維摩經義疏 2.5.2

2.5.2

Therefore, a Buddha-land may be like the four continents, or consist of a trichiliocosm, or even the sands of the Ganges as a single country. Master Kumārajīva also held this view. Now, I state that it fully contains two meanings: first, according to the depth or shallowness of the arising of good; second, according to the number of people. / 'According to the beings they subdue, they take hold of a Buddha-land.' / The preceding phrase explained the depth or shallowness of the arising of good; this passage concerns the extent of eradicating evil, and hence taking hold of a Buddha-land that is either refined or coarse. / 'According to the land in which beings should enter the Buddha's wisdom, they take hold of a Buddha-land; according to the land in which beings should give rise to the bodhisattva's faculties, they take hold of a Buddha-land.' / The preceding two phrases explained the intention in taking hold of a reward land (saṃbhogakāya land); these two phrases now explain the intention in taking hold of a responsive land (nirmāṇakāya land). 'According to the land in which [they] should': if they should see a pure land in order to attain awakening, they are shown jewels and jade; if they should see an impure land in order to receive the Way, they are shown dirt and sand. 'Entering the Buddha's wisdom' refers, according to Master Sengzhao, to the unproduced wisdom attained on the seventh ground (bhūmi). Hence the Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra states: 'The seventh ground is called the Buddha-eye ground.' 'Giving rise to the bodhisattva's faculties' refers to the bodhicitta from the sixth abiding downward. Some say: on the first ground, one attains true understanding and is born into the household of the Buddha, which constitutes entering the Buddha's wisdom; this mind down through the ten faiths constitutes the bodhisattva's faculties. Some say: 'according to the beings transformed' means transforming external ordinary persons to make them generate faith and understanding; 'according to those subdued' means instructing internal ordinary persons to make them cultivate and generate the various practices. These two phrases refer to taking hold of a Buddha-land to transform persons prior to the grounds. The two phrases in the present text refer to transforming those who have already mounted the grounds and above. 'Entering the Buddha's wisdom' means entering the fruit of Buddhahood; 'giving rise to the bodhisattva's faculties' specifically explains cultivating the cause. These four phrases encompass the conditions of those who are acted upon, beginning from external ordinary persons and ending with the realization of the fruit of Buddhahood; they merely explain the intention of taking hold of a Buddha-land, without discriminating the difference between reward and responsive [lands]. / 'Why is this? Because the bodhisattva’s taking hold of a pure land is entirely for the sake of benefiting all sentient beings.' / This explains the intention behind taking hold of a land above. The text has three parts: the doctrinal statement, the simile, and the application. This is the doctrinal statement. There should be a question raised, asking: 'When a bodhisattva accomplishes Buddhahood, he attains a land to reside peacefully himself; why is it specifically stated to be for the sake of sentient beings?' 'Why is this?' answers this question. The dharmakāya is formless; how could it have a land? That they now take hold of a pure land is entirely for the sake of benefiting beings. / 'It is like a person who wishes to build a palace on open ground: he can do so as he pleases without hindrance; but if he tried to build it in empty space, he would never succeed.' / This is the simile. Someone might raise a doubt, saying: 'The wisdom that contemplates emptiness can eliminate taint and defilement, and thus one can attain a pure land. Acting for sentient beings is a mind that grasps at existence; how could it attain a pure land?' For this reason, the simile is brought forward. To build a palace, two things are necessary: first, empty space, and second, relying on the ground; only then can the palace be completed. With a mind of emptiness, the bodhisattva relies on the ground of sentient beings, and only then attains a pure land. If there were only emptiness without ground, the building could never be completed. The two vehicles cultivate only the contemplation of emptiness and do not act for sentient beings, and therefore have no pure land. / 'So it is with the bodhisattva: for the sake of bringing sentient beings to completion, he vows to take hold of a Buddha-land. Vowing to take hold of a Buddha-land is not done in empty space.' / This applies the simile. / 'Jewel Accumulation, you should know that the straightforward mind is the bodhisattva's pure land.' / From above up to this point, explaining the intention of taking hold of a land is concluded; from here onward, it directly answers the question regarding the cause and fruit of the pure land. Moreover, above, explaining that the bodhisattva