English
English version The white whisk (a type of duster) indicates that white is the origin of all colors, and the Ekayana (a Buddhist doctrine referring to the one and only path to Buddhahood) is the source of all Dharmas. To say that (white) is red or round is incorrect. The Sutra says: 'The beings in that country often, in the early morning, each use their sleeves to fill with various wonderful flowers to offer to hundreds of thousands of millions of Buddhas in other directions.' The praise says: The sixth type of person travels to various countries. The text is divided into three parts: first, using flowers to make offerings to the Buddha; second, returning to the country for circumambulation; and third, concluding with the Pure Land. This (the quoted Sutra passage above) is the first part, and the Sutra is easy to understand. 'Each with their sleeves,' the sleeves mean the lapel of the garment. 'Filling with wonderful flowers,' is easy to understand. 'Offering,' the act of presenting wealth is called 'gong' (供), and taking in and assisting is called 'yang' (養), hence it is called 'offering.' 'Other directions,' refers to hundreds of thousands of millions of Buddhas, showing the number of Buddhas being offered to. According to various Sutras, (they) either ride on seven-jeweled palaces, white jeweled lotus flowers, relying on the Buddha's majestic power to ascend into the sky, going to the ten directions of the world, offering various wonderful flowers and various strange objects as they wish, listening to the wonderful Dharma, and receiving predictions, etc. The Sutra says: 'Immediately at mealtime, they return to their own country, eat their meal, and then engage in circumambulation.' The praise says: The second part is returning to the country for circumambulation. Immediately at mealtime, they return to their own country, eat their meal, and then engage in circumambulation, either circling the treasure palace, or circling the jade forest, or walking back and forth, like silk threads going back and forth, hence it is called circumambulation. Walking on the jeweled ground with their feet, reciting golden Sutras with their mouths, hence it is called circumambulation. The 'Auspicious Signs Sutra' says: When various reborn individuals wish to eat, seven-jeweled utensils naturally appear before them, and various bowls arrive as they wish, filled with various delicious foods. Although there is this food, they do not actually eat it, but only see the color and smell the fragrance, and take this as food, naturally becoming full, their bodies and minds soft, without attachment to taste, and after the event it disappears, and when the time comes it reappears. The 'Extensive Sutra' speaks of eating, how does this contradict? That is about the manifestation of food, and what fault is there in that? Question: 'The people of the Western Pure Land are superior and have their own light, since there is no sunlight or moonlight, how do they distinguish the time of day?' Answer: '(There) golden bells naturally ring, jade chimes shake and make sounds, the holy assembly comes like clouds, naturally attending the gathering.' Question: 'What is said about food being a resource' -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 益为义，净土之中是何食也？”
