觀無量壽佛經疏妙宗鈔 3.2.5

3.2.5

If one does not use the perfect and wondrous threefold contemplation to evoke the four pure lands, then the passages setting forth the topic and concluding it would be utterly useless. For whose sake was the threefold contemplation explained in the title? Where would it be applied? If one says that to evoke the two pure lands of Real Reward and Quiescent Light requires the perfect threefold contemplation, but that for the pure [land] of remainder one needs only to cultivate the contemplation of phenomenal emptiness, and that for the pure [land] of common residence one only needs phenomenal practice without requiring the threefold contemplation, this doctrine is incorrect. Contemplating the emptiness of phenomena in a biased way and various phenomenal practices, although they are causes for these two kinds of pure land, are not the precise purports demonstrated by this sūtra. Because this sūtra was originally preached for Vaidehī, who reviled the defilement of common residence and sought the purity of common residence, it expounds the wondrous contemplation to contemplate that [land's] environment and self; how could one rashly say that evoking the pure [land] of common residence does not require the threefold contemplation? If the threefold contemplation is accomplished, coarse defilements will fall away first; if not the pure [land] of remainder, where else would one be reborn? Could the pure [land] of remainder not be [the result of] the wondrous contemplation? One must understand that it was precisely for rebirth in the pure [land] of common residence that the threefold contemplation was taught. Truly, because this contemplation is wondrous, it can shatter the three delusions; it does not solely evoke the pure land of common residence, but in accordance with the depth or shallowness of one's severance of delusions, it naturally evokes the three [higher lands] including the [land of] remainder. Just as a disease requires medicine primarily to bring peace to the body, when one seeks and obtains an immortal's recipe, compounds it, and takes it, it not only brings peace to the body but can also lighten the bones. Peace of the body can be compared to being reborn in the pure [land] of common residence, and lightening of the bones can be compared to evoking the upper three lands. It is merely a single medicine, yet its efficacy is profound and supreme, just as a single wondrous contemplation can purify the four lands. The Awakening of Faith states that when an initial practitioner cultivates the correct faith of the Mahāyāna, fearing that in this land one will not constantly encounter a Buddha and that faith will retrogress and be lost, he is taught to seek rebirth in the world of Sukhāvatī, causing him to contemplate that Buddha's tathatā dharmakāya, so that he will ultimately attain rebirth and abide in the correct determination. Without the perfect threefold contemplation, how could one illuminate the dharmakāya? How could one say that the cause of Sukhāvatī is only phenomenal goodness? Fourth, discussing the function. The substance (central theme) is the practice cultivated for one's own practice; the function is the practice applied to benefit others. Because one's own practice inclines toward the noumenon, the wondrous contemplation is illuminated; transforming others to gather faculties must encompass all good deeds. If others are suited to the wondrous contemplation, one must also teach them to cultivate it as an aid to their own practice; how could one discard all good deeds? Therefore, the teachings of the substance and the function are completely equal, differing only as one's own practice and the transformation of others. The text has two parts: first, stating the name and briefly indicating [the meaning]. Only when there is power is there function; hence it says "power and function." What do power and function do? They produce good and eradicate evil. Practitioners should understand the three [aspects of] essence, substance, and function. Explaining these three teachings distinctly, they arise from the single nature into two cultivations: essence is the nature revealed by the dharmakāya; substance is the wisdom that reveals, which is prajñā; and function is the power that arises, which is liberation. Although the two are accomplished through cultivation, one must know that they are inherently present; although the one is nature, it arises in its entirety to become cultivation. Therefore they are neither sequential nor horizontal, and are inconceivable. The two virtues in nature refer entirely to delusions and karma, which are the two cultivations of good and evil inherently contained in the nature. Now, when the inverted cultivations are realized as essence, since they are entirely inherently contained in the nature, being interfused and wondrous right there, they are the virtues for transforming others; hence these two are taken as the substance and function of the sūtra. Function pervades all things; it is not without the function of evil, but because it accords with the nature, it produces good and eradicates evil. Therefore, when defiled and evil functions accord with nature, using them is most able to eradicate evil. Under "eradicates evil," it explains extensively according to the meaning, in two parts: first, clarifying in full according to good and evil. Since power and function are applied, they must