English (machine translation)
Translation of 觀無量壽佛經疏妙宗鈔
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- pramana-mt · Machine translation by Gemini 3.8 Flash (2026-10-21) of in.bauddha.taisho.1751 · Machine output without human authorship: no copyright is claimed (CC0 1.0). The original text keeps its own…
Contents
Text
1.1
Composed by the Śramaṇa Zhili of Siming under the Song.
1.2
Regarding the commentary on the meaning of this sūtra, because people long for the pure reward, many indeed have expounded and listened to it. Master Baoyun, from whom I received the transmission, was the first to compose a subcommentary, and following upon this down to the present day, writings have never ceased. All take Zhizhe as their ancestor; how could they not know the textual meaning of the wondrous contemplation that cultivates the mind and evokes the four pure lands? It was truly because their compassion for beings was deep and their skillful means suited the times that they spoke much of phenomenal marks and revealed little of the contemplation gates, striving to ensure that ordinary worldlings would everywhere be moistened by the seeds of affinity. In the present auspicious age, when the Perfect Vehicle is flourishingly expounded, aspiring students all wish to grasp the essential import so as to cultivate and realize it. Therefore, exhausting my humble thoughts, I have compiled several thousand words, following above the wondrous doctrine and briefly explaining this commentary. Adapting skillfully to the times is beyond my ability; my wish that all sentient beings should contemplate the Buddha through the mind itself is the very reason this subcommentary was made. Penned on the Double Ninth day in the xinyou year, the fifth year of Tianxi (1021); hence this preface.
1.3
As for the title of this commentary, the eight characters from 'Buddha' onwards completely present the title of the sūtra, all of which are the object of explanation; only the single character 'Commentary' is that which explains. The five chapters at present explain those eight characters with some detail, which will become apparent as one enters the text. If one wishes to know in advance, an outline may be presented. 'Sūtra' is the general designation; the rest is the specific name. Now I shall first clarify the specific. 'Spoken by the Buddha': the teaching master Śākyamuni expounds it with the four kinds of eloquence. 'Contemplation': this generally brings forward that which contemplates, namely the sixteen contemplations. 'Amitāyus Buddha': this brings forward the essential object of contemplation, encompassing the fifteen objects. Setting aside for now that which is spoken, let us briefly clarify what is spoken. That which contemplates is entirely the threefold contemplation in a single mind; the object of contemplation is entirely the single object of the three truths. Vairocana pervades all places; all dharmas are none other than the Buddha-dharma. What are called sentient beings are buddhas of inherent virtue, neither self nor other, neither cause nor effect: they are the very substance of the complete, eternal, Great Awakening. Therefore the Awakening of Faith says: 'What is meant by the meaning of awakening is that the substance of the mind is free from thought. The mark of being free from thought is equal to the realm of empty space, pervading everywhere without exception. The single mark of the dharmadhātu is the Tathāgata's eternally abiding dharmakāya, and based upon this dharmakāya it is named original awakening.' Thus we know that the completely luminous substance of the fruition buddha is none other than the inherent virtue originally possessed by us ordinary beings. Hence among the practices discussed in all teachings, there are none that do not aim to reveal this awakened substance; therefore the four kinds of samādhi are all generally named buddhamanasikāra, differing only in the contemplation methods that serve as their gates. For instance, the Single Practice Samādhi directly contemplates the three paths to reveal the original nature-buddha; the Vaipulya Samādhi reveals it through contemplation, baring [the shoulder], and circumambulation; the Lotus Samādhi combines this with chanting the sūtra; the Avalokiteśvara Samādhi combines it with counting breaths; and the Samādhi of Awakening Mind traverses the three natures. Although these samādhis differ in the phenomena they engage, their buddhamanasikāra is identical, for all serve to reveal the substance of the Great Awakening. Although all are buddhamanasikāra, they are general avenues for revealing the substance of all buddhas. This contemplation gate and the pratyutpanna-samādhi, by contrast, rely on the environmental and primary realm of that Anyang, using the subtly wondrous contemplation to specifically reveal the true buddha-substance with respect to Amida. Although relying on that realm, one must know that the environmental and the primary reside together in a single mind. The mind-nature is all-pervading: there is no dharma it does not create, no dharma it does not possess. If even the slightest dharma were produced outside the mind, it could not be called a Mahāyāna contemplation. Practitioners should know that if one observes that environmental and primary [reward] based on the mind-nature, the environmental and primary will be clearly manifested; if one observes the mind-nature relying on that environmental and primary [reward], the mind-nature is easily aroused. When it is said that the mind-nature possesses all dharmas and creates all dharmas, there is in truth neither that which possesses nor that which is possessed, neither that which creates nor that which is created: the mind is the dharma, and the dharma is the mind; the producing causes and conditions and the produced dharmas are, right where they are, entirely and completely the mind-nature. Therefore, whether environmental or primary, the present contemplation is the mind of the dharmadhātu contemplating the realm of the dharmadhātu, arising in the physical and mental phenomena of the dharmadhātu's environmental and primary [rewards]. This, then, is called nothing-but-environment, nothing-but-primary, nothing-but-matter, nothing-but-mind, nothing-but-contemplation, and nothing-but-object. Therefore, in explaining the word 'contemplation', one uses the threefold contemplation in a single mind. In explaining 'Amitāyus', one uses the single substance and the three bodies. Its substance, lineage, power, and function all accord with the Perfect, and its doctrinal classification belongs to the Sudden. The fivefold profound meaning was originally the contemplation method expounded in the sūtra; the Great Master drew upon it in advance to explain the sūtra title, wishing to enable practitioners to use this contemplation method to enter the sixteen gates for cultivation and realization. Therefore, in the preface he used the host to encompass the retinue and the primary to gather the environmental. Since contemplating the Buddha is immediately the three bodies, how could contemplating the rest not be the three truths? Let a word be sent to practitioners: although