西方合論 7.9

7.9

First, as for bodhisattvas who are born among humans, the Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra says: "If there are bodhisattvas who pass away from among humans and are born again among humans, then, excepting avaivartikas, these bodhisattvas have dull faculties; they are unable to quickly accord with the perfection of wisdom, and the gates of dhāraṇīs and samādhis are unable to manifest swiftly before them." Now, human life is a burning house, entangled in a hundred sufferings; only great bodhisattvas can dwell in it without defilement or burden, like a goose entering water without being wetted by the water. If lesser bodhisattvas have not deeply planted roots of goodness, advancing an inch but retreating a fathom, by what means could they attain the various samādhis? Just as when Śāriputra practiced the bodhisattva path for sixty kalpas and wished to cross the river of giving, a beggar came to beg for his eye. Śāriputra gouged out an eye and gave it to him; having obtained the eye, the beggar smelled it in front of Śāriputra, spat on it, threw it to the ground, and trampled it with his foot. Śāriputra reflected, saying: "Vile people such as this are difficult to deliver; it is better to tame myself and swiftly escape saṃsāra." Having so reflected, he retreated from the bodhisattva path and returned to the Hīnayāna. Furthermore, it is like the flying rishi who, upon being touched by the hand of the king's consort, instantly lost his supernatural powers; or Śākyamuni in a past cause who, through an aphrodisiac pill of delight, grew intimate with a courtesan. Even sages and worthies were like this—how much more so those at the initial resolve! How could this compare to single-mindedly reciting Amitābha, whereby samādhi swiftly manifests, and entrusting one's form to the Lotus Land, forever leaving behind greed and desire! The treatise says: "Because bodhisattvas do not see the present Buddha, their minds are dull." Thus we know that bodhisattvas should constantly stay close to the Buddha, because by being close to the Buddha their faculties become sharp and they swiftly attain prajñā.