[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [阿彌陀經義疏](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1761) › 1.31 # 阿彌陀經義疏 1.31 阿彌陀經義疏 1.31 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [1.31](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1761.1.31) 二、徒眾莊嚴分二：初至祇劫說正示聖眾；舍利下，二、結勸往生。初中又二：初至莊嚴通列兩眾；又舍利下，別顯行功。初中又二：初、正列；舍利下，結示。初中聲聞弟子即中三品，諸菩薩眾即上三品，總攝初心不退補處（眾總三乘獨無緣覺，應以斷證同聲聞攝），故《大本》云：「彼國聲聞菩薩其數難量，不可稱說，神智洞達威力自在」等。《往生論》說二乘不生，蓋是定性取涅槃者，今此謂曾發大心求佛菩提，示修小行，《法華》獲記真聲聞，《涅槃》知常出家菩薩之類也。次結示中，此亦彌陀所化，來生彼國修因證果，威神說法，為國莊嚴，義同前釋。二、別顯中眾生生者，通九品收。阿鞞跋致此云不退轉，下云：「是諸人等皆得不退阿耨菩提」，則知生彼國者，下至凡夫直至成佛更無退墮。《十疑論》云：「彼國有五因緣故不退：一、彌陀願力攝持，二、佛光常照，三、水鳥樹林常說法，四、純諸菩薩為友無諸惡緣，五、壽命永劫」，餘廣如彼。一生補處，即等覺菩薩，如觀音、勢至等，眾類既多，非算所及，止可但言阿僧祇耳。問：「得忍補處祇合垂形五道、入三塗處救苦眾生，何以長居淨土？」答：「隨其志願攝化有殊，或遊戲十方，或往來三界，宣揚法化利樂群生。準《大本》云：『十方恒沙佛國無量菩薩悉生彼國，恭敬供養聽受經法，宣布道化。』又云：『於此世界有六十七億不退菩薩，往生彼國。』又復授記十方菩薩，皆當往生，廣如下卷。」二、結勸中，初、正勸，眾生聞者，通指末代聞上所說，勸令發願，願必引行，行必感果。所以下，伸意，如是者指前所列三乘聖眾，皆是善人，欲明此界三惡充滿皆不善聚，是可厭耳。第二、正示行法分三段：初至彼國簡餘善不生；若有下，二、正示修法；我見下，三、結顯勸意。初中如來欲明持名功勝，先貶餘善為少善根，所謂布施、持戒、立寺、造像、禮誦、坐禪、懺念、苦行一切福業，若無正信迴向願求，皆為少善，非往生因。若依此經執持名號決定往生，即知稱名是多善根、多福德也。昔作此解人尚遲疑，近得襄陽石碑經本，文理冥符，始懷深信。彼云：「善男子、善女人聞說阿彌陀佛，一心不亂專持名號，以稱名故諸罪消滅，即是多功德、多善根、多福德因緣。」彼石經本梁陳人書，至今六百餘載，竊疑今本相傳訛脫。二中分三：初至不亂專念持名；其人下，二、臨終感聖；是人下，三正念往生。初二句，索持機不簡男女；次二句，勸信受，或披經典，或遇知識聞必生信，信故持名；次七句示期限，一日七日隨人要約，今經制法，理必依承，若準《大本》、《觀經》則無日限，下至十念皆得往生，十念即十聲也；後一句教繫想，此一句經正明成業，先須斂念面向西方合掌正身，遙想彼佛現坐道場，依正莊嚴光明相好，自慨此身久沈苦海，漂流生死孤露無依，譬如嬰兒墮在坑穽，叫呼父母急救危忙，一志依投懇求解免，聲聲相續，念念不移。雖復理事行殊、定散機異，皆成淨業盡得往生，不然則無記妄緣，定成虛福耳。 > Second, the adornment of the assembly has two parts: first, down to 'kalpas to recount,' directly reveals the noble assembly; second, from 'Śāriputra' down, concludes by urging rebirth. The first part also has two parts: first, down to 'adornment,' generally lists the two assemblies; second, from 'Furthermore, Śāriputra' down, individually displays their practice and merit. The first part again has two parts: first, directly listing them; second, from 'Śāriputra' down, the concluding indication. In the first part, the śrāvaka disciples correspond to the middle three grades; the assembly of bodhisattvas corresponds to the upper three grades, collectively gathering those of initial aspiration, non-retrogression, and those of one lifetime to succession (the assembly gathers all three vehicles, yet pratyekabuddhas alone are absent; they should be subsumed under śrāvakas, as their severing \[of defilements\] and realization are identical). Thus the Larger Sūtra states: 'The number of śrāvakas and bodhisattvas in that land is difficult to measure and cannot be expressed; their divine wisdom is penetrating and their majestic power unhindered,' and so forth. The Rebirth Treatise states that the two vehicles are not reborn there; this refers only to those of fixed nature who grasp nirvāṇa. Here it refers to those who had once aroused the great resolve to seek the Buddha's bodhi and manifested the practice of the lesser vehicle, like the true śrāvakas who obtained prediction in the Lotus Sūtra or the renunciant bodhisattvas who knew eternity in the Nirvāṇa Sūtra. Next, in the concluding indication: these too were transformed by Amida, coming to be born in that land to cultivate causes and realize fruits, manifesting majestic spiritual power and preaching the Dharma, constituting the adornment for the land; the meaning is the same as the prior explanation. In the second part, individually displaying: 'sentient beings born there' covers all nine grades. 'Avaivartika' means non-retrogression; below it says: 'all these people obtain non-retrogression from anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi,' from which one knows that those born in that land, down to ordinary persons, proceed straight until becoming buddhas without further falling back. The Treatise on the Ten Doubts states: 'That land has five causes and conditions for non-retrogression: first, the sustaining embrace of Amida's vow-power; second, the constant illumination of the Buddha's light; third, the water, birds, and groves constantly preaching the Dharma; fourth, having purely bodhisattvas as companions with no evil conditions; fifth, lifespan extending for eternal kalpas'; the rest is explained extensively therein. Bodhisattvas of 'one lifetime to succession' are bodhisattvas of equal enlightenment, such as Avalokiteśvara and Mahāsthāmaprāpta; because their kinds are so numerous that calculation cannot reach them, it can only say 'asaṃkhyeya kalpas.' Question: 'Those who have attained forbearance and are in succession should only manifest forms in the five destinies and enter the three bad paths to rescue suffering sentient beings; why do they dwell long in the Pure Land?' Answer: 'In accordance with their aspirations, their gathering and transforming differ: some sport in the ten directions, some go back and forth in the three realms, proclaiming the Dharma's transformation to benefit and gladden the multitudes of beings. According to the Larger Sūtra: "Immeasurable bodhisattvas from as many buddha-lands in the ten directions as sands in the Ganges are all born in that land, reverently making offerings, listening to and receiving the sūtras and teachings, and spreading the transformations of the Path." It also says: "From this world, there are sixty-seven hundred million non-retrogressing bodhisattvas reborn in that land." Furthermore, it gives predictions that bodhisattvas of the ten directions shall all be reborn there, as is extensively set forth in the lower fascicle.' In the second part, concluding with an urge: first, directly urging: 'Sentient beings who hear this' refers generally to those of the final age who hear what was explained above, urging them to arouse the vow, for vows necessarily lead to practice, and practice necessarily evokes the fruit. 