Chinese
答：“若约实报净土即禅悦为味，若以化净土即假食资身也。” 经云：“舍利弗！极乐国土成就如是功德庄严”。 赞曰：第三结成极乐。 经云：“复次，舍利弗！彼国常有种种奇妙杂色之鸟”。 赞曰：第七鸟吟妙法。分文为二：一、叙灵禽；二、去疑执。初文有五：第一、总叙灵禽；第二、分别名字；三、传和雅韵；四、诠显法音；第五、闻兴善念。此即初也。复次者，复重也，次以次反复徴问，故云复次。彼国者，即西方常有恒有也。种种者，不一故云种种。奇妙者，奇异也。妙，殊妙希奇也。杂色者，毛色异也。 问：“净土殊胜尚无凡夫，何故飞禽亦生彼国？” 答：“弥陀变化而有灵禽，赞利法音庄严国界。故下经云：欲令法音宣流变化所作。” 经云：“白鹤、孔雀、鹦鹉、舍利、迦陵频伽、共命之鸟”。 赞曰：第二别列名字也。白鹤者，丹朱作顶、霜雪为毛，鸣之则声振九皋、舞之则雅和八节，迥异诸鸟，故云白鹤。孔雀者，天生灵鸟迥异凡禽，顶戴绿冠身严众彩，故云孔雀。鹦鹉者，毛严翡翠觜饰朱红，羽轻俊以能飞，舌纤长而解语，故云鹦鹉。舍利者梵语，此云鹙鹭鸟也，幼而且俊，俊而又灵， 现代汉语译本：问：如果往生净土是究竟的利益，那么在净土之中吃什么食物呢？ 答：如果从实报庄严土来说，就是以禅悦为食物。如果从化生净土来说，就是假借食物来滋养身体。 经中说：‘舍利弗（Śāriputra，佛陀十大弟子之一，以智慧著称）！极乐国土成就了这样的功德庄严。’ 赞颂说：第三部分总结了极乐世界的成就。 经中说：‘再者，舍利弗（Śāriputra）！那个国度常常有各种奇妙的、颜色各异的鸟。’ 赞颂说：第七部分是鸟儿吟唱微妙的佛法。将这段经文分为两部分：第一，叙述这些灵禽；第二，消除疑惑和执着。第一部分有五点：第一，总的叙述这些灵禽；第二，分别列出它们的名字；第三，传递和谐优雅的声音；第四，诠释和彰显佛法的声音；第五，听闻后生起善良的念头。这里是第一点。‘复次’，是再次、重复的意思，‘次’是依次反复地征问，所以说‘复次’。‘彼国’，指的是西方极乐世界，是常有的、恒常存在的。‘种种’，是不止一种，所以说是‘种种’。‘奇妙’，是奇异美妙的意思。‘妙’，是殊胜美妙、稀有奇异的意思。‘杂色’，是羽毛颜色各异的意思。 问：净土如此殊胜，尚且没有凡夫，为什么飞禽也会生在那里呢？ 答：是阿弥陀佛（Amitābha，西方极乐世界的教主）变化出来的灵禽，赞美和宣扬佛法，庄严国土。所以下面的经文说：‘为了让佛法之音宣流，是变化所作。’ 经中说：‘白鹤、孔雀、鹦鹉、舍利（Śāri，梵语，此译为鹙鹭鸟）、迦陵频伽（Kalaviṅka，一种美妙的鸟）、共命鸟（Jīvaṃjīvaka，一种双头鸟）。’ 赞颂说：第二部分是分别列出这些鸟的名字。白鹤，头顶像丹砂一样红，羽毛像霜雪一样白，鸣叫起来声音响彻云霄，跳起舞来姿态优雅和谐，与其他的鸟迥然不同，所以说是白鹤。孔雀，是天生的灵鸟，与凡间的鸟类截然不同，头顶戴着绿色的冠，身上装饰着各种色彩，所以说是孔雀。鹦鹉，羽毛像翡翠一样翠绿，喙像朱砂一样鲜红，羽毛轻盈俊美善于飞翔，舌头纤细修长能够说话，所以说是鹦鹉。舍利（Śāri），是梵语，这里翻译为鹙鹭鸟，年幼而且俊美，俊美而且灵巧。
English
English version: Question: If being reborn in the Pure Land is the ultimate benefit, then what food is eaten in the Pure Land? Answer: If speaking of the Real Reward Pure Land, then it is taking the joy of dhyana (禪那, meditation) as food. If speaking of the Transformation Pure Land, then it is relying on food to nourish the body. The Sutra says: 'Śāriputra (舍利弗, one of the ten great disciples of the Buddha, known for his wisdom)! The Land of Ultimate Bliss is accomplished with such meritorious adornments.' The praise says: The third part concludes the accomplishments of the Land of Ultimate Bliss. The Sutra says: 'Furthermore, Śāriputra (舍利弗)! That country always has various wonderful birds of mixed colors.' The praise says: The seventh part is the birds singing the wonderful Dharma. This passage is divided into two parts: first, describing these spiritual birds; second, dispelling doubts and attachments. The first part has five points: first, a general description of these spiritual birds; second, listing their names separately; third, transmitting harmonious and elegant sounds; fourth, explaining and manifesting the sounds of the Dharma; fifth, arousing good thoughts upon hearing them. This is the first point. 