the contemplation is profound and wondrous, it was originally meant to accommodate beginners. If you can advance in your practice, why worry that you will not succeed? Even if you have not yet attained the grades, the cause will still be powerful. Born into that land, you will be permitted to join the great assembly; the environmental and primary [rewards] you behold will be subtly wondrous and beyond conception, and you will swiftly enter the stages of the sages and broadly deliver sentient beings, ever distinct from phenomenal goods and Hīnayāna practices. Those who attain rebirth are like people in this land who previously cultivated the Perfect [Teaching]: upon various lecture seats, what they see is extraordinary, and hearing the Dharma, they easily awaken. Analogous to this, the merit lies in the wondrous doctrine. It is merely because their moral discipline and merit are not pure and they lack the vow for rebirth that they hear the Dharma and enter truth in this defiled land. One must fear that in the Sahā world one does not constantly encounter the Buddha; even if one meets good friends, one's body and mind are inferior and it is difficult to arouse one's mind, not to mention that defiling sense-objects are coarse and overpowering—truly it is a perilous place. Therefore one must externally add phenomenal repentance and internally apply oneself to noumenal contemplation, practicing both the primary and auxiliary in tandem, and adding the crucial restraint of vows: then one is certain to swiftly realize non-arising in the precious realm. The intent behind explaining the contemplation gate now lies right here. 'Commentary' (shu) means to unblock (shu) and to resolve (jue): it unblocks and resolves the above doctrinal purports so that they flow smoothly without blockage, enabling the practitioner to grasp their import and cultivate them. Next, the title of the speaker is fully detailed in separate biographies and various treatises and records; anyone who does not yet know it should consult those texts.
1.4
Part Two: Interpreting the text. First, interpreting the preface, in three parts: first, recounting the intention of the sutra's contemplations, in two parts: first, directly clarifying the practice of contemplation, in two parts: first, recounting the intention, in two parts: first, setting up purity in contrast to defilement, in two parts: first, the doctrine, in two parts: first, clarifying the suffering and bliss of the two rewards.
To discuss contemplative practice, one must first indicate the characteristics of suffering and bliss regarding the two rewards. The text consists of four phrases, each discussing the contrast between purity and defilement.
The first phrase contrasts the suffering and bliss of the realized lands. The pure realm of Anyang experiences only various pleasures, and is thus called the 'land of bliss'; the defiled land of Saha mostly endures multitude of sufferings, and is figuratively termed the 'realm of misery.'
The second phrase contrasts the nobility and baseness of the constituent elements. That [land] consists purely of the seven treasures, briefly referred to as 'gold and jewels'; this [land] contains much impurity, briefly spoken of as 'mud and sand.'
The third phrase contrasts the defilement and purity of the physical form assumed at birth. In this world, the six destinies possess all four modes of birth; speaking now of humans, most emerge from the womb. When the mother consumes cold or hot food, or when she is hungry or satiated, the infant in the womb experiences torment like that of the hells of cold and heat, hanging upside down, or being crushed beneath mountains—hence it is called the 'womb-hell.' In that land, the nine grades are mostly born from lotuses; though beings of the lowest grade must wait many kalpas, the larger version of the sutra explains that those who cultivate good with doubts are born into a palace in the womb enjoying bliss equal to the Trāyastriṃśa heaven. How much less, then, could those of the higher grades who harbor no doubts experience any suffering? Thus, taking birth in the jewel ponds is immediate bliss.
The fourth phrase contrasts the roughness and excellence of dwelling places after birth. Here there are thorny thickets and overgrown woods; there, golden channels and jade trees. Although each of these four phrases contrasts suffering with bliss, the intention is to contrast defilement so as to reveal the aspects of purity.
Furthermore, one should understand that while the four phrases seem only to describe the two lands of common residence, according to the later exposition of the central theme which fully treats the characteristics of purity and defilement across all four lands, testing this text by that which follows shows that it does not pertain exclusively to common residence. One should know that each of the four phrases applies to the four kinds of purity and defilement: the lightness or gravity of delusions of view and thought induces the land of common residence as either a land of bliss or a realm of misery; whether one analyzes or embodies [emptiness] skillfully or clumsily induces the land of expedients as either a land of bliss or a realm of misery; whether one enters sequentially or suddenly induces the land of real reward as either a land of bliss or a realm of misery; whether one has partial realization or ultimate realization induces the land of quiescent light as either a land of bliss or a realm of misery. The examples of gold and jewels versus mud and sand, the womb-hell versus jewel ponds, and thorny woods versus jade trees should be understood in the same way. In the formulations of our school, the main text and the preface never contradict each other; it is merely that the preface gives a general presentation while the core text analyzes them specifically, which makes them seem different.
Question: Since the lower three pure lands all possess phenomenal forms, one can discuss items such as gold and jewels; but the purity of Quiescent Light is completely formless, so how can one speak of gold, jewels, flower ponds, and jade trees there?
Answer: When sutras and treatises state that Quiescent Light is formless, it means that marks of defilement and obstruction have been exhausted; it does not mean an empty void lacking all things like vast space. Because the three delusions are ultimately purified, the physical forms and mental states of both environment and self become ultimately manifest. Thus the *Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra* states: 'Because this form is extinguished, eternal form is obtained; feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are also like this.' The *Benevolent King Sūtra* calls them the five aggregates of the Dharma-nature; this is also what the *Lotus Sūtra* means by 'the worldly marks are eternal,' and what the *Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā-prajñāpāramitā-sūtra* means when asserting that form and fragrance are nothing other than the Middle Way. This is called the ultimate land of bliss, the ultimate gold and jewels, the ultimate flower pond, and the ultimate jade tree.
