淨土或問 1.17

1.17

Question: Since it is said that this land is complete with the four lands, one need only cultivate progressively right here; why instead wish to abandon this and be born in that realm? Answer: Although this region is endowed with the four lands, unfortunately defiled karma is difficult to eliminate. If one wishes to abandon defilement and choose purity, circumstances make it imperative to seek rebirth in that realm. Siming said: “This land is heavily defiled; only at the ten faiths does one escape the wheel of suffering. That land has a superior environment; all nine grades are non-retrogressing (avaivartika).” Have you not heard that the disciples who received the teaching in the era of the Buddha Mahābhijñājñānābhibhū, having passed dust-mote kalpas, are still in the stage of śrāvakas? All because of retrogression, they endured so long a time. Even Śāriputra, having already attained the sixth mind, still regressed into the five destinies; how much more so for ordinary practitioners! Because this land encounters many conditions of retrogression, it is said that fish eggs, mango blossoms, and a bodhisattva's initial aspiration—these three things are plentiful in the cause, but rare when it comes to the fruit. If one is born in Sukhāvatī, relying on those superior conditions, even an ordinary person bound to the earth will step into non-retrogression (avaivartika). For this reason, we seek rebirth in that land.