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

(16-21)

Illustrations from the Taima Mandala

By Hisao Inagaki

Contemplation of the image of Amida and Amida himself.

[16] 佛告阿难及韦提希。见此事已。次当想佛。所以者何。诸佛如来是法界身。遍入一切众生心想中。是故汝等心想佛时。是心即是三十二相八十随形好。是心作佛是心是佛。诸佛正遍知海从心想生。是故应当一心系念谛观彼佛多陀阿伽度阿罗呵三藐三佛陀。想彼佛者。先当想像。闭目开目见一宝像如阎浮檀金色坐彼华上。像既坐已。心眼得开。了了分明。见极乐国七宝庄严宝地宝池宝树行列。诸天宝缦弥覆树上。众宝罗网满虚空中。见如此事极令明了如观掌中。见此事已。复当更作一大莲华左佛左边。如前莲华等无有异。复作一大莲华在佛右边。想一观世音菩萨像坐左华座。亦放金光如前无异。想一大势至菩萨像坐右华座。此想成时。佛菩萨像皆放妙光。其光金色照诸宝树。一一树下亦有三莲华。诸莲华上各有一佛二菩萨像。遍满彼国。此想成时。行者当闻水流光明及诸宝树凫雁鸳鸯皆说妙法。出定入定恒闻妙法。行者所闻。出定之时忆持不舍。令与修多罗合。若不合者名为妄想。若与合者。名为粗想见极乐世界。是为想像。名第八观。作是观者。除无量亿劫生死之罪。于现身中得念佛三昧。作是观者名为正观。若他观者名为邪观。

The Buddha said to Ananda and Vaidehi, "After you have seen this, next visualize the Buddha. Why the Buddha? Because Buddhas, Tathagatas, have cosmic bodies, and so enter into the meditating mind of each sentient being. For this reason, when you contemplate a Buddha, that mind itself takes the form of his thirty-two physical characteristics and eighty secondary marks. Your mind produces the Buddha's image, and is itself the Buddha. The ocean of perfectly and universally enlightened Buddhas thus arises in the meditating mind. For this reason, you should single-mindedly concentrate and deeply contemplate the Buddha, Tathagata, Arhat and Perfectly Enlightened One.
"When you visualize the Buddha, you should first form his image. Whether your eyes are open or closed, perceive a jewelled image of him, who is the color of gold from the Jambu River, sitting on that flower-throne. When you have perceived a seated image of the Buddha, your mind's eye will open and you will clearly and distinctly see the seven-jewelled glorious objects of the Land of Utmost Bliss, including the seven-jewelled ground, the jewelled ponds, the rows of jewelled trees covered with heavenly jewelled curtains and jewelled nets spreading over the sky. Perceive these as clearly and distinctly as if you were seeing an object in the palm of your hand.
"After you have seen this image, visualize on the Buddha's left a large lotus-flower, [343b] which is exactly the same as the one described above, and then another large one on his right. Visualize an image of the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara sitting on the flower-seat on his left, sending forth a golden light just like the Buddha image described above, and then an image of the Bodhisattva Mahasthamaprapta sitting on the flower-seat on his right.
"When you have attained this vision, you will see these images of the Buddha and bodhisattvas sending forth golden rays, which illuminate the jewelled trees. Under each tree there are also three lotus-flowers with images of a Buddha and two Bodhisattvas sitting on them, so that the land is completely filled with such images.
"When you have attained this vision, you will perceive the streams, rays of light, jewelled trees, ducks, geese, male and female mandarin ducks, and so forth, all expounding the wonderful Dharma. Whether in meditation or not, you will always hear the wonderful Dharma. When you rise from meditation, you should remember what you have heard, not forget it, and confirm it with the sutras. If it does not agree with the sutras, it should be called an illusion, but if it does agree, it is called the attainment of the general perception of the Land of Utmost Bliss. This is the visualizing of the Buddha-image, and is known as the eighth contemplation. If you have attained this, the evil karma which you have committed during innumerable kotis of kalpas of Samsara will be extinguished and, while in this life, you will attain the Buddha-Recollection Samadhi. To practice in this way is called the correct contemplation, and to practice otherwise is incorrect."

