說無垢稱經疏 2.251

2.251

Third, in discerning the causal practices: The above passage of this sūtra says: 'Aspiration to supreme bodhi is a bodhisattva's pure buddha-field. When a bodhisattva realizes great bodhi, all sentient beings who set out in the Mahāyāna are born in that realm.' Pure resolve, wholesome application, superior resolve, the six pāramitās, the four apramāṇas, the four articles of attraction, skillful means, the thirty-seven bodhipakṣa-dharmas, the practice of dedication, eloquent discourse, the elimination of the eight unfree conditions, guarding one's own moral conduct without censuring others' faults, and the ten paths of wholesome action—together totaling eighteen pure practices of the buddha-field—are all causes of a pure land. A later passage in the sūtra states: 'Fulfilling eight dharmas, one is born in a pure land.' The 'Incense Mound Chapter' states: 'The multitude of bodhisattvas in the Sahā world who mature eight dharmas, undamaged and uninjured, will upon departing from this life be born in other pure lands. First, reflecting: “I should do good deeds for sentient beings, without expecting wholesome reward from them.” Second, reflecting: “I should take upon myself all the suffering and affliction of those sentient beings, and dedicate all of my wholesome roots to bestow upon them.” Third, reflecting: “I should be impartial in mind toward sentient beings, free from hindrance in mind.” Fourth, reflecting: “Toward all those sentient beings, I should subdue arrogance, respecting and loving them as if they were buddhas.” Fifth, superior in conviction, when hearing profound scriptures never before heard, upon briefly hearing them, being free from doubt and slander. Sixth, having no envy toward the offerings received by others, and giving rise to no arrogance toward one's own offerings. Seventh, subduing one's own mind, constantly examining one's own faults, and not mocking others' transgressions. Eighth, constantly free from negligence, ever seeking unhindered among wholesome dharmas, and vigorously cultivating the bodhipakṣa-dharmas.' The *Guan wuliangshou jing* extensively explains the various contemplations that cause birth in the pure land, up to filial devotion to parents, serving teachers and elders, and the ripening of ten recollections, all being causes of a pure land. The *Buddhagūmi-sūtra-śāstra* and the *Mahāyānasaṃgraha* both state that [the pure land] is produced by superior supramundane wholesome roots, stating that solely anāsrava wholesome roots are the cause. Although there are these different passages, each is taught in accordance with the varied suitability of the capacities to be converted as appropriate to be heard and practiced, and is not definitively only this. Therefore, the *Abhidharmasamuccaya* states: 'Because it is not produced by the power of karma and afflictions, and not generated by the predominance of karma and afflictions, but rather is induced by great vows and pure wholesome roots.' In summary, the causes of a pure land are, first, wholesome roots, and second, great vows. If one does not cultivate wholesome roots, the buddha-field lacks a cause; if one does not generate great vows, the buddha-field lacks a condition; only when cause and condition are both complete is the fruit induced. Just as in the world there is an ally whose craving and grasping provide moisture, only then inducing the two fruits of the inner and outer lands. One must cultivate the manifold practices and use vows as an aid, only then being able to be born within the buddha-field; otherwise, there would be no meaning to seeing the Buddha, hearing the Dharma, and being born in the buddha-field. Although this is the general character, the superior causes of the Buddha's four lands are each distinct: The dharmatā land takes solely non-conceptual wisdom of the two forms of emptiness as its causal condition, because only this wisdom realizes the principle of dharmatā. The svasaṃbhoga land takes solely the post-attainment wisdom of self-benefit as its causal condition, because only this wisdom realizes the phenomenal five aggregates. The parasambhoga land and the nirmāṇa land take solely the post-attainment wisdom of benefiting others as their causal condition. The *Prajñāpāramitā-sūtra* states: 'To adorn a buddha-field, adorn a buddha-field—that is not adorning a buddha-field; therefore it is called adorning a buddha-field, adorning a buddha-field.' Master Vasubandhu's treatise says: 'Wisdom practices the mastery of consciousness-only; / Thus one grasps the pure land. / It is not the ultimate reality of forms; / Adornment has the meaning of non-adornment.' As extensively explained there, it agrees precisely with this. This explains that for the sentient beings converted by the buddha-fields, their causes are indeed distinct. As for the dharmatā land, the bodhisattvas of the ten grounds also take non-conceptual wisdom as its causal condition. In the complete dharmatā land, the ten grounds are not born; having a partial realization and confluence, bodhisattvas also attain it, as explained before. Therefore, various treatises state: 'From the first ground onward, one is born in the