華嚴經內章門等雜孔目章 4.21

4.21

Seventh, regarding the differences in the redirection of karmic practices for rebirth: as for the karma for rebirth, even if it is the correct wholesome roots of humans and devas in this realm, the correct wholesome roots of the three vehicles, or the correct wholesome roots of seeking rebirth in the pure lands of the ten directions, when dedicated toward rebirth in the Western [realm], they all become auxiliary causes. If one discusses the direct causes of rebirth there, one excludes the causes of suffering and accumulation of the three realms: non-conceptual wisdom is the primary practice-cause; generating the vow to seek rebirth is the superior expedient; and the pleasant desire to be born at the time of death is the immediately contiguous condition, which is the correct and superior desire. At the time of death, a good friend's practice and understanding serves as the proximate dominant condition for one's past wholesome roots. Broadly following the sūtras, one accomplishes many wholesome roots. If one relies on what has been done in the present life—the extent of continuous great wholesome roots cultivated throughout a lifetime—this constitutes the direct cause and is not an intention of a different time. Anything below this is an intention of a different time. It causes one to be born in the Western [realm], and upon reaching there, one attains non-retrogression. Although there are differences of earlier and later, attaining non-retrogression is still taken as the fundamental purport. From this point onward, progressively increasing in superiority, one is born in boundless Buddha-lands, reaches the realm of Samantabhadra, returns to enter that ocean of worlds of the Lotus Treasury, and accomplishes the function of giving rise to transformation; this is said in terms of finally entering the house. If one follows the highest grade of the highest rebirth in the *Guan jing*, upon hearing the wondrous Dharma, one immediately awakens to anutpattika-dharma-kṣānti; within an instant, one visits and serves Buddhas throughout the realms of the ten directions, successively receives predictions before the Buddhas, returns to one's native land, and obtains countless hundreds of thousands of gates of dhāraṇī. This is said in terms of the initial, proximate arrival. Furthermore, relying on the *Wang sheng lun* (*Treatise on Rebirth in the Pure Land*), there are two kinds of mutually supportive methods in sequence: first, the cause; second, the fruit. The cause has five gates by which one ultimately attains rebirth in the Land of Peace and Bliss and sees Amitābha Buddha: first, the gate of prostration; second, the gate of praise; third, the gate of making vows; fourth, the gate of observation; fifth, the gate of dedication. What is prostration? It is bodily action prostrating to Amitābha Tathāgata, Arhat, Samyaksambuddha, with the intention of being born in that land. What is praise? It is vocal action praising [him], reciting that Tathāgata's name in accordance with the marks of wisdom of that Tathāgata's light, and in accordance with the meaning of that name, wishing to practice in correspondence with reality. What is making vows? It is the mind constantly making vows, single-mindedly and exclusively focusing on ultimately attaining rebirth in the Land of Peace and Bliss, wishing to practice śamatha in accordance with reality. What is observation? It is using wisdom to observe, correctly contemplating him, wishing to practice vipaśyanā in accordance with reality—as explained extensively in the treatise. What is dedication? It refers to dedication toward the three places. The second, the fruits, also has five gates, sequentially accomplishing five kinds of merit: first, the gate of approach; second, the gate of the great assembly; third, the gate of the threshold; fourth, the gate of the chamber; fifth, the gate of the ground of sporting in gardens and groves. The first four gates accomplish the merit of entering; the fifth gate accomplishes the merit of exiting. Entering the first gate: by prostrating to Amitābha Buddha for the sake of rebirth in that land, one attains rebirth in the World of Peace and Bliss. Entering the second gate: by praising Amitābha Buddha, reciting the Tathāgata's name in accordance with the meaning of the name, and cultivating the mind in reliance upon the marks of the Tathāgata's light, one enters the number of the great assembly. Entering the third gate: by single-mindedly and exclusively focusing on making the vow to be born there, and cultivating the practice of śamatha's quiescent samādhi, one enters the Lotus Treasury World. Entering the fourth gate: by exclusively observing its wondrous adornments and cultivating vipaśyanā, one reaches that place and enjoys various flavors of the Dharma and delights. Exiting the fifth gate: with great compassion, observing all suffering sentient beings, manifesting transformed bodies, returning to enter the garden of saṃsāra and the grove of afflictions, sporting with supernormal faculties, and reaching the ground of transforming teaching, by virtue of the power of the original vow through dedication. Because bodhisattvas thus cultivate the practices of the five gates, benefiting oneself and benefiting others, they quickly accomplish anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi.