四明尊者教行錄 2.14

2.14

答曰：佛意雖顯，經語難知，須假四依示其修法。何者？一經旨趣搜在首題，故疏云：觀雖十六，言佛便周。既以一心三觀釋觀，一體三身解佛，諸法實相為經正體，修心妙觀顯四淨土為宗，能除五逆即生九品為用，方等大乘圓頓為教相。五重既爾，豈可以唯想事境消經文耶？荊溪云：首題既爾，題下別釋理非容易。又《不二門》云：覽別為總，符文可知。是則題與經文總別相顯，不可輒異，故知十六皆圓三觀也。

I answered: 'Although the Buddha's intention is clear, the words of the sūtra are difficult to understand; one must rely on the four reliances to show its method of practice. Why? The purport of an entire sūtra is sought in its opening title. Therefore, the commentary states: "Although the contemplations are sixteen, mentioning 'Buddha' encompasses them all." Since it interprets "contemplation" by the three contemplations in one mind, interprets "Buddha" by the three bodies in one essence, takes the true aspect of all dharmas as the sūtra's proper essence, takes the wondrous contemplation of cultivating the mind to reveal the four pure lands as the primary purpose, takes the ability to eliminate the five heinous sins and immediately attain rebirth in the nine grades as the function, and takes the Vaipulya Mahāyāna perfect and sudden as the doctrinal characteristic—the fivefold [profound meaning] being thus, how could one interpret the sūtra text by merely visualizing concrete objective realms? Jingxi says: "The opening title being thus, the separate explanation below the title cannot easily be considered otherwise in principle." Furthermore, the Gate of Non-duality states: "Viewing the distinct as the general, it can be known in accordance with the text." Thus, the title and the sūtra text illuminate each other in general and distinct aspects and cannot arbitrarily differ; therefore, know that all sixteen are the perfect three contemplations.'