阿彌陀經通贊疏 2.5

2.5

且釋名者，世者可破壞義，界者境分劑也，即所居土。名曰極樂者。樂即能居者，第六識相應樂受也。世即界，持業釋也。極者至極樂受，世界者即是無情，相違釋也。出體者，極樂者，即至極樂受也。世者，即有情無情法上不堅可破壞而立世名，即色心上假立。界者，四塵五塵為體，雖聖境無坌惡義，是塵之類故亦呼為塵。細四相遷亦名世界。辨假實者，若是化淨土而但是假，是定果色去者，有情未除穢種，未能變得淨土，但是變心如三變土田等，不乖唯識。漏無漏料揀者，若是佛本質淨土唯無漏攝，若往生有情及菩薩所變淨土唯是有漏，謂第八識果轉非因故。五位分別者，極樂者心所收，世界者即色法攝。三科收攝者，極樂者即行蘊收，世界者即色蘊攝，十二處中極樂法處收，世界即色處攝，十八界中法界及六境中攝。釋妨難者，問：十方佛國快樂皆同，何故偏指西方勸人生彼？答：良為凡夫業重處處生貪，若不偏指一方即不繫心專注。所以《法華經》云：眾生處處著，引之令得出。又西方淨土主勝願強，偏勸往生疾成聖果，所以偏指也。

First, explaining the name: *shi* (world/loka) means destructible; *jie* (boundary/dhātu) means the delimitations of the realm, which is the land inhabited. That it is named "Sukhāvatī" (Utmost Bliss): "bliss" is the inhabitant, the feeling of pleasure associated with the sixth consciousness. *Shi* is *jie*, which is an appositional compound (karmadhāraya). "Utmost" means the feeling of supreme bliss, while "world" is insentient, which is a Dvandva compound. Presenting its substance: "Sukhāvatī" is the feeling of supreme bliss. As for "world" (*shi*), on the basis of conditioned dharmas, both sentient and insentient, being unstable and destructible, the name *shi* is established; thus it is nominally established upon form and mind. As for *jie*, its substance consists of the four dusts or five dusts; although in a holy realm there is no connotation of defilement or foulness, being of the class of sensory dusts, it is also called dust. The subtle alteration of the four marks is also named "world." Discerning nominal and real: if it is a transformed pure land, it is merely nominal, being forms produced by meditative concentration (dhyāna-samādhi); sentient beings who have not eliminated their defiled seeds cannot transform and obtain a pure land, but only alter their mind like the three transformations of lands, not violating consciousness-only. Sorting out contaminated and uncontaminated: if it is the Buddha's fundamental-substance pure land, it is solely uncontaminated; if it is the pure land transformed by reborn sentient beings and bodhisattvas, it is solely contaminated, because it is the fruit of the eighth consciousness transformed, not the cause. Distinguishing within the five categories of phenomena: "Sukhāvatī" is subsumed under mental associates; "world" is subsumed under form dharmas. Subsuming within the three classifications: "Sukhāvatī" is subsumed under the aggregate of formations; "world" is subsumed under the aggregate of form; among the twelve sense bases, "Sukhāvatī" is subsumed under the dharma base, while "world" is subsumed under the form base; among the eighteen elements, it is subsumed under the dharma element and among the six sensory objects. Resolving objections: Question: The happiness of the Buddha lands in the ten directions is all equal; why specifically point to the west and urge people to be born there? Answer: Truly because the karma of ordinary beings is heavy and they produce attachment everywhere, if one does not specifically point to one direction, they would not tie their minds in single-minded focus. Therefore the *Lotus Sūtra* states: "Sentient beings cling everywhere; I guide them so they may emerge." Furthermore, the master of the Western Pure Land is superior and his vows are powerful; specifically urging rebirth there enables one to swiftly attain holy fruit, which is why it is specifically pointed out.