維摩經義疏 2.5.4

2.5.4

Fourth is the wheel of having planted roots of good in past lives, which remedies the difficulty of being born blind or deaf. If explained in terms of practices as remedies: upholding pure precepts remedies the difficulty of the three wretched paths; delighting in the gift of Dharma remedies the difficulty of being deaf or blind; cultivating the correct Dharma remedies the difficulty of worldly intellect and rhetorical cleverness; making offerings to the buddhas remedies the difficulty of [being born] before or after a buddha; and cultivating and gathering correct contemplation remedies the difficulties of the northern [continent] and the heaven of long life. "Observing the precepts on one's own and not censuring the shortcomings of others is the bodhisattva's pure land; when the bodhisattva attains buddhahood, in his land there is not even the name of violating the prohibitions." Observing the practice of precepts on one's own means upholding the precepts oneself. Not censuring the shortcomings of others means not seeing the faults of others. Due to these two conditions, the land lacks even the name of violating prohibitions, much less the actual act of violating prohibitions. "The ten good deeds are the bodhisattva's pure land." Previously, observing the practice of precepts on one's own explained upholding the precepts of the monastic life; here, practicing the ten good deeds refers to the lay precepts. "When the bodhisattva attains buddhahood, [beings who] do not die prematurely" is the retribution for not killing living beings. "Possessing great wealth" is the retribution for not stealing. "[Living in] celibacy (brahmacarya)" is the retribution for not engaging in sexual misconduct. "Whose words are trustworthy and true" is the retribution for not speaking falsely. "Always using gentle speech" is the retribution for not using harsh speech. "Whose family members are not separated and who skillfully harmonize disputes" is the retribution for not engaging in divisive speech. "Whose speech is invariably beneficial" is the retribution for not engaging in frivolous talk. "[Beings who] are free from envy, free from anger, and possess right view come to be born in his land." This clarifies the three retributions of the mind. Question: How many grades of the ten good deeds are there? Answer: According to the Daśabhūmika Sūtra, there are generally four grades: ordinary beings, the two vehicles, bodhisattvas, and buddhas. As for why the ten good deeds are called "paths" (mārga), there are generally two meanings: first, relative to the cause, they facilitate the preceding causes, and hence are called paths; second, relative to the subsequent fruition, they convey people all the way to the fruition of buddhahood, and hence are called paths. Question: Why are the ten good deeds spoken of last? Answer: They integrate all the preceding practices to accomplish the purity of body, speech, and mind, which is the foundation of the land. "Thus, Ratnākara! According to the bodhisattva's straight mind, he is able to initiate practice." From the above until now, the text specifically elucidated the cultivation of pure land practices; from here onward, it explains the sequence of cultivation and practice. "According to his straight mind" refers to the mind of right faith. Once one has the mind of right faith, one is able to initiate all practices. "According to his initiating practice, he attains the deep mind." Once one is able to initiate all good practices, correct contemplation becomes increasingly clear; therefore, the "deep mind" is explained. "According to his deep mind, his mind is subdued." When the contemplative mind is clear, one abandons evil and follows the good; this is called "subdued." "According to his being subdued, he practices as taught." Once the mind is subdued, one is able to practice as taught by the Buddha. "According to his practicing as taught, he is able to dedicate [merit]." Having practiced as taught, one is able to dedicate one's practice toward the Buddha path. "According to his dedicating [merit], there are skillful means (upāya)." Being able to dedicate [merit] toward the Buddha path, one does not follow the three realms of existence; hence it is called skillful means. "According to his skillful means, he brings sentient beings to maturity." Master Kumārajīva said: "There are three kinds of skillful means: first, being skillful in one's own practice without grasping at characteristics; second, not grasping at realization; third, skillfully transforming sentient beings." "According to his bringing sentient beings to maturity, the buddha land is purified." When sentient beings are purified, there is no defiled land. "According to the buddha land being purified, the preaching of the Dharma is purified." Abiding in a pure land, one does not teach mixed doctrines; this is called the purity of preaching the Dharma. "According to the preaching of the Dharma being purified, wisdom is purified." Having pure preaching, wisdom regarding phenomena arises. "According to wisdom being purified, his mind is purified." Once pure wisdom arises, the mind is purified. The foundation of wisdom is indeed the mind; thus it is said that the mind is purified. "According to his mind being purified, all merits are purified." The pure mind is the root; because the root is pure, everything is purified. "Therefore, Ratnākara! If a bodhisattva wishes to attain a pure land, he should purify his mind; according to the purification of his mind, the buddha land is purified." Although the preceding text explained all practices as the causes and fruits of the pure land, tracing back to the grand source, the mind is the foundation; thus the Daśabhūmika Sūtra states: "The three realms and five destinies are all made by the mind." Therefore, if one wishes to attain a pure land, one ought to purify one's mind. Question: From "according to his straight mind" up to "all merits are purified," can this be explained in terms of stages? Answer: We may roughly assign them. When an external ordinary being first generates the ten faiths, that is called the straight mind. Having the mind of faith, one should undertake practice; therefore, the internal ordinary being is called initiating practice. From the first bhūmi upward, cultivating and rectifying the activities of the stages is called the deep mind. On the second bhūmi, upholding precepts to prevent evil is called being subdued. On the third bhūmi, cultivating meditative absorption based on hearing [the Dharma] is called practicing as taught. From the fourth bhūmi to the sixth bhūmi, cultivating conforming patience and proceeding toward the unarisen is called dedicating [merit]. On the seventh bhūmi, one practices the ten skillful means, and thus is able to bring sentient beings to maturity. On the eighth bhūmi, one cultivates the purification of the buddha land, which is the purification of the buddha land. On the ninth bhūmi, through eloquence, one preaches the Dharma to others, which is the purity of preaching the Dharma. On the tenth bhūmi, one accomplishes the perfection of wisdom, which is the purity of wisdom. The stage of virtual enlightenment is the adamantine mind, which is called the mind being purified. At the stage of wondrous enlightenment, practice and vows are perfected; therefore, all merits are purified.