觀無量壽佛經疏妙宗鈔 4.3.2

4.3.2

Third, from "will instantly obtain" onward, [the Buddha] briefly entrusts [the teaching] to Ānanda. The sūtra's phrase "like holding a bright mirror" and so forth means that the method of contemplation is like a mirror, cultivating it is like holding it, and when the contemplation is completed and the land appears, it is like seeing the reflection of one's own face. From this we know that only when one externally possesses the three kinds of pure karma and internally prepares the sixteen wondrous contemplations can one see it. Although this briefly entrusts the pure karma, its intention is to explain the wondrous contemplation. Regarding "the first abode and the first ground," both the abode of the Perfect [Teaching] and the ground of the Separate [Teaching] break through fundamental ignorance, which is the stage of anutpattika-dharma-kṣānti. The Miaoxuan, regarding the stage of the single reality, states: "If one enters the first abode, one directly breaks through fundamental ignorance; this clarifies the stage of anutpattika-dharma-kṣānti according to the Perfect Teaching." The intention here lies in the Perfect [Teaching]. Citing the five kinds of forbearance stages from the Benevolent Kings [Sūtra] serves to demonstrate that anutpattika-dharma-kṣānti resides above the [first] three forbearances. If based on the Separate Teaching: the ten faiths are the forbearance of subduing; the ten abodes are the forbearance of faith; from the ten practices onward is the forbearance of compliance; the ten grounds are the forbearance of non-arising (anutpattika-dharma-kṣānti); and wondrous awakening is the forbearance of quiescent extinction. If according to the stages of the Perfect [Teaching]: the five grades are the forbearance of subduing; the purity of the six faculties consists of the two forbearances of faith and compliance; from the first abode to equal awakening is named the forbearance of non-arising; and wondrous awakening is named the forbearance of quiescent extinction. However, since the first ground of the Separate [Teaching] is none other than the first abode of the Perfect [Teaching], the Benevolent Kings [Sūtra] is cited to verify the present stage. Practitioners should know that as the Tathāgata was about to expound the sixteen methods of contemplation, he made known in advance that what was expounded is the perfect, wondrous contemplation; therefore, he said that when all sentient beings contemplate Sukhāvatī and the contemplation is perfected, they will instantly obtain anutpattika-dharma-kṣānti. For this reason, when Vaidehī heard the sixteen [contemplations] expounded, her contemplation was perfected following his words, and when the exposition concluded, she immediately realized this wondrous stage. The sūtra shows that this contemplation is a direct, shortcut gate for attaining the first abode; therefore, it cannot be said to be merely imagining phenomena. Second, from "First, clarifying" onward, [the commentary] clarifies the sixteen wondrous contemplations in reply to [the request for] correct contemplation, which has two parts: first, dividing the sections. Second, from "You are..." onward, explaining the text, which has two parts: first, clarifying the cause of Vaidehī's seeing the land. The sūtra says: "Have not yet attained the heavenly eye," and so forth. Question: Aniruddha's heavenly eye is foremost, yet he only sees a trichiliocosm; how could someone who has attained the heavenly eye cross a hundred thousand kotis of lands to see Anyang? Answer: These words refer to one who has not yet attained the heavenly eye of a true partial bodhisattva, not to the two vehicles. Therefore, Chapter Twenty-Two of the Large Sūtra states: "The pure heavenly eye attained by a bodhisattva is different from that attained by voice-hearers and pratyekabuddhas." Because of this difference, they see all the present Buddhas of the ten directions simultaneously and everywhere. The Dazhidulun also shares this explanation. Regarding "Vaidehī is actually a great bodhisattva," this shows that Vaidehī originally abides in the dharmakāya, but in order to initiate the contemplation method of the Pure Land, she manifested as an ordinary person. Regarding "In this assembly, she will instantly obtain the forbearance of non-arising," "instantly" means "about to." In this assembly, upon hearing the contemplation, she is about to realize the dharma-forbearance; it does not mean that the previous passage speaking of anutpattika-dharma-kṣānti was Vaidehī's realization. The previous passage was speaking generally of future sentient beings who, by cultivating the sixteen contemplations, can attain non-arising. When people see the words "manifested as an ordinary person," they mistakenly think that the previous passage was Vaidehī's realization. One must know that "will instantly obtain" does not mean "has already obtained." Since it is said that she is actually a great bodhisattva, she had already long realized non-arising; the Tathāgata, relying on her trace manifestation, stated that she had the feeble and inferior mental imagery of an ordinary person. When an ordinary person of inferior imagery cultivates this and attains forbearance, it demonstrates that this wondrous contemplation can transform an inferior ordinary person, suddenly turning them into a perfect sage. Regarding "extraordinary expedient," the sixteen contemplation methods are extraordinary expedients. Therefore, the Treatise