English
English version There are three kinds of meritorious deeds: First, to be filial to parents, to serve teachers and elders, to have a compassionate heart and not kill, and to cultivate the ten wholesome actions. Second, to receive and uphold the Three Refuges (taking refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha), to fully observe all precepts, and not to violate proper conduct. Third, to generate the Bodhi mind (the mind of enlightenment), to deeply believe in cause and effect, to recite the Mahayana scriptures, and to encourage others to practice. These three things are called pure karma. The Buddha told Vaidehi, 'Do you know now? These three kinds of deeds are the true causes of pure karma for all Buddhas of the past, future, and present three times.' The Buddha told Ananda and Vaidehi, 'Listen carefully, listen carefully! Think well and remember it. The Tathagata now, for all sentient beings of the future world who are harmed by the thieves of afflictions, speaks of pure practice. Excellent, Vaidehi! You have asked well. Ananda! You should receive and uphold it, and widely proclaim the Buddha's teachings to the multitude. The Tathagata now teaches Vaidehi and all sentient beings of the future world to contemplate the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. By the power of the Buddha, they should be able to see that pure land, just like seeing one's own face in a clear mirror. Seeing the extremely wonderful and joyful scenes of that land, with joy in their hearts, they will immediately attain the forbearance of non-arising dharmas (the realization of the non-arising and non-ceasing nature of all phenomena).' The Buddha told Vaidehi, 'You are an ordinary person, your mind is weak, you have not attained the heavenly eye, and you cannot see far. The Buddhas and Tathagatas have special means to enable you to see.' At that time, Vaidehi said to the Buddha, 'World Honored One! Now, by the power of the Buddha, I have seen that land. If, after the Buddha's passing, sentient beings are in a turbid and evil environment, oppressed by the five sufferings, how will they be able to see the Pure Land of Amitabha Buddha?' The Buddha told Vaidehi, 'You and all sentient beings should concentrate your minds, focus your thoughts in one place, and contemplate the West. How should you contemplate? All those who contemplate, unless they are born blind, those who have eyes, can see the setting sun. You should begin to contemplate, sit upright facing west, carefully observe the sun, make your mind firm and unwavering, and concentrate on the contemplation without moving. Seeing the sun about to set, its shape like a hanging drum. After seeing the sun, whether your eyes are closed or open, it should be clear and distinct. This is the contemplation of the sun, called the first contemplation.' --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
是观者，名为正观。若他观者，名为邪观。” 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。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。” 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 现代汉语译本：‘以正确的角度观察，这称为正观。如果以其他角度观察，则称为邪观。’ 佛陀告诉阿难和韦提希：‘初观成就后，接着作水想。观想见到西方一切都是大水，见到水清澈透明，也要使其明亮清晰，没有分散的念头。见到水后，应当生起冰想。见到冰晶莹剔透，作琉璃想。此想成就后，见到琉璃地面，内外通透。下面有金刚七宝金幢，支撑着琉璃地面。那金幢有八个方向，八个棱角都完整具备，每一个方向都由百宝构成，每一颗宝珠都有千道光明，每一道光明都有八万四千种颜色，映照在琉璃地面上，如同亿千个太阳，无法完全看清。琉璃地面上，用黄金绳索，交错排列，用七宝界限，划分得清清楚楚，每一件宝物中，都有五百种颜色的光芒。那光芒像花朵，又像星月，悬挂在虚空中，形成光明台。楼阁千万，由百宝合成，在台的两边，各有百亿花幢，无数的乐器，用来装饰。八种清风从光明中吹出，吹奏这些乐器，演奏出苦、空、无常、无我的声音，这就是水想，名为第二观。此想成就时，一一观察，使其非常清晰。闭上眼睛和睁开眼睛，都不要使其散失，只有吃饭的时候除外，要经常忆念此事。作此观想的人，称为正观。如果作其他观想的人，称为邪观。’ 佛陀告诉阿难和韦提希：‘水想成就后，称为粗略地见到极乐世界的地面。如果得到三昧，见到那个世界的地面，清清楚楚，无法完全描述。这就是地想，名为第三观。’ 佛陀告诉阿难：‘你要记住佛的话，为未来世一切想要脱离痛苦的大众，宣说这观想地面的方法。如果观想这地面，就能消除八十亿劫生死之罪。舍弃此身到他世，必定往生净土，心中不会有疑惑。作此观想的人，称为正观。如果作其他观想的人，称为邪观。’
English
English version: ‘To observe with the correct perspective is called right contemplation. If one observes with other perspectives, it is called wrong contemplation.’ The Buddha told Ananda and Vaidehi: ‘After the initial contemplation is accomplished, next, contemplate water. Visualize seeing that everything in the West is vast water, see the water clear and transparent, and also make it bright and distinct, without any scattered thoughts. After seeing the water, one should then generate the thought of ice. See the ice sparkling and translucent, and contemplate it as crystal. After this contemplation is accomplished, see the crystal ground, both inside and out, transparent. Below, there are diamond-like seven-treasure golden banners, supporting the crystal ground. The banners have eight directions, with eight complete edges, each direction made of hundreds of treasures, each treasure pearl has a thousand rays of light, each ray of light has eighty-four thousand colors, reflecting on the crystal ground, like billions of suns, impossible to see completely. On the crystal ground, golden ropes are interwoven, with seven-treasure boundaries, clearly demarcated, in each treasure, there are five hundred colors of light. The light is like flowers, and also like stars and moons, suspended in the void, forming a platform of light. There are millions of pavilions, made of hundreds of treasures, on both sides of the platform, there are hundreds of billions of flower banners, and countless musical instruments, used for adornment. Eight kinds of pure winds come from the light, playing these musical instruments, performing the sounds of suffering, emptiness, impermanence, and no-self, this is the contemplation of water, called the second contemplation. When this contemplation is accomplished, observe each aspect, making it extremely clear. Whether closing or opening the eyes, do not let it be lost, except during meal times, always remember this matter. Those who practice this contemplation are called right contemplation. Those who practice other contemplations are called wrong contemplation.’ The Buddha told Ananda and Vaidehi: ‘After the contemplation of water is accomplished, it is called a rough view of the land of the Land of Ultimate Bliss. If one attains samadhi, seeing the land of that country, clearly and distinctly, it cannot be fully described. This is the contemplation of the land, called the third contemplation.’ The Buddha told Ananda: ‘You should remember the Buddha's words, for all the masses in the future who wish to escape suffering, explain this method of contemplating the land. If one contemplates this land, one can eliminate the sins of eighty billion kalpas of birth and death. Abandoning this body in another life, one will surely be reborn in the Pure Land, with no doubt in the heart. Those who practice this contemplation are called right contemplation. Those who practice other contemplations are called wrong contemplation.’ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 。”
Chinese
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；马脑色中出车𤦲光；车𤦲色中出绿真珠光；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。” 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 现代汉语译本：佛陀告诉阿难和韦提希：‘地想观成之后，接下来观想宝树。观想宝树时，要一棵一棵地观想，想象有七重排列的行树。每一棵树高八千由旬（古印度长度单位，约合11.2万公里），这些宝树，七宝花叶无不具备。每一片花叶，都呈现不同的宝色。琉璃色中发出金色光芒；颇梨色（水晶）中发出红色光芒；马脑色中发出车𤦲（一种玉石）光芒；车𤦲色中发出绿真珠光芒；珊瑚、琥珀等一切众宝用来互相映衬装饰。美妙的真珠网覆盖在树上，每一棵树上有七重网，每一重网之间有五百亿美妙的华丽宫殿，如同梵天王的宫殿。诸天童子自然地在其中，每一位童子都有五百亿释迦毗楞伽摩尼宝（一种宝珠）作为璎珞；这些摩尼宝的光芒照耀百由旬，如同百亿日月的光芒合在一起，无法一一说尽，各种宝物交错，色彩最为殊胜。这些宝树，行行相对，叶叶相连，在众叶之间生长出各种美妙的花朵，花上自然有七宝果实。每一片树叶，纵横都相等，为二十五由旬；树叶有千种颜色，百种图案，如同天上的璎珞；有各种美妙的花朵，呈现阎浮檀金色（一种金色），如同旋转的火轮，在叶间回旋，涌生出各种果实，如同帝释天的宝瓶；有巨大的光明，化成幢幡和无量宝盖。这些宝盖中，映现出三千大千世界的一切佛事；十方佛国也都在其中显现。见到这些树之后，也应当依次一一观想，观见树的茎、枝、叶、花、果，都令其分明。这就是树想观，名为第四观。作这种观想的人，名为正观。如果作其他观想，名为邪观。’ 佛陀告诉阿难和韦提希：‘树想观成之后，接下来应当观想水。想要观想水时，极乐国土有八个水池。每一个水池都是由七宝构成；这些宝物柔软，从如意珠王中生出，分为十四支；每一支都呈现七宝的颜色。黄金作为水渠，水渠下都是
English
English version: The Buddha told Ananda and Vaidehi, 'After the contemplation of the earth is completed, next contemplate the jeweled trees. When contemplating the jeweled trees, contemplate them one by one, imagining seven rows of trees. Each tree is eight thousand yojanas (an ancient Indian unit of distance, approximately 112,000 kilometers) in height. These jeweled trees are complete with seven kinds of jeweled flowers and leaves. Each flower and leaf displays different jeweled colors. From the color of lapis lazuli emanates golden light; from the color of crystal emanates red light; from the color of agate emanates carnelian light; from the color of carnelian emanates green pearl light; coral, amber, and all kinds of jewels are used to adorn and reflect each other. Exquisite pearl nets cover the trees, each tree having seven layers of nets, and between each net are five hundred billion magnificent palaces, like the palaces of Brahma. Heavenly children naturally reside within them, each child adorned with five hundred billion Shakya-Vairambha Mani jewels as necklaces; the light of these Mani jewels illuminates a hundred yojanas, like the combined light of a hundred billion suns and moons, beyond description. Various jewels are interspersed, their colors being the most superior. These jeweled trees are aligned row by row, leaf by leaf, and among the leaves grow various exquisite flowers, and on the flowers naturally appear seven kinds of jeweled fruits. Each leaf is twenty-five yojanas in length and width; the leaves have a thousand colors and a hundred patterns, like heavenly necklaces; there are various exquisite flowers, the color of Jambu-gold (a type of gold), like rotating fire wheels, swirling among the leaves, and various fruits emerge, like the treasure vase of Indra; there is great light, transforming into banners and countless jeweled canopies. Within these canopies, all the Buddha activities of the three thousand great thousand worlds are reflected; the Buddha lands of the ten directions also appear within them. Having seen these trees, one should also contemplate them one by one, clearly seeing the tree trunks, branches, leaves, flowers, and fruits. This is the contemplation of the trees, called the fourth contemplation. One who practices this contemplation is said to have correct contemplation. If one practices other contemplations, it is called incorrect contemplation.' The Buddha told Ananda and Vaidehi, 'After the contemplation of the trees is completed, next one should contemplate the water. When one wishes to contemplate the water, in the Land of Ultimate Bliss there are eight pools of water. Each pool is made of seven jewels; these jewels are soft and arise from the wish-fulfilling jewel king, dividing into fourteen branches; each branch displays the colors of the seven jewels. Gold is used as the channels, and below the channels are all --------------------------------------------------------------------------------