西方合論 1.44

1.44

答曰：「若約諸佛化儀則可，實相土中無此戲論。夫毘盧遮那，此云遍一切處。遍一切處，即無量壽。表義豈有勝劣？祇因如來為一分取相凡夫故，說有阿彌陀，在於西方。亦如《大雲經》中，阿彌陀佛告一菩薩言：『有釋迦在於娑婆世界也。』未當釋迦為生，則釋迦遍一切，而阿彌陀為所遍之一處；當阿彌為主，則阿彌遍一切，而釋迦牟尼為所遍之一處。如一人之身，當自自時，不妨為一切人之他；當他他時，不妨為一切人之自。以是義故，自他不成。自他不成，即自亦遍一切處，他亦遍一切處，豈定有他方可執。是故西方毘盧，非自他故。何以故？毘盧無不遍故。若言權、言方便，即有不遍；有不遍者，毘盧之義不成。」

I reply: If one considers the teaching methods of the Buddhas, then it is acceptable [to speak this way], but in the Land of True Reality there is no such conceptual proliferation. Now, Vairocana is translated here as 'Pervading Everywhere'. Pervading everywhere is none other than Immeasurable Life (Amitābha). How could there be any superiority or inferiority in what they signify? It is only because the Tathāgata, for the sake of ordinary beings who grasp at appearances, spoke of an Amitābha who resides in the Western Land. It is also just as in the Mahāmegha-sūtra, where Amitābha Buddha told a bodhisattva: 'There is a Śākyamuni in the Sahā world.' When Śākyamuni is not regarded as an individual living being, Śākyamuni pervades everything, and Amitābha is one place pervaded [by him]; when Amitābha is considered the primary, Amitābha pervades everything, and Śākyamuni is one place pervaded [by him]. Just as with a single person's body: when it is considered oneself, it can freely be another to all other people; when another is considered another, they can freely be an 'I' to all other people. In this sense, self and other are not established. Because self and other are not established, the self pervades everywhere, and the other also pervades everywhere; how could there be a fixed 'other direction' to cling to? Therefore, the Western Land and Vairocana are beyond self and other. Why is this? Because Vairocana leaves nothing unpervaded. If one speaks of provisionality or of expedient means, then there would be something unpervaded; and where there is something unpervaded, the meaning of Vairocana is not established.