無量壽經優婆提舍願生偈註 1.12

1.12

此已下是第四觀察門。此門中分為二別：一者觀察器世間莊嚴成就、二者觀察眾生世間莊嚴成就。此句已下至「願生彼阿彌陀佛國」，是觀器世間莊嚴嚴成就。觀器世間中復分為十七別，至文當目。此二句即是第一事，名為觀察莊嚴清淨功德成就。此清淨是總相。佛本所以起此莊嚴清淨功德者，見三界是虛偽相、是輪轉相、是無窮相。如蚇（尺音）蠖（屈伸蟲，一郭反）循環，如蠶（才含反）繭（蠶衣，公殄反）自縛。哀哉眾生締（結不解，帝音）此三界顛倒不淨，欲置眾生於不虛偽處、於不輪轉處、於不無窮處、得畢竟安樂大清淨處，是故起此清淨莊嚴功德也。成就者，言此清淨不可破壞、不可污染，非如三界是污染相、是破壞相也。觀者，觀察也。彼者，彼安樂國也。世界相者，彼安樂世界清淨相也。其相別在下。「勝過三界道」，道者通也。以如此因得如此果、以如此果酬如此因，通因至果、通果酬因，故名為道。三界者，一是欲界，所謂六欲天、四天下人、畜生、餓鬼、地獄等是也。二是色界，所謂初禪、二禪、三禪、四禪天等是也。三是無色界，所謂空處、識處、無所有處、非想非非想處天等是也。此三界蓋是生死凡夫流轉之闇宅，雖復苦樂小殊、脩短暫異，統而觀之莫非有漏，倚伏相乘、循環無際，雜生觸受四倒長拘，且因且果虛偽相襲。安樂是菩薩慈悲正觀之由生、如來神力本願之所建，胎卵濕生緣茲高揖，業繫長維從此永斷，續括之權不待勸而彎弓、勞謙善讓齊普賢而同德，勝過三界抑是近言。

From here below is the fourth, the gate of contemplation. Within this gate there are two divisions: first, contemplating the perfection of the adornment of the container world; second, contemplating the perfection of the adornment of the world of sentient beings. From this line down to "I aspire to be born in that realm of Amitābha Buddha" is the contemplation of the perfection of the adornment of the container world. Within the contemplation of the container world, there are again seventeen divisions, which will be enumerated as we come to the text. These two lines are the first item, named "contemplating the perfection of the adornment of the merit of purity." This purity is the general mark.

The reason why the Buddha originally gave rise to this adorned merit of purity was that he saw the three realms as a mark of falsehood, a mark of transmigration, and a mark of endlessness—like an inchworm looping around, or a silkworm wrapping itself in its own cocoon. How lamentable that sentient beings are bound to these inverted and impure three realms! Wishing to establish sentient beings in a place that is not false, a place that does not transmigrate, a place that is not endless, and to attain the great, pure place of ultimate peace and bliss, he therefore gave rise to this adorned merit of purity.

"Perfection" means that this purity cannot be destroyed and cannot be defiled; it is not like the three realms, which are marks of defilement and marks of destruction. "Contemplating" means examining and observing. "That" refers to that Land of Peace and Bliss. "The marks of that world" refers to the pure marks of that world of Peace and Bliss. Its specific marks follow below.

"It surpasses the pathways of the three realms": "pathway" means passage. Receiving such a fruit through such a cause, and answering such a cause through such a fruit—the cause passing through to the fruit, and the fruit passing back to answer the cause—is therefore called a "pathway." The "three realms": first is the desire realm, namely the six heavens of desire, the humans of the four continents, animals, hungry ghosts, hells, and so on. Second is the form realm, namely the heavens of the first dhyāna, second dhyāna, third dhyāna, fourth dhyāna, and so on. Third is the formless realm, namely the heavens of the sphere of empty space, the sphere of consciousness, the sphere of nothingness, and the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception. These three realms are merely the dark dwellings where ordinary mortals in birth-and-death transmigrate. Although their suffering and pleasure differ slightly, and their lifespans vary temporarily, viewed comprehensively, none are without outflows; misfortune and fortune ride upon one another, looping without end, with mingled births and sensory contacts, eternally bound by the four inversions, cause and fruit perpetually perpetuating falsehood. The Land of Peace and Bliss is generated by the bodhisattva's correct contemplation of great compassion, and established by the Tathāgata's spiritual power and fundamental vow. Womb-born, egg-born, moisture-born, [and apparitionally born] beings thereupon bid high farewell [to saṃsāra], and the long ropes of karmic fetters are from this point eternally severed. The power to draw the bowstring does not await encouragement before bending the bow; their diligent humility and virtuous deference equal Samantabhadra in sharing the same virtue. To say it "surpasses the three realms" is indeed an understatement.