樂邦文類 4.116

4.116

經有云彌陀是法界身者、有六十萬億那由他由旬身者、有丈六者、有八尺者，有城廣十千由旬者、有浴池廣八萬四千里者，有疑城者、有邊地者、有胎宮者、飯有食者，有華葉二百五十由旬者、有大如車輪者，有父母者、有魔王者，有不嚴土如釋迦者。然諸經論，往往更有不同者，豈一時赴機之權耶？曰：安可謂之權乎？且吾釋迦王三千大千世界，則此一四天下，果報尚且有殊，豈諸國皆同乎？應身同居，其猶若是也。矧三身四土乎？況彌陀攝受十方念佛眾生，高下淺深抑亦不等，恐不啻大千界而已，豈止十千由旬之局哉。又況三身四土乎？由是而知，不同之說為若此也。然諸經論不明言之者，既欲使行者專注一境，所以不必多及之也。矧如向所敘者，即多及之相乎？然此唯四明深達之，甞解五濁輕重、同居淨穢曰「此淨甚通，須知別意。如四教初心及戒善者，皆能五濁輕薄，感同居淨。今圓觀輕濁，依正最淨，比於餘經修眾善行，其相天殊。」他聞此說，以謂四明是何義歟？夫金翅噉龍於九淵，貫于七金，棲息於鐵圍之上，井蛙信之乎？

The sutras say that Amitābha is the dharmadhātu body, or has a body of six hundred sextillion nayutas of yojanas, or is sixteen feet tall, or is eight feet tall; that the city is ten thousand yojanas wide, or the bathing pond is eighty-four thousand li wide; that there is a city of doubt, or a borderland, or a womb-palace; that there is eating of meals; that the flower petals are two hundred and fifty yojanas, or as large as cart wheels; that there are parents, or that there are demon kings; that there is an unadorned land like that of Śākyamuni. However, various sutras and treatises often have further differences—could these merely be expedients adapted to capacities at a particular moment? I reply: How could they be called mere expedients? Furthermore, when our Śākyamuni rules over the trichiliocosm, even in this single four-continent world the fruitional rewards are still varied; how could all lands be the same? Such is the case even for the responsive body in the cohabiting [land]. How much more so for the three bodies and four lands? Moreover, when Amitābha embraces the buddha-mindfulness sentient beings of the ten directions, their high and low, shallow and deep are likewise unequal; it is feared to be not merely a great chiliocosm—how could it be confined to the limitation of ten thousand yojanas? And how much more so for the three bodies and four lands! From this it is known that the differing accounts are like this. However, that various sutras and treatises do not speak of it explicitly is because, wishing to make practitioners focus exclusively on a single realm, it was therefore unnecessary to touch on it extensively. How much more so as previously described—is that not already touching on it extensively? Yet only Siming thoroughly understood this. He once explained the weight of the five turbidities and the purity or defilement of cohabitation, saying: ‘This purity is very extensive, but one must know the distinct meaning. Those at the initial mind of the four teachings, as well as those of the precepts and good deeds, are all able to lighten the five turbidities and resonate with the purity of cohabitation. Now, through round contemplation, the turbidities are lightened, and the circumstantial and primary rewards are the purest; compared with cultivating the multitude of good deeds in other sutras, their characteristics are as different as heaven and earth.’ When others heard this statement, they thought: what doctrine does Siming hold? Now, when the golden-winged bird devours dragons in the nine abysses, pierces through the seven golden mountains, and perches atop the Iron Encompassing Mountains, will the frog in the well believe it?