Illustrated

Contemplation Sutra

《佛说观无量寿佛经》曼陀罗图解

经文翻译：刘宋西域三藏法师畺良耶舍 译

(9-15)

Illustrations from the Taima Mandala

By Hisao Inagaki

Contemplation of the setting sun and water

[9] 佛告韦提希。汝及众生。应当专心。系念一处。想于西方。云何作想。凡作想者。一切众生自非生盲。有目之徒皆见日没。当起想念。正坐西向谛观于日。令心坚住。专想不移。见日欲没状如悬鼓。既见日已。闭目开目皆令明了。是为日想。名曰初观。作是观者名为正观。若他观者名为邪观。

The Buddha said to Vaidehi, "You and other sentient beings should concentrate and, with one-pointed attention, turn your thoughts westward. How do you contemplate? All sentient beings [342a] except those born blind--that is, all those with the faculty of sight--should look at the setting sun. Sit in the proper posture, facing west. Clearly gaze at the sun, with mind firmly fixed on it; concentrate your sight and do not let it wander from the setting sun, which is like a drum suspended above the horizon. Having done so, you should then be able to visualize it clearly, whether your eyes are open or closed. This is the visualizing of the sun and is known as the first contemplation. To practice in this way is called the correct contemplation, and to practice otherwise is incorrect."

[10] 佛告阿难及韦提希。初观成已。次作水想。想见西方一切皆是大水。见水澄清。亦令明了。无分散意。既见水已当起冰想。见冰映彻作琉璃想。此想成已。见琉璃地内外映彻。下有金刚七宝金幢。擎琉璃地。其幢八方八楞具足。一一方面百宝所成。一一宝珠有千光明。一光明八万四千色。映琉璃地。如亿千日不可具见。琉璃地上。以黄金绳杂厕间错。以七宝界分齐分明。一一宝中有五百色光。其光如花。又似星月。悬处虚空成光明台。楼阁千万百宝合成。于台两边各有百亿花幢无量乐器。以为庄严。八种清风从光明出。鼓此乐器。演说苦空无常无我之音。是为水想。名第二观。

The Buddha said to Ananda and Vaidehi, "After you have accomplished the first contemplation, next practice visualization of water. Envision the western quarter as entirely flooded by water. Then picture the water as clear and pure, and let this vision be distinctly perceived. Keep your thoughts from being distracted. After you have visualized the water, envision it becoming frozen. After you have visualized the ice as transparent to its depth, see it turning into beryl. When you have attained this vision, next imagine that the beryl ground shines brilliantly, inside and out, and that this ground is supported from below by columns, which are made of diamond and the seven jewels and hung with golden banners. These columns have eight sides and eight corners, each side being adorned with a hundred jewels. Each jewel emits a thousand rays of light, each ray in turn having eighty-four thousand colors. As they are reflected on the beryl ground, they look like a thousand kotis of suns, so dazzling that it is impossible to see them in detail.
"On this beryl ground, golden paths intercross like a net of cords. The land is divided into areas made of one or the other of the seven jewels, so the partitions are quite distinct. Each jewel emits a flood of light in five hundred colors. The light appears in the shape of a flower or a star or the moon; suspended in the sky, it turns into a platform of light, on which there are ten million pavilions made of a hundred jewels. Both sides of this platform are adorned with a hundred kotis of flowered banners and innumerable musical instruments. As eight pure breezes arise from the light and play the musical instruments, they proclaim the truth of suffering, emptiness, impermanence and no-self. This is the visualizing of the water and is known as the second contemplation.

