無量壽經優波提舍 五門總結及尾題校記Treatise on Birth in That Land: The Upadeśa on the Sūtra of Measureless Life · Conclusion of the Five Gates; Closing Title and Collation Note

Placement of the passage as a whole. This unit is the close of the treatise’s prose: entering by the four kinds of gate, the practice of self-benefit is accomplished; exiting by the fifth gate, the practice of dedication and direction that benefits others is accomplished; because the bodhisattva practices the five gates in this way, benefiting himself and benefiting others, he swiftly accomplishes unsurpassed perfect awakening. After it comes the closing title line, 「無量壽經論一卷」 (Treatise on the Sūtra of Measureless Life, in one fascicle), and after that a collation note discussing, in 「大乘善根界」 (a realm of Mahāyāna roots of good), the character 「界」 (realm). Among the ten sections of the division explaining the meaning in the second fascicle of Tanluan’s Commentary on the Treatise on Birth in That Land, this unit corresponds to the latter part of his tenth section, 「利行滿足」 (the fulfillment of benefiting through practice), together with the closing words of Tanluan’s whole commentary. Here Tanluan explains the first two sentences by the mutual completion of self-benefit and benefiting others; translates 「阿耨多羅三藐三菩提」 (anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi) syllable by syllable as 「無上正遍道」 (the unsurpassed, right, and universal path); poses a question, 「有何因緣言速得成就」 (for what reason does it say that one swiftly accomplishes), and answers it with 「阿彌陀如來為增上緣」 (the Tathāgata Amitābha is the dominant condition), taking three vows as three proofs, and then showing the marks of self-power and other-power by the similes of the weak man straddling a donkey and of following the wheel-turning king; and he concludes the whole commentary with the pattern of the beginnings and ends of sūtras and treatises. For the treatise’s closing sentence, the mirror’s citation reads 「修五念門行」 (practices the five gates of mindful practice), while the treatise’s words that Tanluan quotes in his answer read again 「修五門行以自利利他成就故」 (because by practicing the five gates self-benefit and benefiting others are accomplished); see the ninth topic. The three witnesses of the Song, Yuan, and Ming have one more sentence at the end of the treatise, identical in wording with the closing sentence of Tanluan’s whole commentary; see the ninth topic. The collation note’s discussion of 「界」 (realm) and 「男」 (man) is recorded without adjudication; see the ninth topic.

I. Doctrinal-Outline Placement

The tenth of the ten sections of the division explaining the meaning (latter part) — the end of Tanluan’s general list: 「十者利行滿足。」—“tenth, the fulfillment of benefiting through practice.” 〔T40n1819 0835a10〕 The tenth section begins at 「利行滿足者：」—“As for the fulfillment of benefiting through practice:” 〔T40n1819 0843a18〕; its first part (the five gates, entering by the four gates, exiting by the fifth gate) belongs to the unit on the five gates of entering and exiting, and this unit begins from Tanluan’s next citation of the treatise:

「菩薩入四種門，自利行成就應知。」—“When the bodhisattva enters by the four kinds of gate, the practice of self-benefit is accomplished; this should be known.” 〔T40n1819 0843c02〕

Tanluan’s subdivisions of this passage (following the order of his citations of the treatise and of the questions and answers he sets up himself):

The end of Tanluan’s whole commentary — after the closing words, Tanluan rounds off with the pattern of the beginnings and ends of sūtras and treatises: 「經始稱「如是」，彰信為能入；末言「奉行」，表服膺事已。論初「歸禮」，明宗旨有由；終云「義竟」，示所詮理畢。述作人殊，於茲成例。」—“A sūtra begins by saying ‘Thus,’ making plain that faith is what enables one to enter; it ends by saying ‘received and practiced,’ showing that the matter has been taken to heart and completed. A treatise begins with ‘taking refuge and worshipping,’ making clear that its purpose has its source; it ends by saying ‘the meaning is finished,’ showing that the principle it expounds is complete. Though those who expound and compose are different persons, in this they form a pattern.” 〔T40n1819 0844a29〕 Next comes the closing title of the second fascicle: 「無量壽經優婆提舍願生偈註卷下」—“Commentary on the Verses of Aspiration for Birth: An Upadeśa on the Sūtra of Measureless Life, second fascicle” 〔T40n1819 0844b03〕

