English
English version When contemplating the Buddha, this mind is identical to the thirty-two marks (of a Buddha's physical body) and eighty minor marks (of a Buddha's physical body). This mind creates the Buddha; this mind is the Buddha. The ocean of perfect and complete knowledge of all Buddhas arises from the mind's contemplation. Therefore, one should focus the mind on mindfulness, carefully observing that Buddha, Tathagata (Thus Gone One), Arhat (Worthy One), Samyaksambuddha (Perfectly Enlightened One). When contemplating the Buddha, one should first engage in visualization. Whether the eyes are closed or open, one should see a precious image, the color of Jambudvipa gold, seated upon a lotus flower. Once the image is seated, the mind's eye opens, and one clearly sees the seven precious adornments of the Land of Ultimate Bliss, with precious grounds, precious ponds, and rows of precious trees. Heavenly jeweled canopies cover the trees, and various jeweled nets fill the empty space. Upon seeing these sights, one should make them extremely clear, as if viewing something in the palm of one's hand. After seeing these sights, one should then visualize a large lotus flower to the left of the Buddha, identical to the previous lotus flower. Then, one should visualize a large lotus flower to the right of the Buddha, and visualize an image of Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara seated on the left lotus seat, also emitting golden light, just as before. One should visualize an image of Bodhisattva Mahasthamaprapta seated on the right lotus seat. When this visualization is complete, the Buddha and Bodhisattva images all emit wondrous light; the light is golden, illuminating all the precious trees. Under each tree, there are also three lotus flowers, and on each lotus flower, there is one Buddha and two Bodhisattva images, filling the entire land. When this visualization is complete, the practitioner should hear the sound of flowing water, light, and all the precious trees, wild geese, and mandarin ducks all proclaiming the wondrous Dharma. Both in meditation and out of meditation, one should constantly hear the wondrous Dharma. What the practitioner hears, upon emerging from meditation, should be remembered and not forgotten, so that it aligns with the Sutras (Buddhist scriptures). If it does not align, it is called delusion; if it aligns, it is called a rough visualization of seeing the Land of Ultimate Bliss. This is visualization, called the Eighth Contemplation. One who practices this contemplation can eliminate the sins of countless eons of birth and death, and in this present life, attain the Samadhi of Buddha Recitation. One who practices this contemplation is called a correct contemplation. If one practices other contemplations, it is called an incorrect contemplation. The Buddha told Ananda and Vaidehi: 'After this contemplation is complete, one should next contemplate the physical marks and light of Amitayus Buddha. Ananda, you should know! The body of Amitayus Buddha is the color of Jambudvipa gold from hundreds of thousands of millions of Yama heavens. The Buddha's height is six hundred thousand million nayutas of Ganges sands yojanas. The white hair between his eyebrows curls to the right, like five Mount Sumerus. The Buddha's eyes are clear like the four great oceans, with distinct blue and white. All the pores of his body emit light, like Mount Sumeru. The Buddha's halo is like hundreds of millions of three-thousand-great-thousand worlds. Within the halo, there are millions of billions of nayutas of Ganges sands of manifested Buddhas. Each manifested Buddha has countless manifested Bodhisattvas as attendants. Amitayus Buddha has eighty-four thousand marks, and each mark has eighty-four thousand minor marks. Each minor mark emits eighty-four thousand lights. Each light illuminates all the ten directions, and all sentient beings who recite the Buddha's name are embraced by the light, and are not abandoned.' --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
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。” 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 现代汉语译本 亿那由他（数量单位，表示极大的数目）恒河沙（数量单位，形容极多）由旬（长度单位，古代印度长度单位）的距离；眉间白毫（佛像眉间白色毫毛）向右旋转，宛如五座须弥山（佛教宇宙观中的中心山）。佛的眼睛清澈明亮，如同四大海水，清白分明。身体的每个毛孔都发出光明，如同须弥山。那佛的圆光（佛像头部的光环）如同百亿三千大千世界（佛教宇宙观中的最大世界单位）；在圆光中，有百万亿那由他恒河沙的化佛（佛的化身）；每一个化佛，也有众多无数的化菩萨（菩萨的化身），作为侍者。无量寿佛（阿弥陀佛的别称）有八万四千种相（佛的特征）；每一种相中，各有八万四千种随形好（佛的细微特征）；每一种好中，又有八万四千种光明；每一种光明遍照十方世界（指各个方向的世界），摄取念佛的众生而不舍弃。他的光相好以及化佛，无法完全描述；但应当忆想，使心明见。见到这些景象的人，就见到了十方一切诸佛，因为见到诸佛的缘故，称为念佛三昧（通过念佛而达到的禅定状态）。作这种观想的人，称为观一切佛身，因为观佛身，也见到了佛心。诸佛的心就是大慈悲，以无缘慈（无条件的慈爱）摄受一切众生。作这种观想的人，舍弃此身，来世会生在诸佛面前，得到无生忍（对无生无灭的真理的领悟）。因此，有智慧的人应当专心谛观无量寿佛。观想无量寿佛，从一个相好入手，只观想眉间白毫，使其极其明了。见到眉间白毫相的人，八万四千相好自然会显现。见到无量寿佛的人，就见到了十方无量诸佛；因为见到无量诸佛的缘故，诸佛会现前为他授记（预言成佛）。这就是普遍观想一切色相，称为第九观。作这种观想的人，称为正观。如果作其他观想，称为邪观。 佛告诉阿难（佛陀的弟子）和韦提希（频婆娑罗王的王后）说：‘见到无量寿佛清晰分明之后，接下来也应当观想观世音菩萨（佛教中一位重要的菩萨）。这位菩萨的身高有八十亿那由他恒河沙由旬，身体是紫金色，头顶有肉髻（佛像头顶的肉瘤），脖子有圆光，面部各有一百千由旬。他的圆光中有五百化佛，如同释迦牟尼（佛教的创始人）。每一个化佛，有五百菩萨，无
