釋淨土群疑論 7.45

7.45

I explain: The signs in the samādhi realm are truly difficult to understand. Not only this meaning, but all phenomena are also like this. Consider the supernormal knowledge of recollecting past lives: it takes past realms as its object, and the five aggregates appear directly before the mind in this way. What kind of signs are these signs? We know that the past five aggregates are the original nature's signs (svabhāva-lakṣaṇa); through the power of the supernormal knowledge of recollection taking that past as its object, the aspect-of-form (nimittabhāga) five aggregates manifested by one's own mind suddenly appear before one resembling those signs, which is called the objective condition (ālambanapratyaya). This Dharma is also like this: or through the supernormal power of knowing death and rebirth taking future realms as its object, dying here and being born there, those signs of the five aggregates, as the aspect-of-form of one's own mind, rely upon those sentient beings creating karma and receiving retribution in continuous sequence to appear directly before one without the slightest error. Is the karma created by these sentient beings their original nature's signs, or is it an empowering condition (adhipatipratyaya), or an objective condition (ālambanapratyaya), that causes the supernormal knowledge of death and rebirth to see such signs? This is also like that: in accordance with the habitual functional capacity of the wholesome and unwholesome bodily and verbal actions formerly initiated by one's own or others' volitional karma, many reflection-images appear within samādhi, relying on those karmic seeds to manifest the signs of transgressions and blessings. Or it may be through the Tathāgata's power of great compassion that he manifests these signs within samādhi in order to cause one to cultivate and sever [afflictions]. One must deeply believe in this with reverence, and not harbour doubts. The realm of samādhi, the realm of the buddhas, and the realm of karmic power are all inconceivable; they cannot be measured by ordinary, foolish people.