The place of the closing title and the collation note: the main text of the treatise ends at 「速得成就阿耨多羅三藐三菩提故。」—“he swiftly accomplishes unsurpassed perfect awakening.” 〔T26n1524 0233a24〕; next comes the closing title 「無量壽經論一卷」 (Treatise on the Sūtra of Measureless Life, in one fascicle) 〔T26n1524 0233a26〕, and after that a collation note, both within the main text of the treatise. Tanluan’s commentary has no text corresponding to either.

Start and end of this unit — it begins at 「菩薩入四種門，自利行成就應知；」—“When the bodhisattva enters by the four kinds of gate, the practice of self-benefit is accomplished; this should be known;” 〔T26n1524 0233a22〕, and ends at 「而諸疏家皆作「界」字，故今存之。」—“But all the commentators read the character ‘realm,’ and so it is kept here.” 〔T26n1524 0233a28〕 The whole unit runs to one hundred and thirteen characters including punctuation, ninety-six Chinese characters alone.

II. Collation with the Alternate Translations — recorded without adjudication

There is no alternate translation of this treatise; for the text of the Sūtra of Measureless Life on which the verses rely, see the third topic of the unit on the verses. The 「五門行」 (practice of the five gates) and 「自利利他」 (self-benefit and benefiting others) set out in this passage have no text of the same name in the sūtra; what they rely on is given in the third topic.

III. Scriptural and Treatise Grounding (the “eye”)

Three vows as three proofs — what Tanluan cites and the sūtra’s own text: answering the question about 「速得」 (swiftly), Tanluan first says in general: 「凡是生彼淨土，及彼菩薩人天所起諸行，皆緣阿彌陀如來本願力故。」—“All birth in that pure land, and all the practices undertaken by the bodhisattvas, humans, and gods there, are due to the power of the original vow of the Tathāgata Amitābha.” 〔T40n1819 0843c28〕 Then he says: 「今的取三願用證義意。」—“Now I take precisely three vows to prove the meaning.” 〔T40n1819 0844a02〕 The three vows are set out one by one against the sūtra (Tanluan says only 「三願」 (three vows), without giving their numbers):

Where the characters of what Tanluan cites differ from the sūtra: in the first proof he has 「若不得生者」 (and do not attain birth there), where the sūtra has 「若不生者」 (and are not born there); in the second proof he has 「不住正定聚」 (do not dwell in the group of right fixity), where the sūtra has 「不住定聚」 (do not dwell in the fixed group). Recorded side by side, without adjudication. The passages of accomplishment in the second fascicle of the sūtra also speak of dwelling in the group of right fixity and of final-birth bodhisattvas: 「其有眾生生彼國者，皆悉住於正定之聚。」—“Those beings who are born in that land all dwell in the group of right fixity.” 〔T12n0360 0272b08〕; 「彼國菩薩皆當究竟一生補處」—“all bodhisattvas of that land ultimately become final-birth bodhisattvas” 〔T12n0360 0273b19〕

Other-power and self-power — what they inherit from the two paths, difficult and easy, of the first fascicle: at the head of his explanation of the title, Tanluan cites Nāgārjuna’s teaching to divide two paths: 「菩薩求阿毘跋致有二種道：一者難行道、二者易行道。」—“There are two paths by which bodhisattvas seek non-retrogression: first, the path of difficult practice; second, the path of easy practice.” 〔T40n1819 0826a28〕 Of the five difficulties of difficult practice, the last: 「五者唯是自力，無他力持。」—“Fifth, there is only self-power, with no other-power to sustain one.” 〔T40n1819 0826b05〕 The path of easy practice: 「易行道者，謂但以信佛因緣願生淨土，乘佛願力便得往生彼清淨土。佛力住持，即入大乘正定之聚，正定即是阿毘跋致，譬如水路乘船則樂。」—“The path of easy practice is this: merely through the condition of faith in the Buddha one aspires to be born in the pure land, and riding the power of the Buddha’s vow one attains birth in that pure land. Sustained by the Buddha’s power, one enters at once the group of right fixity of the Mahāyāna; right fixity is non-retrogression. It is like traveling by water in a boat: pleasant.” 〔T40n1819 0826b07〕 This passage’s 「以斯而推，他力為增上緣」 (reasoning from this, other-power is the dominant condition) and its similes of self-power and other-power correspond to that, the head and the tail.

