無量壽經優婆提舍願生偈註 1.8

1.8

世尊者，諸佛通號，論智則義無不達、語斷則習氣無餘，智斷具足能利世間，為世尊重，故曰世尊。此言意歸釋迦如來。何以得知？下句言「我依脩多羅」。天親菩薩在釋迦如來像法之中，順釋迦如來經教，所以願生。願生有宗，故知此言歸于釋迦。若謂此意遍告諸佛，亦復無嫌。夫菩薩歸佛，如孝子之歸父母、忠臣之歸君后，動靜非己、出沒必由，知恩報德理宜先啟。又所願不輕，若如來不加威神，將何以達？乞加神力，所以仰告。我一心者，天親菩薩自督之詞，言念無礙光如來願生安樂，心心相續無他想間雜。問曰：佛法中無我，此中何以稱我？答曰：言我有三根本，一是邪見語、二是自大語、三是流布語。今言我者，天親菩薩自指之言，用流布語，非邪見、自大也。歸命盡十方無礙光如來者，歸命即是禮拜門。盡十方無礙光如來即是讚歎門。何以知歸命是禮拜？龍樹菩薩造《阿彌陀如來讚》中，或言稽首禮、或言我歸命、或言歸命禮。此論長行中亦言修五念門，五念門中禮拜是一。天親菩薩既願往生，豈容不禮？故知歸命即是禮拜。然禮拜但是恭敬，不必歸命；歸命必是禮拜。若以此推，歸命為重。偈申己心，宜言歸命；論解偈義，汎談禮拜。彼此相成，於義彌顯。何以知盡十方無礙光如來是讚歎門？下長行中言「云何讚歎門？謂稱彼如來名，如彼如來光明智相、如彼名義，欲如實修行相應故。」依舍衛國所說《無量壽經》，佛解阿彌陀如來名號「何故號阿彌陀？彼佛光明無量，照十方國無所障礙，是故號阿彌陀。又彼佛壽命及其人民，無量無邊阿僧祇劫，故名阿彌陀。」問曰：若言無礙光如來光明無量照十方國土無所障礙者，此間眾生何以不蒙光照？光有所不照，豈非有礙耶？答曰：礙屬眾生，非光礙也。譬如日光周四天下，而盲者不見，非日光不周也。亦如密雲洪霔（灌之句反）而頑石不潤，非雨不洽（霑下恰反）也。若言一佛主領三千大千世界，是聲聞論中說；若言諸佛遍領十方無量無邊世界，是大乘論中說。天親菩薩今言盡十方無礙光如來，即是依彼如來名，如彼如來光明智相讚歎，故知此句是讚歎門。願生安樂國者，此一句是作願門，天親菩薩歸命之意也。其安樂義具在下觀察門中。問曰：大乘經論中處處說眾生畢竟無生如虛空，云何天親菩薩言願生耶？答曰：說眾生無生如虛空，有二種：一者如凡夫所謂實眾生、如凡夫所見實生死，此所見事畢竟無所有，如龜毛、如虛空。二者謂諸法因緣生故即是不生，無所有如虛空。天親菩薩所願生者是因緣義，因緣義故假名生，非如凡夫謂有實眾生、實生死也。問曰：依何義說往生？答曰：於此間假名人中修五念門，前念與後念作因。穢土假名人、淨土假名人，不得決定一、不得決定異，前心後心亦復如是。何以故？若一則無因果，若異則非相續。是義觀一異門，論中委曲。釋第一行三念門竟。次成優婆提舍名，又成上起下偈。

