藥師經疏 1.1

1.1

[…] nature; third, distinction between host and retinue; […] fifth, analysis by questions and answers. First, explaining the name: As for 'pure land', 'pure' means […] 'land' means the place resided in by various pure persons; therefore it is called a pure land. Alternatively, departing [from defilement] is pure; hence it is called a pure land. However, this pure [land] has two kinds: first, purity of form, because the resided palaces are adorned with multiple wondrous seven jewels; second, purity of qualities, taking the great practice of mindfulness and wisdom as the path of traversal, taking the great mind's wondrous contemplation as the vehicle, and taking great emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness—the liberations—as the […] great gate. Such virtues cannot be fully described. Now, this pure land fully possesses both factors, making it a pure land. Second, identifying the essential nature: There are two aspects: first, the varieties and counts; second, identifying the essential nature based on the varieties. As for the varieties and counts: as in the Cheng weishi lun, the divisions of pure lands are of four kinds: 1. the land of the essential nature of dharmas (dharmatā-land), meaning the principle of the two emptinesses is the nature of all dharmas, and the dharmatā is itself the land, hence called the dharmatā-land; 2. the self-enjoyment land, meaning the wondrous forms of the seven jewels and all virtues pervading the dharmadhātu constitute the enjoyment land; 3. the other-enjoyment land, meaning the forms and so forth manifested by the Tathāgatas for the assemblies of bodhisattvas on the ten bhūmis; 4. the transformation land, meaning the pure lands transformed by the Tathāgatas to transform those prior to the bhūmis. If explained in detail, it is as stated in the tenth fascicle of the Cheng weishi lun and the seventh fascicle of the Buddhabhūmy-upadeśa. As for identifying the essential nature: in the dharmatā pure land, among the enumeration of dharmas, tathatā is its essential nature. Identifying the essential nature through the three categories: it is not subsumed under the aggregates; among āyatanas and dhātus, it takes the dharma-āyatana and the dharmadhātu as its intrinsic nature, because it is an object cognitive domain exclusively of the mano-vijñāna. Alternatively, it can generally take the six kinds of asaṃskṛta as its nature, since the five kinds of asaṃskṛta are all provisionally established based on tathatā. For the self-enjoyment land, among the hundred dharmas, sixty dharmas constitute its essential nature: namely, the eight pure consciousnesses such as the eye-[consciousness], the associated twenty-one mental factors—meaning the five omnipresent, the five object-specific, and the eleven wholesome—the eleven kinds of form, and twenty unassociated formations, excluding the nature of a pṛthagjana and the heaven of non-conception within non-concordance, [and] the six kinds of asaṃskṛta. However, the six asaṃskṛta are of two kinds: first, the six established based on dharmatā, five […] of dharmatā; second, the six subsumed by the pure eight consciousnesses—all six are the self-enjoyment land. For the other-enjoyment land and the transformation land, the identification of dharmic essential nature should be known to be likewise. Yet the distinction is: the self-enjoyment land takes real virtues as its essence; the remaining two lands are both transformations. Identifying the essential nature through the three categories: if it is the wondrous form land, it uses a portion of the form aggregate, namely four āyatanas and four dhātus—a portion of form, smell, taste, and tangibles—as its nature. If it generally subsumes virtues as pure, it uses the dharmas of the five aggregates, twelve āyatanas, and eighteen dhātus as its essential nature. This should be contemplated in accordance with reason. Third, the distinction between host and retinue: as stated in the tenth fascicle of the Cheng weishi lun, buddhas are of four kinds: 1. the svabhāvakāya, meaning the pure dharmadhātu of all Tathāgatas, the equal support of enjoyment and transformation, quiescent and free of signs, cut off from all conceptual proliferation, endowed with boundless, true and actual virtues, also called the dharmakāya, because it is the locus of reliance for the dharmas of great virtue. This svabhāvakāya relies on the svabhāva-land; although this body and land have no difference in essence, their characteristics differ in pertaining to the Buddha's dharmas. Both this buddha-body and land are excluded from form; they have only the host and no retinue. 2. The self-enjoyment body, meaning the boundless real virtues generated by all Tathāgatas throughout three incalculable eons by cultivating and accumulating immeasurable provisions of merit and wisdom, as well as the extremely perfect, pure, eternal, and all-pervading form body, continuous and serene, continually enjoying the vast Dharma-bliss for oneself through the end of the future. This body also relies on the self-enjoyment land, meaning the pure consciousness associated with the ādarśa-jñāna, perfected through the causes and conditions of the pure buddha-land of self-benefit and non-outflow cultivated in the past; from first attaining buddhahood through the end of the future, it continuously transforms into a pure buddha-land. The self-enjoyment body constantly relies on this land; it also has only the Buddha without an assembly of disciples, because it is generated solely by the Buddha's own wholesome [causes] of self-benefit. 