阿彌陀經要解 1

English (machine translation) 1

Language: English

1.1

Translated by Tripiṭaka Master Kumārajīva.

1.2

Commentary by the Śramaṇa Ouyi Zhixu of the West.

Now, the Buddhas mindfully pity the host of deluded beings and bestow teachings according to capacity; although the return to the source is not twofold, the skillful means are manifold. Yet among all skillful means, if one seeks that which is most direct and most perfect and sudden, nothing equals buddhānusmṛti and seeking rebirth in the Pure Land. Moreover, among all Dharma-doors of buddhānusmṛti, if one seeks that which is most simple and most secure, nothing equals faith and aspiration and exclusively holding firmly to the name. For this reason, the three Pure Land sūtras circulate together in the world, yet the ancients especially took the Amitābha Sūtra alone as their daily recitation. How could this not be because they saw that this single Dharma of holding firmly to the name universally covers the three faculties, subsumes phenomena and noumenon without remainder, unifies doctrine and lineage without exclusion, and is particularly inconceivable! Since antiquity, commentators have not been lacking through the generations, yet through time and loss few survive. Master Yunqi composed the Shuchao, which is vast and subtle; Master Uncle Youxi compiled the Yuanzhong chao, which is lofty, deep, grand, and extensive. They are like the sun and moon in the midday sky, which all with eyes can behold. Only because the text is rich and the meanings intricate, their boundaries unfathomable, those of initial capacity and shallow knowledge may perhaps find faith and aspiration difficult to step into. Therefore, not considering my own ignorance, I compose anew this essential explanation, daring neither to vie in difference with the two venerable masters, nor to force agreement with them. Just as looking sideways gives a peak and looking across gives a ridge, even if neither exhausts the true scene of Mount Lu, it does not fail to be each one personally seeing Mount Lu. I shall now explain the text of the sūtra by way of the fivefold profound meaning.

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First, explaining the name: This sūtra takes the expounding person and the expounded person as its name. 'Buddha' is the teaching master of this land who is able to speak—namely, Śākyamuni Tathāgata—who, mounting the power of his great compassionate vows, was born into the evil age of the five turbidities, using his prior awakening to awaken subsequent awakenings; because there is no dharma he does not know and no dharma he does not see, he is named 'Buddha.' 'Spoke' (shuo) means delighting in what is cherished: the Buddha cherishes the deliverance of sentient beings; when sentient beings' capacities are ripe, the Buddha expounds the Dharma in response to the moment to enable them to attain deliverance, and hence he is delighted. 'Amitābha' is the guiding teacher of that land who is spoken of, who through his forty-eight vows receives sentient beings who have faith and aspiration and practice buddhānusmṛti, causing them to be reborn in the Sukhāvatī world realm and forever step into avivartika. In Sanskrit, Amitābha means here 'Immeasurable Life' and also 'Immeasurable Light.' In brief, his merit and wisdom, spiritual powers and strength of the Way, circumstantial and direct adornments, and preaching of the Dharma to transform and deliver are each and every one immeasurable; the two matters of lifespan and light are merely raised as points of departure for speech. 'Sūtra' glosses both 'method' and 'constant'; everything proclaimed from the golden mouth is generically named 'sūtra.' Now, set against the five characters 'Spoken by the Buddha: Amitābha,' this combines the generic and the specific into the title. Teaching, practice, and noumenon each have generic and specific aspects, which are extensively explained in the Tiantai Canon; one should naturally seek them there, so I will not elaborate here.

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Second, discerning the substance: All Mahāyāna sūtras take dharmatā as their correct substance. What is meant by dharmatā? It is the self-nature of the present single thought of the mind. The nature of the mind of our present single thought is not inside, not outside, not in between; it is not past, not present, not future; it is not blue, yellow, red, or white; not long, short, square, or round; not scent, not flavor, not touch, not mental datum. Seeking it, it is completely unobtainable, yet one cannot say it does not exist; it fully generates the hundred realms and thousand suchnesses, yet one cannot say it exists. It is free from all marks of conceptual thought and discrimination, yet conceptual thought and discrimination also do not have a separate self-nature apart from this dharmatā; it is free from all marks of words and writing, yet words and writing also do not have a separate self-nature apart from this dharmatā. In brief, it is free from all marks and yet is all phenomena. Only because it is free from all marks is it without marks; only because it is all phenomena is it without anything that is not a mark. Because it is without marks and without anything that is not a mark, having no other choice, it is forcedly named 'dharmatā.' The substance of dharmatā is neither quiescent nor illuminating, yet it is quiescent and constantly illuminating, illuminating and constantly quiescent. Illuminating and constantly quiescent is forcedly named the land of eternally quiescent light; quiescent and constantly illuminating is forcedly named the pure dharmakāya. Again, illuminating and constantly quiescent is forcedly named the dharmakāya; quiescent and constantly illuminating is forcedly named the saṃbhogakāya. Again, the innate virtue of quiescence and illumination is forcedly named the dharmakāya; the cultivated virtue of quiescence and illumination is named the saṃbhogakāya. Again, cultivated virtue that is illuminating and constantly quiescent is named the enjoyment body; cultivated virtue that is quiescent and constantly illuminating is forcedly named the nirmāṇakāya. One should know that quiescence and illumination are not two, innate and cultivated are not two, and body and land are not two: there is nothing that is not dharmatā. Dharmatā is not two, nor is it not not-two. Therefore, taking the substance in its entirety, it constitutes the circumstantial, constitutes the direct, constitutes the Dharma, constitutes retribution, constitutes self, constitutes other, and even constitutes the speaker and the spoken, the deliverer and the delivered, the believer and the believed, the aspirer and the aspired, the upholder and the upheld, the reborn and the rebirth, the praiser and the praised—none of these is not sealed by the correct seal of dharmatā.

