淨土或問 1.20

1.20

Question: The explanation of specific pointing and exclusive promotion is profound in meaning! The method of rejoicing and revulsion, taking and abandoning, is supreme teaching! May I venture to ask whether rejoicing and revulsion, taking and abandoning, incurs the fault of love and hate, subject and object? Answer: You do not understand what is said. This is not worldly love and hate, subject and object; this is the universal method of the Tathāgatas of the ten directions for transforming ordinary people into sages. If not for revulsion and abandonment, how could one transform ordinary status? If not for rejoicing and taking up, how could one accomplish sagely status? Thus, from ordinary beings entering the sagely positions, and from the sagely positions up to equal enlightenment, rising step by step, all of it is nothing other than rejoicing and revulsion; only when reaching marvelous enlightenment are taking and abandoning finally obliterated. Hence the former virtuous ones said: “The utmost of taking and abandoning is no different from non-taking and non-abandoning.” How much more so when this Pure Land method is a single teaching mechanism jointly established by Śākyamuni and Amitābha! The one points to going there, and the other receives their coming. If not for revulsion and abandonment, there is no way to leave this place; if not for rejoicing and taking up, one has no part in being born there. Having abandoned this and been born there, one relies on those superior conditions straight through to Buddhahood. Thus the merit of [this] love and hate, subject and object, could not be greater; what fault could there be?