阿彌陀經要解 1.124

1.124

承上正宗分中廣讚阿彌陀佛依正莊嚴，勸人信願持名徑登不退，此於出世大功德利之中尤為不可思議，故不惟我釋迦如來讚歎，舉凡六方諸佛無不異口同音讚歎也。言不可思議者，略有五意：一、橫超三界不俟斷惑故；二、即於西方橫具四土非由漸證故；三、但持名號不假禪觀諸方便故；四、一七為期不藉多劫多生多年月故；五、持一佛名即為諸佛護念不異持一切佛名故。阿閦鞞此云無動，餘皆可知。佛有無量德，應有無量名，隨機立名，或取因或取果、或性或相、或行願等，雖偏舉一隅，仍各具四悉，隨一一名顯所詮德，劫壽說之亦不可盡，但可意解而已。東方虛空不可盡故，世界亦不可盡。世界不可盡故，現住世間諸佛亦不可盡，略舉五名以等恒河沙數諸佛。如此諸佛各出廣長舌相說誠實言勸信此經，而眾生猶不生信，頑冥極矣。言廣長舌相者，尋常之人三世不妄語則舌能至鼻；藏頭果佛三大阿僧祇劫久不妄語，故舌薄而廣長出可覆面。今證大乘淨土妙門，所以遍覆三千大千世界，用表言必誠實決非虛謬也。此經正名「稱讚不可思議功德一切諸佛所護念經」，羅什法師順此方好略之機故，但譯云「佛說阿彌陀經」，玄奘法師取捨兩楹，故又譯云「稱讚淨土佛攝受經」，當知亦是文有詳略、義無增減。

Continuing from the extensive praise of Amitābha Buddha's circumstantial and direct adornments in the central discourse section above, people were exhorted to embrace faith and aspiration, hold firmly to the name, and directly ascend to non-retrogression. Because this is especially inconceivable among the great benefits of supramundane merit, not only does our Śākyamuni Tathāgata praise it, but virtually all the buddhas of the six directions praise it with one voice as well. To say it is inconceivable has, in brief, five meanings: first, it transcends the three realms horizontally without waiting to sever afflictions; second, right within the Western [land], it horizontally contains the four lands without depending on gradual realization; third, merely holding the name without relying on dhyāna contemplation or other expedients; fourth, taking seven days as the period without depending on many kalpas, lifetimes, years, or months; fifth, holding the name of one buddha means being protected and remembered by all buddhas, which is no different from holding the names of all buddhas. 'Akṣobhya' here means 'Immovable'; the rest can be understood similarly. Buddhas have immeasurable virtues, so they must have immeasurable names. Names are established in response to capacities: some are taken from the cause, some from the fruit, some from nature, some from characteristics, some from practices and vows, and so on. Though a single aspect is singled out, each still contains the four siddhāntas; in accordance with each individual name, the virtue it expresses is revealed, and even speaking of it for a kalpa of life could not exhaust it—one can only comprehend it mentally. Because empty space in the east cannot be exhausted, world realms also cannot be exhausted. Because world realms cannot be exhausted, the buddhas currently residing in the world realms also cannot be exhausted. Five names are briefly mentioned to represent buddhas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. When such buddhas each extend a broad and long tongue to proclaim true and sincere words exhorting faith in this sūtra, if sentient beings still do not give rise to faith, they are obstinate and benighted in the extreme. As for the 'broad and long tongue': for an ordinary person who does not speak falsely for three lifetimes, the tongue can reach the nose; the fruition Buddha of the Piṭaka [Teaching] does not speak falsely for three great asaṃkhyeya kalpas, so his tongue is thin, broad, and long, capable of covering his face when extended. Now, in testifying to the wondrous approach of the Mahāyāna Pure Land, it therefore completely covers a trichiliocosm, so as to express that the words must be true and sincere, definitely not false or erroneous. The proper name of this sūtra is *Sūtra Praising Inconceivable Merit, Protected and Remembered by All Buddhas*. Because Master Kumārajīva adapted to the inclination of this land toward brevity, he translated it only as *Buddha Speaks the Amitābha Sūtra*. Master Xuanzang weighed both options, so he also translated it as *Sūtra Praising the Pure Land and Being Gathered in by Buddhas*. One should know that here as well the texts differ in detail and brevity, but the meaning is neither increased nor decreased.