阿彌陀經義疏 1.12

1.12

次、正釋，文相又二：初、釋經題，二、釋經文。初中此經本名「稱讚不可思議功德一切諸佛所護念經」，總十六字，經字為通題，上十五字為別題。上八字屬教，即經所說依正莊嚴稱名往生，皆是彌陀修因感果，威神願力不思議功德也；下七字屬機，即依教起行，專修成業，眾聖冥加攝持，不退直至菩提也。奘師唐譯即用本題云「稱讚淨土佛攝受經」，語雖少異義意大同，對文可見。今經秦譯隱略本題在六方佛後，即下云：「汝等眾生當信是」等，據宗取要別建此題，略有五意：一則、上符經旨，經中唯示持名方法，故取佛名用標題首；二則、下適機宜，彌陀名號眾所樂聞，故用標題，人多信受故；三、理自包含，但標佛名，稱讚護念任運自攝故；四、義存便易，梵號兼含耳聞淳熟故；五、語從簡要，後世受持稱道不繁故。且如唐譯，從本立題而未聞流布，又如《大本》，從華標目而罕見誦持，乃知秦本深體聖心，故得四海同遵百代無古。《感通傳》說，羅什法師七佛以來翻經，信非虛矣！今釋此題，上五字為別，局今經故；下一字為通，同眾典故。就別題中，上二字標能說教主，定是釋迦，但舉通號；下三字示所說人，簡非他佛，故標別號。通別互舉譯人之巧，傾出我口暢悅彼心，以教合機故稱佛說。

Next, the actual explanation of the textual features also has two parts: first, explaining the sūtra title; second, explaining the sūtra text. In the first part, the original title of this sūtra is "Sūtra on the Inconceivable Merits Praised and Protected by All Buddhas," totaling sixteen characters. The character "sūtra" (jing) is the general title, and the preceding fifteen characters are the specific title. The first eight characters belong to the teaching—that is, the adornments of circumstantial and direct rewards and rebirth through reciting the name expounded in the sūtra are all the inconceivable merits of Amida's cultivating causes and evoking the fruit through his majestic spiritual power and the power of his vows; the latter seven characters belong to the human capacity—that is, relying on the teaching to give rise to practice, exclusively cultivating to accomplish the karma, and being invisibly supported and held by all the holy ones, without retrogression straight to bodhi. Master Xuanzang's Tang translation directly used the original title, calling it "Sūtra on the Pure Land Praised and Received by the Buddhas"; although the words are slightly different, the intended meaning is largely the same, as can be seen by comparing the texts. The Qin translation of the present sūtra concealed and omitted the original title, placing it after the Buddhas of the six directions, as stated below: "You sentient beings should believe this...," and so on. Taking the essentials based on the central aim, it separately established this title, with roughly five reasons: First, above it accords with the sūtra's purport; since the sūtra only reveals the method of holding the name, it takes the Buddha's name to mark the head of the title. Second, below it suits the capacities [of beings]; since the name of Amida is delightful for the multitude to hear, using it to mark the title causes many to believe and accept it. Third, the principle is naturally included; merely by marking the Buddha's name, praising and protecting are naturally subsumed. Fourth, the meaning preserves convenience and ease; the Sanskrit name is comprehensive and familiar to the ear. Fifth, the phrasing follows brevity and conciseness, so that later generations who uphold and recite it will not find it cumbersome. Furthermore, as with the Tang translation, which established its title from the original, its widespread distribution has not been heard of; and as with the Larger Sūtra, which marked its title with Chinese [expansiveness], its recitation and upholding are rarely seen. Thus we know that the Qin version deeply understood the holy mind; therefore it came to be universally followed across the four seas, remaining timeless for a hundred generations. As recorded in the Gantong zhuan, Master Kumārajīva had translated scriptures since the time of the Seven Buddhas—this is truly no falsehood! Now, in explaining this title, the upper five characters are specific, being restricted to the present sūtra; the bottom one character is general, being shared with the various scriptures. Within the specific title, the upper two characters [fo shuo] designate the master who is able to expound the teaching; this is definitely Śākya[muni], yet it only cites the general title. The lower three characters [a mi tuo] indicate the person expounded; distinguishing him from other Buddhas, it thus marks the specific name. The mutual citation of general and specific shows the translator's skill: pouring forth from my mouth and bringing joy to their minds, matching the teaching to the capacity—hence it is called "Spoken by the Buddha."