[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) › [淨名玄論](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1780) › 8.3 # 淨名玄論 8.3 淨名玄論 8.3 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [8.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1780.8.3) 今敘此二章來意，有七：一者為答寶積因果二問。初章答淨土果問，次章答淨土因，問淨土義，往酬日廣。因果二門則理無不攝。所言淨土果者，謂報應二土，報則隨業精麁、應則適緣所現。初章廣明此法，謂淨土果也。淨土因者，始自直心、終乎意淨，總該萬行化他及自行。次章廣明斯法，謂淨土淨因也。問：應先明土因、後履得果，何故先果後因？答：此據答問次第，即辨履說門；若就修行，則先因後果也。又二章不同者，初明修淨土意，次正明修於淨土。修淨土意者，凡夫但為安自身、求生好國；二乘本期威患，意在無餘，於遊戲神通、淨佛國土不生喜樂，故並不修淨土。菩薩普化眾生，故取於佛土，故云「眾生之類是菩薩佛土，隨所化眾生而取佛土。」以普欲化物，故不同凡夫；而取佛土，簡非小行。故一言之中簡異聖凡，明菩薩修淨土意也。又法身無像，安用國土為？而今修淨土者，意在為物。是故初章明修淨土意，次章正修淨土，如上釋之。又二章不同者，初章直明為物取土，次章釋成為物之義。菩薩修土因時，因淨其心，亦令眾生心淨。即修土因時，利物因中既雙修自行化他；菩薩成佛得淨土果，所化眾生隨來受生、得教化之，故是果時為物。以因果二時並皆利物，故知為物取土，即釋前章也。又二章不同者，初章正明菩薩起願，願為眾生取於佛土。是以文云「能取佛土，非於空也」。次章明行，始自直心、終履意淨，以能行相成，故要須二章經也。又初章明為物取土，即是發菩提心，心即淨土根本。所以然者，既欲取佛土，宜發佛心，故菩提心為淨土本。次章明淨土因，即修菩薩行。修菩薩行，方得佛土、趣佛之門。唯此二意，是故《華嚴》善財童子遍遊法界諸善知識，皆云先已發菩提心，但未知云何修菩薩行。今此二章，還明兩法也。又二章不同者，前明為物取土，則大慈內充，以見物受苦，起大悲心欲拔其苦，故取佛土。後明為物起淨土門。夫欲為菩薩，要先有大悲，後廣興眾行，此二是化物要門、佛土之根本，故二章明之也。又二章不同者，淨土有因有緣。緣有二種：一者外有眾生、二者菩薩內有悲佛。初章明眾生之類是菩薩佛土，即緣中之二。次章明修淨土因，亦有二種：一自修眾行、二令眾生亦修眾行。要緣中具二因門有多，佛土方成。此之七意，文具含之，不可闕也。 > Now, expounding the purpose for the advent of these two sections, there are seven \[aspects\]: First, to answer Ratnākara's two questions on cause and fruition. The first section answers the question on the fruition of the pure land, and the next section answers on the cause of the pure land. When the meaning of the pure land is asked, the replies expand daily. The two gates of cause and fruition subsume all principles. What is called the fruition of the pure land refers to the two lands of retribution and manifestation: retribution varies in refinement and coarseness according to karma, and manifestation appears in accordance with conditions. The first section extensively explains this phenomenon, which is called the fruition of the pure land. The cause of the pure land begins with the straight mind and ends with purity of intention, comprehensively covering the myriad practices of transforming others and one's own practice. The next section extensively explains this phenomenon, which is called the pure cause of the pure land. Question: One should first explain the cause of the land and later attain the fruition; why is fruition first and cause later? Answer: This is based on the sequence of answering the questions, which distinguishes the gate of practice and speech; if regarding cultivation and practice, then cause comes first and fruition later. Furthermore, as for how the two sections differ: the first explains the intention of cultivating the pure land, and the next directly explains the cultivation of the pure land. Regarding the intention of cultivating the pure land: ordinary worldlings merely seek to secure themselves and seek rebirth in a good land; the two vehicles originally expect distress and aim for \[nirvāṇa\] without remainder, finding no joy in sportful supernatural powers or purifying buddha lands, and therefore neither of them cultivates a pure land. Bodhisattvas universally transform sentient beings, and therefore take a buddha land. Thus it says: 'The categories of sentient beings are the bodhisattva's buddha land; in accordance with the sentient beings transformed, one takes a buddha land.' Because they universally desire to transform beings, they are unlike ordinary worldlings; and because they take a buddha land, they are distinguished from the lesser practice. Thus in a single statement, sages and ordinary worldlings are distinguished, explaining the bodhisattva's intention in cultivating the pure land. Furthermore, the dharmakāya is formless; what use does it have for a land? Yet cultivating a pure land now is done for the sake of beings. Therefore, the first section explains the intention of cultivating the pure land, and the next section directly \[explains\] cultivating the pure land, as explained above. Furthermore, as for how the two sections differ: the first section