..續本文上一頁n 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."

　　[21] 佛告阿難及韋提希。若欲至心生西方者。先當觀于一丈六像在池水上。如先所說。無量壽佛身量無邊。非是凡夫心力所及。然彼如來宿願力故。有憶想者必得成就。但想佛像得無量福。況複觀佛具足身相。阿彌陀佛神通如意。于十方國變現自在。或現大身滿虛空中。或現小身丈六八尺。所現之形皆真金色。圓光化佛及寶蓮花。如上所說。觀世音菩薩及大勢至。于一切處身同。衆生但觀首相。知是觀世音。知是大勢至。此二菩薩助阿彌陀佛。普化一切。是爲雜想觀。名第十叁觀。作是觀者名爲正觀。若他觀者名爲邪觀。

　　Nine grades of birth:

　　1) the highest level of the highest grade

　　[22] The Buddha said to Ananda and Vaidehi, "Those born in the Western Land are of nine grades. Those who attain birth on the highest level of the highest grade are sentient beings who resolve to be born in that land, awaken the three kinds of faith and so are born there. What are the three

　　 They are, first, the sincere faith; second, the deep faith; and third, the faith that seeks birth there by transferring one”s merit. Those who have these three kinds of faith will certainly be born there.

　　There are three other kinds of sentient beings who also attain birth. Who are the three

　　 They are, first, those who have a compassionate heart, abstain from killing and observe the precepts; second, those who chant the Mahayana sutras of greater scope; and third, those who practice the six forms of mindfulness. They aspire to be born in that Buddha-land by transferring there the merit of practice. With the merit acquired from doing these acts for one to seven days, they attain birth.

　　When an aspirant is about to be born in that land through dedicated and undaunted practices, the Tathagata Amitayus arrives together with Avalokiteshvara, Mahasthamaprapta, innumerable transformed Buddhas, a great assembly of a hundred thousand monks and shravakas and innumerable devas in seven-jewelled palaces. The Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, carrying a vajra-seat, together with the Bodhisattva Mahasthamaprapta, approaches the aspirant. Amitayus releases a great flood of light which illuminates the aspirant”s body and, along with the bodhisattvas, extends his hands in welcome. Avalokiteshvara and Mahasthamaprapta, together with innumerable bodhisattvas, praise and encourage the aspirant. Seeing this, the aspirant rejoices so greatly as to dance. Then he sees himself sitting on the vajra-seat, and following the Buddha, is born into that land in the time it takes to snap one”s fingers.

　　After being born in that land, he sees the Buddha”s body complete with all its physical characteristics and also [345a] the bodies of the bodhisattvas equally complete with all their physical characteristics. Heari…

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