Contemplation of the ground and the trees

[11] 此想成时。一一观之极令了了。闭目开目不令散失。唯除食时。恒忆此事。作此观者名为正观。若他观者名为邪观。佛告阿难及韦提希。水想成已。名为粗见极乐国地。若得三昧。见彼国地了了分明。不可具说。是为地想。名第三观

"When you have attained this contemplation, visualize each object quite clearly without losing the image, whether your eyes are closed or open. Except when sleeping, always keep it in mind. To practice in this way is called the correct contemplation, and to practice otherwise is incorrect."
The Buddha said to Ananda and Vaidehi, "When the visualization of the water has been accomplished, it is called the general perception of the ground of the Land of Utmost Bliss. If you attain a state of samadhi, you will see this ground so clearly and distinctly that it will be impossible to describe it in detail. This is the visualizing of the ground and is known as the third contemplation."
The Buddha said to Ananda, "Keep these words of the Buddha in mind, and expound this method of visualizing the ground for the benefit of the multitude of future beings who will seek emancipation from suffering. If one has attained a vision of the ground of that land, the evil karma which one has committed during eighty kotis of kalpas of Samsara will be extinguished, and so one will certainly be born in the Pure Land in the next life. Do not doubt this. To practice in this way is called the correct contemplation, and to practice otherwise [342b] is incorrect."

[12] 佛告阿难。汝持佛语。为未来世一切大众欲脱苦者。说是观地法。若观是地者。除八十亿劫生死之罪。舍身他世必生净国。心得无疑。作是观者名为正观。若他观者名为邪观。佛告阿难及韦提希。地想成已。次观宝树。观宝树者。一一观之作七重行树想。一一树高八千由旬。其诸宝树七宝花叶无不具足。一一华叶作异宝色。琉璃色中出金色光。颇梨色中出红色光。马脑色中出车渠光。车渠色中出绿真珠光。珊瑚琥珀一切众宝以为映饰。妙真珠网弥覆树上。一一树上有七重网。一一网间有五百亿妙华宫殿。如梵王宫。诸天童子自然在中。一一童子有五百亿释迦毗楞伽摩尼宝以为璎珞。其摩尼光照百由旬。犹如和合百亿日月。不可具名。众宝间错色中上者。此诸宝树行行相当。叶叶相次。于众叶间生诸妙花。花上自然有七宝果。一一树叶。纵广正等二十五由旬。其叶千色有百种画。如天缨珞。有众妙华作阎浮檀金色。如旋火轮。宛转叶间踊生诸果。如帝释瓶。有大光明。化成幢幡无量宝盖。是宝盖中。映现三千大千世界一切佛事。十方佛国亦于中现。见此树已。亦当次第一一观之。观见树茎枝叶华果。皆令分明。是为树想。名第四观。作是观者名为正观。若他观者名为邪观。

The Buddha said to Ananda and Vaidehi, "When you have accomplished visualization of the ground, next contemplate the jewelled trees. This is how to do so. Visualize each one and then form an image of seven rows of trees, each being eight thousand yojanas high and adorned with seven-jewelled blossoms and leaves. Each blossom and leaf has the colors of various jewels. From the beryl-colored blossoms and leaves issues forth a golden light. From the crystal-colored issues forth a crimson light. From the agate-colored issues forth a sapphire light. From the sapphire-colored issues forth a green pearl light. Coral, amber and all the other jewels serve as illuminating ornaments. Splendid nets of pearls cover the trees. Between these seven rows of nets covering each tree there are five hundred kotis of palaces adorned with exquisite flowers, like the palace of King Brahma, where celestial children naturally dwell. Each of these children wears ornaments made of five hundred kotis of Shakra-abhilagna-mani-gems, which light up a hundred yojanas in all directions, like a hundred kotis of suns and moons shining together, and so it is impossible to describe them in detail. Manifold jewels intermingle, producing the most beautiful colors.
"Rows of these jewelled trees are evenly arranged, and their leaves are equally spaced. From among the leaves appear wonderful blossoms which spontaneously bear fruits of seven jewels. Each leaf is twenty-five yojanas in both length and breadth. Like the celestial ornaments, the leaves are of a thousand colors and a hundred patterns. These trees have marvelous blossoms which are the color of gold from the Jambu River and spin like fire-wheels among the leaves. From these blossoms appear various fruits, as from Shakra's vase, and from the fruits issue forth great floods of light, which transform themselves into banners and innumerable jewelled canopies. Inside the jewelled canopies can be seen reflections of all the activities of the Buddha throughout the universe of a thousand million worlds. The Buddha-lands in the ten quarters are also reflected in them.
"After you have seen these trees, visualize each detail in order: the trunks, branches, leaves, blossoms and fruits, and let your vision of all of them be clear and distinct. This is the visualizing of the trees, and is called the fourth contemplation. To practice in this way is called the correct contemplation, and to practice otherwise is incorrect."

