龍舒增廣淨土文 7.14

7.14

智者《十疑論》云「三菩薩修兜率，一名無著、二名世親、三名師子覺。若云先生兜率見彌勒者即來相報。師子覺先亡數年無報。次世親亡三年乃來報云：『天日長，我生兜率，禮彌勒佛，聽其說法，即來相報，已三年矣。』問：『師子覺如何？』云：『生兜率外院，戀著天樂，即不曾見佛。』」且以菩薩而修兜率，猶有戀著不見佛者，此輪迴之根本。是知兜率難修有墜，非比西方易修無墜也。智者又云「有見釋迦佛而不得道者。若修西方見阿彌陀佛，無不得道。」則釋迦佛與阿彌陀佛，其願力功德威神小大固不同矣。故大慈菩薩云「十方三世，佛阿彌陀第一。」念其名號，消一切罪，遂生淨土。宜哉。

Zhiyi's Treatise on the Ten Doubts states: "Three bodhisattvas cultivated [rebirth in] Tuṣita: the first was named Asaṅga, the second Vasubandhu, and the third Siṃhabhadra. They agreed that whoever was born first in Tuṣita and saw Maitreya should immediately return to report. Siṃhabhadra died first, and after several years there was no report. Next Vasubandhu died, and after three years he came to report, saying: 'The days in heaven are long. I was born in Tuṣita, paid homage to Maitreya Buddha, listened to him preach the Dharma, and immediately came to report; yet already three years have passed.' They asked: 'How is Siṃhabhadra?' He said: 'He was born in the outer court of Tuṣita, became attached to heavenly pleasures, and has not yet seen the Buddha.'" Now, when even bodhisattvas cultivating [rebirth in] Tuṣita still harbor attachment and fail to see the Buddha, this is the root of transmigration. From this it is known that Tuṣita is difficult to cultivate and entails falling, unlike the West, which is easy to cultivate and free of falling. Zhiyi also said: "There are those who saw Śākyamuni Buddha and did not attain the Way. If one cultivates [rebirth in] the West and sees Amitābha Buddha, none fail to attain the Way." Thus, the vow power, merit, and spiritual majesty of Śākyamuni Buddha and Amitābha Buddha are certainly different in scope. Therefore Bodhisattva Daci said: "In the ten directions and the three periods of time, Amitābha is the foremost Buddha." Reciting his name extinguishes all sins, whereupon one is born in the Pure Land. How fitting!