Basic Knowledge in the Pure Land Teaching
淨土小常識
136. The real form of the Pure Land of Bliss (continued)
Actually, it is not. These forms are used to accommodate human beings. The actual “forms” within the Pure Land cannot be described, and are far beyond the descriptions of Nirvana in the human world. The realm of Nirvana is an absolute realm, so it is totally different from the forms and marks in the human realm.
Thus, however we describe the realm of Nirvana, we cannot fully understand it. It’s similar to the way cats, dogs, and sea creatures cannot understand magnificent buildings, the value of money, or gold and silver.
Shakyamuni explained the realm of Nirvana to human beings using the analogies of jewels and jades for the palaces and pagodas, in order to show that the Land of Bliss is absolutely splendid.
In other words, the absolute realm of the Land of Bliss cannot be described or understood fully by human beings. In order to help us understand the splendors of the Land of Bliss, Shakyamuni had no alternative, but to use gold, silver and other jewels to describe and reveal the adorned forms of the Land of Bliss.
Thus, in reality, there are no palaces, pagodas, seven-jeweled trees, water with eight virtues in the ponds, and no foods with different tastes. Those terms were used to help human beings imagine those forms of existence.
136極樂淨土之真相(續)
其實,如上之記事,皆順人類界之相狀而說,故《大經》說:「因順餘方。」本來淨土之真相,不可描述,而極樂淨土是遠遠超越人間世界之大涅槃界,大涅槃界即是絕對界,因此,其光景全然異於人類世界之樣貌,故雖對我等人類描述涅槃界之光景,我等亦不可能了解。
譬如對動物類貓狗或水族類魚蝦等,描述人間豪宅的美觀,黃金白銀鈔票的價值,彼等亦全然不能了解。因此釋尊對人界說明大涅槃的境界,便隨順人界用重寶、採勝景之金殿玉樓等,以如上所說,而對我等顯示極樂淨土是絕妙絕勝的世界。
換言之,絕對界的極樂淨土之真光景,是人類之知識所不能了解分別,故為使人類知道極樂勝妙之內容,便以人類世界最為殊勝的事物描述之外,無有方法,故假藉以金銀琉璃等七寶嚴飾花池樓閣,而顯示極樂淨土之莊嚴相。
因此,據實而言,極樂淨土,本來並無宮殿樓閣,亦無七寶樹林,亦無八功德水之七寶池,亦無百味飲食。說有此等之物,乃是姑順人類界之相狀而假說。
Namo Amituofo!