「十方無礙人，一道出生死」 (the unobstructed ones of the ten directions leave birth and death by one path): in explaining the word 「道」 (path), Tanluan cites it as 「經言」 (the sūtra says): 「經言「十方無礙人，一道出生死。」」—“The sūtra says, ‘The unobstructed ones of the ten directions leave birth and death by one path.’” 〔T40n1819 0843c20〕 Tanluan does not give the name of the sūtra; this sentence has not been found among the sūtra texts gathered in the translated-and-annotated texts of this series. Recorded; its source is not supplied in his stead.

The treatise’s own proof — in his answer Tanluan cites the treatise: 「論言「修五門行以自利利他成就故」。」—“The treatise says, ‘because by practicing the five gates self-benefit and benefiting others are accomplished.’” 〔T40n1819 0843c24〕 This is the closing sentence of the treatise’s text in this passage (the characters differ in fullness; see the ninth topic).

The doctrinal attachment of the treatise — this passage’s 「自利」 (self-benefit) and 「利他」 (benefiting others) sum up entering by the four gates and exiting by the fifth gate in the unit on the five gates of entering and exiting; 「速得成就阿耨多羅三藐三菩提」 (swiftly accomplishes unsurpassed perfect awakening) is where the whole prose of the treatise comes to rest.

IV. Essentials of the Commentary on This Passage (the Commentary on the Treatise on Birth in That Land, line by line)

〔一〕The accomplishment of the practice of self-benefit —

「菩薩入四種門，自利行成就應知。成就者，謂自利滿足也。應知者，謂應知由自利故則能利他，非是不能自利而能利他也。」—“When the bodhisattva enters by the four kinds of gate, the practice of self-benefit is accomplished; this should be known. ‘Accomplished’ means that self-benefit is fulfilled. ‘This should be known’ means that it should be known that because one benefits oneself one is able to benefit others; it is not that one who cannot benefit himself is able to benefit others.” 〔T40n1819 0843c02〕

〔二〕The accomplishment of the practice of dedication and direction that benefits others —

「菩薩出第五門，迴向利益他行成就應知。成就者，謂以迴向因，證教化地果，若因若果無有一事不能利他。應知者，謂應知由利他故則能自利，非是不能利他而能自利也。」—“When the bodhisattva exits by the fifth gate, the practice of benefiting others by dedication and direction is accomplished; this should be known. ‘Accomplished’ means that by the cause of dedication and direction one realizes the fruit of the ground of teaching; whether cause or fruit, there is not a single thing that cannot benefit others. ‘This should be known’ means that it should be known that because one benefits others one is able to benefit oneself; it is not that one who cannot benefit others is able to benefit himself.” 〔T40n1819 0843c05〕

〔三〕Swiftly accomplishing unsurpassed perfect awakening — Tanluan first explains the name of bodhi syllable by syllable:

