..续本文上一页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。
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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