淨土論 3.35

3.35

Answer: The Buddha's teachings unfold widely, with more than a single origin; sentient beings are unequal, with myriad differences in their faculties and natures. Not only are dharmas differentiated according to the person, so that the teachings have distinctions of shallow and deep; people also differ according to the times, so that faculties have distinctions of sharp and dull. For this reason, the teachings open into eighty-four thousand, and time is divided into five kinds of periods. Under this explanation, when a practitioner cultivates the Path, it is necessary to examine the time: if the time and the teaching accord, then the Buddha's Path is easy to realize; if the time and the teaching diverge, then the bodhisattva [path] is difficult to realize. Therefore the Saddharmasmṛtyupasthāna Sūtra says: "When a practitioner with single-mindedness seeks the Path, they should constantly observe the expedients of the time. If one does not attain the time and lacks expedients, this is called a loss, not a gain." As for the five periods, as the Candragarbha Section of the Mahāsaṃnipāta Sūtra says: "In the first five hundred years after the Buddha's parinirvāṇa, my disciples who study wisdom will be steadfast, while concurrently cultivating other practices. In the second five hundred years, those who study concentration will be steadfast, while concurrently cultivating other practices. In the third five hundred years, those who study hearing much, reciting, and chanting will be steadfast, while concurrently cultivating other practices. In the fourth five hundred years, those who construct stupas and monasteries, cultivate merit, and practice repentance will be steadfast, while concurrently cultivating other practices. In the fifth five hundred years, the white dharmas will be hidden and obstructed, there will be much contention and dispute, and slight wholesome dharmas will be steadfast." According to this sūtra, now is beyond the fourth five hundred years; since we lack the capacity for concentration and wisdom, we must only cultivate merit and repentance. Among the most essential aspects of cultivating merit and repentance, examining the various sūtras and treatises, paying homage to the Buddha, mindfulness of the Buddha, and contemplating the Buddha's marks and characteristics are the most supreme. Therefore the Contemplation Sūtra says: "If one can with an utmost mind be mindful of Amitābha Buddha, in each recitation one will eradicate the heavy karmic transgressions of birth and death spanning eighty kotis of kalpas." Now, since according to the time and according to faculties practitioners have no capacity for concentration and wisdom, they need only exclusively be mindful of Amitābha Buddha and seek rebirth in the Pure Land; this is the essential path. If people know themselves to have the capacity for concentration and wisdom, then they cultivate the Path in this realm and seek unexcelled bodhi; if people know themselves to lack the capacity for concentration and wisdom, then they must cultivate Pure Land practices and seek unexcelled bodhi within the Pure Land. Therefore the Dazhidulun says: "For practitioners seeking avaivartika, there are two kinds of paths: first, the path of difficult practice; second, the path of easy practice. Like overland and water routes, cultivating the Path in this realm is difficult, like an overland route; being born in the pure land to cultivate the Path is easy, like a water route." Furthermore, as for the Buddha delivering sentient beings, there are four kinds. As said in the Saddharmasmṛtyupasthāna Sūtra: "First, delivering sentient beings by preaching the Dharma; second, delivering sentient beings by radiant light, marks, and characteristics; third, delivering sentient beings by supernormal powers and the power of the Path; fourth, delivering sentient beings by means of names and titles." Among these four, the marks and characteristics and the names and titles precisely correspond to the present time of contemplating the marks and characteristics of Amitābha Buddha and reciting the Buddha's name. As said in the Sukhāvatīvyūha Sūtra: "For the sake of future sentient beings who suffer the five pains, the five agonies, and the five burnings, I wish to cause sentient beings to cultivate Pure Land practices." And as said in the Contemplation Sūtra: "For the sake of all future ordinary persons who are afflicted by the thief of afflictions, I preach the Pure Land practices." As said in the Shorter Sukhāvatīvyūha Sūtra: "For the sake of sentient beings of the five defilements, I preach the Pure Land practices." The Qingjing jue jing, the Drum-Sound King Sūtra, and the Mahāsaṃnipāta Sūtra all state this. According to these sūtras, all are for the future; thus we know that the present time is precisely the time for mindfulness of the Buddha and cultivating Pure Land practices. If one is born in the pure land, not only will one be forever free from the evil destinies, but one will also swiftly attain unexcelled bodhi (this is the general import of the sūtras and treatises).