「菩薩如是修五念門行自利利他，速得成就阿耨多羅三藐三菩提故。」—“Because the bodhisattva practices the five gates of mindful practice in this way, benefiting himself and benefiting others, he swiftly accomplishes unsurpassed perfect awakening.” 〔T40n1819 0843c09〕 「佛所得法名為阿耨多羅三藐三菩提，以得此菩提故名為佛。今言速得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提，是得早作佛也。」—“The Dharma that a buddha attains is called anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi; because he attains this bodhi he is called a buddha. Now to say that one swiftly attains anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi is to become a buddha early.” 〔T40n1819 0843c10〕 「阿名無，耨多羅名上，三藐名正，三名遍，菩提名道，統而譯之名為無上正遍道。」—“A means ‘un-’; nuttarā means ‘surpassed’; samyak means ‘right’; saṃ means ‘universal’; bodhi means ‘path.’ Translated as a whole, it is named the unsurpassed, right, and universal path.” 〔T40n1819 0843c13〕 「無上者，言此道窮理盡性更無過者。何以言之？以正故。正者，聖智也。如法相而知故稱為正智，法性無相故聖智無知也。」—“‘Unsurpassed’ means that this path exhausts principle and fulfills nature, and nothing goes beyond it. Why say so? Because it is right. ‘Right’ is holy wisdom. Because it knows according to the mark of things, it is called right wisdom; because the dharma-nature is without marks, holy wisdom is without knowing.” 〔T40n1819 0843c15〕 「遍有二種：一者聖心遍知一切法、二者法身遍滿法界，若身若心無不遍也。」—“‘Universal’ is of two kinds: first, the holy mind knows all dharmas universally; second, the dharma-body pervades the dharma-realm universally. Whether body or mind, there is nothing that is not universal.” 〔T40n1819 0843c18〕 「道者，無礙道也。經言「十方無礙人，一道出生死。」一道者，一無礙道也。無礙者，謂知生死即是涅槃。如是等入不二法門無礙相也。」—“‘Path’ is the unobstructed path. The sūtra says, ‘The unobstructed ones of the ten directions leave birth and death by one path.’ ‘One path’ is the one unobstructed path. ‘Unobstructed’ means knowing that birth and death is itself nirvāṇa. Such are the marks of being unobstructed in entering the Dharma-gate of non-duality.” 〔T40n1819 0843c19〕

Next he poses a question and answers it with the dominant condition and the three proofs (question and answer twenty-nine):