[17] 佛告阿难及韦提希。此想成已。次当更观无量寿佛身相光明。阿难当知。无量寿佛身。如百千万亿夜摩天阎浮檀金色。佛身高六十万亿那由他恒河沙由旬。眉间白毫右旋宛转如五须弥山。佛眼清净如四大海水清白分明。身诸毛孔演出光明如须弥山。彼佛圆光如百亿三千大千世界。于圆光中。有百万亿那由他恒河沙化佛。一一化佛。亦有众多无数化菩萨。以为侍者。无量寿佛有八万四千相。一一相中。各有八万四千随形好。一一好中复有八万四千光明。一一光明遍照十方世界。念佛众生摄取不舍。其光相好及与化佛。不可具说。但当忆想令心明见。见此事者。即见十方一切诸佛。以见诸佛故名念佛三昧。作是观者。名观一切佛身。以观佛身故亦见佛心。诸佛心者大慈悲是。以无缘慈摄诸众生。作此观者。舍身他世生诸佛前。得无生忍。是故智者应当系心谛观无量寿佛。观无量寿佛者。从一相好入。但观眉间白毫极令明了。见眉间白毫相者。八万四千相好自然当见。见无量寿佛者。即见十方无量诸佛。得见无量诸佛故。诸佛现前受记。是为遍观一切色想。名第九观。作是观者名为正观。若他观者名为邪观。

The Buddha said to Ananda and Vaidehi, "After you have succeeded in seeing these images, next envision the physical characteristics and the light of Amitayus. Ananda, you should realize that his body is as glorious as a thousand million kotis of nuggets of gold from the Jambu River of the Yama Heaven and that his height is six hundred thousand kotis of nayutas of yojanas multiplied by the number of the sands of the Ganges. The white tuft of hair curling to the right between his eyebrows is five times as big as Mount Sumeru. His eyes are clear and as broad as the four great oceans; their blue irises and whites are distinct. From all the pores of his body issues forth a flood of light, as magnificent as Mount Sumeru. His aureole is as broad as a hundred kotis of universes, each containing a thousand million worlds. In this aureole reside transformed Buddhas numbering as many as a million kotis of nayutas multiplied by the number of the sands of the Ganges. Each Buddha is attended by innumerable and uncountable transformed bodhisattvas.
"The Buddha Amitayus possesses eighty-four thousand physical characteristics, each having eighty-four thousand secondary marks of excellence. Each secondary mark emits eighty-four thousand rays of light; each light shining universally upon the lands of the ten quarters, embracing, and not forsaking, those who are mindful of the Buddha. It is impossible to describe in detail these rays of light, physical characteristics and marks, transformed Buddhas, and so forth. But you can see them clearly with your mind's eye through contemplation.
"Those who have envisioned them see all the Buddhas of the ten quarters. Because they see the Buddhas, this is called the Buddha-Recollection Samadhi. To attain this contemplation is to perceive the bodies of all the Buddhas. By perceiving these, one also realizes the Buddha's mind. The Buddhas' mind is Great Compassion. It embraces sentient beings with unconditional Benevolence. Those who have practiced this contemplation will, after death, be born in the presence of the Buddhas and realize the insight into the non-arising of all dharmas. For this reason, the wise should concentrate their thoughts and visualize Amitayus.
"In contemplating him, begin with one of his physical characteristics. Visualize only the white tuft of hair between his eyebrows until you see it quite clearly and distinctly. When you visualize it, all the eighty-four thousand physical characteristics will spontaneously become manifest. When you see Amitayus, you will also see innumerable Buddhas of the ten quarters. Having visualized these innumerable Buddhas, you will receive from each the prediction of your future Buddhahood. This is the general perception of all the physical characteristics of the Buddha and is known as the ninth contemplation. To practice in this way is called the correct contemplation, and to practice otherwise is incorrect."

