English
English version: Four silken threads hang suspended in empty space. At that time, the poisonous snake, with its mouth upturned, tries to suck up the pearl, but ultimately fails. Losing the pearl, it collapses to the ground, dazed and unconscious. At this moment, the fire from its mouth returns to the top of its head. If a practitioner sees this, they should repent. Beg for food that suits one's constitution, harmonizing the four elements (earth, water, fire, wind), ensuring utmost stability. One should sit in a secluded room, free from the sounds of birds. The Buddha said to Ananda (Ananda): 'If a bhiksu (bhiksu), bhiksuni (bhiksuni), upasaka (upasaka), or upasika (upasika) attains this contemplation, it is called attaining the Great Earth Contemplation. One should diligently focus one's mind and be careful not to be negligent. If one practices diligently without negligence, one will attain the supreme Dharma as swiftly as flowing water. Even if one is lazy, one has already abandoned the realms of the three evil paths (hell, hungry ghosts, animals). After abandoning this body, in the next life, one will be born in the Tusita Heaven (Tusita Heaven), where one will encounter Maitreya (Maitreya), who will expound the Dharma of suffering, emptiness, impermanence, and so on, leading to sudden enlightenment and the attainment of the Anagamin (Anagamin) fruit.' The Buddha said to Ananda (Ananda): 'Now, carefully receive the Great Earth Contemplation Dharma, be careful not to forget it, and widely expound it for all sentient beings in the future.' At that time, Ananda (Ananda), having heard what the Buddha said, joyfully accepted and practiced it. One who attains this contemplation is said to have completed the Fourteenth Great Earth Contemplation, also called distinguishing the appearances of the four elements (earth, water, fire, wind), and also called seeing the coarse appearances of the five skandhas (form, feeling, perception, mental formations, consciousness). Those with wisdom can also know the amount of their afflictions and fetters. Among the four foundations of mindfulness (body, feeling, mind, Dharma), this belongs to the mindfulness of the body, only seeing the external body, not yet seeing the internal body. Among the four parts of the realm of mindfulness of the body, this is the initial part. One who attains this contemplation experiences joy and happiness in body and mind, and has fewer disputes and lawsuits. The Buddha said to Ananda (Ananda): 'Once this contemplation is accomplished, one should then contemplate the fire outside the body, which arises from conditions. When there are conditions, it arises; when the conditions are gone, it ceases. These fires, they come from nowhere and go nowhere, fleetingly changing and ceasing without stopping. When one thinks in this way, the external fire will extinguish and no longer appear. One should then contemplate: 'The external waters, such