樂邦文類 3.62

3.62

The Caotang lu says: “Chen Yingzhong’s ‘Record of the Pure Land Cloister’ profoundly penetrates the innermost sanctum of the Buddhas and Patriarchs.” When speaking of the Pure Land today, some grasp it according to the Buddha but lose it according to the Patriarchs, or grasp it according to principle but lose it according to phenomena. Gaining in this aspect, they inevitably lose in that. Yet Master Liao, in not several hundred words, encompassed the various teachings and captured the totality of the Pure Land; was he not indeed endowed with lofty natural talent? Now, this record is lofty and has certainly long been widely praised. As for Duke Chao (Shuozhi) composing the stele for Master Mingzhi, surging with the Tiantai school and vigorous in literary style, grandly praised and admired by the world, it truly runs neck and neck with Master Liao’s record. His record states: “The Master always used the Pure Land gate to entice his students, wishing to make everyone know that Śākyamuni has a pure land and Amitābha comes to this defiled land. What was aspired to in the mind at other times would one day surely be beheld by the eyes. Thereupon, relying on the Contemplation Sūtra of Sixteen Contemplations, he brought it forth for viewing: he made a great image of Amitābha overlooking the pool, encircled by sixteen contemplation huts. In the lotus pool, ducklings swim and heavenly phoenixes soar; the contemplatives sit like withered trees, with human voices cut off. Once one enters this realm, the mind of the Way is magnified a hundredfold. Far beyond discussing faith and disbelief, one naturally doubts whether one’s own body is sage or commoner. The expenses ran into millions, yet the more donors were refused, the more they came. The construction was measured in years, but was completed in less than a full year. The monk who took charge of its labor was named Jieran; without toiling or boasting, it was as if he had never had anything to do with it. Truly, this realm did not exist in antiquity, and today one knows not why it exists. Since it did not exist in the Two Zhe regions, it did not exist anywhere in the world. Could the Lotus Bodhimaṇḍa built by Master Zun of Mount Zhiheng in the Tang surpass this?”