Contemplation of the ponds, various objects, and the lotus-throne

[13] 佛告阿难及韦提希。树想成已。次当想水。欲想水者。极乐国土有八池水。一一池水七宝所成。其宝柔软从如意珠王生。分为十四支。一一支作七宝色。黄金为渠。渠下皆以杂色金刚以为底沙。一一水中有六十亿七宝莲花。一一莲华团圆正等十二由旬。其摩尼水流注华间寻树上下。其声微妙演说苦空无常无我诸波罗蜜。复有赞叹诸佛相好者。从如意珠王踊出金色微妙光明。其光化为百宝色鸟。和鸣哀雅。常赞念佛念法念僧。是为八功德水想。名第五观。作是观者名为正观。若他观者名为邪观。

The Buddha said to Ananda and Vaidehi, "When you have accomplished visualization of the trees, next contemplate the ponds. This is how to do so. In the Land of Utmost Bliss, there are ponds of water possessing eight excellent qualities, each made of seven jewels which are soft and pliable. The water, springing from a wish-fulfilling king-mani-gem, forms fourteen streams. Each stream is the color of the seven jewels. Its banks are made of gold and its bed strewn with diamond sand of many colors. In each stream there are sixty kotis of lotus-flowers of seven jewels, which are round and symmetrical, measuring twelve yojanas in diameter. The water from the mani-gem flows among the flowers and meanders between the trees. As it ripples, it produces exquisite sounds, [342c] which proclaim the truths of suffering, emptiness, impermanence, no-self and of the Paramitas. Its sound also praises the physical characteristics and marks of the Buddhas. The king of wish-fulfilling mani-gem emits a splendid golden light, which transforms itself into birds with the colors of a hundred jewels. Their songs are melodious and elegant, constantly praising the virtue of mindfulness of the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha. This is the visualizing of the water possessing eight excellent qualities, and is known as the fifth contemplation. To practice in this way is called the correct contemplation, and to practice otherwise is incorrect."

[14] 佛告阿难及韦提希。众宝国土。一一界上有五百亿宝楼。其楼阁中有无量诸天。作天伎乐。又有乐器悬处虚空。如天宝幢不鼓自鸣。此众音中。皆说念佛念法念比丘僧。此想成已。名为粗见极乐世界宝树宝地宝池。是为总观想。名第六观。若见此者。除无量亿劫极重恶业。命终之后必生彼国。作是观者名为正观。若他观者名为邪观。

The Buddha said to Ananda and Vaidehi, "In each region of this jewelled land, there are five hundred kotis of jewelled pavilions, in which innumerable devas play heavenly music. There are also musical instruments suspended in the sky, which, like those on the heavenly jewelled banners, spontaneously produce tones even without a player. Each tone proclaims the virtue of mindfulness of the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha. When this contemplation has been accomplished, it is called the general perception of the jewelled trees, jewelled ground and jewelled ponds of the Land of Utmost Bliss. This is a composite visualization and is called the sixth contemplation.
"Those who have perceived these objects will be rid of extremely heavy evil karma which they have committed during innumerable kalpas and will certainly, after death, be born in that land. To practice in this way is called the correct contemplation, and to practice otherwise is incorrect."

