釋淨土群疑論 2.47

2.47

Answer: The manifestation of the pure land at this time was naturally for a distinct benefit. What is that distinct benefit? As with the pure land manifested in the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa Sūtra, it was to remove the doubts of Śāriputra and others regarding whether a pure mind means a pure Buddha-land, enabling them to see purity and clearly understand the sacred teaching; it was also for Ratnarāśi and others who were fit to see the pure land and attain the forbearance of the non-arising of dharmas (anutpattikadharmakṣānti). Furthermore, the Lotus Sūtra reveals that the One Vehicle is wondrous and the two vehicles are coarse, being initially defiled and later pure; it was not for the sake of encouraging beings to seek rebirth that the pure land was manifested. Because the internal and external virtues of the Sukhāvatī pure land surpass those of other directions, even lower-grade sentient beings who are born there do not regress, not to mention the other superior ones. The pure lands of other Buddhas do not speak of this matter; therefore, [the sūtras] encourage rebirth [there], rather than saying that this realm and others have no pure land.