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Third, clarifying the guiding principle: The guiding principle is the essential path of cultivation, the pivotal mechanism for realizing the substance, and the guiding thread of the myriad practices. When the thread is lifted, all meshes open; when the collar is taken up, the lapels and sleeves follow. Therefore, following the substance, one must discern the guiding principle. This sūtra takes faith, aspiration, and recollection of the name as the essential guiding principle of cultivation. Without faith, it is insufficient to give rise to aspiration; without aspiration, it is insufficient to guide practice; without the wonderful practice of recollection of the name, it is insufficient to fulfill what is aspired to and realize what is believed. Therefore, in the sūtra, it first expounds the circumstantial and direct retribution of Sukhāvatī to generate faith; next it encourages that one should generate aspiration to guide practice; next it shows that seven days of holding the name directly leads to ascending to avivartika. Faith means believing in self, believing in other, believing in cause, believing in effect, believing in phenomena, and believing in noumenon. Aspiration means being repulsed by and departing Sahā, and rejoicing in and seeking Sukhāvatī. Practice means holding firmly to the name with one mind undisturbed. Believing in self means believing that my present single thought of the mind is originally neither a lump of flesh nor shadows of conditions; vertically it has no beginning or end, and horizontally it cuts off boundaries; all day it accords with conditions, and all day it is unchanging. The dust-mote lands of the empty space of the ten directions are originally things manifest within my single thought of the mind. Although I am now confused, deluded, and inverted, if I can turn my mind in a single thought, I will certainly be reborn in the Sukhāvatī originally possessed within my own mind, without any further doubt or hesitation: this is called believing in self. Believing in other means believing that Śākyamuni Tathāgata definitely has no deceptive speech, Amitābha the World-Honoured One definitely has no empty vows, and the broad and long tongues of the Buddhas of the six directions definitely have no twofold speech; according with the true instructions of all Buddhas, with a resolved will one seeks rebirth without any further doubt or hesitation: this is called believing in other. Believing in cause means deeply believing that even reciting the name with a scattered mind is still the seed for becoming a Buddha; how much more so with one mind undisturbed—how could it not be the cause of rebirth in the Pure Land! This is called believing in cause. Believing in effect means deeply believing that the gathering of the supremely good persons in the Pure Land is entirely born from buddhānusmṛti-samādhi; just as planting melons yields melons and planting beans yields beans, or as a shadow must follow a form and an echo must answer a sound, it is definitely never in vain: this is called believing in effect. Believing in phenomena means deeply believing that because this present single thought right now cannot be exhausted, all worlds of the ten directions manifest relying on the mind likewise cannot be exhausted; there truly exists the land of Sukhāvatī beyond a hundred thousand koṭis of lands, exquisitely pure and adorned, unlike Master Zhuang's allegories: this is called believing in phenomena. Believing in noumenon means deeply believing that although the land of Sukhāvatī is distant by a hundred thousand koṭis of lands, in truth it does not go beyond my present, minute single thought of the mind right now, because the nature of the mind of our present single thought truly has no exterior. Furthermore, it means deeply believing that the Western direction's circumstantial and direct retributions, whether host or companions, are all shadows manifest within my present single thought of the wondrous, bright, true mind; the entirety of phenomena is noumenon, the entirety of delusion is truth, the entirety of cultivation is nature, and the entirety of other is self. Because my mind is pervasive, the Buddha's mind is also pervasive; because the Buddha's mind is pervasive, the nature of the mind of all sentient beings is also pervasive. For example, in a room with a thousand lamps, the lights pervade each other, interpenetrating layer upon layer without obstructing one another: this is called believing in noumenon. Having believed in this way, Sahā is the defilement felt by one's own mind, and one's own defiled mind ought in principle to be repulsed and departed; Sukhāvatī is the purity felt by one's own mind, and one's own pure mind ought in principle to be rejoiced in and sought. Repulsing defilement must be relinquished to the ultimate before there is nothing left to relinquish; rejoicing in purity must be grasped to the ultimate before there is nothing left to grasp. Therefore, the Miaozong chao says: 'If grasping and relinquishing are taken to the extreme, they are not a different path from non-grasping and non-relinquishing.' Now, if one does not apply oneself to grasping and relinquishing, but merely prizes non-grasping and non-relinquishing, this is clinging to noumenon and abandoning phenomena; having abandoned phenomena, the noumenon is also not perfect. If one penetrates that the entirety of phenomena is noumenon, then grasping is noumenon and relinquishing is also noumenon; every single act of grasping and relinquishing is nothing other than the dharmadhātu. Therefore, after faith, aspiration is clarified. As for 'holding firmly to the name with one mind undisturbed': the name summons virtue; since the virtue is inconceivable, the merit of the name is also inconceivable. Because the merit of the name is inconceivable, it causes even invoking the name with a scattered mind to become the seed of buddhahood; how much more so holding firmly to it to the point of one mind undisturbed—how could one not directly ascend to avivartika! However, the essential practices of the Pure Land shown across the sūtras are myriad and varied, such as contemplating the image, visualization, prostrations, offerings, the five repentances, the six mindfulnesses, and so forth; when each and every practice is perfected, one is reborn in the Pure Land. Yet only this single Dharma of holding firmly to the name gathers the broadest capacities and is easiest to start with. Therefore, the compassionate honored Śākyamuni expounded it without inquiry in this sūtra, specifically picking it out for Śāriputra of Great Wisdom; it can be called the foremost skillful means among skillful means, the unsurpassable definitive meaning among definitive meanings, and the most extremely perfect and sudden among the perfect and sudden. Therefore the ancients said: 'When a bright pearl is cast into turbid water, the turbid water cannot but become clear; when the Buddha's name is cast into a scattered mind, the scattered mind cannot but become Buddha.' Faith, aspiration, and holding firmly to the name serve as the true cause of the ekayāna, and the four kinds of pure lands serve as the wondrous fruit of the ekayāna; when the cause is raised, the fruit must follow. Therefore, faith, aspiration, and holding firmly to the name are taken as the sūtra's correct guiding principle. As for the marks of the four kinds of pure lands, they are detailed in the Miaozong chao and the Fanwang xuanyi and are not fully stated here; when explaining the text on circumstantial and direct retribution later, I shall point them out briefly.