Furthermore, this is spoken from the perspective of abandoning defilement to the absolute limit and attaining purity at its source; therefore, the realm of misery and the like are assigned to the three hindrances, while the land of bliss and its gold and jewels are taken as Quiescent Light. But if we discuss them from the perspective of the equality of purity and defilement, then the ultimate realm of misery and its mud and sand are themselves Quiescent Light. Both explanations conform to the siddhāntas and are utterly perfect.
Question: The Buddha's unsurpassable reward is phenomenon-as-noumenon, so gold and jewels may be spoken of; the ultimate Quiescent Light is noumenon-as-phenomenon, so how could there be gold and the like? If both possess them alike, then phenomenon and noumenon are confounded, so how can one distinguish the meaning of the two lands?
Answer: The Buddha's unsurpassable reward is ultimate initial awakening; the highest grade of Quiescent Light is ultimate original awakening. When both initial and original reach their apex, how could they form two separate substances? One must realize that even if the two lands are differentiated as phenomenon and noumenon, this does not truly mean non-existence versus existence. How could true, wondrous goodness and wondrous existence fail to be noumenon? How could the noumenon of the secret treasury be equated with the emptiness of the Hinayana? Thus phenomenon and noumenon are two designations for a single reality: because it recovers the origin, it is termed the phenomenal reality of the unsurpassable reward; because it returns to the root, it is termed the noumenal reality of the supreme Quiescent Light. Thus Miaole said: 'The cultivated attainment of the four virtues and the inherently existing four virtues are entirely equal; only then are they the characteristics of Vairocana's body and land.' Furthermore, the *Vimalakīrti-sūtra Commentary* explicitly takes Quiescent Light as the Buddha's environmental reward. Hence we know that insisting the reward land definitely has gold and jewels while Quiescent Light definitely lacks them is to be deluded by terms and wholly ignorant of the underlying meaning.
Second, from 'Truly due to...' onward, the two causes of mental state and practice are clarified. 'Truly' means reality. 'Due to' means proceeding from. The purity and defilement of rewards truly proceed from and are induced by the two causes of mental state and practice. The mental state refers to the two states of delusion and understanding; practice refers to the two kinds of conduct, contrary and compliant. In the six realms and the three teachings, one is deluded about the nature of the three virtues and defiled by the three delusions; hence this is called a defiled mind. The bodily and verbal actions that violate the noumenon through contrivance are all termed evil practices. These mental states and practices induce the four defiled lands, sinking low into coarseness and shallowness. Only in the Perfect and Sudden Teaching, wherein one understands the nature of the three virtues and departs from the defilement of the three delusions, is it called a pure mind. The bodily and verbal actions that accord with the noumenon through non-contrivance are called good practices. These mental states and practices induce the four pure lands, ascending high into depth and wonder. Although mind is originally one, because of delusion and understanding it must be divided into defiled and pure; although deeds are fundamentally identical, because of contrary and compliant attitudes they must be distinguished as evil and good. From these two causes, the rewards of purity and defilement are induced. One should realize that persons of the Perfect Teaching take supreme Quiescent Light as the substance of their contemplation; for them, both ordinary and sagely causal stages are identical to the ultimate, unlike persons of the Separate Teaching whose resolve reaches only up to the twelve grades [of ignorance]. Therefore, partial realization of defilement belongs precisely to the Separate Teaching.
Question: The supreme principle is subtle and wondrous, neither defiled nor pure, without grasping or discarding. Setting up purity and defilement now to urge people to grasp and discard goes against this wondrous principle, and so cannot be the supreme vehicle. How then can this be called a wondrous contemplation of the mind that reveals the single true reality?
Answer: Seeking the meaning through designations yields not one result in ten thousand; determining designations through the meaning yields not a single error in ten thousand. This is because terminology established outside or within the noumenon, in Hinayana or Mahāyāna, and in gradual or perfect-and-sudden teachings, is largely similar. One must use correct and incorrect to decide between internal and external; next use emptiness and the middle to distinguish small and great; and further use gradual and sudden to differentiate the Separate and the Perfect. Only when terms are free from the slightest confusion can one rely on them to establish contemplative practice. Therefore, our school evaluates these meanings by employing six propositions to distinguish identity and difference: namely mutual refutation, mutual cultivation, and mutual identity, each possessing two propositions, making six in all. We now use these six to resolve this seeming contradiction.
First, one clarifies shared names by their distinct meanings: namely, the non-Buddhists' view of 'neither defiled nor pure' as total annihilation; the two vehicles' realization of 'neither defiled nor pure' as the principle of emptiness; the Separate Teaching's approach of 'neither defiled nor pure' as the mere Middle; and the Perfect Teaching's principle of 'neither defiled nor pure' as the secret treasury. Furthermore, there are four kinds of purity: the non-Buddhists' view of purity through clinging to preference and aversion; the two vehicles' realization of purity through eradicating delusions and extinguishing existence; the Separate Teaching's approach to purity through gradual detachment from defilement; and the Perfect Teaching's principle of sudden purity that is identical with defilement. Knowing this, one can discuss the propositions regarding the mutual refutation between purity and 'neither defiled nor pure.' The sudden purity of the Perfect Teaching refutes the 'neither defiled nor pure' of the Separate Teaching, the two vehicles, and the non-Buddhists. The 'neither defiled nor pure' of the Perfect Teaching refutes the three other kinds of purity. Regarding the propositions of mutual cultivation: the three kinds of purity cultivate the 'neither defiled nor pure' of the secret treasury in the Perfect Teaching; the three kinds of 'neither defiled nor pure' cultivate the purity of the Perfect Teaching that is identical with defilement. Regarding the propositions of mutual identity: the purity of the Perfect Teaching that is identical with defilement is itself the 'neither defiled nor pure' of the secret treasury; the 'neither defiled nor pure' of the secret treasury is itself the purity identical with defilement.
