維摩經義疏 2.5.1

2.5.1

"At that time the elder's son Ratnakūṭa, having spoken these verses, addressed the Buddha, saying: 'World-Honoured One! These five hundred elders' sons have all already aroused the thought of anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi.'" The introductory section ended prior to this; now begins the main discourse. The text opens into four sections: first, the elder asks a question; second, the Tathāgata admonishes and grants permission; third, receiving the instruction with single-minded devotion; fourth, directly answering his question. The first section has two parts: first, recounting his own arousing of the mind; second, inquiring about the Buddha's pure land. The reason for explaining these two is that a mahāsattva must first arouse the mind, and only afterward cultivate practice. Therefore Sudhana said: "I have already aroused the thought of bodhi, but do not yet know how to cultivate the bodhisattva practices." The present case is also like this. "Anuttarā": here translated as "unexcelled". "Samyaksaṃ-": translated as "correct and universal knowledge". "Bodhi": translated as "way", meaning that its path is upright and true, with no phenomenon unknown—correct and universal knowledge. "'We wish to hear how the Buddha land is obtained in purity. We only wish that the World-Honoured One will explain the bodhisattvas' practices for the pure land.'" From here down is the second [part], directly asking the question. Previously having already aroused the thought of bodhi, now next he inquires about the bodhisattva practices. Bodhisattva essential practices are generally of two kinds: first, bringing sentient beings to maturity; second, purifying the Buddha land. Rather than asking about bringing sentient beings to maturity, he specifically asks about purifying the Buddha land because Ratnakūṭa offered the canopies and the Tathāgata manifested the lands; hence he specifically asks about it. The question has two parts: first, asking about the fruit of the pure land, hence saying "We wish to hear how the Buddha land is obtained in purity." Obtaining the purity of the Buddha land is the fruit of the pure land attained by the Buddha. "We only wish that the World-Honoured One will explain the bodhisattvas' practices for the pure land": this asks about the causes of the pure land. Now, that a land is purified necessarily depends on practice; hence he requests the explanation of practice. Whenever there is practice, it necessarily resides in the practitioner; hence it says "bodhisattvas". This question is indeed the reason why the Tathāgata manifested the canopies, and the original intent for which Ratnakūṭa and the others came together. "The Buddha said: 'Excellent, Ratnakūṭa! That you are able, for the sake of the bodhisattvas, to ask the Tathāgata about the practices for a pure land. Listen attentively, listen attentively, and reflect well on it; I shall explain it for you.'" The second [section] praises the question, admonishes them to listen, and grants permission to speak. Since the question accords with principle and responds to the spiritual capacity, it must be praised. Saying "listen attentively" twice causes them to concentrate their minds on hearing the Dharma, generating the three wisdoms. Listening attentively is the wisdom derived from hearing; reflecting well is the wisdom derived from reflection; being mindful of it is the wisdom derived from cultivation. "I shall explain it for you": this is granting permission to speak. "Thereupon Ratnakūṭa and the five hundred elders' sons received the teaching and listened." The third [section is] receiving the instruction with single-minded devotion. "The Buddha said: 'Ratnakūṭa! The categories of sentient beings are the bodhisattva's Buddha land.'" The fourth [section] directly answers his question. Generally discussing Buddha lands, there are five kinds: first, pure; second, impure; third, impure-pure; fourth, pure-impure; fifth, mixed lands. That which is called "pure": the bodhisattva transforms sentient beings with good dharmas; sentient beings fully accept the good dharmas and together construct good conditions, obtaining a purely clean land. That which is called "impure": if sentient beings create evil conditions, they evoke a defiled land. "Pure-impure": at first it is a pure land, but when these beings' conditions are exhausted and later evil beings arrive, the land turns into an impure one. "Impure-pure": when the impure conditions are exhausted and later pure beings arrive, the land turns into a pure one, as when Maitreya arises. That which is called "mixed land": sentient beings fully generate both good and evil karmas, hence evoking a mixed pure and defiled land. All five of these arise from the