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Fourth, clarifying the dynamic function: Rebirth and avivartika are the dynamic function. There are four lands of rebirth, each having nine grades; now I shall briefly clarify the marks of attaining rebirth in the four lands. If one holds firmly to the name without having severed view and thought [afflictions], according to whether one is scattered or focused, one naturally falls into the three tiers and nine grades within the Land of Common Residence. If one holds firmly to the name to the point of phenomenal one mind undisturbed, so that view and thought [afflictions] naturally fall away first, one is reborn in the Pure Land of Expediency with Remainder. If one holds firmly to the name to the point of noumenal one mind undisturbed, suddenly breaking through one grade up to forty-one grades of fundamental ignorance, one is reborn in the Pure Land of True Retribution and Adornment, also called partially realizing the land of eternally quiescent light. If fundamental ignorance is severed completely, that is the supreme-upper True Retribution, and also the ultimate Quiescent Light. Avivartika has four meanings: first, non-retrogression of thought; second, non-retrogression of practice; third, non-retrogression of position; fourth, ultimate non-retrogression. First, non-retrogression of thought means breaking through fundamental ignorance and revealing the Buddha-nature, directly being reborn in True Retribution and partially realizing Quiescent Light. Second, non-retrogression of practice means that since view and thought [afflictions] have fallen away, dust-and-sand [afflictions] are also broken, and one is reborn in the Land of Expediency to advance toward the ultimate fruit. Third, non-retrogression of position means rebirth carrying one's karma in the Land of Common Residence, relying on a lotus flower for physical birth, forever parted from conditions of retrogression. Fourth, ultimate non-retrogression means that regardless of utmost sincerity or a scattered mind, mindful or unmindful, understanding or not understanding, if the name of Amitābha once passes through the ear-root, or the names of the Buddhas of the six directions, or the name of this sūtra once passes through the ear, even after thousands of myriads of kalpas, one will ultimately attain deliverance due to this—just as hearing the poison-smeared drum kills both near and far, and just as consuming a tiny diamond will definitely not be digested.

1.8

Fifth, explaining the characteristics of the teaching: This [sūtra] is subsumed within the Mahāyāna Bodhisattva Piṭaka; it was, moreover, spoken spontaneously without request, sustained by thoroughgoing great compassion, and is able to enable sentient beings in the final dharma age who have many obstacles to ascend directly to non-retrogression by relying upon it. Therefore, even after the canonical Dharma has perished completely, through compassionate mind and vast vows this sūtra will specially be preserved to remain in the world for a hundred years, extensively delivering sentient beings. It is like the agada medicine that cures all ten thousand diseases, absolutely incomparable, perfectly fused, and inconceivable. The profound storehouse of the Avataṃsaka, the secret marrow of the Lotus [Sūtra], the essential mind of all buddhas, and the compass for all ten thousand practices of bodhisattvas do not go beyond this. If one wished to praise and expound it extensively, an exhaustless kalpa would not suffice; those who possess wisdom will naturally know this.

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Entering into the text, there are three sections: first, the preface; second, the main doctrinal section; third, the dissemination section. These three sections are called good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end; not one can be lacking. The preface is like the head of a person, where all five sensory organs are intact. The main doctrinal section is like the trunk of a person, where the internal organs are complete. The dissemination section is like the hands and feet of a person, moving about without obstruction. Thus Great Master Zhiyi, when commenting on the Lotus Sūtra, took the first chapter as the preface, the middle fifteen and a half chapters as the main doctrinal section, and the latter eleven and a half chapters all as the dissemination section. Furthermore, at another time, when dividing both the provisional and fundamental gates each into three sections, the five chapters from 'Dharma Masters' through 'Peaceful Practices' were all taken as the dissemination of the provisional gate. For a preface must grasp the overall guiding principles of an entire sūtra, while dissemination ensures that the gift of Dharma will not be blocked from future ages; their importance is certainly not shallow or slight. Later people failed to understand this, and the moment they saw the sūtra text touch slightly upon doctrinal principles, they indiscriminately classified it into the main doctrinal section, causing the preface and dissemination to become merely like an eight-cun-and-three[-fen] hat and a pair of straw sandals, how could that be called 'the opening words are good, the middle words are good, and the concluding words are good'?

