阿彌陀經疏 1.186

1.186

經曰：「是諸眾鳥，皆是阿彌陀佛欲令法音宣流變化所作」，次釋第五釋通也。人疑云：此鳥既非實報，當是何身？答：彼佛所化，或寶光明所作，意欲令其助宣正法。故《智度論》問云：淨土中諸佛有無量神力，何不但多化作佛處處說法度眾生，乃化作畜生樹木等說法也？答：若處處皆見佛身說法，眾生即不能信受，謂為幻化心不敬重，故於道難入，所以不化作佛。又如《本生經》說，若菩薩化作畜生身為人說法，以希有故聞者皆信受。又以畜生心直故不誑於人，聞則信受。又恐謂有情眾生是欺誑故，亦令無情樹木而演諸法，聞即信受。

The sūtra says: "All these birds are transformed by Amitābha Buddha wishing to cause the sound of the Dharma to circulate and spread." Next, this explains the fifth point, resolving [doubts]. People might doubt: Since these birds are not actual karmic retribution, what bodies must they be? The answer is: They are transformed by that Buddha, or made by jeweled radiance, with the intention of having them assist in proclaiming the true Dharma. Therefore, the *Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa* asks: The Buddhas in the pure land possess immeasurable spiritual powers; why do they not simply create many transformation Buddhas everywhere to explain the Dharma and deliver sentient beings, but instead transform into beasts, trees, and the like to explain the Dharma? The answer is: If sentient beings saw Buddha bodies explaining the Dharma everywhere, they would not be able to faithfully accept it, thinking them to be illusions and not revering them in their minds; thus it would be difficult for them to enter the Path, which is why he does not transform into Buddhas. Furthermore, as the *Jātaka Sūtra* says, if a bodhisattva transforms into an animal's body to explain the Dharma for humans, because it is rare and extraordinary, all who hear it faithfully accept it. Moreover, because the minds of beasts are straightforward and do not deceive humans, upon hearing it they faithfully accept it. Furthermore, fearing that sentient beings might be thought deceitful, he also causes insentient trees to expound the dharmas, so that upon hearing it, they immediately faithfully accept it.