釋淨土群疑論 6.41

6.41

釋曰：此有二意。一釋言：一念佛功德，齊理應滅罪無別，但以三品罪人惡業有其多少，下品上生罪少，唯有五十億劫之罪，障生西方；下二品人罪漸多，故有八十億劫等罪。為彼罪有階降，說滅多少不同，非是念佛功德殊，令其滅罪差別。譬如壯士有力能負八斗之米，有人唯有五斗。遣彼壯士持行，非壯者不能多擎，只是米元五斗。此義亦爾，下品上生唯有五十億劫之罪，佛隨彼罪多少，言滅五十億劫。下品中生罪重前品，三十億劫隨其罪障，言滅八十億劫。下品下生其罪最重，故令具足十念稱阿彌陀佛，於念念中滅八十億劫生死之罪。故此三品說滅罪殊，非是念佛功德有差別也。二釋言：念佛名號雖復不殊，由念佛心至誠差別，故令滅罪多少不同。下品上生罪業輕薄，死無惡相、怖心不極，雖至誠念佛，但能滅彼五十億劫生死之罪。下品中生地獄猛火一時俱至，罪人忙怖、念佛至誠，由心徹到，滅除八十億劫重罪。問：若然者，下品下生忙怖最重，應言念佛更滅多億，何故同前八十億劫？答：行者命終時，其氣力虛微，盡力至誠只至於此。力有分齊，豈能多耶？以罪既多，障生淨土，令具十念滅罪，方同始得往生清淨佛土。譬如神劍能斬大木，如其多用力入木即深，如不多用力斬木便淺。非劍有利鈍，蓋人力之強弱不同。此亦如是，佛之功德雖復無差別，然其念者至誠有異，故令滅罪多少不同也。

I explain: there are two meanings here. The first explanation states: the merit of recollecting the Buddha in a single thought-moment is equal in principle and should extinguish transgressions without distinction; it is merely that the evil karma of the transgressors of the three grades varies in amount. For the upper class of the lower grade, their transgressions are few, having only transgressions of fifty billion kalpas that obstruct birth in the West; for the people of the lower two grades, transgressions are progressively more numerous, hence having transgressions of eighty billion kalpas and so forth. Because their transgressions have gradations, the amount extinguished is said to be different; it is not that the merit of recollecting the Buddha differs, causing a distinction in extinguishing transgressions. For example, a strong man with power can carry eight dou of rice, while someone else has only five dou. If that strong man is dispatched to carry it, it is not that the strong man cannot carry more, but simply that the rice was originally only five dou. This meaning is also like that: for the upper class of the lower grade, they have only transgressions of fifty billion kalpas, so the Buddha, in accordance with the amount of their transgressions, states that it extinguishes fifty billion kalpas. For the middle class of the lower grade, the transgressions are heavier than the preceding grade by thirty billion kalpas, so in accordance with their karmic obstruction, it states that it extinguishes eighty billion kalpas. For the lower class of the lower grade, their transgressions are the heaviest; therefore they are made to completely fulfill ten recitations reciting Amitābha, and in thought-moment after thought-moment they extinguish the transgressions of eighty billion kalpas of saṃsāra. Therefore, the difference in the extinguishing of transgressions taught for these three grades is not because the merit of recollecting the Buddha has any distinction. The second explanation states: although reciting the Buddha's name is not distinct, differences in the sincerity of the mind recollecting the Buddha cause the amount of extinguished transgressions to be unequal. For the upper class of the lower grade, the transgressive karma is slight and thin; at death there are no evil omens and the mind of terror is not extreme, so although they recollect the Buddha with sincerity, it only extinguishes those transgressions of fifty billion kalpas of saṃsāra. For the middle class of the lower grade, the raging fires of hell arrive all at once; the transgressor is frantic and terrified, and their recollection of the Buddha is thoroughly sincere; because the mind penetrates completely, it extinguishes eighty billion kalpas of heavy transgressions. Question: If so, since the lower class of the lower grade experiences the heaviest frantic terror, it should be said that recollecting the Buddha extinguishes even more billions; why is it the same as the preceding eighty billion kalpas? Answer: When the practitioner is at the point of death, their physical energy is weak and faint; using their utmost strength of sincerity, it reaches only this far. Strength has its limits; how could it be more? Since their transgressions are already numerous and obstruct birth in the pure land, they are made to complete the ten recitations to extinguish the transgressions, and only when equal [to the requirement] do they first attain rebirth in the clean and pure Buddha-land. For example, a divine sword can cut down a large tree: if one uses great strength, it enters deep into the wood; if one does not use great strength, cutting the wood is shallow. It is not that the sword has sharpness or dullness, but rather that the strength of human effort differs in being strong or weak. This is also like that: although the Buddha's merit has no distinction, because the sincerity of the one who recollects [him] has differences, it causes the amount of transgressions extinguished to be unequal.