觀無量壽佛經疏妙宗鈔 3.2.4

3.2.4

The Commentary uses the Great [Vehicle] to refute the Hīnayāna notion that there are no lands beyond the realm [of desire, form, and formlessness], specifically stating, 'Going beyond the realms, there are pure lands.' In Hīnayāna the dharma-nature possesses neither form nor mind; hence it specifically states, '[They] receive a body of dharma-nature.' Furthermore, the citation from the Lotus Sūtra regarding 'meeting other Buddhas' refers precisely to the Buddhas of the Land of Expedient Remainder. This concerns those who, after [the Buddha's] parinirvāṇa, do not encounter the four reliances and do not generate true faith, considering themselves to have attained permanent extinction and thus being reborn in the [Land of Expedient] Remainder; when they receive the Buddha's opening of the expedient, they are immediately able to resolve [their doubts].

Third, from 'Within this' onward explains sharp and dull [faculties] and purity and defilement. Sharp and dull faculties in that land are explained solely with reference to the Mahāyāna. If one has already cultivated the middle contemplation in this land, upon being born there one has sharp faculties, and the Buddha then expounds for them the non-gradual teaching. If one has not yet cultivated the middle contemplation in this land, upon being born there one has dull faculties, and the Buddha then expounds for them the gradual teaching. Those of sharp faculties abide above, hence it says 'pointing to the upper.' 'Pointing to the lower' follows this example. What those of sharp faculties perceive is identical to that Real Reward [Land], hence it is called 'pure.' What those of dull faculties perceive has marks inferior to the upper, hence it is called 'defiled.' Using the present sharp and dull [faculties] to test the preceding embodiment and analytical [contemplations]: only the Perfect [Teaching] is called embodiment; the preceding three are all analytical; the contemplation of the [Ten] Directions in the Separate [Teaching] slightly resembles the embodiment of the Perfect [Teaching].

Third, explaining [the Land of] Real Reward has three parts: First, explaining the name based on cause and effect. 'Those who practice the true path' refers to people of the Perfect [Teaching] from the initial [stages] onward, and people of the Separate [Teaching] from the Ten Directions onward, who are able to contemplate the middle in accord with reality regarding all phenomena. When the principle of the middle is now opened, it immediately brings about the wondrous reward. Form and mind are non-dual; a hair-pore and a world system mutually contain each other. It is inhabited purely by dharmakāya bodhisattvas, excluding even the semblance [stage] of the Perfect [Teaching], not to mention the seven expedients. The terminology of inclusion and exclusion is broad, so one should distinguish it well.

Second, from 'The Benevolent Kings' onward explains the marks based on sūtras and treatises. The Benevolent Kings [Sūtra] borrows [terms from] the Separate [Teaching] to designate the ranks of the Perfect [Teaching]: the 'three ranks of worthy sages and ten holy sages' borrows names from the Separate [Teaching]; 'abiding in the fruit of retribution' designates the ranks of the Perfect [Teaching]. Since the three ranks of worthy sages dwell in the fruit of retribution together with the ten holy sages, this proves it is Real Reward. If one does not realize the Middle Way, how could one abide in Real Reward? Hence we know that although the names are Separate, their meaning belongs to the Perfect. Here we take 'fruit of retribution' as evidence of the Land of Real Reward.

Question: Earlier it was explained that in the Real Reward [Land] there are no two vehicles; why then does it suddenly say that Kāśyapa danced? Answer: One must know that the four lands have horizontal and vertical aspects, yet also know that horizontal and vertical are within just a single locus. Just as any given place in the Land of Common Residence is itself Real Reward: if one breaks through ignorance and transforms one's body to enter it, this is the dharmakāya sharing the Buddha's essence and function, the wondrous reward conforming to reality. Even someone with the purification of the six sense faculties cannot take part in it; how could the two vehicles dwell there? This is discussing the Real Reward [Land] vertically within a single locus. If, without having broken through ignorance, one perceives it with this very body, this is because the Buddhas and great bodhisattvas bestow empowerment to enable those capable of seeing it to behold the Land of Real Reward. Because they have the requisite conditions, although they have not broken delusions, they have already cultivated the middle contemplation—just like the diverse assembly and capacities seated at the Avataṃsaka gathering who sympathetically resonated to behold the inconceivable body and land. Now, the citation from the treatise refers to the Vaipulya [period], where, in order to reprove [the śrāvakas], the supremely wondrous five dusts of the Real Reward Land were revealed, causing Kāśyapa and others to suddenly forget their modest desires and rise up dancing and playing. It was meant to make the śrāvakas know the wonder of the Great Dharma, giving rise to aspiration and scorning the lesser path. These are all horizontal discussions of the marks of the Real Reward Land in a single locus. Hence, when the capacities of the eight classes and two vehicles are mature, all behold it.

