釋淨土群疑論 4.27

4.27

釋曰：斯義別也，此難不然。穢土五欲增長貪心，造十惡業，輪迴惡趣，故經說言「著樂癡所盲」也。淨佛國土雖有眾樂，順於出世無漏之心，大乘法樂、三昧定樂非染著樂，故能導凡情令增聖道。故《稱讚淨土經》言「極樂世界淨佛土中，晝夜六時常雨種種上妙天花，光澤香潔細軟雜色。雖令見者身心適悅而不貪著，增長有情無量無數不可思議殊勝功德」，又言「大乘法樂常無退轉，無量行願念念增進，速證無上正等菩提。」又願生之人，並是厭茲穢苦、欣求涅槃，方始樂往西方行菩薩行。此已有欣厭之意，更生無退之方，豈須有苦縈身方興寂滅之慮？又樂求涅槃，非唯厭苦，或聞諸佛功德不可思議、或聞六波羅蜜諸道品法、或覩諸大菩薩遊戲神通、或嗅妙香、或甞美食，皆能進道趣求涅槃。故背生死向還寂滅，非唯一途。不可唯言無苦可厭，遂不許欣求涅槃也。

Explanation: The meaning here is different; this objection is incorrect. In the defiled land, the five desires increase greed, produce the ten unwholesome actions, and cause transmigration in the evil destinies; therefore the sūtra says, 'Blinded by the folly of clinging to pleasures.' Although the pure Buddha land has various pleasures, they accord with the world-transcending uncontaminated mind; the pleasure of the Mahāyāna Dharma and the pleasure of samādhi concentration are not pleasures of defiled attachment, and thus they can guide ordinary sentiments to increase the noble path. Therefore, the Chengzan jingtu jing says, 'In the pure Buddha land of Sukhāvatī, throughout the six periods of the day and night it constantly rains down various superior and wondrous heavenly flowers, glossy, fragrant, pure, soft, and variegated. Although they cause those who see them to experience physical and mental delight, they are without greedy attachment, and increase in sentient beings immeasurable, countless, inconceivable, and superior merits.' It also says, 'The pleasure of the Mahāyāna Dharma is ever without retrogression; their immeasurable practices and vows increase and advance in thought after thought, swiftly realizing unsurpassed, complete, and perfect bodhi.' Furthermore, those who vow to be born [there] all revile these defiled sufferings and joyfully seek nirvāṇa, only then delighting in going to the Western [Land] to practice the bodhisattva conduct. This already contains the intention of joyful seeking and revulsion, and upon being born further in a place of non-retrogression, why must they have suffering entangling their bodies before giving rise to thoughts of quiescence? Moreover, joyfully seeking nirvāṇa is not solely through revulsion toward suffering: whether hearing of the inconceivable merits of the buddhas, or hearing of the dharmas of the six pāramitās and the aids to the path, or beholding the great bodhisattvas sporting in supernatural powers, or smelling wondrous fragrances, or tasting fine foods, all are able to advance on the path and proceed to seek nirvāṇa. Therefore, turning one's back on saṃsāra and returning toward quiescence is not by a single path alone. One cannot say merely that because there is no suffering to revile, they are consequently not allowed to joyfully seek nirvāṇa.