Tathāgata's family,' which means the pure dharmadhātu is called the Tathāgata's family; having realization and confluence within it is called being born. In the svasaṃbhoga land, the ten grounds are not born; they know it but do not realize it. For the parasambhoga land, the post-attainment wisdom of the bodhisattvas of the ten grounds is its causal condition, with non-conceptual wisdom, preparatory wisdom, and the like as auxiliary causes. The *Buddhabhūmi-śāstra* also states: 'Regarding the non-conceptual, speaking comprehensively of their mutual assistance, the wisdom of principle does not serve as the causal condition for phenomenal things.' In the case of the nirmāṇa land, ordinary persons prior to the grounds take preparatory wisdom, and the two vehicles also take post-attainment wisdom, as the direct causal condition. What has been explained above are all direct causal conditions. If including auxiliary causes and conditioning assistants: according to appropriateness, the principle land is attained with phenomenal practices and vows as conditioning assistants; if it is a phenomenal land, it is attained with practices of principle and vows as conditioning assistants. Since the sāsrava land takes the anāsrava as an assistant, and the anāsrava land takes the sāsrava as an assistant, the *Abhidharmasamuccaya* states: 'It is brought into being solely with great vows and wholesome roots as causes.' What the various teachings explain in various manners are all spoken at the right time in accordance with what is appropriate, and are not definitively fixed. Vimalakīrti's statement that 'eight dharmas without blemish [lead to] birth in a pure land,' and the *Buddhabhūmi-śāstra*'s statement that 'it is produced by superior supramundane wholesome roots'—both of these are causes of the parasambhoga [land]. The *Vimalakīrti-sūtra*'s statement that 'the aspiration to bodhi on high is the land, up to the ten paths of wholesome action, which are the pure cultivation of the buddha-field,' broadly speaks of the mutual assistance of both sāsrava and anāsrava causes to be born in the parasambhoga land; it can also be broadly spoken of as birth in a pure nirmāṇa land. Regarding the various contemplations, filial devotion to parents, and so on, up to the ten recollections as causes of the pure land taught in the *Guan jing*, there are two interpretations: One says that, according to the *Mahāyānasaṃgraha* and others, the Western [Land] is a parasambhoga land. The *Guan jing* itself says: 'Because only avaivartika, non-retrogressing bodhisattvas are able to be born there, and it is not through minor wholesome roots as cause and condition that one can be born there.' Asaṅga's and Vasubandhu's treatises on the pure land state: 'Because women, those with defective faculties, those of the lineage of the two vehicles, and the like are not born there.' The *Mahāyānasaṃgraha* states: 'It is not solely by virtue of a vow that one is immediately born there, because of the intention of a different time. Just as by trading one coin one gains a thousand coins, it is only at a different time that one obtains it, not immediately now. Rebirth through ten recollections is also like this: the ten recollections serve as the cause, and only later is one gradually born there; it is not that by virtue of ten recollections one is born immediately after death. To eliminate indolence in those who do not cultivate wholesome deeds and cause them to practice mindfulness of the Buddha, it is taught that the power of ten recollections is the cause of birth in a pure land.' Furthermore, it says that the size of Amitābha Buddha's body and the white curl are like five Sumerus; if it were not parasambhoga, how could it possibly be so? Again, the *Guanxiang shouji jing* says: 'After Amitābha Buddha passes into extinction, Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva will next succeed to his place.' A great form on the ten grounds is said to succeed to the place; if not parasambhoga, what kind of buddha could it be? The second interpretation says that the Western [Land] encompasses both the saṃbhoga and nirmāṇa lands. The textual proofs for the saṃbhoga land are as stated above. The proofs for the nirmāṇa land are that the *Guyin wang jing* says: 'Amitābha Buddha's father was named Candracchatra, his mother was named Utpalanetrā; he had a son, he had Māra, he had Devadatta, and he had a royal city.' If he were not a nirmāṇakāya, how could such things exist? Therefore, the *Guan jing* says that among the nine grades of rebirth, there are arhats, srotāpannas, and so forth. Thus, those born there include all three vehicles, and that land encompasses both the saṃbhoga and nirmāṇa lands. If one relies on the former explanation, this is a parasambhoga-kāya manifesting the appearance of also having parents and a royal kingdom, whereas in reality there are none, and in reality there are no women, evil destinies, fears, and the like. Among the nine grades of rebirth, the 'arhats' and so forth are spoken of by borrowing those names, while in reality they are bodhisattvas. The two interpretations are left to discretion; one may accept or reject as one pleases.