English
English version: Light entered the house, and the light of the lamps disappeared, as if it were broad daylight. Everyone recited the Buddha's name in unison, and immediately they saw many Bodhisattvas holding a jeweled canopy, solemn and exquisite, covering the entire courtyard. Granny Pei then relinquished her life, manifesting this auspicious sign. Furthermore, since the Zhenguan era of the Great Tang Dynasty, the exact year is unrecorded. There was a village eight miles east of Yongan County in Luozhou, named Banlong Village. In the village, there was an elderly blind woman, surnamed Liang. Because she was encouraged by a monk to recite the name of Amitabha Buddha (Amitabha Buddha). This elderly woman had good roots from past lives. Once taught, she continuously recited the Buddha's name. After three years, her eyes regained their sight. Since her eyes had been restored, she redoubled her recitation of the Buddha's name. After another four years, her lifespan in Jambudvipa (Jambudvipa, referring to the world we live in) came to an end. When she relinquished her life, the entire village together saw all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas descending to welcome her with banners and jeweled canopies. She then passed away peacefully. The entire village revered her, considering her not an ordinary person, so they did not allow her to be buried, but together built a pagoda for her west of the village. The pagoda is still visible by the roadside, and villagers passing by in front of the pagoda all pay their respects. Everyone in the village, young and old, recites the Buddha's name. The woman Granny Pei was from Jinyang in Bingzhou. Since the Zhenguan era, she followed a monk's teaching to use small beans to count the number of recitations of Amitabha Buddha's name, reciting a total of thirteen shi (a unit of volume) of small beans. When her lifespan was about to end, she knew where she would be reborn, so she bid farewell to both monastics and laypeople, informing everyone of her imminent departure. On the day before her death, during the time of fasting, she told her family to light incense. Amitabha Buddha descended with two lotus platforms, giving her one of the lotus platforms. After saying these words, she relinquished her life. The woman Granny Yao was from Liquan County in Yongzhou. She accepted a monk's teaching to make reciting the name of Amitabha Buddha her practice. On the twentieth day of the seventh month of the twenty-second year of the Zhenguan era, when impermanence arrived, Amitabha Buddha, along with Avalokiteśvara (Avalokiteśvara) Bodhisattva, Mahāsthāmaprāpta (Mahāsthāmaprāpta) Bodhisattva, and countless Bodhisattvas, came to welcome her. Because she had not been able to bid farewell to her good friend Granny Fan, she asked the Buddha to wait temporarily. The Buddha then granted her request. Soon after, Granny Fan arrived, and after Granny Yao explained the situation to Granny Fan, she bid farewell and passed away. Seventh, comparing the Western Pure Land with Tuṣita Heaven (Tuṣita Heaven) to measure their merits and demerits. Question: The Tuṣita Heaven Palace and Amitabha's Pure Land, both of these places are praised by the Buddha in the scriptures. I do not know which of these two is more superior and which is more inferior? --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
