樂邦文類 2.140

2.140

一切諸佛歷劫修行，所成國土安立眾生，蓋以眾生流轉生死未遇知識，阻聞法要，不獲脫苦也。而眾生或宜以苦事迫切者，則聖人於大悲心行折伏也。眾生或宜以樂事誘引者，則聖人於大悲心行攝受也。攝受則有殊勝莊嚴珍妙樓閣、大丈夫相安隱之事也。折伏則有胎卵濕化四生九有、百憂九惱五苦八苦之相也。然於聖人之心豈曰差別乎？且釋迦牟尼亦有清淨國土如西方極樂，阿彌陀佛必有五濁世界如娑婆堪忍也。所以一期化物，有彼有此、有淨有穢者，由諸佛結緣異也、由眾生誓願異也。若達彼岸登果位，無必固也。世智下凡不曰分別，其可知覺乎？不曰取捨，其可造措乎？群經廣有警策之語，偏讚西方阿彌陀佛所居淨土。今纂集之，庶裨補遺化激勸土俗。嗚呼！死生亦大矣，豈不痛哉。而世人或沒於苦海，則自甘其分；或迷於富貴，則自逞其得。而不知生生死死於瞬息間也久矣。至有謂心淨佛土淨、空身即法身，及大期忽終，無所安立。當是時也，與夫守志淳一、著相修行之人，億劫不殆。故覽斯文，其有發未發之心歟。

When all Buddhas practice throughout kalpas, the lands they establish to settle sentient beings are because sentient beings, drifting in birth and death without meeting good friends, are obstructed from hearing the essentials of the Dharma and fail to escape suffering. Now, for sentient beings who should be urged through painful circumstances, the sage exercises subjugation with a mind of great compassion. For sentient beings who should be enticed through joyful circumstances, the sage exercises embracing with a mind of great compassion. Embracing consists of such matters as supreme adornments, rare and wondrous multistoried pavilions, the marks of a great man, and peace and security. Subjugation consists of the marks of the four forms of birth—womb-born, egg-born, moisture-born, and transformation-born—the nine forms of existence, the hundred sorrows and nine afflictions, and the five sufferings and eight sufferings. Yet how could there be any difference in the sage's mind? Furthermore, Śākyamuni also has a pure land like the Western Ultimate Bliss, and Amitābha Buddha must have a world of five turbidities like Sahā Endurance. Thus, in a single period of transforming beings, that there is that and this, pure and defiled, is because the karmic affinities forged by the Buddhas are different, and because the vows made by sentient beings are different. If one reaches the other shore and ascends to the fruit of attainment, there is nothing absolute or obstinate. If worldly wisdom and low commoners do not make distinctions, how can they have knowledge? If they do not choose and discard, how can they take action? The various sūtras abound in words of admonition, specifically praising the Pure Land where Amitābha Buddha of the West resides. Now I have compiled them, hoping to supplement the remaining transformation and to stimulate and encourage local customs. Alas, birth and death are indeed great; how could it not be agonizing? Yet worldly people, when submerged in the sea of suffering, resign themselves to their lot; or when bewitched by wealth and nobility, flaunt their gains. They do not realize that they have long been dying and being born within an instant. There are even those who say, “When the mind is pure, the Buddha land is pure,” and “The empty body is itself the dharmakāya”; yet when the great deadline suddenly arrives, they have nowhere to settle. At such a time, compared with those who keep their resolve pure and singular and practice while clinging to marks, they will fail for kotis of kalpas. Therefore, upon perusing this text, may those who have not yet given rise to this aspiration give rise to it!