「問曰：有何因緣言速得成就阿耨多羅三藐三菩提？」—“Question: For what reason does it say that one swiftly accomplishes unsurpassed perfect awakening?” 〔T40n1819 0843c22〕 「答曰：論言「修五門行以自利利他成就故」。然覈求其本，阿彌陀如來為增上緣。」—“Answer: The treatise says, ‘because by practicing the five gates self-benefit and benefiting others are accomplished.’ Yet if we investigate its root, the Tathāgata Amitābha is the dominant condition.” 〔T40n1819 0843c24〕 「他利之與利他談有左右。若自佛而言，宜言利他；自眾生而言，宜言他利。今將談佛力，是故以利他言之，當知此意也。」—“‘Benefit from another’ and ‘benefiting others’ speak from left and right. Speaking from the Buddha’s side, one should say ‘benefiting others’; speaking from the side of beings, one should say ‘benefit from another.’ Now we are about to speak of the Buddha’s power; therefore it is put as ‘benefiting others.’ This intention should be understood.” 〔T40n1819 0843c25〕 「凡是生彼淨土，及彼菩薩人天所起諸行，皆緣阿彌陀如來本願力故。何以言之？若非佛力，四十八願便是徒設。今的取三願用證義意。」—“All birth in that pure land, and all the practices undertaken by the bodhisattvas, humans, and gods there, are due to the power of the original vow of the Tathāgata Amitābha. Why say so? If it were not the Buddha’s power, the forty-eight vows would have been set up in vain. Now I take precisely three vows to prove the meaning.” 〔T40n1819 0843c28〕 「緣佛願力故，十念念佛便得往生，得往生故即免三界輪轉之事，無輪轉故所以得速。一證也。」—“Because of the power of the Buddha’s vow, by ten thoughts of mindfulness of the Buddha one attains birth there; because one attains birth there, one escapes at once the turning through the three realms; because there is no turning, one attains it swiftly. This is the first proof.” 〔T40n1819 0844a05〕 「緣佛願力故住正定聚，住正定聚故必至滅度無諸迴伏之難，所以得速。二證也。」—“Because of the power of the Buddha’s vow, one dwells in the group of right fixity; because one dwells in the group of right fixity, one certainly reaches extinction without the difficulties of turning back and falling down; therefore one attains it swiftly. This is the second proof.” 〔T40n1819 0844a09〕 「緣佛願力，故超出常倫諸地之行現前修習普賢之德。以超出常倫諸地行故，所以得速。三證也。」—“Because of the power of the Buddha’s vow, one goes beyond the practices of the grounds of the ordinary course and cultivates in the present the virtues of Samantabhadra. Because one goes beyond the practices of the grounds of the ordinary course, one attains it swiftly. This is the third proof.” 〔T40n1819 0844a17〕 「以斯而推，他力為增上緣。得不然乎？」—“Reasoning from this, other-power is the dominant condition. How could it be otherwise?” 〔T40n1819 0844a20〕 「當復引例示自力他力相。如人畏三塗故受持禁戒，受持禁戒故能修禪定，以禪定故修習神通，以神通故能遊四天下，如是等名為自力。」—“I shall further draw examples to show the marks of self-power and other-power. It is like a person who, fearing the three evil paths, receives and keeps the precepts; because he receives and keeps the precepts, he is able to cultivate meditative concentration; because of meditative concentration, he cultivates supernormal powers; because of supernormal powers, he is able to travel the four continents. Things such as these are called self-power.” 〔T40n1819 0844a21〕 「又如劣夫跨驢不上，從轉輪王行便乘虛空遊四天下無所障礙，如是等名為他力。」—“Again, it is like a weak man who cannot even mount a donkey he straddles; but if he follows the procession of a wheel-turning king, he rides through space and travels the four continents without any obstruction. Things such as these are called other-power.” 〔T40n1819 0844a24〕 「愚哉後之學者，聞他力可乘當生信心，勿自局分也。」—“How foolish, you students who come after! Hearing that other-power can be ridden, you should give rise to the mind of faith; do not confine yourselves to your own lot.” 〔T40n1819 0844a26〕

The closing words of Tanluan’s whole commentary —

「無量壽修多羅優婆提舍願生偈略解義竟。」—“The brief explanation of the meaning of the Verses of Aspiration for Birth: An Upadeśa on the Sūtra of Measureless Life is finished.” 〔T40n1819 0844a28〕 「經始稱「如是」，彰信為能入；末言「奉行」，表服膺事已。論初「歸禮」，明宗旨有由；終云「義竟」，示所詮理畢。述作人殊，於茲成例。」—“A sūtra begins by saying ‘Thus,’ making plain that faith is what enables one to enter; it ends by saying ‘received and practiced,’ showing that the matter has been taken to heart and completed. A treatise begins with ‘taking refuge and worshipping,’ making clear that its purpose has its source; it ends by saying ‘the meaning is finished,’ showing that the principle it expounds is complete. Though those who expound and compose are different persons, in this they form a pattern.” 〔T40n1819 0844a29〕

〔四〕The closing title, 〔五〕the collation note — Tanluan’s commentary has no corresponding text; see the ninth topic.

Who asks and who answers — this passage has one set of question and answer (question and answer twenty-nine), posed and answered by Tanluan himself, with no other speaker intervening; the sentence 「論言」 (the treatise says) in the answer is Tanluan citing the text of the treatise as his answer.

V. Divergent Readings of the Commentators (in parallel columns — recorded without adjudication)

This treatise has Tanluan alone as its mirror. In this passage Tanluan neither cites the view of another master nor discusses a translated term, and there is nothing in this passage that can be set out in parallel columns. On Tanluan’s own distinction of the sides from which the two expressions 「他利」 (benefit from another) and 「利他」 (benefiting others) are spoken, see the sixth topic; for his admonition to later students, see the fourth topic. The view of Zhiyi, the Master of Tiantai, recorded in the collation note at the end of the treatise, is not cited by Tanluan; see the ninth topic.