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First, the preface, in two parts: first, the general preface; second, the particular preface. In the first part there are two: first, indicating the time and place of the Dharma assembly; second, citing the great assembly who heard it together. First is the former.

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"Thus have I heard. At one time the Buddha was staying in Śrāvastī, in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍada's Park,"

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"Thus" indicates faith and compliance; "have I heard" indicates master-to-disciple transmission; "at one time" indicates the responsiveness of the capacities; "the Buddha" indicates the teacher; "in Śrāvastī, in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍada's Park" indicates the place where the sūtra was preached. As for "thus" (ru): the marvelous principle of dharmatā is changeless through past and present, hence it is called "thus"; relying on the principle of dharmatā to practice buddhānusmṛti and seek rebirth in the Pure Land is definitely not wrong, hence it is called "is" (shi). As for "have I heard": Ānanda clearly realized the principle of dharmatā as neither self nor non-self, yet without destroying conventional designations, he still said "I"; the ear faculty produced auditory consciousness and directly heard the perfect voice, like space imprinting space, hence it is called "heard". As for "at one time": time is not an actual entity; it is merely that when the paths of master and disciple united, bringing a single assembly of preaching and listening to full completion, it was therefore called "at one time". As for "the Buddha": self-enlightened, enlightening others, and complete in enlightened conduct, the great teacher of humans and devas, hence called "Buddha". Śrāvastī is translated here as "abundant hearing" [or "famous things"]; it is the name of a great country in Central India, the capital of King Prasenajit. As for "Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍada's Park": King Prasenajit's crown prince was named Jeta, which translates as "victorious in battle". King Prasenajit's minister was named Elder Sudatta, which is translated as "bestower to the destitute". The elder Anāthapiṇḍada spread gold to purchase the park to offer to the Buddha and the Saṅgha; a small amount of ground remained uncovered, and Jeta, moved with admiration, would not take the payment and gave this small parcel of ground; thus both names are preserved together.

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Second, citing the great assembly who heard it together, in three parts: first, the assembly of śrāvakas; second, the assembly of bodhisattvas; third, the assembly of devas and humans. That the śrāvakas are placed first is because: first, they bear the marks of renunciation; second, they are constant attendants; third, the Buddha-Dharma relies on the Saṅgha for transmission. That the assembly of bodhisattvas is placed in the middle is because: first, their forms are not fixed; second, they do not constantly attend [the Buddha]; third, to signify the meaning of the middle way. That the assembly of devas and humans is listed last is because: first, they bear mundane forms; second, ordinary and noble beings are mixed among them; third, to clarify that external protectors and attendants should naturally be so according to the Dharma. In the first part, the assembly of śrāvakas, there are also three: first, clarifying their group and stating their number; second, showing their rank and praising their virtues; third, listing the names of their leaders. First is the former.

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"together with a great community of monks (bhikṣus), one thousand two hundred and fifty in all,"

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"Together with" has the meaning of "accompanied by". "Great bhikṣus" are renunciants who have received the full precepts. Bhikṣu is a Sanskrit word that contains three meanings, hence it is not translated: first, the meaning of "mendicant", meaning they sustain the body with a single bowl, accumulate nothing, and exclusively seek the essential escape; second, the meaning of "destroyer of evil", meaning they use correct wisdom to observe and destroy the evil of afflictions, not falling into attachment and views; third, the meaning of "frightener of Māra", meaning when they resolve to receive the precepts and the karmavācanā is accomplished, Māra is frightened. "Community" (seng) in full is "saṅgha", translated here as "harmonious assembly". In terms of noumenal harmony, they jointly realize unconditioned liberation. In terms of phenomenal harmony, there are six kinds: bodily harmony in dwelling together, verbal harmony without disputes, mental harmony in shared joy, view harmony in shared understanding, precept harmony in shared practice, and material harmony in equal distribution. As for the "one thousand two hundred and fifty": the three Kāśyapa brothers, masters and disciples together, numbered one thousand; Śāriputra and Maudgalyāyana, masters and disciples, were two hundred; the elder's son Yaśas and others were fifty. All of them were delivered not long after the Buddha attained enlightenment, and being deeply grateful for the Buddha's kindness, they became his constant retinue.

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Second, showing their rank and praising their virtues.

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"all great arhats, known to the community,"

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"Great arhats" shows their rank; "known to the community" praises their virtues. Arhat contains three meanings: first, "worthy of offerings", which is the fruit of the mendicant; second, "slayer of foes", which is the fruit of the destroyer of evil; third, "birthless", which is the fruit of the frightener of Māra. Furthermore, there are three different kinds: wisdom-liberated, doubly liberated, and doubt-free liberated; here they are the doubt-free liberated, hence called "great". Also, they are actually great beings of the dharmakāya who manifest as śrāvakas to attest to this inconceivable Dharma of the Pure Land, hence called "great". Following the Buddha in turning the wheel [of the Dharma], they extensively benefit humans and devas, hence they are "known to the community".

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Third, listing the names of their leaders.

