英語訳
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becomes the ground, with various adornments—this is precisely that land. Temporarily transformed lands are like the three transformations of land in the Lotus Sutra, or Vimalakīrti pressing the earth with his toe, etc. All such lands are included within transformation-body pure lands. However, the sentient beings with the spiritual capacity to be taught in these transformation lands have not yet realized the emptiness of phenomena and have not awakened to the illusion-like nature, so they belong to impure lands. When their characteristics further dwell in matter and undergo transformation-birth, they immediately appear. However, the impure lands as seen by the Tathāgata (because within transformation lands there are both pure and impure aspects), in relation to the impure lands transformed by those sentient beings, through the Buddha's sovereign inconceivable power, transform and create similar impure lands. These merge harmoniously, being neither one nor different. However, what the Buddha transforms is actually the dharma of undefiled purity, so it does not contradict essential characteristics. This appears in accordance with circumstances precisely to benefit beings of impure-land capacity. Question: The principle that pure lands transformed while relying on some location in impure lands are vast and extensive is difficult to accept. Answer: For instance, when a divine dragon takes residence in a small pond, through the power of physical karma it transforms and creates its own palace. Its dimensions are spacious and broad, not limited to the small pond. Consorts and retinue dwell and play there together. However, it cannot alter that water source, pond, or marsh, nor can it cease dwelling there. One should know this matter is inconceivable—the vast and narrow accommodate each other, mutually serving as supporting conditions in dependent origination. Unobstructed karmic power can even create lowly future rebirths. Even deluded karma with crude conditions is still like this. How much more so the Buddha's inconceivable power? What is there to doubt?
Regarding the West's Reward and Transformation Bodies
Concerning whether Amida's Pure Land of Peace and Nourishment includes both reward and transformation aspects or is limited to one, there have been different positions since ancient times that are difficult to resolve. Following one interpretation for now, it should be said to include transformation aspects. This interpretation is quite essential and cannot be left unstudied. Now I will briefly reveal its purport through seven reasons: First, it accords with the original vows; second, contradictory passages are easily reconciled; third, the proof texts are clear;
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fourth, this comprehensive view of lands accords with principle; fifth, there are definitive judgments by patriarchs; sixth, the benefits are vast; seventh, it specifically points to the fundamental intent. First, according with the original vows: Amida's original vows established the Pure Land of Bliss to save beings in Sahā—it was not essential that it be exclusively non-transformational. Moreover, beings in Sahā are mostly of lowly capacity. What was established for them—how could it be limited to reward lands? One should know: though excellent characteristics are described to increase the mind of joyful longing, in reality there are lands within it that accord with beings' capacities. Due to this, transformation lands are conveniently described in various places. Why forcibly distort this? Next, regarding easy textual reconciliation: with the view of exclusively reward lands, because they don't include transformation aspects, reconciling passages that describe transformation characteristics is extremely troublesome. With the view that includes transformation lands, because it encompasses reward aspects and clarifies reward lands, comprehensive understanding is particularly easy. Comparing these two interpretations, isn't this a virtue? Next, regarding clear proof texts: what blocks proof of transformation lands has obscure evidence. Though reward lands are described, because there's no word "only," what substantiates including transformation lands has clear evidence. Though there's no word "only," because there's absolutely no negation, comparison between them is difficult. Which should one follow? Next, regarding the principle of comprehensive lands: generally all buddhas have three bodies. Each of the three has lands. This is inevitable—who wouldn't permit this? If so, how could Amida lack a transformation body? How could that transformation-body buddha lack lands? If one says "though it exists, it would be impure lands," then again, why say "sometimes transformation-body lands are sometimes impure"? Since Amida's lands cannot be further restricted, how could other buddhas, lacking pure land vows, dwell in transformation lands? Now this Tathāgata has pure land vows—would transformations be only impure? Due to this principle, one definitely obtains that there must be Amida transformation-body pure lands. Since this principle is already determined, how could one know that the Land of Peace and Nourishment lacks such lands? If one says "though Amida has such lands, they don't exist within what is called the Realm of Peace and Nourishment," what reason would there be for this? If one says "because the teaching texts describe reward lands," the teaching texts
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also describe the characteristics of transformation lands. Why be stuck on one text? One should know this interpretation comprehensively grasps lands and accords with principle. Next, regarding patriarchal judgments: those who hold the "exclusively reward" view follow one of two interpretations, but within our sectarian tradition there's no definitive determination. The words of this interpretation merely observe textual appearances and infer their meaning. Regarding including transformation aspects, the high patriarch Huizhao, himself being a practitioner who aspires to the West, clearly makes a definitive determination in the Esoteric Commentary on Consciousness-Only. Why would later students not believe this? If Cien and Chengzhou had made decisive judgments, that would truly be beyond comprehension. Since the two patriarchs had no words of definitive determination, how could the third patriarch's judgment not be decisive? If one says "the Esoteric Commentary's determination is about transformation-body long-duration pure lands and doesn't adopt the interpretation that both include transformation aspects," first, it says "two-vehicle practitioners and ordinary beings are also born there," based on the Contemplation Sutra and others, all being truthful teachings. With that text being clear and taking the Contemplation Sutra and others as reliable proof, now agreeing with the previous statement, because many sūtras and treatises teach birth in pure lands, that judgment is crystal clear. "Many sūtras and treatises" refers precisely to the above-mentioned Contemplation Sutra and others. If one says "changing those proofs from the Contemplation Sutra and others to point to other sūtras," besides the Contemplation Sutra and others' birth teachings, where in the majority of various teachings are there texts about ordinary people being born in pure lands? This is especially questionable. Even if such texts existed, what further reason would there be to exclude the Contemplation Sutra and others? If one says "precisely the previous Contemplation Sutra and others," why change that wording and separately say "in many sūtras and treatises, etc."? If also claiming "to manifest the principle of abundant textual proofs" is unacceptable. Though they're the same sūtras and treatises, why say "sūtras and treatises"—what's the intent? Previously there was the word "etc.," now there's the word "many." Their meaning is identical. Previously pointing to one thing, it said "Contemplation Sutra, etc."; now raising teachings comprehensively, it says "many." The meaning is the same but the wording differs, increasingly relying on the abundance of teachings. This is the intent of this determination—why engage in laborious doubt? Next, regarding great benefits: those with wisdom and without wisdom, monastics and laypeople, old and young who practice this discipline fill the land. Because they're widely praised in various teachings, they're most essential for inferior capacity,
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because they especially respond to the final age, because they're the great guideline for this realm. But if one establishes the exclusively-reward-land interpretation and permanently blocks the interpretation of ordinary beings' rebirth, countless practitioners would likely all retreat and fall. If there were other dharmas surpassing this in accessibility and reliability, even if one retreated from this practice, that dharma could be taught. If there weren't, many benefits would be lost. The interpretation including transformation lands has vast benefits. How could one not know this? If there weren't two interpretations, one could truly stop speculation. Since there are already two interpretations, why abandon this interpretation? Next, regarding specifically pointing to the fundamental intent: the Great Master's commentary says: "Appearing according to what's appropriate. How could one fix a direction and specifically point to one place? Wishing to cause sentient beings to arouse supreme joyful minds, one specifically points to locations." Now, specifically pointing to the West is to cause supreme joy. If there were no transformation lands, how could this be the fundamental intent? One cannot arouse supreme joyful minds regarding various impure lands equally. If not following sequence but expecting separate times, the mind of aspiration could become weak and inferior. Even while temporarily limiting to reward lands, still permitting sequential progression is a matter of human teachers' interpretations. This is a separate matter. Now it's because we interpret according to our own sect's essential-characteristic doctrinal gates. Question: In the above commentary, one specifically encourages knowing sufficiency, clarifies the difficulty of the West, and extensively establishes that purport. One sets aside the comprehensive-transformation interpretation. Also saying in principle: due to this the Great Master himself aspires to those heavens. How could our sect's scholarly companions reach heterodox extremes? Additionally, making the bodhi-mind a cause of pure lands is the intent of the Buddha-Land Compendium's section on distinguishing causes. How could this be our proper portion? Moreover, the Compendium's separate-time purport specifically concerns the Land of Peace and Nourishment. Who would deviate from this track hoping for sequential progress? Furthermore, even exclusively reward lands still permit ordinary beings' birth—does our sect contain that interpretation or not? Does one completely abandon hope within this interpretation? Answer: The Dharma Garden Forest Chapters were the Great Master's final composition. Yet making two interpretations, he doesn't judge right from wrong. The two interpretations allow emotional preference with free selection. If the interpretation including transformation weren't real doctrine, how could it be like this?