takes hold of a Buddha-land for sentient beings is the gate of great compassion; now, explaining the cause and fruit of the pure land is the gate of cultivation and practice. Moreover, above was the gate of vows, and now is the gate of practice. As for the gate of vows, the text earlier said, 'vows to take hold of a Buddha-land'; now it directly clarifies the cultivation of practice. Moreover, above, stating that sentient beings are the Buddha-land spoke of the fruit from within the conditions; now, stating that the straightforward mind is the Buddha-land speaks of the fruit from within the cause. There are seven sections in total, as explained in the preceding section. The text has two parts: first, directly clarifying the cause and fruit of the pure land; second, resolving doubts. The former section again has two parts: first, explaining the substance of practice; next, discerning the sequence of cultivation and practice. The first part contains seventeen phrases, each phrase containing a complete response to both the questions of cause and fruit. First, it brings forward the cause to answer the question on cause; next, it brings forward the fruit to respond to the question on fruit. Previously, stating that the categories of sentient beings are the bodhisattva's Buddha-land designated the name of the fruit with respect to conditions; the straightforward mind being the cause of the pure land designates the name of the fruit with respect to the cause. As to why the pure land is explained in terms of cause and conditions: taking hold of a pure land necessarily requires two meanings. First, one must first give rise to great compassion for sentient beings; second, it is due to the bodhisattva cultivating practices such as the straightforward mind. Only when possessing these two conditions does one attain a Buddha-land. Therefore, the preceding text spoke of the fruit with respect to conditions, and this passage speaks of the fruit with respect to the cause. As for the 'straightforward mind': ordinary persons are attached to existence, and the two vehicles are one-sidedly attached to emptiness; both are crooked and devious. The bodhisattva practices correct contemplation, which is called the upright, straightforward mind. This mind is the root of sentient beings and the foundation of the pure land; hence it is directed to be spoken first. / 'When the bodhisattva accomplishes Buddhahood, beings without flattery come to be born in his country.' / Above, the straightforward mind responded to the question on the cause of the pure land; this answers the question on the fruit of the pure land. Jewel Accumulation previously asked about the fruit and subsequently asked about the cause, based on the phrasing of the question. Here, the cause is answered first and the fruit answered afterward, which refers to the sequence of cultivation and practice. 'When the bodhisattva accomplishes Buddhahood': this phrase answers the earlier words, 'wishing to hear of attaining the Buddha[-land]'. 'Beings without flattery come to be born in his country': this answers the earlier 'purity of the country'. The bodhisattva cultivates correct contemplation himself and transforms beings so that they also attain this mind; hence, beings presently share the same awakening with the mahāsattva, and in the future will be born together with the bodhisattva; therefore it is said that 'beings without flattery come to be born in his country'. 'Without flattery' and 'straightforward mind' are different in name but one in substance. / 'The profound mind is the bodhisattva's pure land.' / There are cases where, although one is upright and straightforward, one does not necessarily enter deeply. Therefore it is now clarified that the beginning of generating the mind begins with correct contemplation; when correct contemplation becomes ever clearer, it is called the 'profound mind'. Being profound, solid, and difficult to uproot is the meaning of the profound mind. / 'When the bodhisattva accomplishes Buddhahood, beings endowed with merit come to be born in his country.' / Since the mind is already profound, all virtues are necessarily complete; hence, beings endowed with merit come to be born in his country. Question: The bodhisattva himself cultivates the profound mind; why do beings endowed with merit come to be born in his country? Answer: This was already resolved previously, but now there are further three meanings: First, the profound mind possesses the power of pure karma, so naturally beings endowed with merit come to be born in his country—just as a butcher naturally attracts a retinue of slaughterers to be born in his household. Second, due to the mahāsattva's profound mind, people of profound mind are caused to love, be mindful of, and draw close to the bodhisattva, and therefore come to be born in his country. Third, because of the profound mind, the land attained is wondrous, and everyone delights in being born there; hence they cultivate the profound mind to go and be born in his country. One gate being like this, the remaining practices are analogous.