釋淨土群疑論 3.2

3.2

Question: As the forty-eight universal vows of the Sukhāvatīvyūha Sūtra state: 'If, when I attain Buddhahood, sentient beings of the ten directions who sincerely and joyfully believe, desiring to be born in my land, even down to ten recitations, should not be born there, may I not attain perfect awakening; excluded only are those who commit the five heinous acts and slander the true Dharma.' The Guan jing states: 'Those of the lowest birth of the lowest grade: there may be sentient beings who commit the five heinous acts and the ten evils, committing every evil without exception, who would undergo endless suffering through the hells. At the time of death, they encounter a good friend who teaches them to recite the Buddha's name; thus with utmost sincerity, keeping the sound unbroken, completing ten recitations, they attain rebirth in the Western realm.' Why is it that in both sūtras they commit the five heinous acts and have ten recitations to attain rebirth in the Pure Land, yet one admits them and one excludes them? The two texts are not the same; what is the meaning of this?