Contemplation of Avalokiteshvara (Kannon) and Mahasthamaprapta (Seishi) Bodhisattvas

[18] 佛告阿难及韦提希。见无量寿佛了了分明已。次亦应观观世音菩萨。此菩萨身长八十亿那由他恒河沙由旬。身紫金色。顶有肉髻。项有圆光。面各百千由旬。其圆光中有五百化佛。如释迦牟尼。一一化佛。有五百菩萨无量诸天。以为侍者。举身光中五道众生。一切色相皆于中现。顶上毗楞伽摩尼妙宝。以为天冠。其天冠中有一立化佛。高二十五由旬。观世音菩萨面如阎浮檀金色。眉间毫相备七宝色。流出八万四千种光明。一一光明。有无量无数百千化佛。一一化佛。无数化菩萨以为侍者。变现自在满十方界。臂如红莲花色。有八十亿微妙光明。以为璎珞。其璎珞中。普现一切诸庄严事。手掌作五百亿杂莲华色。手十指端。一一指端有八万四千画。犹如印文。一一画有八万四千色。一一色有八万四千光。其光柔软普照一切。以此宝手接引众生。举足时。足下有千辐轮相。自然化成五百亿光明台。下足时。有金刚摩尼花。布散一切莫不弥满。其余身相众好具足。如佛无异。唯顶上肉髻及无见顶相。不及世尊。是为观观世音菩萨真实色身想。名第十观。
佛告阿难。若欲观观世音菩萨当作是观。作是观者不遇诸祸。净除业障。除无数劫生死之罪。如此菩萨。但闻其名获无量福。何况谛观。若有欲观观世音菩萨者。当先观顶上肉髻。次观天冠。其余众相亦次第观之。悉令明了如观掌中。作是观者名为正观。若他观者名为邪观。

The Buddha said to Ananda and Vaidehi, "After you have seen Amitayus clearly and distinctly, next visualize the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara. His height is eighty kotis of nayutas of yojanas multiplied by the number of the sands of the Ganges. His body is the color of purple-gold, and on the top of his head is a mound surrounded by an aureole with a radius of a hundred thousand yojanas, in which there are five hundred transformed Buddhas. Each transformed Buddha resembles Shakyamuni, and is attended by five hundred transformed bodhisattvas and innumerable devas. In the light emanating from his entire body are seen the sentient beings of the five realms of Samsara in all their distinct physical forms. On his head he wears a heavenly crown made of Shakra-abhilagna-mani-gems, on which stands a transformed Buddha (Amitayus) measuring twenty-five yojanas in height.
"The face of the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara is the color of gold from the Jambu River, while the tuft of hair between his eyebrows has the colors of the seven jewels, and from it issue forth eighty-four thousand different rays of light. In each of these rays dwell innumerable and uncountable hundreds of thousands of transformed Buddhas, each attended by countless transformed bodhisattvas, all of whom manifest in various forms at will, filling completely the worlds of the ten quarters. Avalokiteshvara's arms are the color of red lotus-flowers. They emit eighty kotis of exquisite [344a] rays of light in the shape of ornaments, in which are reflected all the glorious objects of that land. The palms of his hands are the color of five hundred kotis of various lotus-flowers. Each of his ten fingertips bears eighty-four thousand signs like impressed patterns, each with eighty-four thousand colors. Each color in turn emits eighty-four thousand delicate rays of light, illuminating all beings. With his jewelled hands he welcomes and guides sentient beings.
"When he lifts one of his feet, the mark of a thousand-spoked wheel on its sole spontaneously changes into a pedestal, which emits five hundred kotis of light-rays. When he puts his foot down, flowers made of diamond and mani-gems are scattered everywhere. All the other physical characteristics and marks which he fully possesses are the same as the Buddha's, except for the mound on his head and the uppermost, invisible part, which are not equal to those of the World-Honored One. This is the visualization of the true physical features of the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara and is known as the tenth contemplation.
Then the Buddha said to Ananda, "Those who wish to see the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara should follow the method of contemplation just mentioned. Those who practice this contemplation will not encounter any misfortune, but will be freed from karmic hindrances and rid of the evil karma which they have committed during innumerable kalpas of Samsara. If you only hear the name of this bodhisattva, you will obtain immeasurable merit. And so, how much more merit will you acquire if you clearly visualize him! Those who wish to see the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara should first envision the mound on his head and, next, his heavenly crown. Then they should visualize the other physical characteristics in order, as clearly as if they were looking at something in the palm of the hand. To practice in this way is called the correct contemplation, and to practice otherwise is incorrect."

