Translations

[19] Why Is Amitābha Buddha’s Pure Land Named ‘Ultimate Bliss’? 弥陀净土何故名为极乐?

乙初、广陈彼土依正妙果以启信

B1: Extensive Stating [Of] That Land’s Circumstantial [And] Direct [Rewards’] Wonderful Fruits For Awakening Faith

文为二:初、依报妙,二、正报妙。

Text As Two [Parts]: First, Circumstantial Rewards’ Wonders, Second, Direct Rewards’ Wonders.

丙初、依报妙

C1: Circumstantial Rewards’ Wonders

又二:初、征释,二、广释。

Also [In] Two [Parts]: First, Proof [And] Explanation, Second, Extensive Explanation.

丁初、征释

D1: Proof [And] Explanation

又二:初、征,二、释。

Also [In] Two [Parts]: First, Proof, Second, Explanation.

戊初、征

E1: Proof

【经】: 舍利弗,彼土何故名为极乐?

[Sūtra]: Śāriputra, that land, [for] what reason, [is] named as “Ultimate Bliss”?

戊二、释

E2: Explanation

又二:初、约能受用释,二、约所受用释。     

Also [In] Two [Parts]: First, Restricted [To Those] Able [To] Receive [And] Use Benefits’ Explanation, Second, Restricted [To] Those Received [And] Used Benefits’ Explanation.

己初、约能受用释

F1: Restricted [To Those] Able [To] Receive [And] Use Benefits’ Explanation

【经】:其国众生,无有众苦,但受诸乐,故名极乐。

[Sūtra]: [As] that land’s sentient beings, [are] without all [kinds of] suffering, [and] only receive all [kinds of] bliss, [it is] thus named “Ultimate Bliss”. 

【解】:「众生」是能受用人,等觉以还皆可名。

[Explanation]: ‘Sentient beings’ are [those] persons [who are] able [to] receive [and] use benefits, [those] Equally Awakened, with [those] below, [of] all [who] can [be] named.  

今且约人民言,以下下例上上也。

Now, [this is] about [its] people speaking, with [those of the] lowest [of the] low [grades for] example, [to those] highest [of the] high [grades].

娑婆苦乐杂,其实,苦是苦苦,逼身心故;

[The] Sahā [World’s] suffering [and] bliss mixed, actually is suffering, [with] Suffering [From] Suffering, [that] compels body [and] mind thus.

乐是坏苦,不久住故;

[Its] bliss is Suffering [From] Impermanence, not long abiding thus.

非苦非乐是行苦,性迁流故。

[That] not suffering [and] not blissful is Suffering [From] Actions, [with the] nature [of] transience thus.

[Note:

Three Sufferings (三苦)

(1) Suffering From Suffering (苦苦):

(i) Suffering From Birth (生苦)
(ii) Suffering From Ageing (老苦)
(iii) Suffering From Sickness (病苦)
(iv) Suffering From Death (死苦)
(v) Suffering From Meeting The Hated (怨憎会苦)  

(2) Suffering From Impermanence (坏苦):

(vi) Suffering From Not Attaining The Sought (求不得苦)   
(vii) Suffering Of Departure From The Beloved (爱别离苦) 

(3) Suffering From Actions (行苦):

(viii) Suffering From The Five Aggregates* Burning Vigorously** (五蕴炽盛苦)

The Eight Sufferings (八苦) are (i) to (viii), with (i) to (iv) being Physical Sufferings (身苦) and (v) to (viii) being Mental Sufferings (心苦).

Five Aggregates (五蕴)*

(a) Form*** (色)
(b) Feelings (受)
(c)
Perceptions (想)
(d)
Mental Formations (行)
(e) Consciousness (识)

** The (viii) eighth suffering is all-pervasive subtle suffering through the Five Aggregates, that arises all the time in the background and/or foreground of experience, due to unskilful reaction to all conditioned phenomena, with such ‘burning’ or being harmed fueled by the Three Poisons (三毒: attachment [贪], aversion [瞋] and delusion [痴]). Attachment and aversion are caused by delusional thinking of impermanent (无常) and unsubstantial (无我) mind and matter as permanent and substantial, not realising them to be empty (空) in nature.

