釋淨土群疑論 2.21

2.21

Explanation: There are two explanations for this. One says there is no intermediate existence: because at the end of this life one sits inside a lotus flower, we know that this is subsumed under birth existence, for entering inside a lotus flower is similar to abiding in a womb. Now, in explaining this meaning, it is not necessarily so. For example, regarding the principle of taking birth in a defiled land, one must reach that place of birth before undergoing birth existence. Just as when dying in the desire realm to be born in the form realm, one must, upon dying in the desire realm, receive an intermediate body of the form realm, and only upon arriving at that form realm does one receive the birth existence; there is no receiving a birth-existence body of the form realm while still in the desire realm. Now, the meaning of taking birth in the pure land is also like this: one cannot, upon dying in the defiled land, then receive the birth-existence body of the pure land right in the defiled land; one must reach the jewelled pond within that pure land before the birth-existence body is formed. Furthermore, the formless realm has no form, so it may have no transmission of consciousness in an intermediate state to take birth; but the pure land possesses form, and since its location is different, how could one not permit that there is an intermediate state transmitting consciousness to receive the birth existence upon reaching there?