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"the Elders Śāriputra, Mahāmaudgalyāyana, Mahākāśyapa, Mahākātyāyana, Mahākauṣṭhila, Revata, Śuddhipanthaka, Nanda, Ānanda, Rāhula, Gavāmpati, Piṇḍolabhāradvāja, Kālodayin, Mahākapphiṇa, Vakkula, and Aniruddha, and other great disciples such as these,"

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Being revered in both virtue and monastic seniority, they are called elders. Śāriputra translates here as "son of the egret", and also as "body son"; his mother's body was shapely and her eyes were like an egret's, so he took his name from his mother; among the śrāvakas, he was foremost in wisdom. Mahāmaudgalyāyana translates here as "great bean-gatherer clan"; he was foremost in supernatural powers. Mahākāśyapa translates here as "great drinker of light"; his body had golden radiance, he was foremost in the superior practice of dhūta austerities, and having received the Buddha's mind seal, he was the first patriarch in the Western Lands. Mahākātyāyana translates here as "great ornate adornment", from a brāhmaṇa clan of South India; he was foremost in debate. Mahākauṣṭhila translates here as "great knees", the maternal uncle of Śāriputra; he was foremost in answering questions. Revata translates here as "constellation"; he was foremost in freedom from confusion and disorder. Śuddhipanthaka translates here as "successor of the road"; because his faculties were dull, he regulated his breath and awakened to the Way, upholding merely a single gāthā to enter samādhi and expound the Dharma with inexhaustible eloquence; he was foremost in retaining meanings. Nanda translates here as "joy", the Buddha's younger brother; he was foremost in deportment. Ānanda translates here as "rejoicing", the Buddha's cousin and his attendant; he was foremost in much hearing. Rāhula translates here as "obstruction", the Buddha's son; he was foremost in esoteric conduct. Gavāmpati translates here as "ox cud"; having spoken evil words in a past life, he suffered this residual retribution; he was foremost in receiving offerings from devas. Piṇḍola translates here as "immovable", the venerable one's name, and Bhāradvāja translates here as "sharp faculty", the venerable one's clan name; he long remains in the world to receive offerings in the final age, and is foremost as a field of merit. Kālodayin translates here as "black light"; as the Buddha's messenger, he was foremost in transforming and guiding. Mahākapphiṇa translates here as "lunar mansion"; he was foremost in knowing the constellations. Vakkula translates here as "fine countenance"; he was foremost in lifespan. Aniruddha, also called Anuruddha, translates as "without poverty", "without annihilation", and "in accordance with wish", also the Buddha's cousin; he was foremost in the divine eye. "And other great disciples such as these" summarizes and indicates the rest. These great disciples were originally great beings of the dharmakāya who also manifested as śrāvakas to serve as the accompanying assembly; now in this assembly, hearing together the merits of the Pure Land's embracement, they are able to obtain the benefit of the primary truth siddhānta, naturally advancing on the Path and reducing births, purifying their own Buddha-lands, and are also called the assembly of suitable capacities.

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Second, the assembly of bodhisattvas.

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"along with all the bodhisattva mahāsattvas: Mañjuśrī the Prince of the Dharma, the Bodhisattva Ajita, the Bodhisattva Gandhahastin, the Bodhisattva Nityodyukta, and other great bodhisattvas such as these,"

1.24

"Along with" continues from the previous assembly of śrāvakas. Bodhisattva Mahāsattva translates here as "great mind of the Way that accomplishes sentient beings"; it is an appellation for exercising both compassion and wisdom to benefit both self and others. Mañjuśrī translates here as "wondrous auspiciousness", and also as "wondrous virtue"; the Buddha is the Dharma King, and the bodhisattva inherits the Buddha's family estate, hence called "Prince of the Dharma"; he is foremost in wisdom among the assembly of bodhisattvas, and since no one other than those with heroic, real wisdom can realize and understand the Pure Land Dharma gate, he is placed at the very beginning. Ajita translates here as "invincible", which is the name of Bodhisattva Maitreya; he will descend in the future to become a buddha and presently resides in the stage of virtual enlightenment; since his essential task is precisely to completely adorn and purify the buddha land, he is listed next. Gandhahastin translates here as "never resting", because he has practiced for countless kalpas without a pause. "Nityodyukta" (Ever-Vigorous) means that he works to benefit self and others without weariness. "And other great bodhisattvas such as these" also concludes what precedes and exemplifies the rest. Even bodhisattvas of such profound stages must seek rebirth in the Pure Land, because only by not being separated from seeing the Buddha, hearing the Dharma, and intimately attending upon and making offerings to the Sangha can they quickly and swiftly consummate bodhi.

1.25

Third, the assembly of devas and humans.

1.26

"and Śakra Devendra and an immeasurable assembly of devas together."

1.27

"And" also speaks with respect to the aforementioned śrāvakas and bodhisattvas. Śakra Devendra translates here as "able to be lord"; he is the king of Trāyastriṃśa Heaven who rules over the four continents. "And others" includes below him the Four Heavenly Kings, and above him the Yāma, Tuṣita, Nirmāṇarati, Paranirmitavaśavartin, and even the form and formless realms, hence it says "an immeasurable assembly of devas". Furthermore, saying "together with the great assembly" indicates that the eight classes of beings, asuras, humans, and non-humans, were all present at the assembly without exception; there was none who was not a capacity embraced by the Pure Land Dharma gate. The general preface concludes.

