無量壽經優婆提舍願生偈註 2.185

2.185

問曰：有何因緣言速得成就阿耨多羅三藐三菩提？答曰：論言「修五門行以自利利他成就故」。然覈求其本，阿彌陀如來為增上緣。他利之與利他談有左右。若自佛而言，宜言利他；自眾生而言，宜言他利。今將談佛力，是故以利他言之，當知此意也。凡是生彼淨土，及彼菩薩人天所起諸行，皆緣阿彌陀如來本願力故。何以言之？若非佛力，四十八願便是徒設。今的取三願用證義意。願言「設我得佛，十方眾生至心信樂欲生我國，乃至十念，若不得生者，不取正覺；唯除五逆、誹謗正法。」緣佛願力故，十念念佛便得往生，得往生故即免三界輪轉之事，無輪轉故所以得速。一證也。願言「設我得佛，國中人天不住正定聚必至滅度者，不取正覺。」緣佛願力故住正定聚，住正定聚故必至滅度無諸迴伏之難，所以得速。二證也。願言「設我得佛，他方佛土諸菩薩眾來生我國，究竟必至一生補處。除其本願自在所化，為眾生故被弘誓鎧積累德本度脫一切，遊諸佛國修菩薩行，供養十方諸佛如來，開化恒沙無量眾生，使立無上正真之道。超出常倫諸地之行，現前修習普賢之德。若不爾者，不取正覺。」緣佛願力，故超出常倫諸地之行現前修習普賢之德。以超出常倫諸地行故，所以得速。三證也。以斯而推，他力為增上緣。得不然乎？當復引例示自力他力相。如人畏三塗故受持禁戒，受持禁戒故能修禪定，以禪定故修習神通，以神通故能遊四天下，如是等名為自力。又如劣夫跨驢不上，從轉輪王行便乘虛空遊四天下無所障礙，如是等名為他力。愚哉後之學者，聞他力可乘當生信心，勿自局分也。

Question: For what reason is it said that they quickly attain anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi? Answer: The treatise says: "Because they accomplish it through cultivating the practice of the five gates for self-benefit and benefiting others." Yet when we examine the root of this, it is Tathāgata Amitābha who is the adhipati-pratyaya. There are two aspects to discussing benefit received from the other and benefiting others: if speaking from the perspective of the Buddha, one should say 'benefiting others'; if speaking from the perspective of sentient beings, one should say 'benefit received from the other'. Now we are going to speak of the Buddha's power, and therefore we speak of it as 'benefiting others'; one should understand this intention. In general, all rebirth in that Pure Land and all the practices generated by those bodhisattvas, humans, and devas arise due to the power of Tathāgata Amitābha's fundamental vow. Why is this said? Were it not for the Buddha's power, the forty-eight vows would have been made in vain. Now I cite specifically three vows to substantiate this doctrinal meaning. The vow says: 'If, when I attain Buddhahood, the sentient beings of the ten directions with sincere minds of joyful faith should wish to be reborn in my land, even down to ten recitations, and yet are not reborn there, may I not attain perfect awakening; except only those who commit the five heinous crimes or slander the True Dharma.' Due to the power of the Buddha's vow, one is reborn through ten recitations of the Buddha's [name]; because one obtains rebirth, one is immediately freed from the wheel of transmigration in the three realms; and because there is no transmigration, one attains it quickly. This is the first proof. The vow says: 'If, when I attain Buddhahood, the humans and devas in my land do not abide in the group of correct determination and inevitably reach nirvāṇa, may I not attain perfect awakening.' Due to the power of the Buddha's vow, they abide in the group of correct determination; because they abide in the group of correct determination, they inevitably reach nirvāṇa without the difficulties of retrogressing or falling back; and therefore they attain it quickly. This is the second proof. The vow says: 'If, when I attain Buddhahood, the assemblies of bodhisattvas of other Buddha-lands who come to be reborn in my land should not ultimately and inevitably reach [the stage of being] bound to one last rebirth—excepting those who, according to their own fundamental vows and acting at will in transforming others, for the sake of sentient beings put on the armour of great vows, amass roots of virtue, liberate all, travel through all Buddha-lands to cultivate bodhisattva practices, make offerings to the Tathāgata Buddhas of the ten directions, guide and transform immeasurable sentient beings like the sands of the Ganges, causing them to establish themselves on the unsurpassed, correct, and true path, surpassing the practices of the ordinary stages and presently cultivating the virtues of Samantabhadra—if they do not, may I not attain perfect awakening.' Due to the power of the Buddha's vow, they surpass the practices of the ordinary stages and presently cultivate the virtues of Samantabhadra. Because they surpass the practices of the ordinary stages, they attain it quickly. This is the third proof. Inferring from this, other-power is the adhipati-pratyaya. Could it be otherwise? I will further cite analogies to demonstrate the characteristics of self-power and other-power. For example, a person, fearing the three evil destinies, receives and upholds the prohibitive precepts; because of receiving and upholding the prohibitive precepts, they are able to cultivate dhyāna meditation; through dhyāna meditation, they cultivate supernatural powers; and through supernatural powers, they are able to roam through the four continents—such as this is called 'self-power'. Again, it is like a feeble man who cannot even mount a donkey, but by following an escort of a wheel-turning sage king, rides through empty space and roams through the four continents without hindrance—such as this is called 'other-power'. How foolish are later scholars! Hearing that other-power can be relied upon, they should generate faith and not restrict themselves within their own capacities.