英語訳
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It explains well the elimination of the eight kinds of leisure-less states, self-maintaining moral conduct without being criticized for shortcomings, and the ten virtuous karmic paths—together eighteen kinds of pure cultivation of buddha-lands. All are causes of pure lands. It also says: "The assembly of bodhisattvas in the Sahā world accomplish eight dharmas without damage or harm, and from this life's end are born in other pure lands. First, they think: 'I should do good deeds for sentient beings and should not hope for good rewards from them.' Second, they think: 'I will receive all sufferings and afflictions in place of all those sentient beings, and will completely dedicate and give away my good roots.' Third, they think: 'Toward sentient beings, I should have an equanimous mind without obstruction.' Fourth, they think: 'Toward all those sentient beings, I should crush pride and arrogance, respecting and loving them like buddhas.' Fifth, with supreme faith and understanding, upon hearing profound sutras not yet received, they have no doubt or slander even upon brief hearing. Sixth, they have no jealous mind toward others' benefits and gains, and do not generate arrogance regarding their own benefits and gains. Seventh, they tame their own minds, constantly examine their own faults, and do not criticize others' transgressions. Eighth, they are constantly without negligence, always joyfully seek all good dharmas, and diligently cultivate the factors of enlightenment." The Abhidharma says: "Because it is not produced by the power of karma and afflictions, it does not arise through the predominance of karma and afflictions, but is brought forth by great vows and pure good roots," etc. One should know that faith and aspiration are the commanders of practice. If one is lacking, the karma for rebirth will not be accomplished. The superiority or inferiority of practices determines reward and transformation lands, as clarified in texts like the Forest of Meanings on Buddha-Lands, etc. The Outline Chapter says: "Regarding rebirth karma and practices, speaking generally, all primary and auxiliary karma and practices serve as rebirth karma and practices. Whether inner gate or outer gate, contaminated or uncontaminated, all serve as rebirth karma and practices. Whether present life or past and future, the merit and wisdom possessed through many lives, and the dedication of all practices of the five vehicles, etc.—all serve as karma and practices," etc. The extensive clarification of rebirth karma
【Fiftieth Page Lower Section】
should be investigated. Second, in separately clarifying the exclusive cultivation of Amitābha's dharma, first presenting treatise explanations, then extensively clarifying practices and causes. The Rebirth Treatise says: "What meaning does this verse clarify? It demonstrates the aspiration to be born in that land through presently contemplating the Land of Bliss and seeing Amitābha Tathāgata. How does one contemplate? How does one generate faith? If good men and good women cultivate the five mindfulness gates and accomplish the practices, they will ultimately be born in the Land of Bliss and see that Amitābha Buddha. What are the five mindfulness gates? First, the gate of prostration. Second, the gate of praise. Third, the gate of aspiration. Fourth, the gate of contemplation. Fifth, the gate of dedication. How does one prostrate? Through bodily karma, prostrating to Amitābha Tathāgata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, for the purpose of being born in that land. How does one praise? Through verbal karma of praise, calling the name of that Tathāgata, like that Tathāgata's characteristics of luminous wisdom, like the meaning of that name, wishing to correspond with true practice. How does one make aspirations? The mind constantly makes aspirations, single-mindedly focusing on ultimately being reborn in the Land of Bliss, wishing to truly cultivate śamatha. How does one contemplate? Through wisdom contemplation, with right mindfulness observing that [land], wishing to truly cultivate vipaśyanā. That contemplation has three kinds. What are the three kinds? First, contemplating the adornment merits of that buddha-land. Second, contemplating Amitābha Buddha's adornment merits. Third, contemplating the adornment merits of those bodhisattvas. How does one dedicate? Not abandoning all suffering sentient beings, the mind constantly makes aspirations with dedication as primary, in order to accomplish the great compassionate mind." After explaining the three kinds of adornment and twenty-nine types, it says: "These three kinds of accomplishment are aspiration-mind adornment. One should know this briefly explains entry into one dharma-phrase. The one dharma-phrase refers to the pure phrase. The pure phrase refers to true wisdom, the unconditioned dharma-body." This purity has
【Fifty-first Page Upper Section】
