英語訳
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It is clearly known that this doctrine, though transmitted since ancient times, was not discarded by the Great Master and was still regarded as real doctrine. Why would saying "according to one interpretation" necessarily be incorrect? However, the Sutra on Rebirth in the Upper Realm specifically encourages knowing sufficiency, and when composing its commentary, he described the meaning of that sutra and extensively praised and lauded it. These were inevitable words. The difficulty and ease of the two lands are each partial aspects—why be deeply surprised and doubtful? Regarding one's own aspirations, one should also follow one's karmic conditions and select one passage from the sutras to avoid mutual separation. Why cling to one corner with attachment? If one forcibly doubts, Huizhao inherited the tradition and aspired to both approaches—isn't he a patriarch? Such fixed characteristics are merely the attached minds of scholars. How could this be the patriarchs' fundamental intent? Next, examining the Buddha Land Chapter regarding the beginning and end of the Bodhi Cause section: first making the bodhi-mind a cause of pure lands, after citing the Vimalakīrti Sutra's eight dharmas and others, this refers to reward lands, and also extends to transformation lands (and so forth, paraphrased). Next, quoting the Contemplation Sutra, various contemplations and buddha-recitation become causes for the Pure Land, immediately presenting both the exclusively-reward and inclusive-transformation interpretations, with selection left to preference (and so forth, paraphrased). The first interpretation treats the sutra's buddha-recitation and other practices as separate-time causes. Such easy practices cannot be sequential causes for reward lands. The second interpretation takes the sutra's middle-grade three births as direct proof. Buddha-recitation and other practices can serve as sequential causes for transformation lands. One should know that the above text's profound and subtle practices pervading transformation lands refers to the vows for superior transformation lands of great transformation bodies, etc. within transformation [lands]. Because these are the shared pure lands commonly seen by the three vehicles that we aspire to, they are made non-contradictory. If so, according to our sect's intention, the Compendium's separate-time [doctrine] discusses rebirth in reward lands. Its meaning is: though the Land of Peace and Nourishment includes transformation pure lands, the separate-time purport concerns birth in reward lands. Among the two lands, birth in those reward lands is not sequential birth—through cultivation and progress, one can be born at a separate time (that is the meaning). Therefore, the first interpretation's intent is that the Contemplation Sutra's teaching has only separate-time meaning. The second interpretation's intent is that texts like the Contemplation Sutra have dual
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meanings. Transformation land rebirth is precisely not sequential. Reward land rebirth is precisely at separate times. Containing these two meanings, it teaches easy-practice birth (that is the meaning). Therefore it is not contradictory. Next, regarding exclusively reward lands still permitting ordinary beings' birth, I have not seen such text in our sect's commentaries. However, if the Pure Land of Bliss is designated as reward land, yet Amida's Pure Land has transformation lands, what hindrance would there be to our aspiration? Why necessarily attach to the name "Pure Land of Bliss"? Generally, that Amida has transformation pure lands—this principle is inevitable. The principle is established as above—what doubt is there? Those transformation lands are also in the West. How do we know? Enjoyment and transformation—these two lands are in the same location, which is inevitable according to essential characteristics and cannot be doubted. If so, even if exclusively reward lands, correctly facing West and aspiring through buddha-recitation has absolutely no contradiction. If one attains birth in those pure lands, seeing those reward lands is also without doubt. That people born in transformation lands, receiving the Buddha's spiritual power, see the reward lands is the Great Master's commentary (this is a difficult passage in the Consciousness-Only and other commentaries regarding ordinary beings, transformation, and pure [lands]). Through Amida's original vow power, this matter is inevitable. Therefore, considering this, even if exclusively reward [lands], why abandon this practice? However, those who include transformation [aspects] have no confusion, and because their reasons are many, they establish this. The above represents our sectarian essential-characteristics school's intention. It remains like this. The inconceivable gates of vow power, dharma power, virtue power, etc., are also separate matters. The Treatise on Resolving Doubts' intent and Shandao's purport entirely rely on Amida's great vow-karma power's inconceivability. This is precisely that gate. Why again forcibly abandon it? That treatise-commentary's beginning and end, combining our sect's essential characteristics, four divisions, and three natures with Yogācāra Consciousness-Only's textual principles, achieves harmonious reconciliation. The essential-characteristics doctrinal gate manifests inconceivable power with clear, clear explanations that fully exhaust principle. When approaching the text, it should be believed. Question: The above sutra commentary says "if by any chance one is not reborn, one fears creating self-deception" and speaks of "inconsistent sacred teachings" repeatedly generating mental confusion. How does one reconcile this? Also
