無量壽經優婆提舍願生偈註 1.10

1.10

此一行云何成優婆提舍名？云何成上三門起下二門？偈言「我依修多羅，與佛教相應。」修多羅是佛經名，我論佛經義與經相應，以入佛法相故，得名優婆提舍。名成竟。成上三門起下二門，何所依？何故依？云何依？何所依者，依修多羅。何故依者，以如來即真實功德相故。云何依者，修五念門相應故。成上起下竟。修多羅者，十二部經中直說者名修多羅，謂四阿含、三藏等，三藏外大乘諸經亦名修多羅。此中言依修多羅者，是三藏外大乘修多羅，非《阿含》等經也。真實功德相者，有二種功德：一者從有漏心生，不順法性，所謂凡夫人天諸善。人天果報，若因若果，皆是顛倒、皆是虛偽，是故名不實功德。二者從菩薩智慧清淨業起莊嚴佛事，依法性入清淨相，是法不顛倒、不虛偽，名為真實功德。云何不顛倒？依法性順二諦故。云何不虛偽？攝眾生入畢竟淨故。說願偈總持與佛教相應者，持名不散不失，總名以少攝多。偈言五言句數，願名欲樂往生，說謂說諸偈論，總而言之說所願生偈，總持佛經與佛教相應。相應者，譬如函蓋相稱也。

How does this single verse-line establish the title of upadeśa? How does it establish the preceding three gates and give rise to the subsequent two gates? The verse says: "Relying on the sūtras, / In accord with the Buddha’s teaching." "Sūtra" is the name of the Buddha's discourses; my treatise expounds the meaning of the Buddha's discourses and accords with the sūtras. Because it enters into the marks of the Buddha-Dharma, it obtains the name upadeśa. Thus the establishment of the title is concluded.

Concerning establishing the preceding three gates and giving rise to the subsequent two gates: what is relied upon? Why is it relied upon? How is it relied upon? As for "what is relied upon": it relies upon the sūtras. As for "why it is relied upon": because the Tathāgata is the mark of true merit. As for "how it is relied upon": by practicing in accordance with the five gates of mindfulness. Thus establishing the preceding and giving rise to the subsequent is concluded.

Concerning "sūtra": among the twelve divisions of scriptures, those that are direct discourses are called sūtras—that is, the four Āgamas, the Tripiṭaka, and so forth; the various Mahāyāna scriptures outside the Tripiṭaka are also called sūtras. The phrase "relying on the sūtras" stated here refers to the Mahāyāna sūtras outside the Tripiṭaka, not scriptures such as the Āgamas.

Concerning "the mark of true merit": there are two kinds of merit. The first is generated from the mind with outflows and does not accord with the Dharma-nature; this refers to the various good deeds of ordinary human and heavenly beings. The fruits of retribution of humans and heavens, whether as causes or as fruits, are all inverted and all false; therefore they are called untrue merit. The second arises from the pure actions of a bodhisattva's wisdom, adorning the Buddha's activities, and entering into the mark of purity in accordance with the Dharma-nature; this dharma is not inverted and not false, and is called true merit. Why is it not inverted? Because it relies on the Dharma-nature and accords with the two truths. Why is it not false? Because it gathers sentient beings and brings them into ultimate purity.

Concerning "I express verses of aspiration, dhāraṇī-summary, / In accord with the Buddha’s teaching": "holding" (dhāraṇī) means neither dispersing nor losing; "summary" means using a few to gather the many. "Verse" refers to the five-character metrical lines. "Aspiration" means the wish and desire for rebirth. "Express" means to proclaim the various verses and treatise. Speaking comprehensively: expressing the verses of aspiration for rebirth as a dhāraṇī-summary of the Buddha's discourses accords with the Buddha's teaching. "Accords with" is, for example, like a box and its lid fitting each other.