答曰。此之二处。各有三义。未知问何。三义者。一是化主。谓佛。二是处所。谓世界。三是所化众生。谓往生者。若于化主。乃齐是法王。俱称善逝。身充万德。土盈众美。俱为化众生。或居秽土。则丘墟满野。或处净刹。则奇宝盈邦。如欲挍其佛德。则无优劣也。若论其处则互有优劣。且如兜率天宫。则构空而立。极乐世界。则就地而安。此则空实异居。人天趣别。若据此土。一往论。则天优人劣也。若论其净秽者。兜率虽是天宫。由有女人。故名之为秽。极乐虽是地界。由无女人。故号之为净。然此之净秽。有十种异。一有女人无女人异。兜率男女杂居。极乐唯男无女。二有欲无欲异。兜率有上心欲。染着境界。极乐无上心欲故常发菩提心。三退不退异。兜率处所是退。极乐处所是不退。四者寿命异。兜率寿命四千岁。仍有中夭。极乐寿命无量阿僧祇劫。无中夭寿命者。五三性心异。兜率则有三性心间起。故恶心堕地狱。极乐唯有善心生。故永离恶道。六三受心异。兜率三受互起。极乐但有乐受。七六尘境界异。兜率六尘。令人放逸。极乐六尘。令人发菩提心。八受生异。兜率受生。男在父膝上。女在母膝上极。乐受生七宝池内莲花中生。九说法异。兜率唯佛菩萨说法。极乐水鸟树木皆能说法。十得果异。兜 现代汉语译本： 回答说：这两处地方（指兜率天宫和极乐世界），各自有三种含义。不知道您问的是哪一种？这三种含义是：一是教化之主，指佛；二是处所，指世界；三是被教化的众生，指往生者。如果就教化之主来说，都是法王，都称为善逝（Tathagata，如来），身具万种功德，国土充满各种美好。都是为了教化众生。有的居住在污秽的国土，那里丘陵荒野遍布；有的安住在清净的刹土，那里奇珍异宝充满国邦。如果要比较佛的功德，那就没有优劣之分。 如果论及处所，则互有优劣。比如兜率天宫（Tushita Heaven），是构筑在空中的；极乐世界（Sukhavati），是安立在大地上的。这就是空居和实居的差别，人道和天道的区别。如果依据我们这个世界来说，一般认为天道优于人道。如果论及清净和污秽，兜率天虽然是天宫，但因为有女人，所以称为污秽；极乐世界虽然是地界，但因为没有女人，所以号为清净。然而，这清净和污秽，有十种不同。一是是否有女人不同。兜率天男女杂居，极乐世界只有男子没有女子。二是有欲望和没有欲望不同。兜率天有向上之心和欲望，染着于境界；极乐世界没有向上之心和欲望，所以常常发起菩提心。三是退转和不退转不同。兜率天的处所是会退转的，极乐世界的处所是不会退转的。四是寿命不同。兜率天的寿命是四千岁，仍然有中途夭折的；极乐世界的寿命是无量阿僧祇劫（asamkhya kalpas，无数大劫），没有中途夭折的。五是三性心不同。兜率天有三性心（善、恶、无记）间杂生起，所以恶心会堕入地狱；极乐世界只有善心生起，所以永远脱离恶道。六是三受心不同。兜率天三种感受（苦、乐、舍）互相生起，极乐世界只有乐受。七是六尘境界不同。兜率天的六尘（色、声、香、味、触、法）使人放逸，极乐世界的六尘使人发起菩提心。八是受生方式不同。兜率天的受生，男子在父亲的膝上出生，女子在母亲的膝上出生；极乐世界的受生，在七宝池内的莲花中化生。九是说法方式不同。兜率天只有佛和菩萨说法，极乐世界的水鸟树木都能说法。十是得果不同。
English
English version: The answer is: These two places (referring to Tushita Heaven and Sukhavati) each have three meanings. I don't know which one you are asking about? The three meanings are: first, the master of transformation, referring to the Buddha; second, the place, referring to the world; and third, the beings to be transformed, referring to those who are reborn there. If we talk about the master of transformation, they are all Dharma Kings, all called Tathagatas (Tathagata, Thus Come One), their bodies filled with myriad virtues, and their lands filled with all kinds of beauty. They are all for the purpose of transforming sentient beings. Some reside in defiled lands, where hills and wilderness abound; others dwell in pure lands, where rare treasures fill the country. If you want to compare the virtues of the Buddhas, then there is no superiority or inferiority. If we talk about the places, then there are mutual advantages and disadvantages. For example, Tushita Heaven (Tushita Heaven) is built in the air; Sukhavati (Sukhavati) is established on the earth. This is the difference between living in the air and living on the ground, the difference between the human realm and the heavenly realm. If we base it on our world, it is generally believed that the heavenly realm is superior to the human realm. If we talk about purity and defilement, although Tushita Heaven is a heavenly palace, it is called defiled because there are women; although Sukhavati is a land realm, it is called pure because there are no women. However, this purity and defilement have ten differences. First, there is the difference between having women and not having women. In Tushita Heaven, men and women live together; in Sukhavati, there are only men and no