四明尊者教行錄 4.52

4.52

Seventeenth Question: In the sixth fascicle of the Miaoxuan, regarding whether the suffering and joy of lands are indicated, there are two explanations: one says it is due to sentient beings and not what the Buddha causes, and the other says it is due to the Buddha and has nothing to do with sentient beings, and so forth. A doubter says: Śākyamuni's original vow states: 'In the future I will appear in an impure and evil land, and to benefit [beings in] the pure lands of the ten directions, I will expel sentient beings of evil karma.' From this we know that all suffering matters are merely induced by sentient beings' evil karma; how can it be said to be due to the Buddha and have nothing to do with sentient beings? If it were caused by the Buddha, would that not mean that sentient beings' evil karma is devoid of retribution? How could the Tathāgata run counter to great compassion and skillful means, causing sentient beings to undergo the sufferings of the three wretched realms? Thus, the practices performed by Sadāparibhūta and the assemblies transformed by Mañjuśrī were all skillful employments of means, shortening the long and lightening the heavy; they certainly did not set up causes and conditions for suffering and affliction.