釋淨土群疑論 5.11

5.11

釋曰：若如所難，一切淨土教門皆不合說。如上引經所說利益，淨土無故，諸淨土教復慇懃勸令願往生，有何意也？今此二經對機讚勸不同。讚此住者，令諸菩薩雖居穢土不失自行，能多利益苦惱眾生，大悲行勝，讚居穢土也。自有菩薩居穢土中，逢遇惡緣廣造諸罪，是以如來勸彼眾生，令生淨土永絕惡緣得免輪轉，故勸菩薩令生淨土。此兩經意菩薩根性二類不同，如何乃引《維摩》等經所讚諸菩薩居在穢土饒益眾生等文，即言我只於此穢土修道，何須生彼淨土也。雖知於此修道一日當彼百年，然以見佛逢善知識希、逢惡知識退轉緣眾，故勸往生淨土也。如《大集經》第二十八日密分云「善男子！彼佛世界所有眾生，煩惱堅牢繫縛深重，其形醜穢，多起憍慢、惡口兩舌，遠離實語，其實愚癡現智慧相，多起慳貪現捨施相，多有諂曲現質直相，心多濁亂現清淨相，多有嫉妬現柔軟相，樂離別人現和合相，多起邪見現正見相。彼國眾生隨女人語故，斷絕善根、增三惡道。善男子！汝今頗能為我作使至彼國不？乃至（云云）爾時日密菩薩白佛言：『世尊！我能向彼宣說是呪，但於彼土生怖畏想。何以故？如來向者為我宣說彼土眾生多諸弊惡，猶如生聾生盲生瘂，隨女人意。世尊！若有隨順女人意者，當知是人永斷善根。』佛言：『善男子！汝今不為現利後，當為饒益一切眾生但往宣說，勿生疑慮。善男子！汝非彼土維摩詰耶？何故生怖？復有無量無數菩薩其心悼動，至心繫念欲得親近禮拜釋迦如來，及諸大眾并欲聽受微妙大典。如是大眾皆共同心欲往彼界，我為是輩欲說大事。何以故？是等大眾其心未定，若往彼界，或生顛倒近惡知識。』彼佛告言：『善男子！汝今不應生怖畏想。言不定菩薩者，即是初位退行菩薩名曰不定。以不定故，恐來在此逢遇惡緣退轉造惡。彼土菩薩暫來至此娑婆世界，猶生怖畏不敢來此。』」行者今日未是不退菩薩，而即欲住娑婆世界修道、不願往生西方，甚為失也。《瑜伽論》第七十八引《深密經》云「文殊師利故問佛言：『世尊！諸穢土中，何事易得、何事難得？諸淨土中，何事易得、何事難得？』『善男子！諸穢土中，八事易得、二事難得。何等名為八事易得？一者外道、二者有苦眾生、三者種姓家勢興衰差別、四者行諸惡行、五者毀犯尸羅、六者惡趣、七者下乘、八者下劣意樂加行菩薩。何等名為二事難得？一者增上意樂加行菩薩之所遊集、二者如來出現於世。善男子！諸淨土中與上相違，當知八事甚為難得、二事易得。』」為是多勸生淨土也。