[19] 佛告阿难及韦提希。次观大势至菩萨。此菩萨身量大小亦如观世音。圆光面各二百二十五由旬。照二百五十由旬。举身光明照十方国。作紫金色。有缘众生皆悉得见。但见此菩萨一毛孔光。即见十方无量诸佛净妙光明。是故号此菩萨名无边光。以智慧光普照一切。令离三涂得无上力。是故号此菩萨名大势至。此菩萨天冠有五百宝莲华。一一宝华有五百宝台。一一台中。十方诸佛净妙国土广长之相。皆于中现。顶上肉髻如钵头摩花。于肉髻上有一宝瓶。盛诸光明普现佛事。余诸身相如观世音等无有异。此菩萨行时。十方世界一切震动。当地动处各有五百亿宝花。一一宝花庄严高显。如极乐世界。此菩萨坐时。七宝国土一时动摇。从下方金光佛刹。乃至上方光明王佛刹。于其中间无量尘数分身无量寿佛分身观世音大势至。皆悉云集极乐国土。侧塞空中坐莲华座。演说妙法度苦众生。作此观者。名为观见大势至菩萨。是为观大势至色身相。观此菩萨者名第十一观。除无数劫阿僧祇生死之罪。作是观者不处胞胎。常游诸佛净妙国土。此观成已。名为具足观观世音及大势至。作是观者名为正观。若他观者名为邪观。

The Buddha said to Ananda and Vaidehi, "Next visualize the Bodhisattva Mahasthamaprapta. The dimensions of this bodhisattva are the same as those of Avalokiteshvara. His aureole, two hundred and twenty-five yojanas in diameter, shines to a distance of two hundred and fifty yojanas. The light emanating from his entire body illuminates the worlds of the ten quarters, making them shine like purple-gold. This light can be seen by anyone who has a close karmic relationship with him. Even if one sees the light emanating from only one pore of his skin, one can perceive the pure and glorious lights of the innumerable Buddhas of the ten quarters. This is why this bodhisattva is called Boundless Light. Furthermore, he has great power to illumine all beings with the light of wisdom in order to deliver them from the three evil realms. It is for this reason that he is also called Possessed of Great Power.
"The heavenly crown of this bodhisattva is adorned with five hundred jewelled lotus-flowers, each having five hundred jewelled pedestals. On each pedestal appear the pure and resplendent lands of the Buddhas in the ten quarters with all their boundless and glorious features.
"The mound on his head, shaped like a lotus-bud, has a jewelled vase in front. This is suffused with various lights which reveal all the activities of the Buddha. The rest of the characteristics of his body are [344b] exactly the same as Avalokiteshvara's. When this bodhisattva walks, all the worlds in the ten quarters shake. Wherever the earth trembles, five hundred kotis of jewelled flowers appear, each as beautiful and brilliant as a flower in the Land of Utmost Bliss. When this bodhisattva sits down, all the seven-jewelled lands, from that of the Buddha Golden Light in the nadir to that of the Buddha King of Light in the zenith, tremble simultaneously. From between these, manifested bodies of Amitayus, Avalokiteshvara, and Mahasthamaprapta, as innumerable as particles of dust, all assemble like clouds in the Land of Utmost Bliss, filling the entire sky. Sitting on lotus-seats, they expound the wonderful Dharma to save suffering beings. To visualize thus is known as the contemplation of Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva, and is also called the contemplation of Mahasthamaprapta's physical characteristics. To visualize that bodhisattva in this way is known as the eleventh contemplation. It extinguishes the evil karma which one has committed during immeasurable and uncountable kalpas of Samsara. Those who practice this contemplation will no longer be subject to birth from the womb. They can journey to the pure and exquisite lands of the Buddhas. These contemplations are called the complete contemplations of Avalokiteshvara and Mahasthamaprapta. To practice in this way is called the correct contemplation, and to practice otherwise is incorrect."