VI. Terms (first occurrences — all glosses drawn from the mirror commentary)

Sanskrit: for 「阿耨多羅三藐三菩提」 (anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi), Tanluan gives the meaning syllable by syllable (a · nuttarā · samyak · saṃ · bodhi); the IAST anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi is added here as an aid to pronunciation.

「五門行」 (the practice of the five gates) and 「五念門行」 (the practice of the five gates of mindful practice): the treatise has 「修五門行」 (practices the five gates); Tanluan cites it as 「修五念門行」 (practices the five gates of mindful practice), and in his answer cites the treatise again as 「修五門行」 (practices the five gates) (see the ninth topic); the treatise has no term “gates of the five merits.”

「一生補處」 (final-birth bodhisattva) and 「不二法門」 (the Dharma-gate of non-duality): the former Tanluan gives as it comes in the vow he cites, the latter as it comes in his explanation of 「無礙」 (unobstructed); neither is separately explained in this passage.

VII. Similes and Rhetoric

Similes the treatise uses of itself: none in this passage.

Similes set up by the mirror commentary:

Similes of the same kind in Tanluan’s first fascicle: for the two paths, difficult and easy, 「譬如陸路步行則苦」—“it is like traveling on foot by a land route: painful” 〔T40n1819 0826b06〕 and 「譬如水路乘船則樂」—“it is like traveling by water in a boat: pleasant” 〔T40n1819 0826b10〕; these correspond, head and tail, to the two examples of self-power and other-power in this passage.

Things that may be recorded as rhetoric: First, Tanluan explains the two sentences on self-benefit and benefiting others in matching form, setting them against each other—「由自利故則能利他，非是不能自利而能利他也」—“because one benefits oneself one is able to benefit others; it is not that one who cannot benefit himself is able to benefit others,” and 「由利他故則能自利，非是不能利他而能自利也」—“because one benefits others one is able to benefit oneself; it is not that one who cannot benefit others is able to benefit himself.” Second, the three proofs follow one pattern: each first cites the text of a vow, then reasons from it in the form “because of the power of the Buddha’s vow … therefore one attains it swiftly,” and closes with 「一證也」 (this is the first proof), 「二證也」 (this is the second proof), or 「三證也」 (this is the third proof). Third, the example of self-power chains the character 「故」 (because) four times in succession (fearing the three evil paths, because; receiving and keeping the precepts, because; because of meditative concentration; because of supernormal powers), while the example of other-power runs straight through in a single sentence. Fourth, the closing words of the whole commentary set against each other, in four phrases, the beginning and end of a sūtra (“Thus” · “received and practiced”) and the beginning and end of a treatise (“taking refuge and worshipping” · “the meaning is finished”).

