釋淨土群疑論 6.17

6.17

答：自國眾生雖無苦，然有二種生死分段變易有漏有為行苦之苦。如來同集為說妙法，令速出離二種生死成就法身，故名度苦。他國眾生或宜身往親自救拔，故分身佛遍滿十方。如此土眾生淨土業成，臨命終化佛來迎往彼。或宜歸還遠為利益，故集本國遙拯沈淪。或言度苦眾生，化佛集自土中化諸菩薩，令興大悲心，捨自土樂，遣生他方行大悲行，教化十方有緣眾生，故言集極樂國度苦眾生。如經論言，八地菩薩由多寂證真如理，不肯出定教化眾生。諸佛摩頂，勸令出定教化眾生，即其義也。故《維摩經》言「此土菩薩於諸眾生大悲堅固」，又言「是人乃能捨清淨土，而來樂此多怨害處」。

Answer: Although the sentient beings of their own realm are free of [painful] suffering, they nevertheless possess the suffering of conditioned change (saṃskāra-duḥkhatā) associated with defilements and conditioned dharmas across the two kinds of saṃsāra: fragmented [saṃsāra] and transformational [saṃsāra]. The Tathāgatas assemble together to preach the wondrous Dharma for them, causing them swiftly to transcend the two kinds of saṃsāra and accomplish the dharmakāya; hence it is called "delivering from suffering." As for the sentient beings of other realms, for some it is appropriate [for the Buddhas] to go in person to rescue them directly, and therefore the Buddhas' emanation bodies fill the ten directions. For example, when sentient beings in this world have completed their pure land karma, at the point of death transformation Buddhas come to welcome them and take them there. For others, it is appropriate [for the emanations] to return to benefit them from afar, and therefore they assemble in their original realm to rescue from a distance those who are drowning. Alternatively, it is said that in delivering suffering sentient beings, the transformation Buddhas assemble in their own land to transform the various bodhisattvas, causing them to generate great compassion, relinquish the bliss of their own land, and be dispatched to be born in other directions to practice deeds of great compassion and teach sentient beings with whom they have affinities; therefore it is said that they gather in the realm of Sukhāvatī to deliver suffering sentient beings. As stated in sūtras and treatises, because bodhisattvas on the eighth bhūmi largely abide in peaceful realization of the principle of tathatā, they are unwilling to emerge from samādhi to teach sentient beings. The Buddhas rub their crowns and exhort them to emerge from samādhi to teach sentient beings; this is precisely that meaning. Therefore the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa Sūtra says, "The bodhisattvas of this land possess firm great compassion toward sentient beings"; and it also says, "Such people can indeed relinquish a pure land and come to rejoice in this place of much enmity and harm."