英語訳
【Page 24, Upper Section】
lineage, and fourth, bodily characteristics. All Tathāgatas have characteristics of increase and decrease regarding these four dharmas, but not regarding other merits. {Note: Text}
△The Commentary on the Essential Collection {Note: 3rd vol., 37} states: "In the fifth volume of the Mahāsaṃnipāta Sūtra, Bhadrapāla section, it is called the Pratyutpanna Sūtra." {Note: Text}
△The Commentary on Cessation and Truth {Note: 2nd book, 17, 3rd doctrine} says: "It serves as the master of the dharma gate of Pratyutpanna Samādhi." Also, Ryōchū's Commentary on the Contemplation Dharma Gate {Note: Lower, 27} states: "According to the meaning of the Pratyutpanna Sūtra, Amitabha serves as the master of the dharma gate." {Note: Text}
○Hongje 2 {Note: Book 4, Commentary on Mañjuśrī-paripṛcchā Sūtra, above sitting and below} says: "What the various sutras praise is mostly Amitabha. Therefore, the Western [direction] serves as one standard." {Note: Text} The meaning is: although the sutra does not limit [practice] to facing the Western direction, since it already speaks of exclusively contemplating one Buddha, which direction should that one Buddha be determined to be? It is said that because various sutras mostly praise Amitabha, this serves as one standard. One should know this is merely citing one example. It does not mean that Amitabha is supreme.
○Cessation and Contemplation 5 says: "The seventh, properly cultivating cessation and contemplation: the previous six stages depend on the sutras to open wonderful understanding; now one depends on wonderful understanding to establish proper practice." {Note: Text} Hongje {Note: Upper 2} states: "It says 'wonderful understanding' in order to distinguish between partial and complete [teachings]." {Note: Text}
△When the Tiantai patriarch spoke of the "Western [direction]," this was expedient means following [practitioners'] capacities and conditions. Liang Zisu praised Tiantai saying: "Whether equal enlightenment or wonderful enlightenment cannot be known." {Note: Comprehensive Records} The Collected Authorizations of Zhizheng {Note: Upper 39} states: "Tiantai's position resided in the fifth stage, with mastery over death and life, rolling and unrolling without obstruction. Examining his conduct, he nearly approached the Dharma Cloud [stage]. {Note: Name of the tenth stage} The corresponding five stages are all expressions of humility in responding to questions." {Note: Above}
One should know this is the position of the patience of no-birth on the stages. In a hundred Buddha worlds, he manifested multiple bodies and scattered reflections, appearing and disappearing through transformations.
【Page 24, Lower Section】
Ultimately free. Why would he rigidly adhere to the Western [direction]? When he approached his end and spoke of "Avalokiteśvara's welcoming," this was precisely teaching and guiding by following conditions to serve as a model for beings.
○Hongje 1 {Note: Upper 44} says: "He had [people] chant the titles of the two sutras, the Lotus and the Contemplation of Immeasurable Life... When the Great Master was alive, he constantly vowed to be born in Tuṣita. At his deathbed, he spoke of 'Avalokiteśvara's welcoming.' One should know that serving as a model for beings and following their capacities, establishing transformations cannot follow one standard." {Note: Text}
○Cessation and Contemplation 2 {Note: 18 pages} says: "There is a separate volume called 'Lotus Samādhi,' authored by Great Master Tiantai. It has been transmitted in the world. Practitioners take this as their foundation. This combines speaking and silence, and does not discuss them separately." {Note: Text}
○The Lotus Samādhi Practice Method {Note: 4 pages} says: "In the practice hall, spread out a fine high seat and place a complete Lotus Sutra. It is not necessarily required to install images, relics, and other sutras. Only place the Lotus Sutra." {Note: Text}
○Sentence Commentary 6 {Note: 7 pages} says: "The old [interpretation] {Note: Guangzhai} matches the Western Amitabha Buddha with the elder. Now we do not use this. The Western Buddha is different, the conditions are different. Because the Buddha is different, the meaning of concealment and revelation does not hold. Because the conditions are different, the meaning of son and father does not hold. Moreover, from beginning to end, this sutra completely lacks such meaning. This is speculation with closed eyes. Now we depend on the text and attach to the meaning... Even the putting on and taking off of Vairocana nearby is still unknown. Amitabha is distant. How could there ever be transformation and exchange?" {Note: Text}
○Commentary 6 {Note: 10 pages} says: "Since Amitabha and Śākyamuni are two different Buddhas, how could one make Amitabha conceal jeweled garments and robes,
【Page 25, Upper Section】