Now, this wondrous contemplation directly contemplates the four pure lands in the defiled mind. Since it illuminates Quiescent Light, how could it differ from the 'neither defiled nor pure' of the secret treasury? If one claims that this sutra's discarding of defilement and grasping of purity differs from the secret treasury's principle of transcending both extremes, why did Vaidehī partially realize the secret treasury upon hearing the contemplation of the pure land? One must realize that the purity spoken of here is the purification of both defilement and purity; it takes the principle of the equality of defilement and purity as the pure land. The name is one-sided but the meaning is perfect—this is what it means. However, because the worldly capacity has a strong urge to abandon defilement, it is appropriate to purify all characteristics through the gate of purity. Thus, speaking here of purity does not contradict 'neither defiled nor pure' in the least. Furthermore, one should know that if grasping and discarding are carried to the utmost limit, they do not differ in the least from non-grasping and non-discarding.
In the two analogies, an upright form illustrates the pure cause—a mind purified through understanding the nature and good practices complying with the noumenon; the straight shadow illustrates the result—the four pure lands. A murky spring illustrates the defiled cause—a mind defiled through delusion about the nature and evil practices violating the noumenon; the turbid stream illustrates the result—the four defiled lands. If one reverses the former analogy, a crooked form and a distorted shadow can naturally illustrate counter-cultivation's cause and effect. If one reverses the latter analogy, a pure spring and clear stream can naturally illustrate concordant cultivation's cause and effect. Setting forth these two analogies here illustrates each kind, and their meaning is exceedingly clear.
Second, from 'Therefore we know...' onward, cultivation is presented with respect to purity. Having above contrasted defilement to reveal the characteristics of purity, the method of cultivation is now clarified with respect to purity. The previous passage generally stated the two causes as a pure mind and good practices. This section clarifies the characteristics of practice, explicitly pointing to the present sixteen wondrous contemplations and three kinds of pure karma. If one does not illuminate the three truths regarding the sixteen objects, how could that be called wondrous contemplation? If cultivating the three kinds of blessings is tainted by the three delusions, it cannot be called pure karma. The wondrous contemplation is the primary practice, and the pure karmas are auxiliary; practiced together, the primary and auxiliary can induce the four kinds of land of Sukhāvatī and allow one to behold the threefold body of the World-Honoured One Amitāyus. The text expresses this reciprocally: contemplation discusses being born in the land, while karma discusses beholding the Buddha. Since environment and self are both present, primary and auxiliary are not separated.
Second, from 'However, conversion...' onward, the text is presented, in two parts: first, indicating the emergence of the teaching, in two parts: first, clarifying the reasons for its emergence. Converting ordinary beings must depend on immediate events as a gradual opening; the teaching that explains the noumenon necessarily relies on opportune conditions to arise. Immediate events serving as a stepping-stone is common to all conversions; the present conversion arose specifically from the incident of matricide and patricide, intending to make sentient beings loathe this turbid world. The fitting recipient of this teaching is Vaidehī, which translates as 'reflection,' because she skillfully cultivated contemplation.
Second, from 'The Great Sage...' onward, the manifestation of the land is clarified. The Buddha is the supreme sage, hence called 'Great.' The Buddha's compassion reaching downward is called 'condescending.' Relying on Vaidehī's request to expound the principle he realized is called 'taking advantage of the occasion to expound the Dharma.' Regarding 'shining with jade-like marks,' the sutra states: 'At that time, the World-Honoured One emitted a ray of light from between his eyebrows, illuminating the immeasurable worlds of the ten directions. Returning, it rested upon the Buddha's crown and transformed into a golden dais, resembling Mount Sumeru.' Regarding 'although broadly displaying,' the sutra states: 'The wondrous lands of the ten directions all manifested within it; some lands were composed of the seven treasures, while others were entirely made of lotus flowers.' And further: 'Then Vaidehī said to the Buddha: "Although these lands are pure, I now wish to be born in the world of Sukhāvatī, where the Buddha Amitāyus resides."'
Second, from 'Causing future generations...' onward, the features of contemplation are presented, in two parts: first, a general indication. Regarding 'causing future generations,' the sutra states: 'The Tathāgata now teaches Vaidehī and all sentient beings of future ages to contemplate the Western World of Sukhāvatī. Through the Buddha's power, they will see that pure land,' and so forth.
Second, from 'The setting sun...' onward, specifically indicating that the sixteen contemplations do not exceed three categories: namely, environmental reward, primary reward, and the three grades of rebirth. Following these three, the text now extracts their essentials. This text naturally falls into three sections: first, environmental reward.
The first contemplation is of the setting sun, shaped like a suspended drum, causing the mind to remain firm and focused in concentrated thought without shifting. This has two meanings: first, to keep the mind contemplating the sun from scattering; second, to direct the mind's thoughts straight toward the West. Thus it says: 'used to indicate the direction to send one's thought.'
Next is the contemplation of clear water, then visualizing it turning into ice. Because the ground of that land is made of lapis lazuli, which is difficult to visualize, one is first instructed to visualize ice. When the visualization of ice succeeds, the jeweled ground can be seen; thus it says: 'truly representing the ground of lapis lazuli.'
