無量壽經優婆提舍願生偈註 2.135

2.135

案王舍城所說《無量壽經》，三輩生中雖行有優劣，莫不皆發無上菩提之心。此無上菩提心即是願作佛心，願作佛心即是度眾生心，度眾生心即攝取眾生生有佛國土心。是故願生彼安樂淨土者，要發無上菩提心也。若人不發無上菩提心，但聞彼國土受樂無間，為樂故願生，亦當不得往生也。是故言不求自身住持之樂，欲拔一切眾生苦故。住持樂者，謂彼安樂淨土為阿彌陀如來本願力之所住持，受樂無間也。凡釋迴向名義，謂以己所集一切功德施與一切眾生共向佛道。巧方便者，謂菩薩願以己智慧火燒一切眾生煩惱草木，若有一眾生不成佛，我不作佛；而眾生未盡成佛，菩薩已自成佛。譬如火𣕊（聽念反），欲摘（聽歷反）一切草木燒令使盡。草木未盡，火𣕊已盡。以後其身而身先故，名巧方便。此中言方便者，謂作願攝取一切眾生，共同生彼安樂佛國。彼佛國即是畢竟成佛道路無上方便也。

According to the Sūtra of Immeasurable Life preached at Rājagṛha, although the practices of the three grades of rebirth have superior and inferior aspects, there are none who do not generate the mind of supreme bodhi. This mind of supreme bodhi is precisely the mind that vows to become a Buddha. The mind that vows to become a Buddha is precisely the mind that saves sentient beings. The mind that saves sentient beings is precisely the mind that gathers in sentient beings to be reborn in a land where a Buddha resides. Therefore, those who vow to be reborn in that Pure Land of Peace and Bliss must generate the mind of supreme bodhi. If a person does not generate the mind of supreme bodhi, but only hears that one receives pleasure without interruption in that land and therefore vows to be reborn for the sake of pleasure, he will also fail to attain rebirth. Therefore it is said: 'He does not seek the pleasure of sustenance for his own person; because he desires to pull out the suffering of all sentient beings.' 'The pleasure of sustenance' means that that Pure Land of Peace and Bliss is sustained by the power of the fundamental vow of Amitābha Tathāgata, and one receives pleasure without interruption. Generally, in explaining the meaning of the name 'dedication of merit,' it means bestowing all the merits one has gathered upon all sentient beings so that they together turn toward the Buddha path. As for 'skillful expedient,' it means that the bodhisattva vows to use the fire of his own wisdom to burn the grass and trees of the afflictions of all sentient beings: 'If even a single sentient being does not become a Buddha, I will not become a Buddha.' Yet before sentient beings have all become Buddhas, the bodhisattva has already become a Buddha himself. For example, a firebrand seeks to burn up all grass and trees so as to consume them completely. Before the grass and trees are consumed, the firebrand is already consumed. Because he puts himself last and yet is foremost, it is called a skillful expedient. 'Expedient' here means making a vow to gather in all sentient beings so that they may together be born in that Buddha land of Peace and Bliss. That Buddha land is precisely the supreme expedient path to ultimate Buddhahood.