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in the Buddha Land Chapter's two interpretations, the exclusively-reward-land interpretation reconciles doctrinal contradictions, while the transformation-land-inclusive interpretation has no words about reconciling contradictions. Know that among the two explanations, the chapter's author preserves the initial response. That commentary text's karmic practices remain, aspiring to go to the West. If one fails to be born even once, one fears creating self-deception. Also, among ten thousand, nine thousand nine hundred ninety-nine should be born, but those not born fear creating self-deception (that is the meaning). Also saying: "Though knowing Buddha's power, recitation should also enable birth, [but] sacred teachings are inconsistent, repeatedly generating mental confusion. The Heaven of Contentment palace is equally in this realm (and so forth). Since this is already a transformation body, one definitely attains birth" (text). Amida's original vows have inconceivable威力—reciting them should enable birth. Though I know that inevitable principle, because sacred teachings' explanations are not uniform, whether ordinary beings are born in the Pure Land realm of Bliss—these matters are altogether difficult to know. It doesn't compare to definitely being born in the Contentment [Heaven's] definite transformation land (that is the meaning). This all contrasts with Contentment [Heaven], describing the virtue of exclusively transformation without confusion, stating current-birth karma as laudatory purport. That [Contentment] relies on definite transformation land; this [Pure Land] relies on original vow power. Each has gains and losses—follow the practitioner's inclination, don't consider yourself right and others wrong, lest you be born in evil destinies. Next, the exclusively-reward-land interpretation invites contradictions—because there are Tripiṭaka and other teachings, contemplating them is troublesome. The transformation-land-inclusive interpretation obtains proof, and in the two directions' textual teachings, what contradictory texts are there? Also, harmonizing the first interpretation, all the reward land texts it cites are evidence of the reward aspect within this interpretation. Therefore the chapter says: "Textual proof of reward lands is as previously cited" (and so forth). The original text should be consulted.
Four Gates for Determining Essence
Generally, in our sect's intention, when determining the essence of all phenomena, there are roughly four gates. First is the gate of subsuming characteristics under nature. This gate's intention takes true-suchness principle as all phenomena's essence. Though form and mind have myriad differences, their essence is all suchness. Outside the nature-essence, there are no
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characteristics and functions, so outside the one suchness, there is no further essence. Second is the gate of subsuming objects under mind. All phenomena do not exceed mind-object inclusion. Since those various objects follow from one mind, there is only mind-consciousness with no other essence. Third is the gate of subsuming provisional [phenomena] under real [phenomena]. Regarding phenomena, provisional and real are not the same. Since provisional [phenomena] have no essential nature apart from real [phenomena], one subsumes those various provisional [phenomena] under real essence. Fourth is the gate of separately discussing nature and function. The previous dharma gates all discuss through subsumption—their general purport is precisely the non-difference gate within neither-one-nor-different. This present gate is the separate discussion gate—its general purport is precisely the only-non-one gate within non-difference. Therefore, characteristics-nature, mind-objects, provisional-real phenomena each have distinct, clear differences, and one determines essence according to circumstances in various non-unified ways. Taking the teaching's essence to clarify the four gates: if subsuming characteristics under nature, suchness becomes the teaching's essence—because the Tathāgata's teaching essence is one suchness. If subsuming objects under mind, various objects only return to consciousness—because the Tathāgata's consciousness becomes the teaching's essence. If subsuming provisional under real, sound becomes the teaching's essence—because the Tathāgata's speech essence is sound. If separately discussing essence in terms of nature and function, sounds, names, phrases, and words—the Buddha's sounds, names, etc.—are what properly explain, so other phenomena can be understood analogously.
The Five Aggregates' Establishment
Form aggregate, feeling aggregate, perception aggregate, formation aggregate, consciousness aggregate make five. "Form aggregate" means gathering various form dharmas—namely the eleven forms among the hundred dharmas. "Feeling aggregate" means gathering various feeling mental factors—namely the feeling mental factors corresponding to the eight consciousnesses among the hundred dharmas. "Perception aggregate" means gathering various perception mental factors—namely the perception mental factors corresponding to the eight consciousnesses among the hundred dharmas. "Formation aggregate" means excluding the previous three aggregates and the fifth aggregate, gathering the remaining one