women. Second, there is the difference between having desire and not having desire. Tushita Heaven has upward-striving minds and desires, attached to the realm; Sukhavati has no upward-striving minds and desires, so they constantly generate Bodhicitta. Third, there is the difference between regression and non-regression. The place of Tushita Heaven is regressive, and the place of Sukhavati is non-regressive. Fourth, there is the difference in lifespan. The lifespan in Tushita Heaven is four thousand years, and there are still those who die prematurely; the lifespan in Sukhavati is immeasurable asamkhya kalpas (asamkhya kalpas, countless great eons), and there are no premature deaths. Fifth, there is the difference in the three-natured minds. In Tushita Heaven, the three-natured minds (good, evil, and neutral) arise intermittently, so evil minds will fall into hell; in Sukhavati, only good minds arise, so they are forever free from evil paths. Sixth, there is the difference in the three feelings. In Tushita Heaven, the three feelings (suffering, pleasure, and indifference) arise mutually; in Sukhavati, there is only the feeling of pleasure. Seventh, there is the difference in the six sense objects. The six sense objects (form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma) in Tushita Heaven cause people to be lax, and the six sense objects in Sukhavati cause people to generate Bodhicitta. Eighth, there is the difference in the way of being born. In Tushita Heaven, men are born on their father's lap, and women are born on their mother's lap; in Sukhavati, they are born by transformation in lotus flowers within the seven-jeweled ponds. Ninth, there is the difference in the way of teaching the Dharma. In Tushita Heaven, only Buddhas and Bodhisattvas teach the Dharma; in Sukhavati, water birds and trees can all teach the Dharma. Tenth, there is the difference in the fruits attained. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
率生者。或得圣果。或不得极乐生者。定得无上菩提。若就此义。西方大优。兜率极劣也。若论往生之人。往西方者易。上兜率者难。此之难易亦有七种差别。一处别。极乐是人。兜率是天。此则天难人易。二因别。极乐但持五戒。亦得往生。兜率具修十善。方得上生。三行别。极乐乃至十念成就。即得往生。出观经。兜率具施戒修三种。始得上生(出弥勒经)四自力他力别。极乐凭阿弥陀佛四十八大愿他力往生。兜率无愿可凭。唯自力上生。五有善知识无善知识别。极乐有观世音大势至。常来此土。劝进往生临命终时。擎金刚台。来迎行者。种种赞叹。劝进其心。即得往生。兜率无此二菩萨故。但自进上生。六经论劝生处多少别。极乐说处。经经中赞。论论中劝。兜率说处。何但经赞处稀。亦论劝处少。七观古来大德。趣向者多少别。极乐上古已来大智名僧趣向者。多兜率上古已来大德愿乐者少。由此义故。往生西方则易。上生兜率稍难也。 第八明教兴时节(谓今正是忏悔念佛时也) 问曰。佛道冲虚。要由慧克。涅槃幽简。必藉定生。此则定慧为万行之基。万行是大道之本。今乃专崇念佛。注想西方。于此踌躇。愿为解释。 答曰。佛教纶披。端绪匪一。众生不等。根性万差。何但法遂人分 现代汉语译本： 对于往生者，有些能证得圣果（指阿罗汉果），有些不能。往生极乐世界的人必定能证得无上菩提（指成佛）。如果从这个意义上说，往生西方极乐世界远胜于往生兜率天。如果讨论往生之人，往生西方极乐世界容易，往生兜率天困难。这种难易程度也有七种差别： 第一，处所不同。极乐世界是人道，兜率天是天道。天道难，人道易。 第二，因缘不同。往生极乐世界只需持守五戒，就能往生；往生兜率天需要具足修习十善业，才能往生。 第三，修行方法不同。往生极乐世界，乃至十念成就，就能往生（出自《观无量寿经》）。往生兜率天，需要具足布施、持戒、修禅三种修行，才能往生（出自《弥勒上生经》）。 第四，自力与他力不同。往生极乐世界凭借阿弥陀佛四十八大愿的加持力（他力）往生；往生兜率天没有愿力可以依靠，只能依靠自己的力量（自力）往生。 第五，有无善知识不同。极乐世界有观世音菩萨、大势至菩萨，常来此土，劝进行者往生，临命终时，手持金刚台，前来迎接行者，以种种赞叹之语，劝进行者发心，就能往生。兜率天没有这两位菩萨，只能依靠自己精进修行往生。 第六，经典论著劝往生之处的多少不同。极乐世界，处处经典都在赞叹，处处论著都在劝导。兜率天，不仅经典中赞叹之处稀少，论著中劝导之处也少。 第七，观察古往今来的大德，趣向的人数多少不同。极乐世界，自古以来，大智名僧趣向的人很多；兜率天，自古以来，发愿往生的大德很少。因为这些原因，往生西方极乐世界容易，往生兜率天稍难。 第八，说明教法兴盛的时节（指现在正是忏悔念佛的时候）。 问：佛道讲究冲虚，要靠智慧来克服；涅槃幽深简要，必须依靠禅定才能证得。这样说来，禅定和智慧是万行之基础，万行是大道之根本。现在却专门推崇念佛，专注观想西方极乐世界，对此我感到犹豫，希望您能解释。 答：佛教的纲领和宗旨，头绪并非只有一个。众生根器不同，根性千差万别，岂止是佛法适应不同的人群呢？