Next, presenting the contemplation of the trees: the sutra merely says, 'Those jeweled trees are fully endowed with flowers and leaves of the seven treasures,' without mentioning the wind singing heavenly music; this phrase is drawn from the shorter sutra to complete the text for the tree contemplation. Thus that sutra says: 'A gentle breeze stirs the rows of jeweled trees and jeweled nets, producing subtle and wondrous sounds, like hundreds of thousands of musical instruments playing together at once'; hence it says: 'resounding in unison with heavenly music.'
Next, presenting the contemplation of the ponds: the sutra says, 'The water of the eight ponds flows from the wish-fulfilling jewel-king, dividing into fourteen streams, with yellow gold forming their channels. The water of jewels pours among the flowers, its subtle sound proclaiming suffering, emptiness, impermanence, non-self, and the various pāramitās,' and so forth; hence it says: 'harmonizing their tones with the scriptures.'
Second, from 'Contemplating the uṣṇīṣa...' onward, presenting the primary reward. First, the contemplations of the two bodhisattvas Avalokiteśvara and Mahāsthāmaprāpta are clarified, because both contemplations explain the uṣṇīṣa. The sutra says: 'If there is someone who wishes to contemplate the Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara, they should first contemplate the uṣṇīṣa on his head, next contemplate the heavenly crown, and then sequentially contemplate the remaining bodily marks.' Regarding Mahāsthāmaprāpta, the sutra says: 'The uṣṇīṣa on his head is like a padma flower; above the uṣṇīṣa there is a treasure vase filled with brilliant light, manifesting all Buddha-works everywhere. The rest of his bodily marks are identical to those of Avalokiteśvara.' This is the Tathāgata instructing practitioners in the essential contemplations of the two great beings. These two bodhisattvas are next in line to become buddhas, and presently serve as close attendants; hence the text says 'gazing upon the attendants.'
Next, presenting the contemplation of Amitāyus: the sutra states, 'One who contemplates the Buddha Amitāyus enters through a single mark or feature; merely contemplate the white curl between his eyebrows, making it extremely clear. Those who see the white curl between his eyebrows will naturally see all eighty-four thousand marks and features.' Is this not teaching the portal of contemplation? Hence it says: 'mindful of the mark of the white curl, one beholds the Tathāgata.'
Third, from 'When their eyes close...' onward, presenting the contemplation of the three grades. The commentary below explains: 'There are two intentions in contemplating rebirth in the three grades: first, to cause one to abandon the middle and lower grades and cultivate the upper grade; second, to make one recognize the levels of attainment, which correspond to the three grades in the larger sutra.' These two intentions: the first spurs one's own practice, and the second contemplates others; therefore they are briefly recounted here. Spurring one's own practice means that practitioners of contemplation possess varying depths of achievement, leading to their rebirth being differentiated into three grades; hence it says, 'When their eyes close and their end is announced,' and so forth.
First, clarifying the highest and middle levels of the upper grade: since the sutra states that the highest level rides a vajra dais and the middle level sits on a purple-gold dais, it says: 'ascending the precious dais.'
Next, from 'The character formed...' onward, the lowest level of the upper grade is clarified. The sutra says: 'They immediately see their own body sitting on a golden lotus flower.' 'The character formed as the seal breaks': chapter 27 of the *Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra* states, 'Just as when a wax seal is pressed into clay, the seal and the clay unite; when the seal breaks, the character is formed.' This serves as an analogy for an ordinary being's present aggregate extinguishing while the intermediate state aggregate arises. This text is borrowed here to illustrate the rebirth of a bodhisattva whose aggregate in this land is extinguished while their aggregate in that realm arises. One must realize that seeing oneself sitting on a golden lotus at the moment of death is already the arising aggregate of that realm. The *Satyasiddhi-śāstra* explains that both the extremely good and the extremely evil do not pass through the intermediate state, just like an arrow leaving the bowstring. Although three ranks were mentioned above, they all belong to the upper grade.
Next, universally showing that those reborn across all three grades escape transmigration. Saying 'following the three grades' does not mean following others, but following what one has cultivated oneself; the practices across all three grades can cut across the five destinies, granting eternal non-retrogression. The larger sutra states: 'Being reborn in the land of Anyang cuts horizontally across the five evil destinies.' The 'five sufferings' refer to the five destinies of this world, none of which escapes suffering; even though the heavenly destiny is pleasurable, one still falls back into the evil destinies.
Second, from 'This may indeed be called...' onward, concluding with praise for the contemplative practice. 'Subtle practices' praises the three kinds of karma: although they consist of physical and verbal activities, they are good deeds; now cultivated in accordance with the noumenon, they all become unconditioned, subtle, and formless practices. 'Wondrous contemplation' praises the sixteen contemplations: although relying on the environmental and primary rewards of Anyang, they all accord with the nature and illuminate it beyond duality, which is precisely the inconceivable and perfectly wondrous contemplation. This contemplative practice enables practitioners to reach the four pure lands; even if they still possess delusions of view and thought, they can attain non-retrogression. It is truly the ultimate path and the most essential, wondrous method. Concluding with such praise intends to inspire listeners to esteem and cultivate it. Unworthy individuals flippantly dismiss birth and death and do not seek non-retrogression; toward this essential method, they give rise to slander and hinder others—how grievous, how grievous!
