阿彌陀經疏 1.164

1.164

答：「據《無量壽經》等，說是欲界。然《智度論》云：若他方化土雜惡不淨者，是名欲界攝。若清淨者，非三界攝，又有形故非無色界，地居故非色界，無欲故非欲界。是故彼土住似欲界而非欲界，故非三界攝，無實畜生。故《正法念經》云：四天已上即無實畜生。諸天福力為莊嚴處所亦有禽獸，然非實報，何況淨土而得有之！」

Answer: "Based on the *Sūtra of Immeasurable Life* and others, they say it is the realm of desire. However, the *Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa* states: if another region's transformation land is mixed, evil, and impure, it is called 'included in the realm of desire'; if it is pure, it is not included in the three realms. Furthermore, because there is physical form, it is not the formless realm; because it is ground-dwelling, it is not the form realm; and because there is no desire, it is not the realm of desire. Therefore, that land abides in a way that resembles the realm of desire, but is not the realm of desire; hence it is not included in the three realms, and there are no actual animals. Thus the *Saddharmasmṛtyupasthāna-sūtra* states: above the Four Heavenly Kings, there are no actual animals; through the power of merit of the devas, there are also birds and beasts to adorn their dwellings, yet they are not actual retributive births—how much less could they exist in a pure land!"