四明尊者教行錄 2.16

2.16

Answer: Whenever a teaching is to arise, how could it not proceed gradually from immediate circumstances? Although Vaidehī merely wished to abandon this defiled land and seek birth in a pure realm, when the Buddha revealed the method of contemplation, his abandonment of defilement was thoroughly exhaustive, and his manifestation of purity was without remainder. Just as Candracchatra, in order to be cured of the illness that was his retribution in Vaiśālī, petitioned Avalokiteśvara, and upon the proclamation of the dhāraṇī was able to quell the roots of the three poisons and fully obtain the fruits of the five eyes—the origins from which teachings arise are mostly like this. Therefore, one who cultivates the threefold contemplation in a single mind to seek birth in the Pure Land takes the three delusions as the cause of the defiled land and the three truths as the fruit of the pure land. Thus, when the distinct delusions are exhausted, the Light of Quiescence is purified, which is the ultimate three truths. When these delusions are not yet exhausted, the Real Retribution is purified, which is the partially realized three truths. When the common delusions are exhausted, Expedient Means is purified, which is the resemblance three truths. When these delusions remain, Common Abode is purified, which is the practice of contemplation of the three truths. Without this contemplation of the truths, how could all four lands be purified? If this is not even the defilement of Real Retribution, how could it be limited to the purity of Common Abode? Jingxi said: 'Because view and thought [delusions] are not yet broken, the peaceful practices are an aspect of the practice for the Land of Common Abode.' Therefore, the Commentary states: 'This sūtra takes the wondrous contemplation of cultivating the mind as its source-principle and the true aspect as its substance.' If this were not so, the source-principle would not be a source-principle that reveals the substance, and the substance would not be the substance belonging to the source-principle. This is like a Confucian instructing his son on the way to secure food and clothing by telling him to study and seek an official salary so that wealth and nobility both arrive; would he tell him to plough and farm or engage in trade? If one grasps the meaning of this analogy, the present sūtra can be understood.