樂邦文類 4.45

4.45

This sūtra takes 'when the mind's contemplation is pure, the buddha-land is pure' as its core purport. The four kinds of pure lands are the Land where Commoners and Sages Cohabit, the Land of Expediency with Remainder, the Land of True Reward without Obstruction, and the Land of Eternally Quiescent Light. Each has its pure and defiled [aspects]: the lightness or heaviness of the five turbidities constitutes the pure and defiled of cohabitation; whether the analytical or unitive [discernment] is clumsy or skillful constitutes the pure and defiled of expediency; gradual or sudden entry constitutes the pure and defiled of true reward; and partial realization or ultimate [fruition] constitutes the pure and defiled of quiescent light. The Sahā world is mixed with evil, filled with thorns, broken tiles, gravel, and impurities—this is the defiled [aspect] of cohabitation. Peaceful Nurture is pure and clean, with ponds flowing with the eight virtues and trees lined with the seven treasures, next only to nirvāṇa, where all are in the definitely determined stage, with commoners and sages cohabiting—this is the superior grade of pure land. As for expediency with remainder: cultivating the path of expediency, one severs the delusions of the four abodes; hence it is called 'expediency.' Avidyā is not exhausted; hence it is said to have 'remainder.' The Treatise [on the Great Prajñāpāramitā] states: 'Outside the three realms there is a pure land; śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas are born therein, receiving bodies of dharmatā, not fragmentary birth and death.' Among them there are again the sharp and the dull: pointing to the higher is pure, and pointing to the lower is defiled. As for true reward without obstruction: practicing the true and real Dharma, one brings about an excellent retribution; form and mind do not obstruct each other, hence it is said to be 'without obstruction.' Bodhisattvas alone dwell there; there are no [practitioners of] the two vehicles. The Benevolent Kings Sūtra states: 'The three worthies and ten sages dwell in retribution,' which is its meaning. The immeasurable fragrant cloud terraces of the Avataṃsaka are the pure and wondrous five sense objects of that land. Among them, gradual and sudden enlightenment, higher and lower, pure and defiled are further discussed. As for the eternally quiescent light: 'eternally' is the dharmakāya, 'quiescent' is vimokṣa, and 'light' is prajñā; these three dots are neither vertical nor horizontal, neither parallel nor separate, and are named the secret store. The dwelling place where the buddhas, the Tathāgatas, roam, truly eternal and ultimately supreme, is the pure land; it merely has partial attainment and ultimate [fruition], higher and lower, pure and defiled. Therefore, taking the mind's cultivation of wondrous contemplation as able to bring about the pure land is the core theme of the sūtra.