on the Awakening of Faith states: "The sūtras say that there is a superior expedient: fixing one's mindfulness on Sukhāvatī, causing one to be born in that land." Regarding "it is not simply the contemplation that is called an expedient," this means that regarding that environment and self, there are two expedients that can cause the ordinary persons of this land to see them. First is the expedient of correct contemplation through cultivating contemplation, which enables the mind's eye to see. Second is the expedient of the Buddha's spiritual power manifesting them, which enables the physical eyes to witness them. Since the cause of attaining vision has these two kinds, it is said that it is not simply the contemplation that is called an expedient. Causing them to see by the Buddha's power is also an expedient. Vaidehī thus obtained two kinds of vision: first, the vision she was about to have by performing the contemplation in accordance with the text; second, the vision she had already received through the manifestation by the Buddha's power. Therefore, it is called "the cause of Vaidehī's seeing the land." Second, from "Vaidehī" onward, requesting the method of seeing the land for the sake of future [beings], which has two parts: first, the request. Vaidehī first acknowledged the manifestation expedient as the reason for her request. Therefore, the sūtra states: "Just as I now, by the power of the Buddha, see that land..." But then she formally requested the expedient of the contemplation method, taking sentient beings as the condition for her request. Therefore, the sūtra states: "If after the Buddha's nirvāṇa all sentient beings, oppressed by the five sufferings of impurity, evil, and unwholesomeness, how will they see the world of Sukhāvatī?" Regarding the five sufferings, the commentary offers two explanations: first, explaining them as the lack of bliss in the five destinies. Second, explaining them as the five transgressions incurring retribution: the suffering of burning and boiling in hell, the suffering of hunger and emptiness among hungry ghosts, the suffering of butchery and slaughter among animals, the eight kinds of suffering among humans, and the suffering of the five signs of decay in heaven. As for the next explanation, the sage's intent is rich in meaning, further clarifying that the five evils incur two kinds of retribution. The names come from the larger edition of the Amitāyus Sūtra, which is what is called the "Large Sūtra" here. The commentary's text first lists the names of the three groups of five. Next, from "the five evils" onward, it explains and identifies the three groups of five. From killing to drinking alcohol are the causes of the five evils. From "as in the Large Sūtra" onward, it explains that the five agonies are the flower retribution. From "the five burnings" onward, it explains that the five burnings are the fruit retribution. However, both retributions lack five distinct characteristics; their each being called five is established entirely based on the five kinds of evil causes. Therefore, those five passages all conclude by saying: "This is one great evil, one agony, one burning," up to summarizing them as "five great evils, five agonies, and five burnings." Thus we know that the two groups of five are both established from the causes. Second, the answer, which has two parts: first, listing the contemplations and dividing the sections, which has two parts: first, listing the contemplations. The Yili states: "As for the three contemplations, in meaning there are only three kinds: first, proceeding from practice, contemplating the single mind solely in the midst of myriad objects. Although myriad objects are diverse, the principle of the wondrous contemplation is uniform, just as contemplating the aggregates and so forth is its meaning. Second, based on phenomenal characteristics of the Dharma, such as taking the texts on the four truths and the five practices and entering the single thought-moment of the mind to make a perfect contemplation. Third, relying on phenomena, just as Rājagṛha and Gṛdhrakūṭa derive their names from phenomena, borrowing phenomena to form contemplation in order to guide clung-to attachments, as seen in the examples of the Vaipulya and Samantabhadra [repentances]." Question: Among the three kinds, to which meaning do the present sixteen contemplations belong? Answer: Since they do not extract the phenomenal characteristics of the Dharma into the mind to complete the contemplation, they are certainly not based on the Dharma. Nor do they borrow the phenomenal meanings of those [locations] to establish the object and contemplation, clearly proving that they do not rely on phenomena. The Tathāgata directly discusses the gate of cultivating and realizing the practice of the sixteen contemplations; they properly correspond to 'proceeding from practice.' Question: The three kinds in the Yili are all noumenal contemplations; how can the present sixteen [contemplations], which pass through the phenomenal aspects of the environment and self, be included among the three kinds? Answer: The two kinds of threefold contemplation that rely on phenomena and are based on the Dharma possess both phenomena and noumenon; putting those aside for the moment, on what grounds could the threefold contemplation that proceeds from practice not pass through phenomena? Since it is said to 'proceed from practice,' it must involve the four kinds of samādhi practice.