1.5
Second, from "This sūtra..." onwards, he states the sūtra's central doctrine and substance. Regarding "mind contemplation": the sūtra takes contemplating the Buddha as its title, yet the commentary here takes mind contemplation as its central doctrine. Only when these two are understood as not distinct is it the contemplation of the present [sūtra]. For the perfect understanding is completely different from the Hīnayāna. The lesser [vehicle] is blind to mind-only; to it, the Buddha exists externally, and therefore mind and Buddha are different in substance. The Mahāyāna practitioner knows that our single mind inherently possesses the nature of all buddhas; relying on an object to cultivate contemplation, the marks of the Buddha then become manifest. Now, contemplating Amida's environment and self serves as the condition that perfumates the mind-nature. The Sukhāvatī environment and self inherently possessed by the mind-nature are brought forth through this perfuming. Since they are inherently possessed by the mind and brought forth [from it], how could they be apart from the mind-nature? The entirety of the mind is the Buddha; the entirety of the Buddha is the mind. To contemplate the mind all day long is to contemplate the Buddha all day long. Therefore, though the words of the sūtra's title and the commentary's formulation of the central doctrine differ, their meaning is not different.
Moreover, one must understand: if one contemplates the Buddha, one must illuminate the mind; but if one exclusively contemplates the mind, one does not necessarily rely on a Buddha—as in the single-practice samādhi, where one directly contemplates a single thought without relying on another Buddha as the object. By contrast, in the pratyutpanna-[samādhi] and this contemplation method, from the very outset one contemplates the environment and self of Anyang, yet this contemplation of environment and self is not apart from the mind-nature; hence it is called "mind contemplation". One must know that this contemplation does not exclusively contemplate the mind; dividing into inner and outer, this corresponds to external contemplation, because it contemplates by relying on that environment and self. It is for this reason that the sūtra title is called "Contemplating the Buddha".
If one discusses difficulty and ease, one must now follow what is easy. The Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sūtra states: "The Buddha-dharma is too exalted, and sentient beings are too vast; for beginners, [contemplating them] is difficult. The mind, the buddhas, and sentient beings—these three are without distinction; contemplating the mind is easy." Now, this contemplation method does not merely contemplate the Buddha; rather, it is based on mind contemplation, revealing the exalted through the lowly. Thus, although one cultivates the Buddha-contemplation, it is not called difficult. Hence we know that this sūtra takes mind contemplation as its central doctrine with the intent of seeing the Buddha; thus the two statements do not follow divergent paths.
Furthermore, one must understand: the wondrous, inconceivable substance of the harmonious dharmadhātu constitutes our single thought of mind, and in its entire substance it also constitutes sentient beings and buddhas, constitutes environment and self, and constitutes sense faculties and sense objects. From a single mind or a single speck of dust down to a single infinitesimal particle, there is none that is not constituted by the entire substance of the dharmadhātu. Since each and every phenomenon is constituted by the entire dharmadhātu, whatever single phenomenon one points to is entirely the harmonious dharmadhātu. Since it is the entire dharmadhātu, what single thing could fail to inherently possess all phenomena? As the biased masters mentioned in the Illustrative Examples claimed: "The Perfect [Teaching] among the Four Teachings only asserts that the mind inherently possesses all phenomena, but does not assert inherent possession in physical form or environmental reward. Only the unique Sudden-Sudden [Teaching] explains that all three places inherently possess all phenomena." Jingxi argued against this, saying: "When has the Perfect [Teaching] among the Four Teachings ever failed to state that all three places inherently possess phenomena? If one who receives our lineage says that the mind possesses them while form and the like do not, he shares the mistaken view of establishing a 'Gradual-Perfect', which is as far apart from that 'Sudden-Sudden' as heaven and earth, and is even inferior to it; how could he belong to our lineage?" Because all phenomena each and every one inherently possess all phenomena, our school establishes such doctrines as "form-only" and "fragrance-only".
If that is so, why do sūtras and treatises mostly take the single mind as the general object of contemplation for all phenomena? Because if one contemplates objects such as sentient beings or buddhas, the phenomena are already separated and distant, making it difficult to forget subject and object. Contemplating the phenomenon of the mind is proximate and essential: since it is that which produces, the meaning of inherent possession is easily manifested. Furthermore, that which contemplates is identical to that which is illuminated, making it easy to cut off discursive thoughts. The Profound Meaning states: "'These three are without distinction; contemplating the mind is easy.' Even when contemplating other objects, one must still do so in terms of the mind." This sūtra precisely contemplates the Buddha in terms of the mind.
Regarding "taking the real mark as its substance": only the central doctrine of mind contemplation can reveal and bring forth the deep and broad substance of the real mark of the Middle Way. Why is this? If one contemplates the Buddha outside the mind, even if one can infer the noumenon, one only sees the biased truth, just as when Subhūti contemplated the Buddha's dharmakāya and merely realized the lesser truth. Now, based on mind-only, contemplating the Buddha's environment and self directly reveals and brings forth the substance of the middle and real on the spot; the Middle necessarily illuminates both, possessing all three truths. Therefore it says, "This sūtra takes mind contemplation as its central doctrine and the real mark as its substance," particularly raising them here.
Raising the central doctrine and substance serves to complete the preceding account of the contemplation and to reveal the subsequent account of the title. It "completes the preceding" because although the text accounting for the contemplation contained the meaning of the three contemplations and four lands, its words were general and brief; fearing that those who miss the point might think it only recounted the intention of the contemplation practice of the land of common residence, therefore, having finished accounting for the contemplation, he specifically indicates the central doctrine of the wondrous contemplation of mind-only to reveal the substance of the real mark of the Middle Way. Since the real mark is the land of eternally quiescent light, if one were to say that the sixteen [contemplations] only contemplate the marks of the environment and self of the response Buddha, how could they reveal this real mark of quiescent light? If one applies the perfect threefold contemplation to the sixteen, and can even induce the Sukhāvatī of quiescent light, how could one fail to induce the Sukhāvatī of the [other] three lands? By this he completes the preceding explanations of the Land of Bliss, gold and jewels, and so forth, showing that all of them clarify the causes and effects of the four kinds of pure lands. It "reveals the subsequent" because if practitioners grasp this intention of the central doctrine and substance, they will know that in the account of the title, the Buddha who speaks, the contemplation objects, assembly, and environmental reward that are spoken of, as well as the common title—all such meanings are completely perfect and wondrous, neither lesser nor biased; only then do they constitute the words of the opening title of this sūtra. To state the central doctrine and substance precisely at the threshold between accounting for the contemplation and accounting for the title—such is the intention here.
