five rebellious offenses, according to the power of repentance, naturally divide into nine grades? The intervening seven grades, whether good or evil, whether cultivation or repentance, according to the depth of efficacy, must each and every one clarify the nine grades. If based on the sūtra text: the lower three are solely evil; the middle-lower is worldly goodness; the middle-middle and middle-upper are Hīnayāna practice; and the upper three are solely Mahāyāna. The commentary purely uses the three ranks of Mahāyāna to judge the nine grades because the middle three grades dedicate toward Mahāyāna, and the persons of the lower three grades extinguish offenses relying on the Mahāyāna; therefore, the practices of the nine grades all become Mahāyāna. The practice of any single grade, if reaching the three worthies, all belongs to the upper three grades; if reaching the ten faiths, all belongs to the middle three grades; and if not subduing delusions at all, it is the lower three grades. One should know that because the sūtra gathers capacities exhaustively, it divides the nine grades by great and small, good and evil, mutually revealing them through predominance and degree. When the Great Master grasped the intent, he judged the nine grades according to the three ranks, and then what capacity was not included, what practice was not profound? This stems from the wondrous understanding that the great and small contemplative practices and the good and evil karmas are entirely cultivation-as-nature, each possessing the four kinds of pure lands; as long as one can dedicate them, according to their efficacy they can reveal the four kinds of blissful lands. Such an explanation mostly refers to a single practice traversing the nine grades according to the depth of efficacy. There are also people who stage by stage alter their practice to traverse the nine grades; if their height is determined by the three ranks, whether changing or unchanging, they are entirely unconfused. Question: Since the present sixteen contemplations are perfect cultivation, does each contemplation connect to the nine grades, or must one enter the grades by changing contemplations stage by stage? Answer: Although all are perfect contemplations, the objects relied upon, according to suitability and preference, have changing and unchanging; together there are two paths. If regarding the present text, it mostly follows changing contemplations to traverse the nine grades, because beginners, although understanding that sense-faculties and sense-objects are all the dharmadhātu, have weak mind and visualization, so superior objects are difficult to contemplate. Therefore the Tathāgata set up different expedients, first contemplating the setting sun in the west to settle the mind. The commentary says: 'Excepting the five rebellious offenses, which are treated separately in the lower tier,' hence we know that accomplishing the wondrous contemplation visualizing the setting sun corresponds to the lowest of the low grade. Next, using the threefold contemplation to visualize water freezing into ice should be placed in the middle of the low grade. Transforming the visualization into lapis lazuli to roughly see that ground can correspond to the upper of the low grade. If one attains samādhi, seeing that precious ground, precious trees, and precious pools, although at the beginning of the five grades, the five dwellings are completely subdued; this is called attaining samādhi, and the grade corresponds to the lowest of the middle grade. Comprehensively seeing the environmental reward, at the middle of the five grades, should correspond to the middle of the middle grade. When the contemplation of the flower throne is accomplished, the final stage of the five grades is the upper of the middle grade. These three grades, although accomplishing samādhi and able to subdue the five dwellings, have not severed the delusions of view, and phenomenal consciousness still remains; they cannot immediately contemplate the exquisitely superior physical marks. Therefore they cultivate the threefold contemplation to contemplate the precious image; when the visualization of the image appears before them, view and thought are both exhausted. The reason they are exhausted is that the power of phenomenal concentration is deep and able to subdue thought, and when views are severed, one ascends to the seventh faith of the Perfect \[Teaching\], which is the lowest of the superior grade. Once phenomenal consciousness is exhausted, entirely relying on karmic consciousness, one can contemplate the true Dharmakāya of the three sages; and when the universal contemplation is accomplished, being in the eighth and ninth faiths, it is the middle of the superior grade; therefore, the inconceivable marks, the light of the dharmadhātu, and the Buddha-works of the ten directions can all be clearly perceived. Afterward, cultivating the miscellaneous contemplation and the contemplation of the three tiers to accomplishment corresponds to the tenth faith, which is the highest of the superior grade; inner and outer dust-and-sand \[delusions\] are naturally exhausted, so responsive marks according with capacity and differentiated practices and karmas are clearly observed and endlessly proclaimed. This refers to the practitioner proceeding from the subtle to the prominent: accomplishing the contemplation of the three sages and then cultivating the miscellaneous visualization and the contemplation of the three tiers, so it should be like this. If one who contemplates the superior marks does not accomplish it, and only then relies on the miscellaneous contemplation to contemplate the sixteen-foot body, this person may be in the lower three grades or touch upon the middle tier. Now contemplating the nine grades, he will certainly advance in efficacy, contemplating the superior from the inferior and seeking to enter the higher stream. Therefore the commentary says: 'Make them know the rebirth of the three tiers, abandon the middle and lower, and cultivate the superior grade'; this is stated from the perspective of entering the grades sequentially by changing contemplations stage by stage. There are those who transcend grades due to changing contemplations; they cannot be definitively fixed. All the above is spoken from the perspective of cultivating contemplation by sequentially changing objects. As for those who do not change: whichever object among the sixteen objects is suitable and pleasing to them, they immediately apply the wondrous contemplation to cultivate it without abandonment, thus progressing from verbal identity to accomplishing contemplative practice, entering the rank of resemblance, and traversing the nine grades. However, among the sixteen, the Buddha-object is the most suitable; contemplating the superior from the inferior completes the nine grades. Therefore the commentary has one contemplate Śākyamuni's ūrṇā mark as the gradual entry for beginners. The miscellaneous contemplation has one contemplate the sixteen-foot image; although the sūtra does not say to enter from a single mark, in principle it should be so. In the Pratyutpanna-sūtra, one