VIII. Citation and Carrying Forward

• The apparatus of the unit on the forty-eight vows in The Sūtra of Measureless Life in this series has already cited the text of Tanluan’s three proofs—「緣佛願力故，十念念佛便得往生」—“because of the power of the Buddha’s vow, by ten thoughts of mindfulness of the Buddha one attains birth there,” and 「緣佛願力故住正定聚」—“because of the power of the Buddha’s vow, one dwells in the group of right fixity”—together with 「以斯而推，他力為增上緣」—“reasoning from this, other-power is the dominant condition,” to make clear the tie between the vows and their accomplishment.
• The apparatus of the unit on the upper class in The Sūtra of Measureless Life in this series has already cited 「緣佛願力故住正定聚，住正定聚故必至滅度無諸迴伏之難，所以得速」—“because of the power of the Buddha’s vow, one dwells in the group of right fixity; because one dwells in the group of right fixity, one certainly reaches extinction without the difficulties of turning back and falling down; therefore one attains it swiftly.”
• The apparatus of the unit on the lower class in The Sūtra of Measureless Life in this series has already cited 「凡是生彼淨土，及彼菩薩人天所起諸行，皆緣阿彌陀如來本願力故」—“all birth in that pure land, and all the practices undertaken by the bodhisattvas, humans, and gods there, are due to the power of the original vow of the Tathāgata Amitābha,” and 「緣佛願力故，十念念佛便得往生」—“because of the power of the Buddha’s vow, by ten thoughts of mindfulness of the Buddha one attains birth there,” to make clear that birth by ten thoughts is tied to the power of the Buddha’s vow.
• Tanluan’s own echoes, earlier and later: at the head of his explanation of the title in the first fascicle he sets up the names 「自力」 (self-power) and 「他力」 (other-power) by Nāgārjuna’s two paths, difficult and easy (see the third topic); in this passage, answering the question about 「速得」 (swiftly), he proves by three vows that other-power is the dominant condition and shows its marks by the simile of the weak man following the wheel-turning king—the whole commentary carried through from head to tail. The 「十念」 (ten thoughts) in the question and answer at the end of the fascicle on the verses come from the lowest of the lower grade in the Contemplation Sūtra, 「具足十念稱南無無量壽佛」—“complete ten thoughts, calling ‘Namo Buddha of Measureless Life’” 〔T40n1819 0834a05〕; the 「十念念佛」 (ten thoughts of mindfulness of the Buddha) of the first proof in this passage come from the first vow, 「乃至十念」 (even for ten thoughts) 〔T40n1819 0844a04〕—the two places speak alike of ten thoughts but rest on different sūtra texts, and Tanluan uses the latter to explain why the former attain birth (in the unit on the verses).
• Among the sūtra commentaries of the ancient masters gathered in the translated-and-annotated texts of this series, none has been found that cites the treatise’s text in this passage.

IX. Placement Among the Recensions

The collation notes (<app>) to the treatise within the domain of this unit come to four in all (the base text has five markers, one of them a duplicate):

Recorded without adjudication: First, in the thirty-fourth note, the three witnesses of the Song, Yuan, and Ming have, after the closing sentence of the treatise’s text, one more sentence, 「無量壽修多羅優波提舍願生偈略解義竟」 (the brief explanation of the meaning of the Verses of Aspiration for Birth: An Upadeśa on the Sūtra of Measureless Life is finished); the closing sentence of Tanluan’s whole commentary reads 「無量壽修多羅優婆提舍願生偈略解義竟。」 (the same) 〔T40n1819 0844a28〕, identical in wording but for the difference between 「波」 (po) and 「婆」 (po). Second, the thirty-fifth and thirty-seventh notes both record the Song witness’s lack of the two characters 「一卷」 (one fascicle) in the closing title; the former is attached to those characters of the closing title, the latter is embedded within the thirty-sixth note; the two notes are recorded together. According to the thirty-sixth note, for the segment 「論一卷」 (treatise, in one fascicle) of the closing title the Yuan and Ming witnesses read 「無量壽經優波提舍」 (Upadeśa on the Sūtra of Measureless Life) (the note collates only the three characters 「論一卷」 (treatise, in one fascicle); the four characters 「無量壽經」 (Sūtra of Measureless Life) before them are outside the scope of the note, and no complete title is composed on that basis). Third, the thirty-eighth note: the whole collation note is absent from all three witnesses of the Song, Yuan, and Ming. Recorded as it stands; no judgment is made in their stead as to the original text.

Agreements and differences between the treatise and the mirror’s citation:

Further: in his answer Tanluan cites the treatise as 「論言「修五門行以自利利他成就故」。」—“The treatise says, ‘because by practicing the five gates self-benefit and benefiting others are accomplished.’” 〔T40n1819 0843c24〕—reading 「五門行」 (the practice of the five gates), the same as the treatise and different from his own citation’s 「五念門行」 (the practice of the five gates of mindful practice); it has 「以」 (by) and 「成就」 (accomplished), and lacks 「速得成就阿耨多羅三藐三菩提」 (swiftly accomplishes unsurpassed perfect awakening). The three forms are recorded together, without adjudication.