sentient beings' own karma, and ought to be named "sentient-being lands"; but because the Buddha has the merit of generating and transforming [them], they are called "Buddha lands". However, just as reward lands are five, responsive lands are also like this. Reward is based on sentient beings' karmic resonance; responsive refers to what the Tathāgata manifests; hence together there are ten lands. Within the pure lands, four further levels are differentiated: first, the land where commoners and sages dwell together. For example, when Maitreya appears, commoners and sages dwell together within the pure land; also, in the Western [Pure Land], those born in the nine grades are commoners, yet there are also the worthy and sage of the three vehicles. Second, the land where the great and small dwell together. This refers to arhats, pratyekabuddhas, and bodhisattvas of great power who, having relinquished the fragmented body of the three realms, are born in the pure land outside the realms. Third, the land where bodhisattvas alone dwell. This means the bodhisattva path surpasses the two vehicles, and the land inhabited is also distinct—such as the world of Sarvagandhasugandha where the names of the two vehicles do not exist, and also like the world of seven jewels that is purely composed of bodhisattvas. Fourth, the land where Buddhas alone dwell. As the Renwang says, "The three stages of the worthy and ten stages of the sage dwell in karmic reward; only the Buddha alone dwells in the pure land." All dwellings in pure lands do not exceed these four. This is an order from inferior to superior, all having textual verification. Question: What is taken as the land's substance? Answer: The land's substance is threefold. First, horizontally considering its substance, there are five aspects: the place of transformation is pure, the master of transformation is pure, the doctrinal gate is pure, the retinue of disciples is pure, and the time and season are pure, being without weapons and warfare, etc. Second, if explained in terms of the three realms of existence as the realm of the physical environment, then the seven precious jewels are taken as its substance. Third, vertically considering its meaning from the perspective of the Way: the land takes "non-land" as its substance; it is necessarily due to non-duality that there can be a land—which is to say, "because there is the meaning of emptiness, all dharmas can be accomplished." The text has two parts: first, clarifying the intent of cultivating the pure land; second, directly answering the causes and fruits of the pure land. The reason for opening these two is that whenever something is expounded, one must first set forth the underlying intent, and only then can one answer the question. The underlying intent is twofold: first, clarifying the intent of taking a reward land; second, clarifying the intent of taking a responsive land. The intent of taking a land consists solely of these two. "The categories of sentient beings are the bodhisattva's Buddha land": this designates the intent of taking a land. A bodhisattva's taking a land arises from great compassion; great compassion arises from sentient beings; sentient beings are the conditions for taking a land. Expressing the fruit within the conditions, it is therefore said, "The categories of sentient beings are the bodhisattva's Buddha land." Expressing the fruit within the conditions is like a person saying "eating gold": gold cannot be eaten, but because of gold one obtains food, hence one says "eating gold". Moreover, that sentient beings are the bodhisattva's Buddha land will be explained by the Buddha himself below. "Why is this? A bodhisattva takes a Buddha land in accordance with the sentient beings he transforms." This explains the meaning above. A doubter might say: "A land is one's own reward; why then speak of other categories of sentient beings as my Buddha land?" Therefore it explains: a bodhisattva takes a land originally for the sake of sentient beings. On account of sentient beings, sentient beings are named as the Buddha land. "Takes a Buddha land in accordance with the sentient beings he transforms": this clarifies the meaning of generating goodness. In accordance with whatever method is used to transform sentient beings—whether giving, whether morality—each is born into that country in accordance with what they practiced. If caused by upholding morality, then its ground is flat and even; if caused by practicing giving, then the seven precious jewels are fully provided. Briefly mentioning these two methods, the rest are all analogous. Furthermore, it says: taking a Buddha land according to whether the sentient beings transformed are many or few refers to its breadth or narrowness.