1.28

Second, the particular preface, which is the initiating preface. The marvelous gate of the Pure Land is profound and inconceivable, and no one was able to ask about it; therefore the Buddha himself proclaimed the names of that land's circumstantial and direct retribution to initiate it. Furthermore, the Buddha's wisdom discerns capacities without error, and seeing that this great assembly should hear the marvelous gate of the Pure Land to obtain the four benefits, he did not wait for anyone to ask but initiated it himself, just as the lower fascicle of the Brahmajāla Sūtra proclaims his own title, saying 'I am now Rocana,' and so on. Great Master Zhiyi also classified that as an initiating preface; by this analogy, one can understand.

1.29

"At that time the Buddha said to the Elder Śāriputra: 'Going westward from here, past a hundred thousand kotis of buddha lands, there is a world named Sukhāvatī. In that land there is a buddha named Amitābha, who is teaching the Dharma right now.'"

1.30

The Dharma door of the Pure Land universally gathers those of all three capacities, is absolute, completely interfused, and inconceivable, profound and difficult to believe. Therefore [the Buddha] specifically calls upon the one of great wisdom to speak to him, for none other than the foremost wisdom can immediately accept it without doubt. 'From here' means from this Sahā world realm. 'To the west' means extending directly westward, indicating the location of the manifestation. 'Passing beyond' means transcending. As for 'a hundred thousand koṭis', ten million is called a koṭi (yì); here, koṭis are further accumulated up to a hundred thousand. As for 'Buddha lands', a great trichiliocosm is collectively transformed by one Buddha and is named one Buddha land. Taking this world realm as an example: Mount Sumeru has one continent in each of the four directions—east, west, south, and north—illuminated by the same sun and moon, and surrounded by the same small Iron Ring Mountains; this is called one four-continent world. A thousand four-continent worlds are called a small chiliocosm. A thousand small chiliocosms are called a medium chiliocosm, which then has a million Mount Sumerus, four-continent worlds, suns and moons, and small Iron Ring Mountains. A thousand medium chiliocosms are called a great trichiliocosm, which then has a hundred thousand [nayutas of] Mount Sumerus and so forth; hence it is called a great trichiliocosm. Passing beyond this number of Buddha lands, a total of a hundred thousand koṭis to the west, is the Sukhāvatī world realm.

1.31

Question: 'Why must Sukhāvatī be situated in the west?'

1.32

Answer: 'This is not a sound question. Suppose Sukhāvatī were in the east: you would then ask again, why is it in the east? Would that not be idle speculation? Furthermore, viewed from the Sahā world, Sukhāvatī is in the west; but if viewed from a hundred and ten thousand koṭis of Buddha lands [further west], Sukhāvatī is in the east. What ground is there for doubt?'

1.33

'There is a world realm named Sukhāvatī' introduces the name of the realm of circumstantial retribution. The transience of past, present, and future is named 'world' (shì); the cardinal directions—east, west, south, north, the four intermediate directions, above, and below—are named 'boundaries' (jiè). Since circumstantial retribution is shown, it must vertically encompass the three times to distinguish the temporal eons, and horizontally encompass the ten directions to demarcate the boundaries; hence it is called 'world realm'. As for the word 'Sukhāvatī' (Jílè), the Sanskrit is Sukhavatī; here it is translated as 'Utmost Bliss' (Jílè), also translated as 'Peaceful Nurturance' (Ānyǎng), also translated as 'Peace and Bliss' (Ānlè), and also translated as 'Pure and Serene' (Qīngtài). It denotes being forever free from all suffering and possessing the foremost peace and security, as fully explained in the text below. However, Buddha lands are of four kinds, each divided into pure and defiled: as for the Land Where Common Beings and Sages Cohabit, where the five turbidities are heavy it is defiled, and where the five turbidities are light it is pure. In the Land of Expediency with Remainder, for those who enter realization by clumsy crossing through the analysis of emptiness, it is defiled; for those who enter realization by skillful crossing through embodying emptiness, it is pure. In the Land of Real Reward and Unobstructedness, for those who enter realization through the gradual three contemplations, it is defiled; for those who enter realization through the three contemplations in a single mind, it is pure. In the Land of Eternally Quiescent Light, for those with partial realization, it is defiled; for those with ultimate and full realization, it is pure. Here, it specifically points to the pure Land Where Common Beings and Sages Cohabit, which also horizontally encompasses the upper three pure lands.

