無量壽經優婆提舍願生偈註 1.71

1.71

These four lines are called the accomplishment of the adornment of merits of sustaining power that does not act in vain. Why did the Buddha originally raise this adornment? He saw that there are Tathāgatas whose sangha consists only of śrāvakas, with none seeking the Buddha path. Or there are those who encounter a Buddha yet do not escape the three evil paths, such as Sunakṣatra, Devadatta, Kokālika, and others. Furthermore, there are people who hear the Buddha's name and produce the aspiration for unexcelled bodhi, but encountering evil conditions, they retrogress into the stage of śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas. There being such cases of passing by in vain and retrogressing, he therefore made the vow: "May it be that when I attain Buddhahood, those who encounter me at that time will all quickly fulfill the unexcelled great jewel." Therefore it is said: "Contemplating the power of the Buddha's fundamental vows, / None who encounter it pass by in vain; / It can cause them to quickly fulfill / The great ocean of precious merits." The meaning of sustaining power is as explained above. The contemplation of the eight kinds of adornment of merits of the Buddha is concluded above; next is the contemplation of the accomplishment of the four kinds of adornment of merits of all the great bodhisattvas in the Land of Peace and Bliss.