English
English version A distance of billions of nayutas (a unit of large number) of Ganges sands (a unit of large number) of yojanas (a unit of distance in ancient India); the white hair between the eyebrows (a white hair between the eyebrows of a Buddha statue) spirals to the right, like five Mount Sumerus (the central mountain in Buddhist cosmology). The Buddha's eyes are clear and bright, like the four great oceans, clear and distinct. Every pore of the body emits light, like Mount Sumeru. The Buddha's halo (the halo around the head of a Buddha statue) is like a hundred billion three thousand great chiliocosms (the largest unit of world in Buddhist cosmology); in the halo, there are millions of billions of nayutas of Ganges sands of manifested Buddhas (manifestations of the Buddha); each manifested Buddha also has numerous countless manifested Bodhisattvas (manifestations of Bodhisattvas) as attendants. Amitayus Buddha (another name for Amitabha Buddha) has eighty-four thousand characteristics (features of a Buddha); in each characteristic, there are eighty-four thousand secondary marks (subtle features of a Buddha); in each mark, there are eighty-four thousand lights; each light illuminates all the worlds in the ten directions (worlds in all directions), embracing sentient beings who recite the Buddha's name without abandoning them. His light, characteristics, and manifested Buddhas cannot be fully described; but one should contemplate them in mind, making the mind see clearly. Those who see these scenes see all the Buddhas in the ten directions, and because they see the Buddhas, it is called Samadhi of Buddha Recitation (a state of meditation achieved through reciting the Buddha's name). Those who practice this contemplation are called contemplating all Buddha bodies, and because they contemplate the Buddha's body, they also see the Buddha's mind. The minds of all Buddhas are great compassion, embracing all sentient beings with unconditional compassion. Those who practice this contemplation, abandoning this body, will be born in front of the Buddhas in the next life, and attain the patience of non-birth (the realization of the truth of non-birth and non-death). Therefore, the wise should focus their minds on contemplating Amitayus Buddha. To contemplate Amitayus Buddha, start with one characteristic, only contemplate the white hair between the eyebrows, making it extremely clear. Those who see the white hair between the eyebrows will naturally see the eighty-four thousand characteristics. Those who see Amitayus Buddha see the countless Buddhas in the ten directions; because they see the countless Buddhas, the Buddhas will appear before them and give them predictions of Buddhahood. This is the universal contemplation of all forms, called the ninth contemplation. Those who practice this contemplation are called correct contemplation. If they practice other contemplations, it is called wrong contemplation. The Buddha told Ananda (a disciple of the Buddha) and Vaidehi (the queen of King Bimbisara): 'After seeing Amitayus Buddha clearly and distinctly, one should also contemplate Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva (an important Bodhisattva in Buddhism). This Bodhisattva is eighty billion nayutas of Ganges sands of yojanas tall, his body is purple-gold, he has a protuberance on the top of his head (a fleshy protuberance on the top of a Buddha statue), a halo around his neck, and his face is a hundred thousand yojanas in each direction. In his halo, there are five hundred manifested Buddhas, like Shakyamuni (the founder of Buddhism). Each manifested Buddha has five hundred Bodhisattvas, without --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
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相，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。” 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 现代汉语译本：观想诸天作为侍者。观世音菩萨全身的光芒中，五道众生的一切色相都显现其中。头顶上戴着毗楞伽摩尼（一种珍贵的宝珠）制成的美妙宝冠。宝冠中有一尊站立的化佛，高二十五由旬（古印度长度单位）。观世音菩萨的面容如同阎浮檀（一种金色）的颜色；眉间的毫毛相具有七宝的色彩，流出八万四千种光明；每一道光明中，都有无量无数百千尊化佛；每一尊化佛，都有无数化菩萨作为侍者，自在地变现充满十方世界。手臂如同红莲花的颜色，有八十亿微妙的光明，作为璎珞（一种装饰品）；璎珞中，普遍显现一切庄严的事物。手掌呈现五百亿种杂色莲花的颜色；手的十个指尖，每一个指尖都有八万四千道纹路，如同印章的纹路。每一道纹路有八万四千种颜色；每一种颜色有八万四千道光芒，这些光芒柔和地普照一切，用这宝贵的手接引众生。抬起脚时，脚下有千辐轮相，自然化成五百亿光明台。放下脚时，有金刚摩尼花（一种珍贵的花），散布在一切地方，没有不充满的。其余的身体相貌，各种美好都具足，如同佛一样，只有头顶的肉髻和无见顶相，不如世尊。这就是观想观世音菩萨真实色身相，称为第十观。 佛告诉阿难：‘如果想要观想观世音菩萨，应当这样观想。这样观想的人不会遭遇各种灾祸，能够清净消除业障，消除无数劫的生死之罪。这样的菩萨，仅仅听到他的名字，就能获得无量的福报，何况是仔细地观想！如果有想要观想观世音菩萨的人，应当先观想头顶的肉髻，然后观想天冠。其余的各种相貌也依次观想，都要使之明了，如同观看手掌中的东西一样。这样观想的人，称为正观。如果用其他方式观想，称为邪观。’ 佛告诉阿难和韦提希：‘接下来观想大势至菩萨。这位菩萨的身量大小也如同观世音菩萨，圆光和面容各自是二丈五尺。’