1.34

'In that land there is a Buddha named Amitābha' introduces the name of the teaching master of direct retribution. 'Buddha' is the general name; 'Amitābha' is the specific name. The Sanskrit 'Amitābha' is translated here as 'Immeasurable Life', 'Immeasurable Light', and so forth, also explained in detail below. A Buddha has three bodies, discussed in terms of single and manifold aspects. The single dharmakāya refers to the principle realized; the single saṃbhogakāya refers to the meritorious virtues and wisdom capable of realizing it; the single nirmāṇakāya refers to the physical form with marks and signs that is manifested. In the manifold aspect: the dharmakāya has (1) the naturally pure dharmakāya, and (2) the supremely pure dharmakāya free from defilement. The saṃbhogakāya has (1) the self-enjoyment saṃbhogakāya, and (2) the other-enjoyment saṃbhogakāya. The nirmāṇakāya has (1) the manifest birth nirmāṇakāya, and (2) the responsive apparition nirmāṇakāya; also (1) the nirmāṇakāya in the realm of Buddhas, and (2) the nirmāṇakāya adapting to different species. Although the single and manifold three bodies are distinguished, in truth they are neither one nor three yet three and yet one, neither vertical nor horizontal, neither parallel nor distinct, free from error, transcending negation, and inconceivable. Here, 'Amitābha Buddha' specifically refers to the manifest birth nirmāṇakāya in the Land of Cohabitation, which nevertheless is identical to the saṃbhogakāya and identical to the dharmakāya; therefore, hearing the name inevitably ensures non-retrogression. 'Presently preaching the Dharma' distinguishes him from having already ceased in the past, and also from not yet having attained it in the future: he is at this very moment preaching the Dharma and liberating sentient beings. Therefore, one should make vows to be reborn there, personally behold him preaching the Dharma, and swiftly attain complete enlightenment. Furthermore, 'there is a world realm' and 'there is a Buddha present' is the introduction that urges faith; the world realm being named 'Sukhāvatī' is the introduction that urges aspiration; the Buddha being named 'Amitābha' is the introduction that urges the wonderful practice of holding the name. Furthermore, 'Amitābha' introduces the Buddha; 'preaching the Dharma' introduces the Dharma; preaching the Dharma necessarily implies listeners, which introduces the Saṃgha. Buddha, Dharma, and Saṃgha share the same dharmatā, introducing the essence; giving rise to faith, aspiration, and practice from this introduces the core tenet; the perfection of faith, aspiration, and practice inevitably resulting in rebirth, seeing the Buddha, and hearing the Dharma introduces the function; taking solely the single Buddha-realm as the cognitive object unmixed with other matters introduces the doctrinal classification. The text is concise, but the meaning is comprehensive. The first section, the introduction, is concluded.

1.35

Second, the main body of the text, divided into two: first, setting forth extensively the wonderful fruits of circumstantial and direct retribution of that land to inspire faith; second, directly urging sentient beings to make vows and hold the name to establish the cause. Faith, aspiration, and holding the name are the essential purport of the entire sūtra. Faith and aspiration constitute the practice of wisdom; holding the name constitutes the practice of conduct. Attaining rebirth or not depends entirely on the presence or absence of faith and aspiration; the level of the grade of rebirth depends entirely on the depth of holding the name. Therefore, the practice of wisdom serves as the guide, while the practice of conduct is the primary cultivation, like eyes and feet working together. The first section is divided into two: first, explaining the wonders of the realm of circumstantial retribution; second, explaining the wonders of the master and companions of direct retribution. The first part is again divided into two: first, a general indication of the name and its meaning; second, a specific explanation of the adornments. Now, the first.

1.36

'Śāriputra, for what reason is that land named Sukhāvatī? The sentient beings of that land have no sufferings, but experience only every bliss; therefore it is named Sukhāvatī.'

1.37

In the Sahā world, suffering and bliss are intermingled. Suffering is the suffering of suffering, because it oppresses body and mind. Bliss is the suffering of decay, because it does not endure. Neither-suffering-nor-bliss is the suffering of conditioned existence, because its nature is transient. That land is forever free from the three kinds of suffering, unlike the bliss of this realm that exists in contrast to suffering; thus it is named Utmost Bliss. For in the pure Land Where Common Beings and Sages Cohabit, the five turbidities are light; hence there are no eight sufferings of mortal existence, and one experiences only the pleasures of freedom from illness and death, unimpeded roaming, heavenly food and heavenly garments, and gathering with superior virtuous beings. In the pure Land of Expediency with Remainder, since the contemplation of embodied emptiness is skillful, there is no suffering of sinking into emptiness or stagnating in quiescence, and one experiences only the bliss of roaming freely in supernatural powers. In the pure Land of Real Reward and Adornment, since one realizes the complete truth in a single mind, there is no suffering of compartmentalization and non-interfusion, and one experiences only unobstructed and inconceivable bliss. In the Land of Quiescent Light, being ultimately equal, there is no suffering of the dharmakāya's subtle defilements or the subtle flux of true constancy, and one experiences only the ultimate bliss that accords with nature and is fully complete.

1.38

Second, a specific explanation of the adornments, divided into four: first, clarifying the adornment of the ground and trees; second, clarifying the adornment of the ponds, pavilions, and lotus blossoms; third, clarifying the adornment of heavenly music and rain of flowers; fourth, clarifying the adornment of the sounds of the Dharma. Now, the first.

1.39

'Moreover, Śāriputra, the Sukhāvatī land has seven tiers of railings, seven tiers of netting, and seven tiers of rowed trees, all made of the four jewels, surrounding it all around; therefore, that land is named Sukhāvatī.'

1.40

The railings adorn the boundaries; the netting adorns the sky; the rowed trees adorn the open ground. Each being sevenfold signifies the seven categories of the requisites of enlightenment. Being made entirely of the four jewels signifies the four virtues of permanence, bliss, self, and purity. 'Surrounding it all around': in that land, the Buddhas, bodhisattvas, and śrāvakas are measureless in number, so there are measureless dwelling places, and likewise measureless sevenfold railings, netting, and rowed trees filling that realm, with adornments everywhere that cannot be exhausted; hence it is said to 'surround it all around'. In the pure Land of Cohabitation, such adornments are brought about by superior good karma, and also brought about by the contemplation of the perfect five grades; they take the subtle, five sensory objects born of conditions as their substance. In the pure Land of Expediency, such adornments are brought about by the contemplative wisdom of realizing emptiness, and also by the conforming three contemplations; they take the outflow-free five sensory objects of the wondrous truth of absolute reality as their substance. In the pure Land of Real Reward, such adornments are brought about by the contemplative wisdom of the wondrous provisional, and also by the partially realized three contemplations; they take the inexhaustible five sensory objects of the wondrous conventional truth as their substance. In the Land of Eternally Quiescent Light, such adornments are brought about by the contemplative wisdom of realizing the middle, and also by the ultimate three contemplations; they take the five sensory objects that accord with nature of the wondrous middle truth as their substance. To make it easy to understand, this distinction is made; but to speak from grasping the core meaning, the adornments of the four lands are each without exception phenomena born of causes and conditions, and each without exception is identical to emptiness, the provisional, and the middle. The explanations below all follow this model and will not be repeated at length.

