釋淨土群疑論 1.24

1.24

答：此是施設為天，不可即為實天分欲色界也。若實天者，如來淨心所變，豈是欲色界攝？又言若是色界者，已下欲天為勝為劣？若劣者，如何色界反劣欲界？若勝者，如此娑婆世界欲色兩界勝劣不同，欲色有情優劣差別，彼土亦爾，生色界者勝生欲界。何因？四十八弘誓願說國中人天形色不同有好醜者，不取正覺。彼色界形既勝欲形，如何說同？故知假安立說為淨居天等，非實即是欲色界也。於前二解，初釋為正。異熟識體是實有情，生彼眾生諸菩薩等未滅異熟，何得說彼非實天人？

Answer: These are provisionally established as devas; they cannot immediately be real devas divided into the desire and form realms. If they were real devas, being transformed by the Tathāgata's pure mind, how could they be subsumed under the desire and form realms? Furthermore, if it were the form realm, would the desire devas below be superior or inferior? If inferior, how could the form realm conversely be inferior to the desire realm? If superior, just as in this Sahā world the desire and form realms differ in superiority and inferiority, and sentient beings of desire and form have distinctions of excellence and deficiency, so too in that land those born in the form realm would be superior to those born in the desire realm. Why, then, would the forty-eight great vows state: "If the humans and devas in my land should differ in form and colour, having the beautiful and the ugly, may I not attain correct enlightenment"? Since that form-realm appearance would be superior to the desire-realm appearance, how could they be said to be identical? Therefore, we know they are conventionally designated as Śuddhāvāsa devas, etc., and are not really the desire and form realms. Between the two preceding explanations, the first explanation is correct. The substance of the vipāka consciousness is a real sentient being; since sentient beings and bodhisattvas born there have not yet extinguished vipāka, how could they be said not to be real devas and humans?