begins from the thousand-spoked wheel mark under the feet and contemplates sequentially upward to the uṣṇīṣa on the crown. Therefore we know that if one simply understands our school's use of the three ranks prior to the stages to determine the nine grades, then with regard to object and practice, changing and unchanging, the sequence naturally establishes itself. Not only are the nine grades of this sūtra like this, but the five grades of the Lotus Sūtra are also of the same principle; understand one, and a thousand follow. Second, from 'Why is it' onward, verifying through the sūtra. Because the stage of anutpattika-dharma-kṣānti is at the first bhūmi of the Separate \[Teaching\] and the first abashing stage of the Perfect \[Teaching\], if not for the tenth dedication of the Separate or the tenth faith of the Perfect, how could one upon seeing the Buddha immediately ascend to this stage? Since the highest of the superior is thus, the other grades are known by analogy. Furthermore, committing offenses is used to verify the lower three grades, because in the internal and external ordinary ranks of the Separate and Perfect Teachings one does not commit various evils. Since it is spoken in terms of offenses, we know they are persons who have not yet entered the external ordinary rank. 'Analogous to this, it seems to be so' means that because the sūtra does not show it explicitly, it is verified by analogy through attaining awakening, committing offenses, and so forth. This shows the Great Master revering the sūtra and humbling himself, unlike many contemporaries whose judgements and explanations are immodest. Second, specifically clarifying the upper three, in two parts: First, from 'The superior grade' onward, determining according to three ranks. Above, the nine grades down to ordinary dabblers were judged by three grades; now, specifically clarifying the three grades of the upper tier, the three ranks are divided according to disposition. The Yingluo jing clarifies six dispositions: first, the disposition of the nature of habit of the ten abidings; second, the disposition of the nature of the ten practices; third, the disposition of the path of the ten dedications; fourth, the disposition of the sage of the ten stages; fifth, the disposition of equal awakening; sixth, the disposition of wondrous awakening. Question: Now, this superior grade is the stage of emerging from emptiness into provisionality; they ought to remain in the defiled land to benefit sentient beings, so why do they seek rebirth in the Pure Land? Answer: The Great Treatise, fascicle 43, specifically has this explanation, where it 'asks: Bodhisattvas should by Dharma deliver sentient beings; why do they only go to the pure land of the Buddha Amitāyus? Answer: Bodhisattvas are of two kinds: first, those with compassionate minds who mostly act for sentient beings; second, those who mostly amass the virtues of all buddhas. Those who delight in amassing virtues go to the pure land of Amitāyus of the One Vehicle. Those who mostly act for sentient beings praise the sound of the Three Jewels in places devoid of Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha.' Hence we know that even among bodhisattvas of identical severance of delusions, their inclinations differ, and therefore there are two distinctions. Furthermore, the forty-fifth fascicle of the treatise states: 'Bodhisattvas are of two kinds: there are those who first accomplish virtues themselves and afterward deliver sentient beings; there are those who first accomplish sentient beings and afterward accomplish virtues themselves.' Therefore we know that the bodhisattvas of the ten dedications here who seek rebirth in the Pure Land are persons who first accomplish virtues themselves. Thus the Shiyi lun explains that before attaining anutpattika-dharma-kṣānti, one must still never be separated from the Buddha, and therefore must seek rebirth. Second, from 'First, attaining' onward, seeking according to two meanings. The highest of the superior, having attained rebirth, immediately awakens to anutpattika-dharma-kṣānti; the middle of the superior, after seven days, attains non-retrogression; the lowest of the superior, after three minor kalpas, dwells in the Stage of Joy. Attaining anutpattika-dharma-kṣānti realizes non-retrogression of mindfulness, which is the Stage of Joy. Four: Following the text to explain. 'Three' refers to the latter three contemplations among the sixteen. The commentary previously indicated: 'The three contemplations below contemplate the persons being reborn.' If one merely reads the text, it is not called contemplation. One must take the marks explained in the sūtra into a single thought-moment of the mind, using the subtle and wondrous contemplation of emptiness, provisionality, and the middle to illuminate the causes, conditions, and retributions of the Pure Land inherently possessed by the mind-nature, wherein sentient beings and buddhas are identical and three without distinction. The pure lands of the buddhas have fulfilled causes and effects, capable of responding to sentient beings; sentient beings, because they possess the causes and effects of the Pure Land, are capable of evoking the buddhas. The dependent origination of sympathetic resonance is neither one nor different; each is integrated and wondrous, every mark distinctly apparent, evoking the Buddha and evoking the land according to grade and efficacy. Contemplating without cease, the Pure Land causes and conditions of the inconceivable conventional truth become naturally clear. There are broadly three ranks of clarity: if clear through resemblance, it corresponds to the upper three grades; if clear through contemplative practice, it is the middle three grades; and contemplative understanding of verbal identity belongs to the lower three grades. Although there are differences in severance and subduing, all understand that all good and evil, dedication and repentance, connect throughout the nine grades—whether shared or unshared, transcending or not transcending, changing or unchanging, advancing or not—their myriad forms are difficult to describe fully in words. If not so, how could it be called contemplating the persons of the three tiers of rebirth? > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 6.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1751.6.6) - [Next: 6.8.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1751.6.8.1) - [Up: 6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1751.6) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1751~en-mt.6.7) — English, machine translation ## Linked texts (3) - [大智度論](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.prajnaparamita.pancavimsatisahasrika!mahaprajnaparamitopadesa*zh-kumarajiva.38.253) — Classical Chinese - [大般涅槃經](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra.mahaparinirvana-mahayana*zh-t375.17.50) — Classical Chinese - [樂邦文類](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1969a.1.297) — Classical Chinese --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1751.6.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1751.6.7) · Pramāṇa