無量壽經優婆提舍願生偈註 1.69

1.69

These two lines are called the accomplishment of the adornment of merits of the master. Why did the Buddha originally raise this adornment? He saw that although certain Buddha Tathāgatas had great assemblies, among their assemblies there were also those who were not very reverent. For instance, a monk said to Śākyamuni Buddha: "If you do not resolve the fourteen difficult questions for me, I shall study other paths instead." It was also like Kokālika slandering Śāriputra; the Buddha spoke to him three times, yet three times he would not accept it. It was also like the non-Buddhists who falsely entered the Buddha's assembly and constantly watched for the Buddha's faults. It was also like the māra of the sixth heaven, who constantly created hindrances for the Buddha. There being various such marks of irreverence, he therefore made the vow: "May it be that when I become a Buddha, the assembly of gods and humans will be reverent without weariness." The reason he mentions only gods and humans is that in the Pure Land there are no women or ghosts and spirits of the eight classes. Therefore it is said: "The assembly of gods and human men / Reverently circumambulates and gazes up in admiration."