"Bhagavat" is a common title for all Buddhas. In terms of wisdom, there is no meaning he does not penetrate; in terms of cessation, no residual habit remains. Possessing both wisdom and cessation, he is able to benefit the world and is revered by the world; therefore, he is called Bhagavat. The intent of this statement refers to Śākyamuni Tathāgata. How is this known? The subsequent line says: "I rely on the sūtras." Bodhisattva Vasubandhu lived in the Semblance Dharma age of Śākyamuni Tathāgata; he complied with Śākyamuni Tathāgata's scriptural teachings, which is why he aspired for rebirth. His aspiration for rebirth had an authoritative source; hence we know this statement refers to Śākyamuni. If one considers this intent as addressing all Buddhas universally, there is also no objection. When a bodhisattva takes refuge in a Buddha, it is like a filial child turning to parents, or a loyal minister turning to the sovereign: movement and rest do not depend on oneself, appearing and disappearing must rely [on them]; knowing kindness and repaying virtue, it is right and proper to address them first. Furthermore, what is aspired to is not slight; if the Tathāgata does not grant majestic spiritual power, how could it be attained? Begging for the bestowal of spiritual power is why he reverently addresses him. "I, with single-mindedness" is an expression of Bodhisattva Vasubandhu urging himself, meaning that contemplating the Tathāgata of Unhindered Light and aspiring to be reborn in Peace and Bliss, thought-moment succeeds thought-moment without the interposition of other thoughts. Question: In the Buddha Dharma there is no self; why is "I" used here? Answer: Using the word "I" has three bases: the first is speech of wrong view, the second is speech of arrogance, and the third is conventional speech. Now when "I" is said, it is Bodhisattva Vasubandhu referring to himself, using conventional speech, not wrong view or arrogance. "I take refuge in the Tathāgata of Unhindered Light filling the ten directions": taking refuge is indeed the gate of worship; the Tathāgata of Unhindered Light filling the ten directions is indeed the gate of praise. How do we know that taking refuge is worship? In the Praise of Amitābha Tathāgata composed by Bodhisattva Nāgārjuna, he says at times "I bow my head in worship," at times "I take refuge," and at times "taking refuge, I worship." The prose of this treatise also speaks of practicing the five gates of mindfulness, and among the five gates of mindfulness, worship is one. Since Bodhisattva Vasubandhu aspired for rebirth, how could he not worship? Therefore we know that taking refuge is indeed worship. However, worship is merely reverent respect and is not necessarily taking refuge; taking refuge necessarily involves worship. Deduced from this, taking refuge is more profound. The verse expresses his own mind, so it is fitting to say "take refuge"; the treatise explains the meaning of the verse, speaking generally of "worship." Complementing one another, the meaning becomes ever more evident. How do we know that "the Tathāgata of Unhindered Light filling the ten directions" is the gate of praise? The prose below says: "What is the gate of praise? It means reciting that Tathāgata's name, in accordance with that Tathāgata's marks of the light of wisdom, and in accordance with the meaning of that name, wishing to practice in accordance with reality." According to the Sūtra of Immeasurable Life preached in the realm of Śrāvastī, the Buddha explains Amitābha Tathāgata's name: "Why is he called Amitābha? That Buddha's light is immeasurable, illuminating the lands of the ten directions without hindrance; therefore, he is called Amitābha. Moreover, that Buddha's lifespan and that of his people last for immeasurable, boundless asaṃkhyeya kalpas; therefore, he is named Amitābha." Question: If it is said that the Tathāgata of Unhindered Light has immeasurable light illuminating the lands of the ten directions without hindrance, why do the sentient beings here not receive the illumination of this light? If there is somewhere the light does not illuminate, is it not hindered? Answer: The hindrance belongs to sentient beings; it is not that the light is hindered. For example, sunlight pervades the four continents, yet the blind do not see it; it is not that the sunlight does not pervade. It is also like dense clouds pouring torrents, yet inert stone is not moistened; it is not that the rain does not soak. To say that one Buddha presides over a trichiliocosm is taught in the treatises of the śrāvakas; to say that all Buddhas universally preside over immeasurable and boundless worlds in the ten directions is taught in the treatises of the Mahāyāna. Bodhisattva Vasubandhu now says "the Tathāgata of Unhindered Light filling the ten directions"; this is precisely relying on that Tathāgata's name to praise him in accordance with that Tathāgata's marks of the light of wisdom. Thus we know this line is the gate of praise. "And aspire to be reborn in the Land of Peace and Bliss": this single line is the gate of making aspiration, conveying Bodhisattva Vasubandhu's intention in taking refuge. The meaning of Peace and Bliss is fully presented in the gate of contemplation below. Question: In the Mahāyāna sūtras and treatises, it is taught everywhere that sentient beings are ultimately unarisen, like empty space; why does Bodhisattva Vasubandhu say he aspires to be reborn? Answer: Explaining that sentient beings are unarisen like empty space has two senses: First, as ordinary beings imagine real sentient beings and real birth-and-death, what is seen in this way is ultimately nonexistent, like a turtle's hair or empty space. Second, because all dharmas arise through conditions, they are unarisen, nonexistent like empty space. What Bodhisattva Vasubandhu aspires to be reborn into is the meaning of dependent arising; because it is the meaning of dependent arising, rebirth is conventionally designated, unlike ordinary beings who believe there are real sentient beings and real birth-and-death. Question: Based on what meaning is rebirth spoken of? Answer: Practicing the five gates of mindfulness within the conventionally designated person here, the preceding thought acts as the cause for the subsequent thought. The conventionally designated person of the defiled land and the conventionally designated person of the pure land cannot be definitively determined to be identical, nor can they be definitively determined to be different; the same is true of the preceding mind and the subsequent mind. Why? If they were identical, there would be no cause and effect; if they were different, there would be no continuity. This meaning of observing the gate of identity and difference is explained in detail in the treatise. The explanation of the three gates of mindfulness in the first quatrain is concluded. Next are the verses establishing the name upadeśa and establishing the preceding to introduce the following.