two kinds. What are the two kinds one should know? First, purity of the vessel world. Second, purity of the sentient beings' world. Thus this one dharma-phrase encompasses the meaning of two kinds of purity. One should know that bodhisattvas' śamatha and vipaśyanā, through extensive and brief cultivation, accomplish flexible minds and truly know extensive and brief dharmas. Thus they accomplish skillful expedient dedication. They are far removed from the three kinds of dharmas that contradict the gates to enlightenment," etc. This is to obtain fulfillment of the three kinds of dharmas that accord with the gates to enlightenment. What are the three kinds? First, the undefiled pure mind, because one does not seek various pleasures for oneself. Second, the peaceful pure mind, because one removes the sufferings of all sentient beings. Third, the joyful pure mind, because one enables all sentient beings to attain great enlightenment. This is because one embraces sentient beings to be born in that land," etc. Later, it further opens five gates and discusses the merits of entry and emergence, etc. Master Shinran composed annotations in two fascicles, brilliantly developing and clarifying guidance. This treatise and commentary are truly the standard for rebirth in pure lands. Those in the stream of pure practices cannot neglect this. Later, extensively clarifying practices and causes: What this school requires is simply settling the mind, arousing practices, and performing works. Settling the mind has two aspects: general mind-settling and specific mind-settling. So-called general mind-settling means renouncing the impure land and aspiring for the pure land. Renouncing the impure and aspiring for the pure generally has three levels, as discussed elsewhere. So-called specific mind-settling refers to the three minds. The meaning of the three minds can be found entirely in the "Scattered Good Practices" section of the Contemplation Sutra.
Jaku said: "The text of 'Scattered Good Practices' is profound in its purport. The parable of the two rivers and white path is wonderfully perfect. There are many who misunderstand it in later generations. How can one not feel regretful about this?"
【Fifty-first Page Lower Section】
When general and specific mind-settling are accomplished as above, one generates extreme aversion toward the three realms and the karmic afflictions that dominate the three realms, hating them like enemies and bandits, discarding them like excrement and spittle. Toward the environmental and personal aspects of pure lands, and all white dharmas that bring about pure lands, one arouses superior joy and delight, revering them like precious jewels, seeking them like a thirsty person seeks drink. Thus the faith and aspiration for rebirth in pure lands becomes determined, firm and unmovable. This is called "settling the mind." So-called "arousing practices" refers to the above five mindfulness gates and the five kinds of correct practices presented in the "Scattered Good Practices" section of the Contemplation Sutra. The "Rebirth Liturgy of Praise" describes the five mindfulness gates as arousing practices. However, among the five practices, the treatise takes śamatha and vipaśyanā as correct practices, while "Scattered Good Practices" takes the practice of calling the name as the correct and settled karma. The "Rebirth Liturgy of Praise" quotes the Mañjuśrī Prajñā one-practice samādhi: "Dwelling alone in a quiet place, abandoning all confused thoughts, connecting the mind to one buddha, not contemplating characteristics, exclusively calling the name—immediately within that mindfulness, one obtains seeing Amitābha Buddha and all buddhas, etc." Question: "Why not have them perform contemplation, but directly have them exclusively call the name? What is the meaning of this?" Answer: "This is because sentient beings have heavy obstructions, the objects are subtle while minds are coarse, consciousness scatters and spirits fly, making contemplation difficult to accomplish. Therefore the Great Sage compassionately encourages direct exclusive calling of the name. Precisely because calling the name is easy, through continuation one is immediately born," etc. The "Contemplation and Mindfulness Dharma Gate" depends on the Contemplation Sutra and the Ocean of Contemplating Buddha Samādhi Sutra to clarify the dharma of contemplating buddha samādhi, etc. Next it says: "Also said: If practitioners wish to be born in pure lands, they need only maintain precepts and be mindful of buddha, reciting the Amitābha Sutra fifteen times daily to obtain ten thousand in two years, thirty times daily to obtain ten thousand in one year. Reciting ten thousand times of buddha daily, one should also perform prostrations and praise the adorned matters of pure lands according to the time. Great diligence is greatly needed. Those who obtain thirty thousand, sixty thousand, or one hundred thousand are all superior grades."