英語訳
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Resolving: The Xuanzan's explanation is clear in its reasoning. Why involve doubts and difficulties? However, regarding the Xuanzan on the King Wonderful Adornment chapter, "past life causes and conditions" is the same as today's meaning of "causes and conditions." Causes and conditions naturally have substance and karma, which is the same as today's meaning of "events." The lower commentary is a general explanation; this commentary specifically explains the two characters "original events." The meaning is completely consistent.
The Xuanzan states: "Medicine is the divine function of removing illness; king has the mighty power of sovereignty. Original means causes and conditions; events mean substance and karma. This bodhisattva now vows to become a medicine tree, healing the chronic diseases of the eight dusts and removing the deep ailments of the seven leaks. His power is unmatched and his divine might without equal. Therefore it is called the Medicine King Bodhisattva Original Events Chapter."
The same [commentary] below (at the King Wonderful Adornment chapter) states: "Explaining the name: In the secular world he was imperially noble, adorning his appearance with wonderful precious ornaments, turning from wrong to enter the true supreme Dharma jewels and polishing his essence. Therefore he is called King Wonderful Adornment. Because of past life causes and conditions, it is called original events."
Question: Should there be texts describing the śrāvaka assembly in the chapters from Medicine King onward? If there are, the Yijue states: "One cannot say there is no separate transformation body verification. Even if the sūtra text doesn't mention transformation buddhas, how does this prevent them from still being present? Just as below the Medicine King chapter it doesn't mention śrāvakas—are śrāvakas therefore not present?" By this we know there are no texts describing śrāvakas from this chapter onward. If following this, then this chapter states "and this śrāvaka assembly hearing all rejoiced," and the Encouragement chapter has "Śāriputra and all who heard." How so?
Resolving: Master Zīzhōu's difficulty states: "Although not explained in the text, if the meaning can be permitted, then permit it." That is, using śrāvakas as an analogous difficulty. If so, even if one or two chapters have such textual content, not mentioning them should be raised as an analogous difficulty, so this present doubt doesn't lose to the explanation. Moreover, "from Medicine King onward" means the chapters below excluding Medicine King. Regarding this matter, the śrāvakas and other assemblies in the Encouragement chapter are probably the translator moving what was explained in the Entrustment chapter to that chapter. The Entrustment chapter is also considered by other schools to be in the middle of the sūtra. Therefore, the mention of śrāvakas that both schools accept is not in the Wonderful Sound and other chapters. Therefore there is no fault.
The Yijue states: "One cannot say there are no separate body verifications. Even if the sūtra text doesn't mention transformation buddhas, how does this prevent them from still being present? Just as below the Medicine King chapter it doesn't mention śrāvakas—are śrāvakas therefore not present? If using what is explained as existing in the Samantabhadra chapter, this proves śrāvakas are currently present. According to the Saddharma-puṇḍarīka, since entrustment exists at the sūtra's end, we clearly know transformation buddhas also exist. If text and meaning require explanation, then explain it immediately. If text and meaning don't require it, why force explanation? Therefore it's impossible."
Question: Does the buddha-land of Sun-Moon-Pure-Bright-Virtue Buddha take bodhisattvas and śrāvakas as those to be taught?
Proceeding to say: The sūtra takes 8 billion bodhisattvas and 72 Ganges sands of śrāvakas as those taught. Regarding this, sentient beings in pure lands are easy to teach. The number of bodhisattvas and śrāvakas should be limitless. Moreover, the Buddha's lifespan is 42,000 kalpas. How could the types of benefits gained be only that much? Also, Śākyamuni appeared in a defiled land with a lifespan of 80 years. How much benefit was gained in one lifetime? The Avataṃsaka Sūtra explains that bodhisattvas numerous as dust particles in hundreds of thousands of buddha-lands
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attained the benefit of one-life-away status, and sentient beings numerous as dust particles in all lands aroused bodhicitta, etc. Moreover, the countless benefits gained in one Lotus assembly cannot be calculated. Even 80 years in a defiled land achieved this much. A pure land of 42,000 kalpas—why wouldn't it surpass this?
Resolving: That the number of bodhisattvas isn't many is indeed doubtful. However, such matters all correspond to what the assembly should hear at that moment. It doesn't necessarily exhaust the principle. Perhaps it separately mentions great bodhisattvas, or temporarily raises bodhisattvas of near-enlightenment and ultimate attainment.
The sūtra states:
Question: This chapter explains the lifespan of Sun-Moon-Pure-Bright-Virtue Buddha as 42,000 kalpas. Is this kalpas of day-night-year counting, or what? There are questions on both sides. If it's kalpas of day-night-year counting, looking at the chapter above and below, the Buddha's lifespan is called 42,000 kalpas, while Gladly-Seen's austerity time is 12,000 years. Already dividing kalpas and years, each is explained separately. We know it's not kalpas of day-night-year counting. According to this, human affairs are not kalpas of day-night-year counting. If following this, the Lotus Treatise explains the kalpas mentioned in this sūtra as "days, nights, months, seasons, and years." Moreover, the Saddharma-puṇḍarīka [states] lifespan as 42,000 years. How so?
Resolving: Buddha's words are profound. Ordinary wisdom finds them difficult to fathom. If temporarily following the sūtra text, one should call it actual kalpa numbers. The land's characteristics are also supreme. The Tathāgata's lifespan definitely transcends the limits of years. The text everywhere below mentions years. We know the Buddha's lifespan of 42,000 kalpas is not years. If it were months, days, etc., it would be even shorter. Wouldn't this be a great doubt? The Lotus Treatise has undetermined text on the side. The Collected Explanations has many interpretations. Based on these, it should be resolved. Next, regarding the Saddharma-puṇḍarīka Sūtra, Dharmarakṣa and Kumārajīva's interpretations differ greatly. Therefore there is no fault.
Question: The sūtra text [mentions] "attained the samādhi of manifesting all physical forms." At what stage is this samādhi attained?
Proceeding to say: First stage or eighth stage. Regarding this, tenth-abiding bodhisattvas manifest various physical forms through contaminated concentration. As stated: "The pure wonderful Dharma-body should manifest various forms." If so, isn't the samādhi of manifesting all physical forms attained at the pre-stage level? Thus looking at the sūtra's text below, those seeking śrāvaka [status] and bodhisattvas who first aroused the great mind dwell in this samādhi. By this we know that regarding this sūtra-treatise's partial attainment, it should be explained as pre-stage attainment.
Resolving: The Xuanzan states: "At the first stage one immediately attains eighth-stage sovereignty. Among the ten equalities, one can manifest according to what sentient beings delight in. Because it's attained at the first stage." Based on this, using one of the ten equalities, we know it's attained from the first stage upward. However, contaminated similar samādhi perhaps extends to the pre-stage level. The sūtra text has no fault.
Question: ○ (as above). Regarding this, looking at the sūtra text, the supernatural powers and light arising through this concentration power illuminate 8 billion Ganges sand worlds. If it's concentration attained at the first stage, one should say it illuminates a hundred worlds. Moreover, Mañjuśrī requests to ask about the samādhi attained by Wonderful Sound: "What merit did he cultivate? What samādhi did he practice?"