1.41

Question: 'In the three lands of Cohabitation, Expediency, and Real Reward, one may speak of all the adornments such as railings, rowed trees, ponds, pavilions, and rains of flowers; but since the Land of Eternally Quiescent Light is solely noumenal principle, how can it also possess such adornments?'

1.42

Answer: 'Every single adornment is nothing other than the entire substance of noumenal principle, and every single noumenal principle is fully endowed with measureless adornments; only this constitutes the ultimate circumstantial fruit of all Buddhas. If one were to claim that Quiescent Light does not possess superior and wondrous five sensory objects, how would that differ from the one-sided true dharma-nature realized by the Hīnayāna?'

1.43

Second, clarifying the adornment of the ponds, pavilions, and lotus blossoms.

1.44

'Moreover, Śāriputra, the Sukhāvatī land has ponds of seven jewels filled with water of eight excellent qualities. The bottoms of the ponds are covered purely with golden sand. The stairways and paths on the four sides are composed of gold, silver, lapis lazuli, and crystal. Above are multi-storied pavilions also adorned with gold, silver, lapis lazuli, crystal, tridacna, red pearls, and agate. The lotus blossoms in the ponds are as large as carriage wheels: blue-colored with blue light, yellow-colored with yellow light, red-colored with red light, and white-colored with white light, subtle, wondrous, fragrant, and pure. Śāriputra, the Sukhāvatī land is accomplished with such meritorious adornments.'

1.45

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.

1.46

Third, clarifying the adornment of heavenly music and the rain of flowers.

1.47

'Moreover, Śāriputra, in that Buddha land heavenly music is constantly played, the ground is made of yellow gold, and day and night during the six periods it rains heavenly māndārava flowers. The sentient beings of that land constantly in the clear dawn, each holding robes filled with many wondrous flowers, make offerings to a hundred thousand koṭis of Buddhas of other directions, and by mealtime return to their own land, eat their meal, and perform walking meditation. Śāriputra, the Sukhāvatī land is accomplished with such meritorious adornments.'

1.48

The exquisite musical tones produced by the gods are constantly uninterrupted; hence it says: 'celestial music is constantly played.' The pure ground adorned with the seven jewels is fundamentally made of yellow gold; hence it says: 'its ground is of yellow gold.' The early part of the day and the later part of the day are called the three periods of the day; the early part of the night, the middle part of the night, and the later part of the night are called the three periods of the night; hence it says: 'six periods of the day and night.' However, the Buddha and bodhisattvas in that land each have their own bodily radiance, and the sentient beings born there also have bodily radiance, being constantly bright and never dark, requiring neither the light of the sun nor the moon; how then are day and night distinguished? It may be that the blossoming of flowers and singing of birds constitute day, while the closing of flowers and roosting of birds constitute night. Or, though in reality there is neither day nor night, it merely accommodates the conventions of this realm by provisionally speaking of day and night. 'Māndārava' is the name of a heavenly flower, translated here as 'pleasing' and also as 'white flower.' Because they descend from the sky, it is called 'raining.' 'Sentient beings' ranges from equal enlightenment above down to ordinary mortals below. A 'flower-receptacle' is an implement for holding flowers. 'Multitudes of wondrous flowers' refers to the celestial flowers that rain down, making clear that they are not limited to just the single kind, the māndārava; they should be like the four flowers explained in the Lotus Sūtra, representing the four causal stages of the abodes, practices, dedications, and grounds. 'Making offerings to the Buddhas of other directions' represents that the true causes will inevitably tend toward the ultimate fruit, and that the virtues of the fruit are omnipresent. Merely saying 'a hundred thousand koṭis' is just based on Sukhāvatī being a hundred thousand koṭis of lands away from this Sahā world, its intent being to reveal that once one attains rebirth in the land of Sukhāvatī, if one wishes to return to make offerings to Śākyamuni and Maitreya, it is not difficult at all. If one relies on the empowerment of Amitābha's spiritual powers, what distance could not be reached? 'Returning to their own land by mealtime' makes clear that their spiritual foot [of supranormal power] is unhindered and does not require exceeding that time. 'Taking their meal and walking in meditation': since it speaks of 'mealtime,' it therefore speaks of 'taking their meal.' When one thinks of food, the food spontaneously arrives, without waiting for preparation or arrangement; when the meal is finished, the bowls spontaneously depart, without labor of washing, wiping, collecting, or putting away. Thus they merely walk in meditation upon the jeweled ground, spontaneously advancing in cultivation. In the Pure Land where ordinary mortals and sages dwell together, its bliss is already like this; how much more so when one can, right within that land, horizontally transcend to [the lands of] expedient means, true reward, and quiescent light—what must that bliss be like!

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阿彌陀經要解 — Classical Chinese