3. The other-enjoyment body, meaning all Tathāgatas, by virtue of samatā-jñāna, manifest a subtle, wondrous body of pure virtues, dwelling in a pure land to reside in; for the assemblies of bodhisattvas on the ten bhūmis, they display great spiritual powers, turn the wheel of the True Dharma, resolve the net of doubts of the multitude, and enable them to enjoy the Dharma-bliss of the Mahāyāna. The other-enjoyment land takes this as its host, and the bodhisattvas of the ten bhūmis as its retinue. 4. The nirmāṇakāya, meaning all Tathāgatas, by virtue of kṛty-anuṣṭhāna-jñāna, transform and manifest immeasurable transformation bodies corresponding to various classes, dwelling in pure and defiled lands; for the assemblies of bodhisattvas who have not yet ascended the bhūmis, for those of the two vehicles, and for pṛthagjanas, they manifest spiritual penetrations and expound the Dharma in accord with their capacities, enabling each to obtain benefit and joy. This transformation pure land takes the transformation-body Buddha as its host, and bodhisattvas, the two vehicles, and various pṛthagjanas as its retinue. Fourth, the size of shape and measure: 1. The svabhāvakāya and its land, being free from form and signs, cannot be spoken of as having size of shape and measure; yet spoken of according to signs, they are immeasurable and boundless. Therefore, fascicle ten of the Cheng weishi lun states: 'Although their size of shape and measure cannot be spoken of, according to phenomenal signs their measure is boundless, just as empty space pervades all places.' 2. The self-enjoyment body and its pure land are boundless in shape and measure, because they are generated by boundless roots of goodness. Therefore the sūtra says: 'Perfect and circular without limit, their measure is difficult to fathom.' 3. The other-enjoyment body and its pure land: in accord with the suitability of the bodhisattvas dwelling on the ten bhūmis, it transforms into body and land—either large or small, either superior or inferior, changing back and forth. If it is the nirmāṇakāya, it relies on a transformation land or relies on a defiled land; its size is indeterminate in accord with their faculties and capacities. Fifth, analysis by questions and answers: Question: Do pṛthagjanas and those of the two vehicles take birth in the pure land or not? If you say they are born there, why does the Mahāyānasaṃgraha say that reciting the Buddha's name to be born in the pure land is an intention of another time? Furthermore, the Saṃdhinirmocana Sūtra and Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra ask: 'What kinds of persons are not born in the pure land?' and answer: 'Pṛthagjanas and those of the two vehicles.' If you say they are not born there, as texts such as the Amitābha Sūtra state, if for one day up to seven days one's mind is undistracted, one is immediately born in the pure land. Explanation: This meaning is extremely difficult; the various masters of the Western Country (India) have two different explanations. One says: Pṛthagjanas and the two vehicles are not born in the pure land; therefore the Mahāyānasaṃgraha says that being born in the pure land is stated with reference to the intention of another time. Because of this mindfulness of the Buddha, there is an initial causal condition; cultivating it repeatedly, one only attains birth there upon reaching the ten bhūmis. Therefore, when various sūtras speak of being born in the pure land, it is spoken with reference to another time. Furthermore, the Saṃdhinirmocana says that those of the two vehicles and pṛthagjanas are not born in the pure land. Furthermore, the Wangsheng lun states: 'Women, those deficient in faculties, and the lineage of the two vehicles are not born [there].' Another says: There are four kinds of pure lands. The dharmatā pure land is tathatā, so one cannot speak of birth or non-birth, as it is cut off from all characteristics. The self-enjoyment land is where only a buddha together with a buddha can be born. The other-enjoyment land is solely the birthplace of bodhisattvas of the ten bhūmis. As for its transformation land, pṛthagjanas, the two vehicles, and bodhisattvas prior to the bhūmis can all be reborn there. When the Mahāyānasaṃgraha and Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra speak of non-birth, they speak with reference to the other-enjoyment [land], not the transformation land. Question: Among the four kinds of lands, which land subsumes the Land of Utmost Bliss (Sukhāvatī)? Explanation: In the Western regions there are themselves two explanations: One says: It is the other-enjoyment body, because it has limits. Another says: Sukhāvatī has two kinds: 1. other-enjoyment, which is solely the birthplace of bodhisattvas on the bhūmis; 2. transformation land, which is where those already born and bodhisattvas prior to the bhūmis can all attain birth.