'Therefore' expresses the intention: 'such' points to the previously listed noble assemblies of the three vehicles, who are all good persons, intending to clarify that this world is filled with the three evil paths and is an assembly entirely of the unvirtuous, which ought to be reviled. Second, directly showing the method of practice is divided into three sections: first, down to 'that land,' excludes other goods as insufficient for rebirth; second, from 'If there are' down, directly shows the method of cultivation; third, from 'I see' down, concludes by revealing the intent to urge. In the first section, because the Tathāgata wished to clarify the supreme merit of holding the name, he first demoted other goods to 'few roots of good': so-called giving, keeping precepts, erecting temples, making images, bowing and reciting, seated meditation, repentance, austerities, and all meritorious deeds, if lacking right faith, dedication, and vows, are all few roots of good and not causes for rebirth. If one relies on this sūtra to hold fast to the name, one is definitively reborn; thus one knows that reciting the name is having many roots of good and abundant merits. Formerly, when this explanation was given, people were still hesitant. Recently, I obtained the stone-stele sūtra text from Xiangyang, whose text and principles silently correspond, and only then did I conceive deep faith. It says: 'Good sons and good daughters, hearing of Amitābha, single-mindedly and without distraction focus on holding the name; because they recite the name, all sins are eliminated, which is precisely the cause and condition of many merits, many roots of good, and abundant blessings.' That stone sūtra text was inscribed by someone of the Liang or Chen dynasty, more than six hundred years ago until now; I suspect that the current circulating version has suffered erroneous omissions. In the second section, it is divided into three: first, down to 'without distraction,' focuses on reciting and holding the name; second, from 'at the time of death' down, evokes the noble ones at the end of life; third, from 'this person' down, rebirth with right mindfulness. The first two phrases demand the capacity to hold the name without distinguishing between men and women. The next two phrases urge faith and acceptance: whether reading the scriptures or meeting a spiritual friend, upon hearing one must generate faith, and having faith, one holds the name. The next seven phrases indicate the time limit: one day to seven days according to the person's covenant; since the present sūtra establishes this method, in principle one must rely on it. However, according to the Larger Sūtra and the Contemplation Sūtra, there is no limit of days; down to ten recitations, all attain rebirth, ten recitations being ten voiced utterances. The final phrase instructs one to fix one's thought: this single phrase of the sūtra directly clarifies the completion of the karma. One must first gather one's thoughts, face the west, join the palms, straighten the body, and from afar contemplate that Buddha presently seated in the bodhimaṇḍa, with the circumstantial and direct adornments, lights, marks, and signs. One sighs that this body has long been sunken in the ocean of suffering, drifting through birth and death, alone and helpless, like an infant fallen into a pit, crying out to its father and mother to quickly rescue it in dire peril, with single-minded refuge and fervent pleading for release, voice following voice in succession, thought after thought without wavering. Although the practices of principle and phenomena differ, and the capacities for focused and scattered mind are distinct, all accomplish pure karma and all attain rebirth. Otherwise, it would be non-directed stray conditioning, and would surely turn into empty merit. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 1.30](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1761.1.30) - [Next: 1.32](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1761.1.32) - [Up: 1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1761.1) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1761~en-mt.1.31) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1761.1.31](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1761.1.31) · Pramāṇa