阿彌陀經疏 1.178

1.178

答：「若彼經據畢竟空理說，今此經據接引說，從淺至深。故《十住毘婆沙》云：新發意菩薩若念佛者，先念色身，應以三十二相八十種好念色身佛，心漸漸得入深法者，應念法身佛，次轉深入得上勢力，應以實相念，莫以色身念，亦莫著法身，善知一切法永寂如虛空故，無所念亦無能念者，是真實念者，今為新發意者旦以事相念。即《優婆塞戒經》云：佛有七勝事故將以須念：一身勝，具諸相好圓滿故；二如法住勝，三業常無失故；三智勝，具一切種智故；四具足勝，一切福德圓滿故；五行處勝，常在三昧故；六不思議勝，六通具足故也；七解脫勝，一切煩惱正習俱盡故。」

Answer: "That sūtra speaks based on the principle of ultimate emptiness, whereas this sūtra speaks based on guiding and receiving, progressing from shallow to deep. Thus the *Daśabhūmika-vibhāṣā* says: 'If a newly resolved bodhisattva is mindful of the Buddha, they first recollect the physical body, contemplating the physical Buddha by means of the thirty-two marks and eighty minor signs. When their mind gradually enters the profound Dharma, they should recollect the Dharma-body Buddha. Then, progressing deeper and obtaining superior power, they should be mindful through the true mark, not recollecting through the physical body, nor clinging to the Dharma body. Because they skillfully understand that all dharmas are eternally tranquil like empty space, with nothing that is recollected and no one who can recollect, this is true mindfulness.' Here, for the sake of the newly resolved, mindfulness is temporarily performed through phenomenal characteristics. That is, the *Upāsaka-śīla-sūtra* says: 'The Buddha has seven supreme qualities, and therefore must be recollected: first, supremacy of body, because he is complete with all marks and signs; second, supremacy of abiding in accord with Dharma, because his three actions are eternally without error; third, supremacy of wisdom, because he possesses all-aspect knowledge; fourth, supremacy of endowment, because all merits are fulfilled; fifth, supremacy of sphere of practice, because he is constantly in samādhi; sixth, supremacy of the inconceivable, because he is endowed with the six superknowledges; seventh, supremacy of liberation, because all defilements and residual impressions are entirely exhausted.'"