念佛三昧寶王論 1.9

1.9

Yet people in the world mostly contemplate the moon-like countenance of the past Śākyamuni and visualize the ocean-like eyes of the present Amida, as if pulling out a poisoned arrow, or as if ascending into a palace of joy! I too take these as the ultimate teaching. Yet I have not heard of contemplating the gathered sun of the future buddhas. Why is this? It is because they do not understand that the Tathāgata spoke of the subtle excellence of the buddhas in contrast to the coarseness of sentient beings, and consequently they separated sentient beings from the buddhas; hence they do not hear of it, and who would be willing to be mindful of it? In the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa Sūtra, there is smelling the campaka without smelling other fragrances, and there are flowers that cling to the body and flowers that do not cling to the body; this is the deprecation and exaltation of the Mahāyāna. Deprecating the small left them gazing blankly at their bowls; exalting the great led them together to roam in the non-dual. The Saddharmapuṇḍarīka Sūtra decisively clarifies the teachings for the śrāvakas and is the king of all sūtras; the principle that all are campaka and without clinging is clearly evident. If one is not the right person, one will take the buddhas as supremely noble and sentient beings as supremely base; high and low then emerge, manifold delusions arise, reverence and arrogance are established, and the One Truth is concealed!