Third, from "As for..." onwards, he accounts for the sūtra's title. This has two parts: first, the specific title. The seven characters fully encompass that which speaks and that which is spoken of, that which contemplates and that which is contemplated; the main text explaining the title will fully reveal their meanings. Here, the preface merely clarifies the intention of establishing the title by subsuming the inferior under the superior and gathering the specific into the general. Because among the sixteen objects the object of the Buddha is supreme, it says: "The Buddha is the supreme object to be contemplated." For the sixteen contemplations do not go beyond environment and self, or the retinue and the master. If one speaks of environment and self, the Buddha is the primary reward; raising the primary encompasses the environmental, thereby subsuming the six contemplations of the sun, water, ground, trees, and so forth. If one divides the retinue and the master, the Buddha is the teaching master; stating the master includes the retinue, thereby subsuming the nine contemplations of Avalokiteśvara, Mahāsthāmaprāpta, the three grades, and so forth. Therefore it says: "Although the contemplations are sixteen, mentioning the Buddha makes it complete." Thus, entering the main text, he explains that which contemplates through the perfect threefold contemplation, and explains the Buddha who is contemplated through the wondrous three bodies. Since the Buddha already subsumes the remaining fifteen objects, is not each and every one of them the wondrously perfect three truths and three contemplations?
Second, from "As for sūtra..." onwards, the common title. In Confucian commentaries on the classics, there are these two glosses: as a rule for ten thousand generations, it is glossed as "model" (fa); as unchanging through a hundred kings, it is glossed as "constant" (chang). With Buddhist sūtras it is also thus: they are the norm across the ten realms and unchanging throughout the three times; furthermore, [the character] jing is explained in terms of "route" or "source" (you). Because it is the Dharma of personal realization proclaimed from the golden mouth of the Buddha, the great sage, it is named a sūtra. The Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sūtra explains the common title in detail; students of our school must investigate it.
Second, entering the text has two parts: first, taking the meaning to explain the title, which has two parts: first, listing the headings. The note stating "and so on" instructs one to rely on the various works to clarify the general explanation of the five chapters, of which the Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sūtra is the most detailed. Thus that text states: "Regarding the common [explanation], there are seven rounds of shared explanation: first, presenting the headings; second, citing proof; third, sequential arising; fourth, opening and combining; fifth, categorisation and selection; sixth, contemplating the mind; seventh, reconciling differences. Presenting the headings makes them easy to remember and uphold, because it arouses the mindful mind. Citing proof relies on the Buddha's words, because it arouses the faithful mind. Sequential arising prevents disorder, because it arouses the concentrated mind. Opening and combining, categorisation and selection, reconciling differences, and so forth arouse the wise mind. Contemplating the mind means practicing as soon as one hears, because it arouses the energetic mind. When the five minds are established, they become the five roots; repelling the five hindrances, they become the five powers, up to entering the three liberations." A brief explanation of the shared meaning of the seven layers is like this; the present commentary follows brevity and merely lists the five names.
1.6.1
Second, the commentary on the text, in five parts: first, explaining the title, in two parts: first, introducing it; second, from 'All [sūtras]' onward, explaining it, in two parts: first, briefly indicating it with respect to the common, in two parts: first, discussing common and specific with respect to the three locations, in three parts: first, regarding the lifetime teaching, in two parts: first, explaining, in two parts: first, indicating that the titles possess common and specific. Other masters, in explaining sūtra titles, all take the word 'sūtra' as the teaching that expresses, and the remaining words as the meaning that is expressed. Making this division severely violates the Buddha's intention. Moreover, persons, dharmas, and analogies are all names; how could they not be that which expresses? How could they exclusively belong to the meaning that is expressed? The word 'sūtra' cannot exclusively belong to the teaching. As the Wondrous Sūtra says: 'The storehouse of the Dharma Flower Sūtra is deep, solid,幽 distant, and no one can reach it.' It also says: 'Being protected and kept in mind by the buddhas, planting roots of virtue, entering the group of the truly settled, and giving rise to the mind to rescue all sentient beings—accomplishing these four dharmas, one will certainly attain this sūtra.' The commentary explains that these four are opening, displaying, awakening to, and entering the Buddha's knowledge and vision; when knowledge and vision verify the principle, this is called attaining the sūtra. Do not these two passages take principle as the sūtra? The Golden Light says: 'The buddhas of the ten directions are constantly mindful of this sūtra.' Could this cause the buddhas to be mindful only of the teaching? Cases like this are numerous, and cannot all be cited. Thus we know that the various masters, in explaining the titles of the various sūtras through that which expresses and that which is expressed, err greatly with respect to the purport. Our school universally uses the common and the specific to explain titles, and only then is there no fault. Second, from 'The common is' onward, explaining that there are three kinds of common and specific. In our present explanation of the two designations—common and specific—of the various sūtras, both are that which expresses, and both are that which is expressed. This is because the common and the specific each possess the teaching, practice, and principle; do not say that these two designations reside only in the teaching. One must know that the common and specific inherently have names of teaching, names of practice, and names of principle. For instance, in a specific title, 'The Buddha spoke' is the teaching, 'contemplation' is the practice, and 'the Buddha of Immeasurable Life' is the principle—are these not specific teaching, specific practice, and specific principle? Pairing these three specifics with the word 'sūtra', there is the common teaching, common practice, and common principle. Now, among