The closing title: the treatise’s closing title reads 「無量壽經論一卷」 (Treatise on the Sūtra of Measureless Life, in one fascicle) 〔T26n1524 0233a26〕, while its opening title reads 「無量壽經優波提舍願生偈」 (Verses of Aspiration for Birth: An Upadeśa on the Sūtra of Measureless Life) 〔T26n1524 0230c13〕; the opening and closing titles differ and are recorded side by side. The closing title of the mirror’s second fascicle reads 「無量壽經優婆提舍願生偈註卷下」 (Commentary on the Verses of Aspiration for Birth: An Upadeśa on the Sūtra of Measureless Life, second fascicle) 〔T40n1819 0844b03〕

The collation note’s discussion of 「界」 (realm) and 「男」 (man): 「大乘善根界　天台智者即曰「界」字乃「男」字之錯，則宜改作。而諸疏家皆作「界」字，故今存之。」—“‘A realm of Mahāyāna roots of good’: Zhiyi, the Master of Tiantai, said that the character ‘realm’ is an error for the character ‘man,’ and that it should be corrected. But all the commentators read the character ‘realm,’ and so it is kept here.” 〔T26n1524 0233a27〕 This passage stands within the main text of the treatise and is not an interlinear note; the line it discusses is the third line of the thirteenth verse, 「大乘善根界」 (a realm of Mahāyāna roots of good) 〔T26n1524 0231a13〕. In all three places where Tanluan cites this line he reads 「界」 (realm): his citation verse by verse in the first fascicle, 「大乘善根界，等無譏嫌名，女人及根缺，二乘種不生。」—“A realm of Mahāyāna roots of good, equal, with not even a name that invites reproach; women and those deficient in faculties, and the seed of the two vehicles, do not arise there.” 〔T40n1819 0830c04〕; the closing words in the same place, 「是故言大乘善根界，等無譏嫌名」—“Therefore it says, ‘a realm of Mahāyāna roots of good, equal, with not even a name that invites reproach’” 〔T40n1819 0830c13〕; and his citation under the gate of contemplation in the second fascicle, 「莊嚴大義門功德成就者，偈言「大乘善根界，等無譏嫌名，女人及根缺，二乘種不生」故。」—“The accomplishment of the merit of the adornment of the gate of the great meaning is so because the verse says, ‘A realm of Mahāyāna roots of good, equal, with not even a name that invites reproach; women and those deficient in faculties, and the seed of the two vehicles, do not arise there.’” 〔T40n1819 0838b14〕 Tanluan’s commentary contains no discussion of 「界」 (realm) and 「男」 (man). Where Zhiyi, the Master of Tiantai, said this, the collation note does not name the book. Which of the two characters, 「界」 (realm) or 「男」 (man), is right is recorded without adjudication.

The colophon at the end of the mirror’s fascicle: after the closing title of the mirror’s second fascicle there are, further, red and blue punctuation marks and the notes of a copyist who added the marks, beginning at 「釋曇鸞法師者，并州汾水縣人也。」—“The Dharma master Shi Tanluan was a man of Fenshui county in Bingzhou.” 〔T40n1819 0844b05〕 and running to the end of the fascicle; they were recorded by later copyists and are not Tanluan’s commentary, and the topics above do not take them as the mirror’s meaning. Two of these lines share the same head and differ at the tail, and both are recorded in full: 「茲時享保十六辛亥歲臘月十日夜加點了」—“At this time, in the sixteenth year of Kyōhō, the year xinhai, on the night of the tenth day of the twelfth month, the marks were added.” 〔T40n1819 0844b25〕 and 「茲時享保十六辛亥歲臘月廿日夜加點了」—“At this time, in the sixteenth year of Kyōhō, the year xinhai, on the night of the twentieth day of the twelfth month, the marks were added.” 〔T40n1819 0844b32〕 The events and dates of Tanluan recorded there are recorded without adjudication.

Gaiji: none in the treatise within this unit. Inline notes: the treatise within this unit has no interlinear note (the collation note mentioned above stands within the main text); nor are there bracketed inline notes in the mirror within this passage.