Now, to illustrate the superior land through an inferior analogy: it is like the ghost realm existing within the human sphere. If someone sheds their retribution and falls into that realm, they become identical with that class and do not share it with other humans. If someone with this very body can perceive that realm, it does not prevent others from also seeing its marks. Falling [into it] is an analogy for vertically entering the Real Reward Land; seeing [it] is an analogy for horizontally discussing the Real Reward Land. Since the Real Reward is like this, discussing Expedients and Quiescent Light as horizontally sharing the same locus is also like this. In the locus of Common Residence, one discusses the horizontal and vertical of three lands; in the locus of Expedients, one discusses the horizontal and vertical of two lands; in the locus of Real Reward, one discusses the horizontal and vertical of one land; arriving at the locus of Quiescent Light, there is neither horizontal nor vertical, nor is there any 'this very locus.'

Question: The treatise states, 'Kāśyapa felt such intense attachment toward the bodhisattvas' supremely wondrous five desires that he could not keep still and rose up dancing.' Yet in the Lotus Sūtra, Kāśyapa recounts that in the past, upon hearing of the bodhisattvas' dharmas and their playful mastery of supernatural powers, not a single thought of fondness or delight arose in his mind. Both instances concern the bodhisattvas' dharmas; why were attachment and aversion suddenly so contradictory? Answer: One should know that both minds are delusions of the Separate [Teaching]. Attachment to the wondrous desires is identical with the desire of identical essence; aversion to saving sentient beings is dust-and-sand [delusion] outside the realms—just like an unworthy son who only loves wealth and rank while neglecting cultivation and study. This is like the Vimalakīrti Reproving Śāriputra: 'Because habitual propensities are not yet exhausted, the flowers stick to your body.' Because he feared birth-and-death, the five desires found an opening. Since he feared birth-and-death, it refers to dust-and-sand [delusions] as habitual propensities. Furthermore, the citation of the immeasurable clouds of incense from the Avataṃsaka refers precisely to what was explained earlier: horizontally revealing the marks of Real Reward within Common Residence.

Third, from 'Within this' onward explains the gradual and sudden, purity and defilement.

Fourth, explaining Quiescent Light has three parts: First, establishing the name based strictly on the essence. The previous three lands pertain to phenomena; hence their land names are established according to the cause and effect of the resident beings' cultivation and eradication. This land pertains to principle; hence it is named after the threefold virtue of the fundamental essence.

Question: In partial realization of Quiescent Light, the three obstacles are not yet exhausted; how can the name be established solely with respect to principle? Answer: The aspect where obstacles are not yet exhausted naturally belongs to Real Reward. Here, with respect to the point where cause and effect are partially forgotten, it is named the intermediate and lower Land of Constant Quiescent Light.

Second, from 'All Buddhas' onward reveals the marks based on those capable of dwelling. The Golden Light [Sūtra] states: 'The Tathāgata roams in the immeasurable, extremely profound dharma-nature, the sphere of practice of all Buddhas, surpassing the purity of the sphere of practice of all bodhisattvas.' 'Immeasurable' is quiescent; 'extremely profound' is light; 'dharma-nature' is constant. Furthermore, the Samantabhadra Contemplation [Sūtra] states: 'Śākyamuni is named Vairocana; this Buddha's dwelling place is named Constant Quiescent Light: the place gathered and perfected by the pāramitā of constancy, the place established by the pāramitā of selfhood, the place free from the marks of body and mind through the pāramitā of bliss, and the place where marks of existence are extinguished through the pāramitā of purity.' Therefore, we know that this land is established from the ultimate point of the four virtues, using the four other shores to reveal the three virtues: constancy and selfhood are the dharmakāya; bliss is liberation; purity is prajñā. The three virtues mutually contain each other, each discussing the three; thus dharmakāya and the others each possess the four virtues. Although we speak of three and four, they are truly not twelve; students should understand that only this is called the secret treasury that is neither vertical nor horizontal.

Third, from 'Partially attained' onward explains partial and complete, purity and defilement. 'Partially attained' is termed defiled, discussed from the standpoint of the practitioner; the name 'Constant Quiescent Light' is established from the standpoint of the ultimate principle.

Third, from 'Therefore, using' onward concludes and demonstrates based on the meaning. Explaining the character 'contemplation' in the title clarified the perfect threefold contemplation, up to now clarifying the doctrine. First, it stated that taking the purification of the mind's contemplation as bringing about the purification of the Buddha lands is the doctrine and aim of the sūtra; next, it extensively clarified the purity and defilement of the four lands. Now it concludes by stating, 'Therefore, taking the cultivation of the wondrous contemplation of the mind as being able to stimulate sympathetic resonance with the pure land is the doctrine of the sūtra.'