淨土或問 1.14

1.14

Question: I have heard that the youth Sudhana had sharp faculties of the complete and sudden [vehicle], attaining realization in a single lifetime. Why is it that, instead of being born in the Flower Treasury, he was urged to be born in Sukhāvatī? Answer: This question is raised within the commentary on the Avataṃsaka-sūtra itself, where it answers: “It is because of having conditions [with that realm], because of relying on a single object of devotion, because it is not separate from the Flower Treasury, and because [Amitābha] is identical to the Original Teacher. That is to say, all the Buddha-lands within the Flower Treasury are as numerous as fine dust motes; Sukhāvatī, though a hundred thousand koṭis of lands away from here, is entirely contained within the seed of lands, and therefore is not separate from it. A sūtra says: ‘Some see the Buddha Amitāyus, surrounded by Avalokiteśvara and others.’ This praises Vairocana manifesting differently according to name, and thus he is identical to the Original Teacher.” It also states: “The reason Samantabhadra concluded by directing Sudhana and the ocean-like assembly to Sukhāvatī is that for persons of faith and understanding in the complete teaching who enter the wisdom of Mañjuśrī and cultivate the practices of Samantabhadra, their merit, wisdom, phenomena, and principle all correspond to the Dharmadhātu. Although these great-hearted persons marvelously awaken to original radiance and become suddenly equal to the noble ones, their power and function are not yet fully sufficient, and they have not yet reached the Tathāgata's standard of appearing in the world to universally benefit sentient beings; hence they temporarily rely on the Pure Land to draw near to Amitābha until they achieve Buddhahood. Such is the intention.”