The explanation says: If it were as you object, none of the doctrinal teachings on the Pure Land ought to be spoken. Since the benefits stated in the sūtras cited above are absent in the pure lands, why do the various Pure Land teachings repeatedly and earnestly exhort people to vow to be reborn there? What is the purpose? Now, these two sūtras praise and exhort differently according to the capacities [of beings]. Praising those who remain here is meant to enable bodhisattvas, even though dwelling in a defiled land, not to lose their own practice, to be able to benefit suffering sentient beings abundantly, and because their practice of great compassion is supreme, dwelling in the defiled land is praised. There are other bodhisattvas who, dwelling in the defiled land, encounter evil conditions and commit numerous offenses; therefore the Tathāgata exhorts those sentient beings to be born in the pure land to sever evil conditions forever and avoid cyclic existence—hence he exhorts bodhisattvas to be born in the pure land. The intents of these two sūtras correspond to two distinct types of bodhisattva faculties. How could one cite the passages from sūtras like the Vimalakīrti praising the bodhisattvas who dwell in the defiled land and benefit sentient beings, and then immediately claim: 'I will merely cultivate the Way in this defiled land; why would I need to be born in that pure land?' Although we know that one day of cultivating the Way here equals one hundred years there, nonetheless, because seeing Buddhas and meeting virtuous spiritual friends are rare here, while encountering bad companions and conditions for retrogression are numerous, one is urged to be reborn in the pure land. As the twenty-eighth section, the Sūryarahasya section of the Mahāsaṃnipāta Sūtra, says: 'Good man! All the sentient beings in that Buddha-world have firm and solid afflictions, and their fetters are profound and heavy. Their forms are ugly and vile; they frequently give rise to arrogance, harsh speech, and duplicity, and remain far from truthful words. Though foolish in reality, they display the appearance of wisdom; though frequently giving rise to stinginess and greed, they display the appearance of renunciation and giving; though filled with flattery and deceit, they display the appearance of straightforwardness; though their minds are mostly turbid and confused, they display the appearance of purity; though filled with jealousy, they display the appearance of gentleness; though delighting in alienating others, they display the appearance of harmony; though frequently giving rise to wrong views, they display the appearance of right views. The sentient beings of that land follow women's words, and therefore they cut off their roots of goodness and augment the three evil destinies. Good man, could you now serve as my messenger to go to that land?' and so on. At that time, the Bodhisattva Sūryarahasya said to the Buddha: 'World-Honoured One, I can go there to proclaim this dhāraṇī, but I feel terror regarding that land. Why? Because the Tathāgata just now proclaimed to me that the sentient beings of that land have many vices and evils, being like those born deaf, born blind, and born mute, and they follow women's wishes. World-Honoured One, if anyone follows women's wishes, know that such a person permanently cuts off their roots of goodness.' The Buddha said: 'Good man, you should not act for present benefit and afterward [regret it]; you must go simply to proclaim it for the benefit of all sentient beings, and do not give rise to doubt. Good man, are you not the Vimalakīrti of that land? Why do you give rise to fear? Furthermore, there are immeasurable and countless bodhisattvas whose minds are agitated and anxious; with utmost sincerity they fix their thoughts, wishing to approach and pay homage to Śākyamuni Tathāgata and the great assembly, and desiring to listen to and receive the subtle and wondrous great scriptures. Such a great assembly all share the single intention to go to that realm; for their sake I wish to speak of a great matter. Why? Because the minds of this great assembly are not yet settled; if they go to that realm, they might develop inversions and draw near to bad companions.' That Buddha told him: 'Good man, you should not give rise to feelings of fear. Those who are called unsettled bodhisattvas are bodhisattvas in the initial stages of retrogressive practice, named "unsettled." Because they are unsettled, it is feared that coming to this place they may encounter bad conditions, retrogress, and commit evil. Bodhisattvas of that land, merely coming temporarily to this Sahā world, still feel fear and dare not come here.' A practitioner today is not yet an irreversible bodhisattva, and yet wishes to dwell in the Sahā world to cultivate the Way without wishing to be reborn in the West—this is a grave error. The seventy-eighth fascicle of the Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra cites the Saṃdhinirmocana Sūtra, saying: 'Mañjuśrī purposefully asked the Buddha: "World-Honoured One, among all defiled lands, what matters are easy to find and what matters are difficult to find? Among all pure lands, what matters are easy to find and what matters are difficult to find?" "Good man! In all defiled lands, eight matters are easy to find and two matters are difficult to find. What are the eight matters that are easy to find? First, non-Buddhists; second, suffering sentient beings; third, differences in the rise and fall of lineages and family power; fourth, practicing evil deeds; fifth, violating the precepts (śīla); sixth, evil destinies; seventh, the inferior vehicle; eighth, bodhisattvas of inferior aspiration and application. What are the two matters that are difficult to find? First, the gathering and roaming of bodhisattvas of superior aspiration and application; second, the appearance of a Tathāgata in the world. Good man! In all pure lands, the opposite is true: know that the eight matters are extremely difficult to find, and the two matters are easy to find."' For these reasons, rebirth in the pure land is frequently encouraged.