無量壽經優婆提舍願生偈註 1.40

1.40

These two lines are called the accomplishment of the adornment of the retinue merits. Why did the Buddha originally give rise to this vow? He saw that there are lands where beings either take the womb and blood as their bodily vessel, or take feces and urine as their origin of life; or where high families of the locust tree and thorn produce sons of suspicion and madness, while low servant boys and maidservants' bellies produce outstanding talents. Taunts and mockery cause one to harbour fire within, and shame and humiliation cause one to embrace ice. Therefore he made this vow: 'May all beings in my land be born within the Tathāgata's pure flowers, their retinue being equal, with no distinction of taking or casting away.' Therefore it is said: 'The Tathāgata's pure flower assembly / Is transformatively born from the flower of Perfect Awakening.'