阿彌陀經要解 1.45

1.45

七寶池者，金銀等七寶所成之池，不同此方土石所成也。八功德者：一、澄淨；二、清冷；三、甘美；四、輕軟；五、潤澤；六、安和；七、除饑渴；八、長養諸根也。充滿其中者，不同此方或時枯竭或時汎濫也。池底純布金沙者，不同此方惟是污泥也。池邊階道四寶合成者，不同此方惟是磚石也。陛級名階，坦途名道，重屋名樓，岑樓名閣，亦以七寶嚴飾，不同此方惟是土木丹青也。蓮華大如車輪者，輪王金輪大四十里，且舉華之最小者言。若據《觀經》及《寶積．無量壽會》，則大小品類實不可量。青色名優鉢羅，黃色名拘勿頭，赤色名鉢頭摩，白色名芬陀利。色必有光，蓋由淨業所感，不同此方之華有色無光也。又極樂蓮華光色無量，此經亦略言耳。微妙香潔是略歎蓮華四德。結云成就如是功德莊嚴者，明上來所說種種莊嚴，皆是阿彌陀佛大願大行稱性功德之所成就，故能普遍莊嚴四種淨土，普攝十方三世一切凡聖令往生也。

As for 'ponds of seven jewels', they are ponds formed of the seven jewels such as gold and silver, unlike those in this world that are formed of earth and stone. The eight excellent qualities are: (1) clear and pure, (2) cool, (3) sweet and delicious, (4) light and soft, (5) moistening and glossy, (6) peaceful and harmonious, (7) dispelling hunger and thirst, and (8) nourishing the faculties. 'Filled with' means unlike those in this world that sometimes dry up and sometimes overflow. 'The bottoms of the ponds are covered purely with golden sand' is unlike those in this world that consist only of dirty mud. 'The stairways and paths on the sides are composed of four jewels' is unlike those in this world that are only brick and stone. Steps are called stairways (jiē); level paths are called walkways (dào); multi-tiered buildings are called towers (lóu); towering structures are called pavilions (gé); they are also adorned with the seven jewels, unlike those in this world that consist only of earth, timber, and paints. 'The lotus blossoms are as large as carriage wheels': the golden wheel of a wheel-turning monarch is forty li in diameter, and this refers merely to the smallest among the blossoms. If one relies on the Contemplation Sūtra and the Assembly of Immeasurable Life in the Ratnakūṭa, their sizes and varieties are truly immeasurable. Blue-colored ones are called utpala; yellow-colored ones are called kumuda; red-colored ones are called padma; white-colored ones are called puṇḍarīka. Color necessarily possesses radiance, which is brought about by pure karma, unlike the flowers in this world which have color but no radiance. Furthermore, the light and colors of the lotus blossoms in Sukhāvatī are infinite; this sūtra speaks of them only briefly. 'Subtle, wondrous, fragrant, and pure' briefly praises the four virtues of the lotus blossoms. The concluding phrase, 'accomplished with such meritorious adornments', clarifies that the various adornments explained above are all accomplished by the meritorious virtues that accord with nature through Amitābha Buddha's great vows and great practices; therefore, they can universally adorn the four kinds of pure lands and universally gather all common beings and sages of the ten directions and the three times, causing them to attain rebirth.