these three, first, explaining the common and specific of teaching, in two parts: first, directly explaining the lifetime teaching. As for the common name, whether spoken suddenly or spoken gradually, whether deploying the provisional or opening the provisional, outside of the Vinaya and treatises they are all named 'sūtra'; hence it is called common. As for the specific name, specific marks are indeed many, but here we follow three kinds: namely, person, dharma, and analogy. The simple three, the compound three, together with the one that is complete, make up the seven specifics. The simple three are: simple person, as in the Amitābha Sūtra, etc.; simple dharma, as in the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra, etc.; simple analogy, as in the Brahmajāla Sūtra, etc. The compound three are: person and dharma, as in the Mañjuśrī's Inquiry on Prajñā Sūtra, etc.; dharma and analogy, as in the Saddharmapuṇḍarīka Sūtra, etc.; person and analogy, as in the Tathāgata's Lion's Roar Sūtra, etc. The one complete in person, dharma, and analogy is, for instance, the Śrīmālā Lion's Roar One Vehicle Great Expedient Extensive Sūtra, etc. By joining these seven specifics with the common, the Buddha's lifetime Dharma is collectively designated. Second, from 'In the present sūtra' onward, specifically pointing to this sūtra. In discussing the lifetime teaching originally, mentioning this sūtra is to clarify that among the seven specifics, this belongs to simple person; hence it is stated. Although it belongs to simple person, the persons are divided into two: the speaker, Śākyamuni, and the spoken of, Amida; using these two persons, they form the specific designation. The sūtra is shared across the lifetime teaching; hence it is called the common name. Given that it has the word 'contemplation', it should properly be person and dharma; but the active conforms to the object, and is subsumed under the person, so it is briefly omitted. However, dividing common and specific here is not like the extensive explanation, so it is not yet detailed. Second, from 'As practice' onward, the common and specific of practice. Various sūtras use one kind of practice as the specific name; paired with the common name, 'sūtra' is the common practice. If we discuss specific practices, their number is immeasurable, and it is hard to speak of them exhaustively. Now, presenting them by incremental numbers to practitioners, they seem graspable: one is like the one practice, etc.; two is like the two knowledges, etc.; three is like the threefold contemplation, etc.; four is like the four stations of mindfulness, etc.; five is like the five faculties, etc.; six is like the six wondrous [doors], etc.; seven is like the seven factors of awakening, etc.; eight is like the eightfold correct [path], etc.; nine is like the nine dhyānas, etc.; ten is like the ten pāramitās, etc., and so on up to hundreds, thousands, myriads, kotis, and immeasurable practices. These specific practices all tend toward nirvāṇa and culminate in the four virtues, spoken of briefly as permanence and bliss. Regarding their tending toward nirvāṇa, the specific practices are common; hence it is the sūtra of practice. In that Explication, cause and fruit were used to distinguish the common and specific of practice. One must know that its meaning does not imply that only upon reaching the fruit does the practice become common. If you wish to understand its meaning: based on each cultivating the cause, it is named specific practice; regarding tending toward the one fruit, these specifics are common. This is discussing the common at the time of the specific, and discussing the specific at the time of the common. How could it be so only for practice? Teaching and principle are also like this. For instance, pairing capacity and response with the common and specific of teaching: the Buddha preaches the Dharma with a single voice, and sentient beings each attain understanding according to their kind. Their individual understandings are the specific capacity; the single voice is the common response. The individual understandings are not separate from the single voice, and the single voice does not obstruct the individual understandings. Just as the Profound Meaning of the Golden Light takes the expressing characters as the common teaching, and the rationale of that which expresses as the specific teaching—the rationale being the four siddhāntas—each and every siddhānta employs characters, and each and every character is not separate from the siddhāntas. Just as pairing name and reality with the common and specific of principle: many names are not separate from the one reality, and the one reality does not obstruct many names; hence the three commons and specifics are all simultaneous. They are entirely like the notes of wind and string instruments in music: regarding the sound, it is common; regarding the melody, it is specific. The two functions, common and specific, do not obstruct each other. Third, from 'Although principle' onward, the common and specific of principle. Name and reality being paired, name is the door, which manifests the one principle through the four doors; it is also phenomenal specifics paired with the common principle. This is because various sūtras mostly use a single phenomenon to manifest the principle, obtaining the specific name of principle. As in the title of this sūtra, the name 'the Buddha of Immeasurable Life' is taken as the specific principle; paired with the common name, 'sūtra' is the common principle. If, throughout the lifetime teaching, one explains sūtra titles by the common and specific principle, nothing is better than taking the four doors as the specific principle. The four doors are: the door of existence, the door of emptiness, the door of both, and the door of neither. The names of the four doors are common. One must distinguish the four teachings: namely, the Tripiṭaka Teaching, the Common Teaching, the Separate Teaching, and the Perfect Teaching. The four teachings each open four doors such as existence, so four times four becomes sixteen doors; expressing specific principles, they form sixteen principles. Since principle is not even one, how could there be sixteen? Yet principle is unobstructed and can correspond to the various doors, just as space in its substance is truly neither square nor round, neither large nor small, but because it is unobstructed, it can follow those square and round objects to form immeasurable marks. Speaking from the immeasurable, this is the specific principle; its substance being the one emptiness, this is named the common principle. There is no common without the specific, and no specific without the common; the common and the specific joined together form a single title.
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