樂邦文類 4.87

4.87

Second, regarding doubting the Dharma: the Buddha's Dharma is of two kinds: first, the Hīnayāna Dharma of inexplicit meaning; second, the Mahāyāna Dharma of explicit meaning. Within the Mahāyāna there are again explicit and inexplicit meanings; now, when discussing the Pure Land, it belongs solely to the Dharma of the most explicit meaning within the Mahāyāna of explicit meaning. Furthermore, searching through all the palm-leaf scriptures of the Hīnayāna canon, there is not a single word praising and encouraging rebirth in a pure land in another direction. Hence Vasubandhu's treatise says: 'Women, those with defective sense organs, and those of the two vehicles' lineage are not born there.' This is clear proof. Question: The Smaller Sukhāvatīvyūha-sūtra and others all say that in that land there are śrāvaka disciples, and the Gu-yin-wang-jing says, 'The Buddha's mother was named Exquisite and Wondrous Countenance'; thus there should also be women. Answer: The Buddha's mother refers only to the time of his initial descent and birth. Once he attained true awakening, his land was correspondingly purified, and there are certainly no women. His mother either transformed into a man, like the dragon girl in this world, or passed away, like Siddhārtha's mother. For someone writing a commentary on the treatise to cite this sūtra text and claim that there are women in that land as well is mistaken. As for the śrāvakas, they are reconciled as explained in the Commentary on the Contemplation Sūtra and the Treatise on Ten Doubts. Now to explain the Mahāyāna, it has three kinds: First is the shared teaching of the three vehicles. In this case, although the gateway connects to the Mahāyāna, its members resemble the two vehicles. Furthermore, although the bodhisattvas in this teaching transform others, when they finish purifying buddha-lands and transforming others, they return like the two vehicles to eternal extinction. The profound principle of the Pure Land is not known by them; it is not the explicit meaning. Second is the distinct teaching of the Mahāyāna. This clarifies the Dharma exclusively for bodhisattvas in the Mahāyāna; although it speaks of the true principle, it is only realized after attaining the path, so cause and effect are not interpenetrating. The Pure Land is cultivated outside the principle, and the myriad dharmas are not intrinsically possessed by the mind; although one cultivates the path for dust-mote kalpas and travels widely through buddha-lands, the cause and effect of that Pure Land are pointed to as merely expedients outside the essence; this too is not yet the explicit meaning. Third is the perfect teaching of the Buddha Vehicle. The meaning and principles clarified in this teaching are perfectly fused, and cause and effect are suddenly complete; beyond the marvel of this Buddha-Dharma, one knows not what to add. The sūtra says: 'Searching throughout the ten directions, there are no other vehicles, only the one Buddha Vehicle.' This is what it refers to. This, then, is the Mahāyāna within the Mahāyāna, the explicit meaning within the explicit meaning: the purity and defilement of the ten directions are encompassed within a single instant; the forms and minds of a single thought are arrayed and completely gathered within the dharmadhātu. Both are intrinsically possessed by nature, not newly produced through dependent origination. Since a single thought is like this, a single dust mote is also like this. Therefore, within every single dust mote are all lands; within every single mind are all minds; every single mind and dust mote mutually pervade each other, manifold, endless, and unobstructed. They are suddenly manifested all at once without concealment or display; all are perfectly achieved without superior or inferior. Just as a wish-fulfilling jewel suddenly contains myriad gems, or Indra's net reflects a thousand lights upon one another, since my mind is like this, sentient beings and buddhas are identical in essence. Thus one comes to understand: directing one's spirit across billions of lands is actually taking birth within one's own mind; conceiving one's substance within the nine lotus grades, how could it escape from within the boundary of an instant? If principle and phenomena were separated, or purity and defilement hindered each other, how could an ordinary person guilty of the five heinous deeds ascend to the jeweled land in ten recitations, or worthy ones of the two vehicles reach the golden pond as soon as they turn their minds? If one has faith in this perfect discourse, nothing will fail to be penetrated; if one is ignorant of this ultimate principle, one will be deluded in every circumstance. Thus the Avataṃsaka Sūtra says: 'The mind is like a skilled painter, producing the various five aggregates. Throughout all worlds, there is nothing that is not produced from the mind. As is the mind, so is the Buddha; as is the Buddha, so are sentient beings. The mind, the Buddha, and sentient beings—these three are without differentiation.' The Awakening of Faith also says: 'What is called the Dharma is the mind of sentient beings; this mind subsumes all worldly and world-transcending dharmas, and on the basis of this mind the meaning of the Mahāyāna is revealed.' The Sixteen Contemplations states: 'All the Tathāgatas are the dharmadhātu body, entering into the mind-thoughts of all sentient beings. ... Even to the point that this mind makes buddha, this mind is buddha.' And the Pratyutpanna-samādhi-sūtra says: 'The Buddha is my mind; it is my mind that sees the Buddha, it is my mind that makes the Buddha,' and so forth. Those that discuss this purport can be clearly cited throughout the Mahāyāna scriptures. As for the wondrous scripture of the Lotus Sūtra, the Tathāgata personally bestowed the prediction of rebirth; in the sudden discourse of the Avataṃsaka, Samantabhadra personally presented his dedication of merit. From this we know that in his causal stage Amitābha contemplated this principle and made the great vows to gather all universally; and when Śākyamuni achieved the fruit, he praised this principle deeply with his broad tongue. Throughout the ten directions and three periods of time, none are not thus. Question: The wondrous principle explained above is perfectly ultimate. Must all people in the world practice contemplation before they can be born? Answer: This is not so. Here we only directly resolve the feelings of doubt, so that one knows that the hundred-gem adornments of the Pure Land and the causes and effects of the nine grades are all fully possessed in principle within sentient beings' slightest moment of thought, and only then does today's actual function of rebirth proceed naturally in accordance with vows. Thus, embracing the ten directions does not depart from the present thought; going and coming through the dharmadhātu precisely harmonizes with mind-only, avoiding the ordinary person's clinging to this and rejecting that. The aspects of practices and vows belong precisely to the next section and are not what is being asked here. Moreover, the circumstances of rebirth in the nine grades each have their categories of practice: the three grades of the upper class require understanding and practice, so the text says, 'You practice the Mahāyāna and understand the primary meaning,' which refers to such persons. If contemporary learners emulate the worthy, aspiring to ascend high to the golden seat, they must rely solely on wondrous contemplation. As for the causes of rebirth in the six grades of the middle and lower classes, they consist merely of strictly upholding the prohibitive precepts and practicing worldly benevolence and compassion. Even down to rebirth in the lowest grade of the lowest class, they were originally evil and rebellious, yet with sincere feeling in ten recitations they are born in that land. As long as one knows of the existence of the Pure Land, one can completely turn one's mind. Were it not so, how could the differences of the nine grades be permitted? Third, regarding doubting oneself: Question: I am an ordinary person bound to the common earth, entangled and covered by worldly conditions. How could this body be born in the pure lands of all buddhas, enter the ocean of worthy ones and sages, and join the definitely determined stage? Explanation: If one understands the empty and unobstructed nature of dharmatā as explained above and has faith that Amitābha's original vows gather and receive us, one needs only to be diligent in merit and blessings—how could one need to wait to ask the way? What is more, those who recite ten times attain rebirth, with only the five heinous deeds and slandering the true Dharma excluded. Furthermore, with a concentrated mind in ten recitations, even those who commit the heinous deeds and slander are born. Now, fortunately, we do not have these evils, and we seek it with ultimate sincere vows; what doubt could there be?