英語訳
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Having obtained this understanding, did he explain that elephants and birds are of different species? Concerning this, it is taught: "There are also thirty-six thousand various yakṣa assemblies, with Vaiśravaṇa Deva King as their leader." Yakṣas are a class of demons and spirits. Vaiśravaṇa Deva is a king of desire realm devas. Though they are already different categories, Vaiśravaṇa Deva is made the head of the yakṣas. Similarly, though birds and elephants are different, what fault is there in making Fragrant Elephant Power King the king of the garuḍa assembly? Since there are already such examples in other places, why must everything necessarily be the same?
There are two interpretations in the lower volume of the Weichun Commentary that should be consulted.
Inquiry: In the commentary's earlier text, when listing the eighteen categories of fellow-hearers, only one explanation of "various birds as separate categories" is given. In our school's practice, when making two explanations, presenting only one explanation in one place represents the actual intended meaning. If so, would the separate categories explanation be the correct interpretation? If so, wouldn't the analogical objection from other sūtra texts be most difficult to resolve?
Question: In the sūtra, when the four Buddhas come to Wonderful Banner's chamber and explain the purport of Śākyamuni's long and distant lifespan, they transform the chamber into a pure land. So is this transformation into a pure land the supernatural power of Śākyamuni or the divine transformation of the four Buddhas?
Response: The commentary provides two explanations, considering the transformation by the four Buddhas as superior.
Concerning this: When guest Buddhas arrive, the host Buddha should most appropriately perform the transformation. The sūtra text states without dispute: "Through the Buddha's majestic power, that chamber suddenly became vast, magnificent, and pure." Doesn't this appear to be Śākyamuni's supernatural power?
I say: When Buddhas and bodhisattvas manifest divine transformations, there is no fixed pattern—it depends on time and adapts to beings' capacities. Just as when the jeweled stupa emerged,
【Lower Section】
Śākyamuni manifested divine transformations, and when Wonderful Sound arrived, the bodhisattva applied supernatural power. Therefore both explanations are provided. However, regarding the current sūtra text, it clearly appears to be the guest Buddhas' divine transformation. Properly examining the sūtra text: "These four Tathāgatas each sat cross-legged on their seats, emitting great light that illuminated everywhere." Since they already emit light and manifest auspicious signs, it is the guest Buddhas' divine transformation. The magnificent pure Buddha-land and four-jewel flower seats should likewise be transformations by the four Buddhas. Therefore Master Cízhōu judged the latter explanation as superior. Since miraculous signs have no fixed pattern, why equate them with other sūtras?
Inquiring further: Using the Lotus Sūtra's teaching to establish this is inappropriate. During the Jeweled Stupa chapter, this land is transformed into a pure land. If what is taught there brings benefits to the Lesser Vehicle, how could those of fixed nature gain arrogant benefits in the pure land?
Next, the commentary master's use of the Fulfilling Vows According to Emptiness chapter as evidence is unclear. Though that text merely mentions "arousing the mind to cultivate and study the patience of non-arising dharmas," it is not actual benefit attainment. However, the Pure Ground chapter text states: "Three billion bodhisattvas attained patience of non-arising dharmas, and countless bhikṣus attained dharma-eye purity." This is actual benefit attainment. Why not cite that but instead cite this as proof?
Explanation: Generally, according to our school's understanding, the Entrustment chapter comes at the end of the teaching, so during that chapter the emanation Buddhas return to their original lands, and this land reverts to an impure land. During all previous chapters, this land is still a pure land. Therefore, the dharma-eye purity benefits obtained are gained by Hīnayāna practitioners in the pure land. However, regarding transformation lands, [characters unclear] transformation for extended periods—even if Hīnayāna practitioners gain it in temporarily transformed pure lands, what fault is there? Next, using the Fulfilling Vows According to Emptiness chapter text as proof: throughout the entire sūtra,
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when establishing dharma-eye purity benefits, since the earlier Supreme Pure Ground Dhāraṇī chapter already presents this outside of Mahāyāna benefits, it is indisputably seen as Hīnayāna benefit. Therefore, that the later Fulfilling Vows chapter text is undoubtedly Hīnayāna benefit is inevitable. Thus using it as proof involves no fault.
Still inquiring further: Seeing the characteristics of the pure land depends on the cause of arousing bodhicitta. Even if temporarily transformed into a pure land, how do those who do not arouse the mind see it? If it is not turning the mind, one cannot perceive the pure land. This is most appropriate.
[There may be more beyond this—uncertain]
Question: The sūtra text mentions "thirty-six thousand various yakṣa assemblies with Vaiśravaṇa Deva King as their leader." What does this reveal?
Response: Among the various yakṣa assemblies, Vaiśravaṇa serves as leader.
Concerning this: Vaiśravaṇa is a king of desire realm devas, a superior result of the good destinies. Yakṣas are a class of demons and spirits, the result of evil karma. Good and evil, superior and inferior are vastly different. Why does Vaiśravaṇa Deva become the lord of demons and spirits? Joy-Seeing Divine Prince and Lotus Dragon King all discuss the meaning of kingship within the same destiny. Should this be analogous? Moreover, in a certain sūtra, among the Four Heavenly Kings, Dhṛtarāṣṭra Deva is made the leader. Then, even when discussing the meaning of lordship regarding the Four Heavenly Kings, Vaiśravaṇa Deva should not be made the leader. How so?
I say: Even when expressing "various yakṣa assemblies" and saying "serving as leader," why must they necessarily be the same category? For example, like "forty-nine thousand garuḍa kings with Fragrant Elephant Power King as leader"—aren't birds and elephants separate
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categories? Therefore, in this sūtra's understanding, although Vaiśravaṇa Deva is the head of desire realm devas, he governs yakṣas as retainers and is called "serving as leader"—what fault is there? Śrī-lakṣmī, though included among the deva destinies, serves as lord of tree spirits. Tree spirits are included among demons. Since she already serves as [character unclear] of a different category, shouldn't this also be reasonable? Next, making Dhṛtarāṣṭra Deva the leader is because the Great Sage's teaching adapts differently according to what is appropriate. Why should there be one standard for establishing lord and retainer relationships?
Question: The Lifespan chapter states: "I constantly remain at Eagle Mountain, proclaiming this precious sūtra." Among the three bodies, which body is being taught?
Response: In the commentary, the dharma and reward bodies.
Concerning this: Although the three bodies are neither one nor different, what they form differs in principle and characteristics. The dharma body is formless true reality without form or color. The reward body is an all-pervading form body that does not teach sūtra-dharma. One knows it is not the dharma and reward bodies. Based on this, Korean masters say it is "not the dharma and reward bodies." How so?
I say: This current text fully explains the characteristics of the three bodies. "I constantly remain at Eagle Mountain, proclaiming this precious sūtra" teaches the dharma and reward bodies. "For the sake of perfecting sentient beings, I manifest parinirvāṇa" describes the transformation body. If this text did not teach the two bodies, there would be the fault of the three bodies being incomplete. Since it says "I constantly remain at Eagle Mountain," it clearly teaches the dharma and reward bodies, as seen. Like the Lotus Sūtra saying "I constantly remain in this sahā world" and stating "constantly at Vulture Peak" refers to the reward body. However, regarding the objection: in the commentary, using the reward body to reveal the dharma body means that since the dharma body is the foundation of the reward body, the source of other-benefiting teaching dharma arises from this. Most appropriately, the text "proclaiming this precious sūtra" should also reveal the dharma body. In the Xuanzan, explaining "I constantly