法然門下における 『観無量寿経』九品段「華合」解釈の展開とその背景=The Background and Development of Interpretations among Hōnen’s Disciples of the Concept of Birth “Enclosed in a Lotus Bud” （kegō華合） Discussed in the Section of Nine Grades of Birth in the Sūtra of Contemplation on the Buddha of Immeasurable Life
Hōnen （1133-1212） interprets Amida’s Pure Land presented in the Section of Nine Grades of Birth in the Sūtra of Contemplation on the Buddha of Immeasurable Life as a reward land （hōdo報土）. Based on this understanding of the Pure Land, he recommends nembutsu practitioners aspire to be born in the upper grade, upper birth （jōbon jōshō上品上生）, as birth “enclosed in a lotus bud” is not discussed in this section of the sūtra, and practitioners can instantaneously fulfill their wish to save all living beings upon their birth. For Hōnen the “border land” （henji辺地） and “womb birth” （taishō胎生） discussed in the Larger Sukhāvatīvyūha Sūtra are outside of the Pure Land （reward land） as presented in the Contemplation Sūtra. He also seems to intentionally ignore Shandao’s interpretation of birth “enclosed in a lotus bud” found in the latter’s commentary on grades of birth in the Contemplation Sūtra, in which Shandao understands that the border land and womb birth are part of Amida’s Pure Land.
Among Hōnen’s disciples, those who emphasize the significance of Other Power, namely Shinran （1173-1262）, Ryūkan隆寛 （1148-1227）, Shōkū証空 （1177-1247）, and Kōsai幸西 （1163-1247）, thought that birth enclosed in a lotus bud is in the same realm of the Pure Land as the border land and womb birth. They believed that birth enclosed in a lotus bud, the border land, and womb birth are all within the reward land （the Pure Land with nine grades of birth） established by the accomplishment of Amida’s Original Vows, which is the “land of skillful means to guide practitioners to the true reward land.” With this stance, the Pure Land thinkers demonstrate a path of salvation for those born in the border land through Other Power, one not clearly presented in Hōnen’s writings.
On the other hand, Benchō弁長 （1162-1238）, who emphasizes the significance of self-power practices, understood that birth enclosed in a lotus bud, border land, and womb birth exist outside of the Pure Land’s nine grades of birth （reward land）. In a fashion similar to Hōnen, he did not mention birth enclosed in a lotus bud when he discussed the nine grades of birth. He also did not present a path of salvation for those born in the border land. Chōsai長西 （1184-1266）, who also recongnized the significance of self-power practices, seems to have given weight to birth in a lotus bud by suggesting that it is a necessary part of the process for practitioners to attain birth in the Pure Land. Benchō and Chōsai shared the doctrinal standpoint that practitioners should aim to attain the superior state within the nine grades of birth （in an open lotus flower） by performing superior practices. They also agreed that the moment of birth in the reward land （the moment of the opening of the lotus bud） is a necessary point that must be passed through in order to further attain the higher stages of the bodhisattva.