accomplish merit and virtue; therefore a single function has four names. Speaking biasedly, eradicating evil requires the application of power, and producing good lies in the virtuous function; this is a preliminary statement. If stated a second time, power, function, merit, and virtue can all eradicate evil, and power, function, merit, and virtue can all produce good. One must know that the eradication of evil reaches down to Avīci, and the production of good properly reaches up to wondrous awakening; only then are they the power, function, merit, and virtue of a perfect sūtra. Second, under "suffering is...," it explains biasedly with regard to eradicating evil, in two parts: first, no evil is not eliminated. Regarding the eradication of evil, one must eliminate the evil cause in order to remove the evil fruit. If practitioners of the two types—those experiencing karmic recompense and those cultivating causes—do not remove the three poisons, the root of all suffering, even if they temporarily avoid suffering, it is not an eternal cessation. Now, clarifying the transformation of others through cultivating the Pure Land contemplation causes all evil causes and fruits to be extinguished together. Even if delusions are not yet severed, upon rebirth there they will not arise, and their severance will not be long off; hence it can eternally eradicate evil causes and evil fruits. In short, the power and function of this sūtra eradicates the causes of the five entrenchments and removes the fruits of the two deaths. Second, under "therefore...," it reveals [it] distinctly based on the weightiest. Among evils, the heaviest does not exceed the five heinous offenses. The five heinous offenses are karma arising from upper-grade afflictions, incurring Avīci suffering. The great power of this sūtra can eradicate such extremely heavy three obstacles, immediately leading to rebirth in the Pure Land. If the nature of these three obstacles were not the three virtues, how could Avīci be transformed into Sukhāvatī? For the most dull-rooted, it discusses ten recitations to be reborn in the lowest grade; for the sharp-rooted, it is not impossible to be reborn in the upper eight grades. Because the essence of the five heinous offenses is Quiescent Light, one can thereby purify the four Buddha-lands. Fifth, classifying the characteristics of the teaching. The teaching consists of the words of the sage to guide those below. Characteristics are the appearances, which can be distinguished by inspection. The four meanings above are all verbal teachings; that is, the teachings that explain the name, the essence, the substance, and the function. If one distinguishes them by their characteristics, it will cause those who examine them to see them clearly; hence its characteristics are shown in terms of the five periods, the two piṭakas, and gradual and sudden. The text has two parts: first, directly classifying the teaching expounded, in three parts: first, classifying according to the five periods, in two: first, clarifying the division of the teaching. Between Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna, this belongs to Mahāyāna. In the sūtra there is also Bimbisāra realizing the small [vehicle], yet he was not the primary capacity for whom this teaching was intended. Now, taking [the fact that] it was primarily to preach the Pure Land contemplation for Vaidehī and others, it is not even the Common or Separate [Teachings], so how could it be Hīnayāna? Among the five periods, it is the third, the Vaipulya period. Second, under "responding to capacities...," clarifying broad and brief. This only differentiates the textual characteristics, without yet discussing focused and scattered [contemplation]. Second, classifying according to the two piṭakas. Classifying the teaching according to persons, this belongs to the Bodhisattva [Piṭaka]. Although sūtras such as the Āgamas speak of the three vehicles, based on the majority and the primary focus, they belong to the Śrāvaka Piṭaka. Although various Mahāyāna divisions contain the two vehicles, they are not the primary intent of the division; therefore the classification of the piṭaka returns to the Bodhisattva. Third, according to gradual and sudden. If one discusses gradual and sudden in terms of the converting ritual, the Avataṃsaka belongs to sudden, and the three periods are all gradual. This sūtra is in the Vaipulya [period], so it is not sudden in converting ritual. As for this sūtra being sudden, it takes the perfect as sudden within the converting teaching; therefore, judging from Vaidehī attaining the [anutpattika-dharma-]kṣānti in this very body, the teaching is classified as sudden. Now, the stage of anutpattika-dharma-kṣānti lies at the first bhūmi in the Separate Teaching, and at the first abidance in the Perfect Teaching. An ordinary person of the Separate Teaching must pass through countless kalpas before reaching this stage, whereas only in the Perfect Teaching can one enter it in this very life. If one takes the concluding benefit to classify the teaching, biased and perfect become most obvious; therefore the present text determines it according to the stage realized by the primary capacity: it is sudden, not gradual. Second, under "the title states...," parenthetically selecting the person capable of speaking. If spoken by four [types of] persons and certified by the Tathāgata, it may also be called a sūtra.