Contemplation of the aspirants themselves as they are born in the Pure Land

[20] 佛告阿难及韦提希。见此事时当起想作心自见生于西方极乐世界。于莲华中结跏趺坐。作莲华合想。作莲华开想。莲华开时。有五百色光来照身想。眼目开想。见佛菩萨满虚空中。水鸟树林及与诸佛。所出音声皆演妙法。与十二部经合。若出定时忆持不失。见此事已。名见无量寿佛极乐世界。是为普观想。名第十二观。无量寿佛化身无数。与观世音及大势至。常来至此行人之所。作是观者名为正观。若他观者名为邪观。

The Buddha said to Ananda and Vaidehi, "After you have contemplated thus, next visualize yourself as born in the Western Land of Utmost Bliss sitting cross-legged upon a lotus-flower. Visualize this lotus-flower as closed; as it opens, five hundred rays of colored light illuminate your body; then your eyes are open and you see Buddhas and bodhisattvas filling the sky and hear the sounds of the water, birds and trees, and the voices of the Buddhas all expounding the wonderful Dharma in accord with the twelve divisions of the scriptures. When you rise from meditation, keep those things in mind and do not forget them. Seeing them thus is called the visualization of the Land of Utmost Bliss of the Buddha Amitayus. This is the comprehensive visualization, and is known as the twelfth contemplation.
"Innumerable transformed bodies of Amitayus, together with those of Avalokiteshvara and Mahasthamaprapta, will always accompany those who contemplate thus. To practice in this way is called the correct contemplation, and to practice otherwise is incorrect."

Contemplation of Amida and the two bodhisattvas

[21] 佛告阿难及韦提希。若欲至心生西方者。先当观于一丈六像在池水上。如先所说。无量寿佛身量无边。非是凡夫心力所及。然彼如来宿愿力故。有忆想者必得成就。但想佛像得无量福。况复观佛具足身相。阿弥陀佛神通如意。于十方国变现自在。或现大身满虚空中。或现小身丈六八尺。所现之形皆真金色。圆光化佛及宝莲花。如上所说。观世音菩萨及大势至。于一切处身同。众生但观首相。知是观世音。知是大势至。此二菩萨助阿弥陀佛。普化一切。是为杂想观。名第十三观。作是观者名为正观。若他观者名为邪观。

The Buddha said to Ananda and Vaidehi, "If you sincerely desire to be born in the Western Land, you should first picture a figure, sixteen feet tall, on the surface of a pond. The dimensions of Amitayus as previously described are boundless and beyond the mental scope of ordinary beings. But, by the power of the original vows of that Tathagata, those who contemplate him will certainly succeed. You can acquire immeasurable merit simply by visualizing an image of that Buddha. And so, how much more merit will you acquire by visualizing his complete physical characteristics! [344c]
"Amitayus, exercising supernatural powers at will, can freely manifest his various forms in the lands of the ten quarters. At times he may appear as a large figure, filling the whole sky; at other times as a small figure, only sixteen or eight feet high. The figures which he manifests are all of the color of pure gold. The transformed Buddhas and jewelled lotus-flowers in the aureole of each manifested form are like those described above.
"The Bodhisattvas Avalokiteshvara and Mahasthamaprapta have a similar appearance, wherever they are. Sentient beings can only tell one from the other by looking at the emblems on their heads. These two bodhisattvas assist Amitayus in saving all beings everywhere. This is the miscellaneous visualization, and is known as the thirteenth contemplation. 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）