阿彌陀經疏 1.7

1.7

夫心性之為體也，明乎！靜乎！一而已矣。無凡聖焉、無依正焉、無延促焉、無淨穢焉，及其感物而動、隨緣而變，則為六凡焉、為三聖焉，有依焉、有正焉。依正既作，則身壽有延促矣，國土有淨穢矣！吾佛大聖人，得明靜之一者也，乃假道於慈、託宿於悲，將欲驅群迷使復其本，於是乎無身而示身、無土而示土，延其壽、淨其土，俾其欣促其壽、穢其土俾其厭，既欣且厭則漸誘之策行矣。是故釋迦現有量而取穢土，非欲其厭耶！彌陀現無量而取淨土，非欲其欣乎！此則折之、彼則攝之，使其復本而達性耳，故《淨名》曰：隨所調伏眾生而取佛土者，其是謂乎！雖寶樓金地無悅目之翫，而非惑蕩之色，而能達唯心無境矣。雖風樹鳥聲有入耳之娛，而非惉懘之音，而能念三寶有歸矣。夫如是則復乎明靜之體者如轉掌耳。經云：眾生生者，皆是阿鞞跋致是也。大矣哉！聖人之善權也如此。是故群經森列而偏讚淨方，其有旨哉！

Now, as for the substance of the mind-nature: how luminous! how quiescent! It is one and nothing more. There are no ordinary beings or sages, no circumstantial or primary fruitions, no elongation or abbreviation [of lifespan], no purity or defilement. Yet when it is moved by responding to phenomena and changes in accord with conditions, it becomes the six ordinary states and the three sage states; circumstantial fruitions exist, and primary fruitions exist. Once circumstantial and primary fruitions arise, then bodies and lifespans have elongation and abbreviation, and lands have purity and defilement! Our Buddha, the Great Sage, realized the one that is luminous and quiescent. Thereupon, availing himself of kindness and lodging in compassion, wishing to drive the deluded multitudes to return to their origin, he manifested a body where there was no body, manifested a land where there was no land, elongated lifespans and purified lands to cause them to rejoice, and abbreviated lifespans and defiled lands to cause them to feel revulsion. Once they both rejoice and feel revulsion, the strategy of gradual inducement is set in motion. For this reason, does not Śākya's manifesting a finite [span] and adopting a defiled land aim to make them feel revulsion? Does not Amitābha's manifesting the immeasurable and adopting a pure land aim to make them rejoice? This one subdues them, and that one gathers them in, merely to cause them to return to the origin and realize their nature. Therefore the Vimalakīrti Sūtra states: 'In accordance with the sentient beings to be subdued, one takes a Buddha-land'—does it not mean precisely this! Although the jeweled towers and golden ground have no eye-pleasing trivialities, they are not colors that seduce and agitate, and one is able to realize mind-only without external objects. Although the wind in the trees and the calls of birds offer delight to the ear, they are not decadent tones, and one is able to be mindful of the Three Jewels and have a refuge. When it is thus, returning to the luminous and quiescent substance is as easy as turning over one's palm. The sūtra says: 'All sentient beings who are born there are avaivartika'—this is what it means. How great! The Sage's skillful expedients are like this. For this reason, though the multitude of sūtras stand like a forest, they specifically praise the Pure Quarter—surely there is a profound intent in this!