..續本文上一頁ate 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."
[16] 佛告阿難及韋提希。見此事已。次當想佛。所以者何。諸佛如來是法界身。遍入一切衆生心想中。是故汝等心想佛時。是心即是叁十二相八十隨形好。是心作佛是心是佛。諸佛正遍知海從心想生。是故應當一心系念谛觀彼佛多陀阿伽度阿羅呵叁藐叁佛陀。想彼佛者。先當想像。閉目開目見一寶像如閻浮檀金色坐彼華上。像既坐已。心眼得開。了了分明。見極樂國七寶莊嚴寶地寶池寶樹行列。諸天寶缦彌覆樹上。衆寶羅網滿虛空中。見如此事極令明了如觀掌中。見此事已。複當更作一大蓮華左佛左邊。如前蓮華等無有異。複作一大蓮華在佛右邊。想一觀世音菩薩像坐左華座。亦放金光如前無異。想一大勢至菩薩像坐右華座。此想成時。佛菩薩像皆放妙光。其光金色照諸寶樹。一一樹下亦有叁蓮華。諸蓮華上各有一佛二菩薩像。遍滿彼國。此想成時。行者當聞水流光明及諸寶樹凫雁鴛鴦皆說妙法。出定入定恒聞妙法。行者所聞。出定之時憶持不舍。令與修多羅合。若不合者名爲妄想。若與合者。名爲粗想見極樂世界。是爲想像。名第八觀。作是觀者。除無量億劫生死之罪。于現身中得念佛叁昧。作是觀者名爲正觀。若他觀者名爲邪觀。
9) contemplation of Amida himself
[17] 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.…
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