無量壽經優婆提舍願生偈註 2.21

2.21

譯奢摩他曰止，止者止心一處不作惡也。此譯名乃不乖大意，於義未滿。何以言之？如止心鼻端亦名為止，不淨觀止貪、慈悲觀止瞋、因緣觀止癡，如是等亦名為止。如人將行不行亦名為止。是知止語浮漫，不正得奢摩他名也。如椿柘榆柳雖皆名木，若但云木，安得榆柳耶？奢摩他云止者，今有三義：一者一心專念阿彌陀如來，願生彼土，此如來名號及彼國土名號能止一切惡；二者彼安樂土過三界道，若人亦生彼國，自然止身口意惡；三者阿彌陀如來正覺住持力，自然止求聲聞辟支佛心。此三種止，從如來如實功德生，是故言欲如實修行奢摩他故。

Translating śamatha yields 'calming' (zhi). Calming means stopping the mind at one place and not doing evil. Although this translated term does not violate the general intent, its meaning is not complete. Why is this said? Stopping the mind at the tip of the nose is also called calming; the contemplation of impurity calms greed, the contemplation of loving-kindness calms anger, the contemplation of causes and conditions calms delusion—such as these are also called calming. When a person is about to walk and stops, this is also called calming. Thus one knows that the word 'calming' is vague and diffuse, not accurately capturing the name śamatha. Just as the toon, cudrania, elm, and willow are all called 'wood', yet if one merely says 'wood', how can one obtain elm or willow? As for śamatha being called 'calming', it now has three meanings: first, single-mindedly and exclusively being mindful of Amitābha Tathāgata and aspiring to be reborn in that land—this Tathāgata's name and the name of that land can calm all evil; second, that Land of Peace and Bliss transcends the path of the three realms; if a person is reborn in that land, evil of body, speech, and mind will naturally be calmed; third, the sustaining power of Amitābha Tathāgata's correct enlightenment naturally calms the mind seeking to be a śrāvaka or pratyekabuddha. These three kinds of calming arise from the Tathāgata's virtues that accord with reality; therefore it is said: 'wishing to practice śamatha in accordance with reality.'