阿彌陀經疏 1.119

1.119

謂上來別證分亦言證信序了，自下第二正說分。有人用此以下為發起分。今謂不然，此淨土之事如來前已說故，但舍衛國有人未聞者，故無問自說。若以此下乃至無有眾苦名為極樂是發起分者，如《觀經》指西方日沒等觀亦應是發起序，故知此下即為正說分。文有六節：一、標淨土果；二、舉淨土因；三、引六方以證誠；四、指三生以顯實；五、他述希有；六、自敘甚難。就初文復分二，先略、後廣。就略中復有七段：一、指方處；二、述遠近；三、舉國號；四、顯導師；五、明垂化；六、徵題目；七、釋得名。

This means that the preceding specific attestation section—also called the preface confirming faith—is concluded. From here begins the second part, the main discourse section. Some take what follows from this point onward as the introductory section that prompts [the teaching]. We now hold this to be incorrect: because the Tathāgata had already expounded the matters of this pure land previously, but some people in the kingdom of Śrāvastī had not yet heard it, he spoke unprompted without being asked. If what follows from here up to 'it is called Sukhāvatī because there is no suffering' were the introductory section that prompts [the teaching], then in the Contemplation Sūtra pointing to the contemplation of the setting sun in the west and so forth should also be an introductory preface. Therefore we know that what follows is the main discourse section. The text has six parts: first, marking the fruit of the pure land; second, presenting the causes of the pure land; third, citing the six directions to confirm its truth; fourth, pointing to the three kinds of rebirth to reveal the reality; fifth, others describing its rarity; sixth, self-describing the extreme difficulty. The first part is further divided into two: first brief, then extensive. Within the brief section there are further seven passages: first, pointing out the direction and location; second, stating the distance; third, presenting the country's name; fourth, revealing the guide; fifth, clarifying his shedding of transformation; sixth, questioning the title; seventh, explaining the acquisition of the name.