'Furthermore' means again, repeatedly, 'next' means questioning repeatedly in order, so it is said 'furthermore'. 'That country' refers to the Western Pure Land, which is constant and always existing. 'Various' means not just one kind, so it is said 'various'. 'Wonderful' means strange and beautiful. 'Wonderful' means especially beautiful, rare and strange. 'Mixed colors' means that the colors of the feathers are different. Question: The Pure Land is so sublime that there are no ordinary people, so why are there also birds born there? Answer: They are spiritual birds transformed by Amitābha (阿弥陀佛, the lord of the Western Pure Land), praising and propagating the Dharma, adorning the land. Therefore, the following sutra says: 'In order to let the sound of the Dharma flow, it is created by transformation.' The Sutra says: 'White cranes, peacocks, parrots, Śāri (舍利, Sanskrit, here translated as egret), Kalaviṅka (迦陵頻伽, a melodious bird), Jīvaṃjīvaka (共命鳥, a two-headed bird).' The praise says: The second part is listing the names of these birds separately. White cranes, with cinnabar-red tops and feathers like frost and snow, their cries resonate through the clouds, their dances are elegant and harmonious, completely different from other birds, so they are called white cranes. Peacocks, are spiritual birds born of nature, completely different from ordinary birds, wearing green crowns on their heads and adorned with various colors on their bodies, so they are called peacocks. Parrots, with feathers as green as emeralds and beaks as red as vermilion, their feathers are light and beautiful and they are good at flying, their tongues are slender and long and they can speak, so they are called parrots. Śāri (舍利), is Sanskrit, here translated as egret, young and handsome, handsome and clever. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
斯项而万里飞腾、增妙而千般音韵。迦陵频伽者，此云妙音鸟，音声美妙身体殊常，闻之者侧耳倾心，见之者怡神悦思，妙音鸟也。共命者亦云命命，美音演法迅羽轻飞，人面禽形一身两首，故云共命也。 经云：“是诸众鸟昼夜六时出和雅音”。 赞曰：第三传和雅韵也。昼夜六时者，昼夜各有六时，共十二时也。出和雅音者，和即柔和，雅妙音韵。西方灵鸟不并凡禽，音韵柔和言词雅妙，故云出和雅音也。 经云：“其音演畅五根、五力、七菩提、八圣道分如是等法”。 赞曰：第四诠显法音也。演畅者，演者水流不绝之貌，畅者宣畅。五根等者，三十七菩提分法，经中阙四念住、四正勤、四神足也；下有等言，等此三位。今释此法略为七位：一、四念住，谓身、受、心、法，以慧为体，谓由念力慧于境住。二、四正断，谓律仪断、断断、防护断、修习断，以精进为体，精进起用能修断故。三、四神足，谓欲、勤、心、观，以定为体，为此四种而修定故。四、五根，谓信、进、念、定、慧，如名以为五体，出生善故。五、五力，体即五根，难屈伏故，离根别立。六、七觉支，谓择法觉支、精进、喜、念、定、舍、轻安。三是别境：择法、念、定；三是善数：勤、舍、轻安；一是遍行，谓 现代汉语译本 斯项而万里飞腾，增妙而千般音韵。迦陵频伽（Kalaviṅka，意为妙音鸟）者，此云妙音鸟，音声美妙身体殊常，闻之者侧耳倾心，见之者怡神悦思，是妙音鸟啊。共命者亦云命命鸟，美音演法迅羽轻飞，人面禽形一身两首，所以称为共命鸟。 经中说：‘这些众鸟昼夜六时发出和谐优雅的声音’。 赞颂说：第三是传达和谐优雅的韵律。昼夜六时，昼夜各有六时，共十二时。发出和谐优雅的声音，和谐即柔和，雅是美妙的音韵。西方灵鸟不同于凡禽，音韵柔和言辞雅妙，所以说发出和谐优雅的声音。 经中说：‘其声音宣扬阐述五根、五力、七菩提、八圣道分等法’。 赞颂说：第四是诠释显现佛法的声音。演畅，演是水流不绝的样子，畅是宣扬阐述。五根等，指三十七菩提分法，经文中缺少四念住、四正勤、四神足；下文有‘等’字，包含这三者。现在解释此法略为七个方面：一、四念住，即身、受、心、法，以智慧为本体，指通过念力使智慧安住于境界。二、四正断，即律仪断、断断、防护断、修习断，以精进为本体，精进起作用能修断故。三、四神足，即欲、勤、心、观，以禅定为本体，为了这四种而修习禅定。四、五根，即信、进、念、定、慧，如其名义作为五种本体，出生善法。五、五力，本体就是五根，难以屈服，所以从五根中分离出来单独设立。六、七觉支，即择法觉支、精进、喜、念、定、舍、轻安。三者是别境：择法、念、定；三者是善数：勤、舍、轻安；一者是遍行，即