Why the Buddha Speaks Unasked

Second, the specific preface — the preface that opens up the occasion for the teaching. The wondrous gate of the Pure Land is so profound and inconceivable that no one was able to ask about it; hence the Buddha himself proclaimed the names of that land's dependent and direct rewards, thereby opening up the occasion himself. Moreover, the Buddha's wisdom, discerning capacity, is never mistaken: seeing that this assembly was fit to hear the wondrous gate of the Pure Land and thereby obtain the four benefits, he did not wait to be asked, but opened up the occasion of his own accord — just as, in the closing fascicle of the Brahmā Net Sūtra, he proclaims his own rank and title of his own accord, saying "I am now Vairocana," and so on. Great Master Zhiyi likewise classifies that passage as a preface opening its own occasion — the parallel may be understood from this example.

The Pure Land teaching gathers in all three levels of capacity universally, absolute, perfectly fused, and inconceivable — so profound, so difficult to believe, that the Buddha addresses it specially to the one of great wisdom, since only foremost wisdom can, straightaway, accept it without doubt. "From this" means from this very sahā world. "West" means straight and level, due west, marking the direction in which the place he is about to reveal lies. "Past" means going beyond. As for "a hundred thousand million": ten million is called a koṭi, and here kotis are further accumulated up to a hundred thousand of them. As for "buddha-land": a three-thousand great-thousand-fold world-system, taken together as a whole, converted by a single buddha, is called one buddha-land. Speaking of this present world in particular: a single Mount Sumeru, with one continent to its east, west, south, and north, illuminated by one and the same sun and moon, encircled by one and the same ring of lesser iron mountains, is called a single set of four continents; a thousand such sets of four continents is called a small thousand-world; a thousand small-thousands is called a middle thousand-world, containing a million Sumerus, sets of four continents, suns and moons, and rings of lesser iron mountains; a thousand middle-thousand-worlds is called a great thousand-world, containing a hundred thousand Sumerus and so forth — hence it is called a "three-thousand great-thousand-fold world." Passing beyond buddha-lands such as these, together numbering a hundred thousand million, due west, is the World of Utmost Bliss.

"There is a world named Utmost Bliss": this proclaims the name of that dependent-reward land. The flowing succession of past, present, and future is called "world" [世]; the directions of east, west, south, north, the four intermediate points, and above and below are called "boundary" [界]. Having now revealed a dependent reward, one must necessarily reckon it vertically across the three time-periods to distinguish its kalpa, and horizontally across the ten directions to fix its territory and its corners — hence it is called a "world" [世界]. As for "Utmost Bliss": in Sanskrit, Sukhāvatī, translated here as "Utmost Bliss," also translated as "Peaceful Nurturing," "Peace and Bliss," or "Pure Tranquility" — meaning that which is forever free of every suffering, foremost among all places of peace and security, as will be fully explained below. Now, a buddha-land admits of four kinds, each in turn divided into pure and defiled: the land of ordinary beings and sages dwelling together — where the five turbidities weigh heavily, it is defiled; where the five turbidities are light, it is pure. The expedient land with residue remaining — realized by one who enters through the clumsy method of analysis into emptiness, it is defiled; realized by one who enters through the skillful method of embodying emptiness directly, it is pure. The realm of real reward, unobstructed — realized by one who enters through the sequential three contemplations, it is defiled; realized by one who enters through the single mind's three contemplations at once, it is pure. The land of eternal, tranquil light — where realization is only partial, it is defiled; where realization is ultimate and complete, it is pure. What is meant here is precisely the pure land of common dwelling — which, at the same time, already contains the other three pure lands within it, laid out side by side.

"In that land there is a buddha called Amitābha": this proclaims the name of the direct-reward teaching-lord. "Buddha" is a general title; "Amitābha" is his specific name. In Sanskrit, Amitābha means "Infinite Life," "Infinite Light," and so forth, as will be fully explained below. A buddha possesses three bodies, discussed under both simple and compound names: the Dharma-body, taken simply, points to the principle-nature that is realized; the reward-body, taken simply, points to the merit and wisdom that does the realizing; the transformation-body, taken simply, points to the manifested marks and physical form. The Dharma-body, taken as compound, has two: first, the Dharma-body intrinsically pure by its own nature; second, the wondrous, utterly perfect Dharma-body free of every defilement. The reward-body, taken as compound, has two: first, the reward-body enjoyed by oneself; second, the reward-body enjoyed for the sake of others. The transformation-body, taken as compound, has two: first, the transformation-body that manifests a birth; second, the transformation-body that responsively appears. And again: first, the transformation-body within the buddha-realm; second, the transformation-body that accords with each kind of being. Although the three bodies are thus distinguished as simple and compound, in truth they are neither one nor three, and yet three and yet one — neither stacked vertically nor set side by side, apart from every excess and every negation, inconceivable. Now, when it says "Amitābha Buddha," this refers precisely to the transformation-body manifesting a birth within the land of common dwelling — and yet this is, at the very same time, identical with the reward-body, identical with the Dharma-body. This is why hearing the name is certain to bring about non-retrogression. "Who is teaching the Dharma there right now" distinguishes him from a buddha of the past who has already passed into extinction, and likewise from a buddha of the future not yet come to be — he is, at this very moment, teaching the Dharma and liberating beings. This is why one should make the vow to be born there, to behold him in person, hear him teach, and swiftly perfect true and complete awakening.

Furthermore: that there is a world, and that a buddha is presently there, is precisely what prefaces the exhortation to faith; that the world is named Utmost Bliss is precisely what prefaces the exhortation to vow; that the buddha is named Amitābha is precisely what prefaces the exhortation to the wondrous practice of holding the name. Furthermore: "Amitābha" prefaces the Buddha [as one of the Three Jewels]; "teaching the Dharma" prefaces the Dharma; and teaching the Dharma necessarily implies an audience listening, which prefaces the Saṅgha. The Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha share one and the same true mark, which prefaces the essence; from this, faith, vow, and practice arise, which prefaces the essential teaching; faith, vow, and practice, once accomplished, must lead to rebirth, beholding the Buddha, and hearing the Dharma, which prefaces the power and function; and the single buddha-realm alone, taken as the object of one's mind, without any admixture of other concerns, prefaces the doctrinal classification. The text is brief, yet its meaning is complete. This closes the Introduction.