and make Śākyamuni wear shabby, soiled clothing? However, Śākyamuni should have no jeweled garments to conceal, while Amitabha has only supremely wonderful form. Moreover, their past conditions are different, their teaching and guidance are not the same. Forming connections is like giving birth, bringing to maturity is like nurturing. When birth and nurturing conditions differ, father and son relationships do not form, etc." {Note: Text}
△Now regarding this text about the triple world, the Pure Land school has no definitive proof in their questions and answers. Patriarchal Writings 26 {Note: 42-3, 48}, 19 {Note: 33-4}, 20 {Note: 11}, 35 {Note: 38, 30}, 16 {Note: 61}. To save paper costs, I will not transcribe them. I hope you will go and examine them. {Note: Jade-Binding Record 6, 51, etc.}
○The Commentary on the Profound Meaning {Note: 3 pages} says: "Looking up reverently, Śākyamuni dispatches from this realm, Amitabha welcomes from that land. When that [Buddha] calls and this [Buddha] dispatches, how could one not go?" {Note: Text}
△Nāgārjuna's Great Treatise 9 {Note: 17} says: "Although Buddhas have no jealous minds, because their conduct and karma are pure life after life, there are also no two Buddhas appearing in one world. A hundred billion Sumeru mountains, a hundred billion suns and moons, are called a trichiliocosm. Such trichiliocosms in the ten directions, numerous as the sands of the Ganges, are called one Buddha world. Within this there are no other Buddhas. Actually, one Śākyamuni Buddha, within this one Buddha world, constantly creates transformations as various Buddhas with various dharma gates, various bodies, various causes and conditions, various expedient means to save sentient beings. Therefore, in the Mahādhāraṇī Sūtra it says there are no two Buddhas at one time in one world, but does not say there are no Buddhas in the ten directions." {Note: Text}
△Elegant Phrases, Lower {Note: 24 pages} says: "The treatise tradition and sutra tradition are easy because of the nine easy [aspects], easy to believe and easy to understand. The Lotus has six difficult [aspects], therefore difficult to believe and difficult to understand. Shallow-easy and deep-difficult are Śākyamuni's judgments. Leaving the shallow and approaching the deep is the mind
【Page 25, Lower Section】
of a great person." {Note: Text}
△The Protective Chapter, Lower {Note: Lower 4} says: "Why value the shallow treasures of incidental merit and rashly despise the great jewel in the topknot of great merit?... To regard the Lotus as provisional is the enemy of the Buddhas of the three periods." {Note: Text}
○Commentary 3 {Note: Lower 8} says: "If one praises the past, is this not disparaging the present?" {Note: Text} Abbreviated from Elegant Phrases, Upper {Note: 3}
○Elegant Phrases says: "Praising and beautifying the governmental ways of previous dynasties does not disparage the successes and failures of the current time. Depending and relying on the various sutras of previous [periods] would make one an enemy of the present sutra. Giving bamboo horses and grass chickens to young children is completely not the original intention of the parents, but merely expedient means for nurturing." {Note: Text} This passage has not been examined since ancient times.
○Regarding the nembutsu practice of Abbot Eshin: In the second year of Eikan, year of the wood monkey, he composed the Essential Collection for Birth [in the Pure Land] {Note: 2 volumes}. Twenty-two years later, in the third year of Kankō, year of the fire horse, he composed the Essential Decisions on the One Vehicle {Note: 3 volumes}.
○The preface to the Essential Collection for Birth states: "The teaching and practice of birth in the Pure Land is the eyes and feet of the turbid world and latter age. Among monks and laypeople, noble and base, who would not take refuge? However, the exoteric and esoteric teachings and dharmas, their texts are not uniform. The karmic causes of phenomena and principle, their practices are merely numerous. For people of sharp wisdom and energetic progress, this is not yet difficult. How would someone dull like myself dare [attempt this]?... Therefore, depending on the single gate of nembutsu, I have briefly collected essential passages from sutras and treatises to examine and cultivate them, as they are easy to awaken to and easy to practice..." Carefully examine Patriarchal Writings 10 {Note: 23-4}.
○The Essential Decisions on the One Vehicle, Upper {Note: Beginning} says: "The provisional and real among the various vehicles has been a dispute since ancient times. All rely on sutras and treatises, mutually grasping right and wrong. In the winter of the tenth month of the Kankō year of the fire horse, while ill I sighed and said: 'Though I have encountered the Buddha-dharma, I do not understand the Buddha's intention. Suffering will end with empty hands. How can later regret be recovered?' Here, the textual meanings of sutras and treatises, the chapters of sages