釋淨土群疑論 4.27

4.27

Explanation: The meaning here is different; this objection is incorrect. In the defiled land, the five desires increase greed, produce the ten unwholesome actions, and cause transmigration in the evil destinies; therefore the sūtra says, 'Blinded by the folly of clinging to pleasures.' Although the pure Buddha land has various pleasures, they accord with the world-transcending uncontaminated mind; the pleasure of the Mahāyāna Dharma and the pleasure of samādhi concentration are not pleasures of defiled attachment, and thus they can guide ordinary sentiments to increase the noble path. Therefore, the Chengzan jingtu jing says, 'In the pure Buddha land of Sukhāvatī, throughout the six periods of the day and night it constantly rains down various superior and wondrous heavenly flowers, glossy, fragrant, pure, soft, and variegated. Although they cause those who see them to experience physical and mental delight, they are without greedy attachment, and increase in sentient beings immeasurable, countless, inconceivable, and superior merits.' It also says, 'The pleasure of the Mahāyāna Dharma is ever without retrogression; their immeasurable practices and vows increase and advance in thought after thought, swiftly realizing unsurpassed, complete, and perfect bodhi.' Furthermore, those who vow to be born [there] all revile these defiled sufferings and joyfully seek nirvāṇa, only then delighting in going to the Western [Land] to practice the bodhisattva conduct. This already contains the intention of joyful seeking and revulsion, and upon being born further in a place of non-retrogression, why must they have suffering entangling their bodies before giving rise to thoughts of quiescence? Moreover, joyfully seeking nirvāṇa is not solely through revulsion toward suffering: whether hearing of the inconceivable merits of the buddhas, or hearing of the dharmas of the six pāramitās and the aids to the path, or beholding the great bodhisattvas sporting in supernatural powers, or smelling wondrous fragrances, or tasting fine foods, all are able to advance on the path and proceed to seek nirvāṇa. Therefore, turning one's back on saṃsāra and returning toward quiescence is not by a single path alone. One cannot say merely that because there is no suffering to revile, they are consequently not allowed to joyfully seek nirvāṇa.