略論安樂淨土義 1.3

1.3

答曰：「如釋論言：『如斯淨土，非三界所攝。』何以故？無欲故，非欲界；地居故，非色界；有形色故，非無色界。經曰：『阿彌陀佛本行菩薩道時，作比丘，名曰法藏。於世自在王佛所，請問諸佛淨土之行，時佛為說二百一十億諸佛剎土，天人善惡，國土精麁，悉現與之。于時法藏菩薩，即於佛前，發弘誓大願，取諸佛土。』於無量阿僧祇劫，如所發願，行諸波羅蜜，萬善圓滿，成無上道。別業所得，非三界也。」

Answer: "As the Da zhidu lun states: 'Such a Pure Land is not subsumed by the three realms.' Why is this? Because it lacks desire, it is not the desire realm; because it is ground-based, it is not the form realm; because it possesses shapes and forms, it is not the formless realm. The sūtra says: 'When Amitābha Buddha was originally practicing the bodhisattva path, he became a bhikṣu named Dharmākara. Before the Buddha Lokeśvararāja, he inquired about the practices for [attaining] the pure lands of the buddhas. At that time, the Buddha expounded to him two hundred and ten billion buddha-lands, with the goodness and evil of their devas and humans, and the refinement or coarseness of their lands, fully manifesting them to him. At that time, Bodhisattva Dharmākara, in the presence of that Buddha, gave rise to his vast and great vows, resolving to take these buddha-lands.' Over immeasurable asaṃkhyeya-kalpas, in accordance with the vows he had made, he practiced the pāramitās, fully perfected the myriad wholesome [deeds], and attained the unsurpassed path. It is the result of distinctive karma; it is not of the three realms."