directly explains taking the land for the sake of beings, and the next section explains and establishes the meaning of being for the sake of beings. When a bodhisattva cultivates the cause of the land, by purifying their own mind, they also cause sentient beings' minds to be purified. That is, when cultivating the cause of the land, they benefit beings: in the cause, they simultaneously cultivate both their own practice and transforming others. When the bodhisattva attains buddhahood and obtains the fruition of the pure land, the sentient beings they transformed follow along to take birth there and receive instruction; thus it is for the sake of beings at the time of fruition. Because they benefit beings at both the times of cause and fruition, we know that taking the land is for the sake of beings, which explains the previous section. Furthermore, as for how the two sections differ: the first section directly explains the bodhisattva generating vows, vowing to take a buddha land for the sake of sentient beings. Hence the text says: 'Being able to take a buddha land is not done in emptiness.' The next section explains practice, beginning with the straight mind and culminating in the practice of purity of intention; because capability and practice complete each other, both sections of text are necessary. Furthermore, the first section explains taking the land for the sake of beings, which is generating the bodhicitta; this mind is the root of the pure land. Why is this? Since one wishes to take a buddha land, one ought to generate the buddha mind; therefore, bodhicitta is the root of the pure land. The next section explains the cause of the pure land, which is cultivating bodhisattva practice. Only by cultivating bodhisattva practice can one obtain a buddha land and approach the gate of the Buddha. There are only these two intentions. Therefore, in the Avataṃsaka Sūtra, when the youth Sudhana travels everywhere to the good friends throughout the dharmadhātu, he always says that he has already generated bodhicitta, but does not yet know how to cultivate bodhisattva practice. Now these two sections also explain these two dharmas. Furthermore, as for how the two sections differ: the former explains taking the land for the sake of beings, in which great compassion is replete within; seeing beings suffering, one generates a mind of great compassion wishing to pull them out of their suffering, and therefore takes a buddha land. The latter explains establishing the pure land gate for the sake of beings. One who wishes to be a bodhisattva must first have great compassion and later extensively undertake myriad practices; these two are the essential gates for transforming beings and the root of the buddha land, and are therefore explained by the two sections. Furthermore, as for how the two sections differ: the pure land has causes and conditions. Conditions are of two kinds: first, externally there are sentient beings; second, internally the bodhisattva has compassion for the Buddha. The first section explains that the categories of sentient beings are the bodhisattva's buddha land, which is the two within conditions. The next section explains cultivating the cause of the pure land, which also has two kinds: first, cultivating myriad practices oneself; second, causing sentient beings also to cultivate myriad practices. Only when the conditions possess both and the causal gates are manifold can the buddha land be accomplished. These seven intentions are fully contained in the text and cannot be omitted. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 8.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1780.8.2) - [Next: 8.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1780.8.4) - [Up: 8](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1780.8) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1780~en-mt.8.3) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1780.8.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1780.8.3) · Pramāṇa