..續本文上一頁r “time of birth”. Upon analysis, they do not really come from anywhere. Therefore, they are said to have No-Birth.
二別答者。夫不生不滅者。于生緣中。諸法和合。不守自性。求于生體。亦不可得。此生生時。無所從來。故名不生。
No-Death means that, since phenomena have no Self-Nature, when they are extinguished, they cannot be considered dead. Because they have no real place to return to, they are said to be not extinct (No-Death).
不滅者。諸法散時。不守自性。言我散滅。此散滅時。去無所至。故言不滅。
For this reason, the truth of Non-Birth (or No-Birth No-Death) cannot exist outside of ordinary phenomena, which are subject to birth and death. Therefore, Non-Birth does not mean not seeking rebirth in the Pure Land.
非謂因緣生外。別有不生不滅。亦非不求生淨土。喚作無生。
The Treatise on the Middle Way states: “Dharmas (phenomena) are born of causes and conditions. I say they are thus empty. They are also called false and fictitious, and that is also the truth of the Middle Way.”
爲此中論偈雲。因緣所生法。我說即是空。亦名爲假名。亦名中道義。
It also states: “Dharmas are neither born spontaneously nor do they arise from others. They are born neither together with nor apart from causes and conditions. They are therefore said to have Non-Birth.”
又雲。諸法不自生。亦不從他生。不共不無因。是故知無生。
The Vimalakirti Sutra states: “Although he knows that Buddha Lands / Are void like living beings / He goes on practicing the Pure Land (Dharma) / to teach and convert men.” (Charles Luk, The Vimalakirti Nirdesa Sutra, p. 88.)
又維摩經雲。雖知諸佛國。及與衆生空。而常修淨土。教化諸群生。
It also states: “We can build mansions at will on empty land, but it is impossible to build in the middle of empty space.”
又雲。譬如有人。造立宮室。若依空地。隨意無礙。若依虛空。終不能成。
When the Buddhas preach, they usually rely on the Two Truths (ultimate and conventional). They do not destroy the fictitious, provisional identities of phenomena while revealing their true characteristics.
諸佛說法。常依二谛。不壞假名。而說諸法實相。
That is why the wise, while earnestly striving for rebirth in the Pure Land, also understand that the nature of rebirth is intrinsically empty. This is true Non-Birth, and also the meaning of “only when the Mind is pure, will the Buddha Lands be pure”.
智者熾然求生淨土。達生體不可得。即是真無生。此謂心淨故。即佛土淨。
The dull and ignorant, on the other hand, are caught up in the concept of birth. Upon hearing the term “Birth”, they understand it as actual birth; hearing of “Non-Birth”, they (cling to its literal meaning) and think that there is no rebirth anywhere. Little do they realize that “Birth is precisely Non-Birth, and Non-Birth does not hinder Birth.”
愚者爲生所縛。聞生即作生解。聞無生即作無生解。不知生者即是無生。無生即是生。
Because they do not understand this principle, they provoke arguments, slandering and deprecating those who seek rebirth in the Western Pure Land. What a great mistake! They are guilty of vilifying the Dharma and belong to the ranks of deluded externalists (non-Buddhists).
不達此理。橫相是非。嗔他求生淨土。幾許誤哉。此則是謗法罪人。邪見外道也。
Question 3 第叁疑
All the Pure Lands of the Buddhas of the ten directions have equal qualities and virtues. Their Dharma Nature is also the same. Therefore, the practitioner should meditate on all the virtues of the Buddhas and seek rebirth in the various Pure Lands of the ten directions. Why should he specifically seek rebirth in the Pure Land of one particular Buddha (i.e., Amitabha)
Is this not contrary to the truth of “equally in seeking rebirth”
問。十方諸佛。一切淨土。法性平等。功德亦等。行者普念一切功德。生一切淨土。今乃偏求一佛淨土。與平等性乖。雲何生淨土。
Answer
All the Pure Lands of the Buddhas are, in truth, equal. Nevertheless, since the majority of sentient beings in our world generally have dull faculties and defiled, scattered minds, it will be difficult for them to achieve samadhi, unless they concentrate exclusively on one realm.
答。一切諸佛土。實皆平等。但衆生根鈍。濁亂者多。若不專系一心一境。叁昧難成。
The practice of constantly focusing on Amitabha Buddha is the “Single Mark Samadhi”. Because the Mind is exclusively devoted to one thing, the practitioner achieves re…
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