*** The first aggregate is of matter (身), of the Four Great Elements (四大) of earth, water, fire and wind (地水火风), with the other four aggregates of the mind (心).]

彼土永离三苦,不同此土对苦之乐,乃名「极乐」。

That land [is] forever departed [from these] Three Sufferings, not [the] same [as] this land’s bliss, [that is] relative [to] suffering, thus named ‘Ultimate Bliss’.

一往分别,同居五浊轻,无分段八苦,但受不病不老、自在游行、天食天衣、诸善聚会等乐。

Once reborn [is with] differences, [as in the] Together Dwelling [Land, it is with the] Five Defilements light[er], without fragmented [births’ and deaths’] Eight Sufferings, only experiencing never [being] sick [and] non-ageing, [with] ease travelling, [having] heavenly food [and] heavenly clothing, [with] all [the] good meeting together, [and] other [kinds of] bliss.

方便体观巧,无沉空滞寂之苦,但受游戏神通等乐;

[The] Expedience [Land’s] essence [for] contemplation [is] skilful, without suffering of sinking [into] emptiness [to] stagnate [in] stillness, only receiving travel [with] ‘play’ [of] supernormal [powers and] other [kinds of] bliss.

实报心观圆,无隔别不融之苦,但受无碍不思议乐;

[The] True Reward [Land is with the] mind’s contemplation complete, without suffering of [being] separate [and] not interpenetrating, only receiving unobstructed [and] inconceivable bliss.

寂光究竟等,无法身渗漏、真常流注之苦,但受称性圆满究竟乐。

[The] Still Light [Land is with the] ultimately equal, without suffering of [the] Dharma Body’s seepage [of Dharma-Nature’s water, and with the] true constant’s inflow, only receiving [the] Matching Nature’s perfect [and] ultimate bliss.

然同居众生,以持名善根福德同佛故,圆净四土,圆受诸乐也。

However, [the] Together Dwelling [Land’s] sentient beings, with upholding [the] name [of Āmítuófó’s] good roots [and] blessed virtues [the] same [as the] Buddha’s thus, [are able to] completely purify [the] Four Lands, [to] completely receive all [kinds of] bliss.

复次,极乐最胜,不在上三土,而在同居。

Furthermore, [the Land Of] Ultimate Bliss’ most supreme [wonder, is] not in [the] above three lands, but in [the] Together Dwelling [Land].

良以上之,则十方同居,逊其殊特,下又可与此土较量。

[It is] really because [of] that superior. Thus, [of the] ten directions’ [other] Together Dwelling [Lands, they are] inferior [to] its special [nature. The] below can also [be] with this land compared [in] strength.

所以凡夫优入而从容,横超而度越。

Therefore, ordinary beings [and those] superior enter, yet [calmly and] unhurriedly, horizontally transcending, yet [with] deliverance [that] surpasses.

佛说苦乐,意在于此。

[The] Buddha’s speaking [of] suffering [and] bliss, [has their] meanings depending on these.

– 净土宗九祖澫益大师
《佛说阿弥陀经要解》

– Pure Land Tradition’s 9th Patriarch Great Master Ǒuyì
(Essential Explanation [Of The] Sūtra [In Which The] Buddha Speaks [Of] Amitā[bha] Buddha)

Namo Amituofo : Translation and note by Shen Shi’an

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https://purelanders.com/2019/09/26/the-land-of-ultimate-bliss-seven-layers-four-treasures-four-lands

何为得生阿弥陀佛净土的善根与福德?:
What Are Good Roots And Blessed Virtues For Birth In Āmítuófó’s Pure Land? :
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https://purelanders.com/2024/04/25/what-are-good-roots-and-blessed-virtues

《佛说阿弥陀经要解》全英译
Complete English Translation Of ‘The Essential Explanation On The Amitābha Sūtra As Spoken By The Buddha’
https://purelanders.com/yaojie

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