[15] 佛告阿难及韦提希。谛听谛听善思念之。吾当为汝分别解说除苦恼法。汝等忆持。广为大众分别解说。说是语时。无量寿佛住立空中。观世音大势至。是二大士侍立左右。光明炽盛不可具见。百千阎浮檀金色不得为比。时韦提希见无量寿佛已。接足作礼。白佛言。世尊。我今因佛力故。得见无量寿佛及二菩萨。未来众生。当云何观无量寿佛及二菩萨。佛告韦提希。欲观彼佛者。当起想念。于七宝地上作莲花想。令其莲花一一叶作百宝色。有八万四千脉。犹如天画一一脉有八万四千光。了了分明皆令得见。华叶小者纵广二百五十由旬。如是莲华有八万四千大叶。一一叶间。有百亿摩尼珠王。以为映饰。一一摩尼珠放千光明。其光如盖七宝合成。遍覆地上。释迦毗楞伽摩尼宝以为其台。此莲花台。八万金刚甄叔迦宝。梵摩尼宝妙真珠网。以为交饰。于其台上。自然而有四柱宝幢。一一宝幢如百千万亿须弥山。幢上宝缦如夜摩天宫。复有五百亿微妙宝珠。以为映饰。一一宝珠有八万四千光。一一光作八万四千异种金色。一一金色遍其宝土。处处变化各作异相。或为金刚台。或作真珠网。或作杂花云。于十方面随意变现施作佛事。是为花座想。名第七观。佛告阿难。如此妙花。是本法藏比丘愿力所成。若欲念彼佛者。当先作此妙花座想。作此想时不得杂观。皆应一一观之。一一叶。一一珠。一一光。一一台。一一幢皆令分明。如于镜中自见面像。此想成者。灭除五百亿劫生死之罪。必定当生极乐世界。作是观者名为正观。

The Buddha said to Ananda and Vaidehi, "Listen carefully, listen carefully and ponder deeply. I will expound for you the method of removing suffering. Bear my words in mind and explain them to the multitude of beings."
When these words were spoken, Amitayus appeared in the air above, attended on his left and right by the two Mahasattvas, Avalokiteshvara and Mahasthamaprapta. So brilliant was their radiance that it was impossible to see them in detail. They could not be compared even with a hundred thousand nuggets of gold from the Jambu River.
After she had this vision of Amitayus, Vaidehi knelt down in worship at Shakyamuni's feet and said to him, "World-Honored One, through your power I have been able to see Amitayus and the two Bodhisattvas, but how can sentient beings of the future see them?"
The Buddha said to Vaidehi, "Those who wish to see that Buddha should form an image of a lotus-flower on the seven-jewelled ground. They visualize each petal of this flower as having the colors of a hundred jewels and eighty-four thousand veins like a celestial painting, with eighty-four thousand rays of light issuing forth from each vein. They should visualize all of these clearly and distinctly. Its smaller petals are two hundred and fifty yojanas in both length and breadth. This lotus-flower has eighty-four thousand large petals. Between the petals there are a hundred kotis of king-mani-gems as illuminating adornments. Each mani-gem emits a thousand rays of light which, like canopies of the seven jewels, cover the entire [343a] earth.
"The dais is made of Shakra's pendent mani-gems and is decorated with eighty thousand diamonds, kimshuka-gems, brahma-mani-gems and also with exquisite pearl-nets. On the dais four columns with jewelled banners spontaneously arise, each appearing to be as large as a thousand million kotis of Mount Sumerus. On the columns rests a jewelled canopy similar to that in the palace of the Yama Heaven. They are also adorned with five hundred kotis of excellent gems, each emitting eighty-four thousand rays shining in eighty-four thousand different tints of golden color. Each golden light suffuses this jewelled land and transforms itself everywhere into various forms, such as diamond platforms, nets of pearls and nebulous clusters of flowers. In all the ten directions it transforms itself into anything according to one's wishes, and performs the activities of the Buddha. This is the visualizing of the lotus-throne, and is known as the seventh contemplation."
The Buddha further said to Ananda, "This majestic lotus-flower was originally produced by the power of the Bhiksu Dharmakara's Vow. Those who wish to see the Buddha Amitayus should first practice this contemplation of the flower-throne. In doing so, do not contemplate in a disorderly way. Visualize the objects one by one -- each petal, each gem, each ray of light, each dais and each column. See all of these as clearly and distinctly as if you were looking at your own image in a mirror. When this contemplation is accomplished, the evil karma which you have committed during five hundred kotis of kalpas of Samsara will be extinguished, and you will certainly be born in the Land of Utmost Bliss. To practice in this way is called the correct contemplation, and to practice otherwise is incorrect."

参考稻垣久雄教授的英文版曼陀罗图解
汉译经文配图：肖越（慈光居士）