as rivers, streams, and ponds, are all formed by the transformative power of dragons. Why do I now view these waters with discrimination?' These waters, they come from nowhere and go nowhere.' When one thinks in this way, the external water will no longer appear. One should then generate the thought: 'This wind is combined with empty space, and the dragons roar and bellow, existing by virtue of conditions.' One who contemplates in this way, --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
亦不在内、亦不在外、不在中间，颠倒心故横见此事。’作是思惟时外风不起。复当更系念思惟身内脊骨，见身内骨白如珂雪，一一节间三十六物秽恶不净皆于中现。或见身皮犹如皮囊，盛诸不净，无量瘭疽、百千痈疾悉在其中，诸脓流出滴滴不绝，当在骨人头上极可厌患。或见身内，五藏悉皆走入于大肠中，大肠膀胀烂溃难堪。尔时行者以定力故，出定入定见一切人及与己身同不净聚，见诸女人身如虫狗秽恶不净，自然当得不贪色想。” 佛告阿难：“此想成时，名第十四观外四大，亦名渐解学观空。”佛告阿难：“汝持佛语，慎勿忘失。”尔时阿难闻佛所说，欢喜奉行。 佛告阿难：“此想成已，复当更教系念，谛观身内地大。身内地大者，骨齿爪发肠胃腹肝心肺诸坚实物，悉是地大精气所成，外地无常。所以知之，譬如大地，二日出时大地焦枯，三日出时江河池沼悉皆枯竭，四日出时大海三分减二，五日出时大海枯尽，六日出时大地焰起，七日出时大地然尽。外地犹尔，势不支久，况身内地当复坚牢？尔时行者应自思惟：‘今我此身，发是我耶？爪是我耶？骨是我耶？身诸五藏为是我耶？’如是谛观身诸支节都无有我。自观诸骨，一一谛观：‘此骨者从何处生？父母和合赤白精时、如乳时、如泡时 现代汉语译本 ‘也不在身体内部，也不在身体外部，也不在身体中间，因为颠倒妄想的心，才会错误地看到这些景象。’当这样思考的时候，外面的风就不会再吹动。再应当进一步专注于观想身体内部的脊骨，看到身体内部的骨头洁白如珂雪（一种美玉），每一节骨头之间，三十六种污秽不净之物都显现其中。或者看到身体的皮肤就像一个皮囊，盛满了各种不净之物，无数的瘭疽（一种皮肤病）、成百上千的痈疮疾病都在其中，各种脓液流出，滴滴不断，想象自己在骨人的头上，极其令人厌恶。或者看到身体内部的五脏六腑全都掉入大肠之中，大肠膨胀溃烂，难以忍受。这时修行人因为禅定的力量，出定入定，看到所有的人以及自己的身体都是不净的聚集，看到各种女人的身体就像虫子和狗一样污秽不净，自然就会不再贪恋美色。" 佛陀告诉阿难（Ananda）：‘这种观想成就时，称为第十四观外四大，也称为渐解学观空。’佛陀告诉阿难（Ananda）：‘你要记住我的话，千万不要忘记。’当时阿难（Ananda）听了佛陀所说，欢喜地接受并实行。 佛陀告诉阿难（Ananda）：‘这种观想成就后，再应当教导他专注于观想身体内部的地大。身体内部的地大，指的是骨头、牙齿、指甲、头发、肠胃、腹部、肝脏、心脏、肺脏等坚硬实在的物质，都是由地大的精华之气所形成的，而外面的地是无常的。为什么知道这一点呢？譬如大地，当两个太阳出现时，大地就会焦枯；当三个太阳出现时，江河池沼都会干涸；当四个太阳出现时，大海会减少三分之二；当五个太阳出现时，大海会完全干涸；当六个太阳出现时，大地会燃起火焰；当七个太阳出现时，大地会被烧尽。外面的大地尚且如此，势力不能长久支撑，更何况身体内部的地大又怎么会坚固牢靠呢？’这时修行人应当自己思考：‘现在我的这个身体，头发是我吗？指甲是我吗？骨头是我吗？身体的五脏六腑是我吗？’这样仔细地观察身体的各个部分，都没有‘我’的存在。自己观察各个骨头，一一仔细地观察：‘这些骨头是从哪里产生的呢？是父母和合，赤白精（精子和卵子）结合时，像乳一样的时候，像水泡一样的时候
English
English version ‘It is neither inside, nor outside, nor in the middle. Because of the inverted mind, one wrongly sees these things.’ When thinking in this way, the external wind will not arise. One should then further focus on contemplating the spinal bones within the body, seeing the bones inside the body as white as Kaoxue (a kind of beautiful jade), with the thirty-six impure and filthy things appearing within each joint. Or one sees the skin of the body like a leather bag, filled with all kinds of impurities, countless pyogenic infections, hundreds and thousands of carbuncles and diseases all within it, with various pus flowing out, dripping continuously, imagining oneself on the head of a skeleton, which is extremely disgusting. Or one sees the five internal organs all falling into the large intestine, the large intestine swelling and festering, unbearable to look at. At this time, the practitioner, due to the power of Samadhi (meditative concentration), entering and exiting Samadhi, sees all people and their own bodies as impure gatherings, seeing the bodies of various women as filthy and impure as worms and dogs, and will naturally no longer be greedy for sensual desires.’ The Buddha told Ananda (Ananda): ‘When this contemplation is accomplished, it is called the Fourteenth Contemplation of the External Four Great Elements, and it is also called the Gradual Understanding of Learning to Contemplate Emptiness.’ The Buddha told Ananda (Ananda): ‘You must remember my words and not forget them.’ At that time, Ananda (Ananda), hearing what the Buddha said, joyfully accepted and practiced it. The Buddha told Ananda (Ananda): ‘After this contemplation is accomplished, one should then teach him to focus on contemplating the earth element within the body. The earth element within the body refers to the hard and solid substances such as bones, teeth, nails, hair, intestines, stomach, abdomen, liver, heart, and lungs, all of which are formed by the essence of the earth element, while the external earth is impermanent. How do we know this? For example, when two suns appear, the earth will be scorched; when three suns appear, rivers, lakes, and ponds will all dry up; when four suns appear, the great sea will decrease by two-thirds; when five suns appear, the great sea will completely dry up; when six suns appear, flames will rise from the earth; when seven suns appear, the earth will be burned to ashes. The external earth is like this, its power cannot last long, how much more so the earth element within the body, how can it be firm and reliable?’ At this time, the practitioner should think to himself: ‘Now, in this body of mine, is the hair me? Are the nails me? Are the bones me? Are the five internal organs of the body me?’ Observing the various parts of the body in this way, there is no ‘me’ to be found. Observing each bone, carefully observing: ‘Where did these bones come from? When the parents unite, when the red and white essence (sperm and egg) combine, when it is like milk, when it is like a bubble --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
、如是歌罗逻时、如安浮陀时，如是诸时何处有骨？当知此骨本无今有、已有还无。此骨者，同虚空相。外地无常，内地亦尔。’作是思惟时谛观己身，一切诸骨自然破散犹如微尘。入定观骨，但见骨处、不见骨相。出定见身，如前无异。复当更观身内诸火，从外火有。外火无常，无有暂停。我今身火何由久热？作是观时，观诸骨上一切火光悉灭不现。复当更观身内诸水，我此诸水因外水有。外水无常，势不支久。内水亦尔，假缘而有，何处有水及不净聚？外风无常，势不支久，从因缘生、还从缘灭。今我身内所有诸风，假伪合成、强为机关，何处有风？从妄想起，是颠倒见。作是思惟时，不见身内诸龙，耳中所有诸风悉灭不现。如是种种谛自思惟，何处有人及地水火风？观此地是败坏法，观此火犹如幻。又观此风从颠倒起，观此水从虚妄想现。作是观时，行者见身犹如芭蕉，中无坚实，或自见心如水上泡，闻诸外声犹如谷声。作是观时，见诸骨上一切火光、见白光水、见诸龙风悉在一处。观身静寂，不识身相，身心安隐，恬怕悦乐。如此境界，名第十五四大观竟。” 禅秘要法经卷上 大正藏第 15 册 No. 0613 禅秘要法经 禅秘要法经卷中 后秦弘始年鸠摩罗什等于长安逍遥 现代汉语译本：‘当歌罗逻（Kalala，受精卵）时期、安浮陀（Arbuda，凝结期）时期，这些阶段的骨头在哪里呢？应当知道这些骨头本来没有，现在才有，已经有了还会消失。这些骨头，与虚空没有区别。外在的地界是无常的，内在的身体也是如此。’当这样思维时，仔细观察自己的身体，一切骨头自然破散，就像微尘一样。入定观察骨头，只看到骨头的位置，看不到骨头的形状。出定后看身体，和之前没有区别。还要进一步观察身体内的火，是从外面的火而来的。外面的火是无常的，不会停留很久。我现在的身体内的火，怎么能长久地热呢？这样观察时，看到所有骨头上的火光都熄灭消失了。还要进一步观察身体内的水，我这些水是因为外面的水而有的。外面的水是无常的，不能长久维持。内在的水也是这样，是依靠因缘而产生的，哪里有水和不净之物呢？外面的风是无常的，不能长久维持，从因缘产生，也从因缘灭亡。现在我身体内所有的风，是虚假合成的，勉强作为机关，哪里有风呢？是从虚妄的念头产生的，是颠倒的见解。当这样思维时，看不到身体内的龙，耳朵里所有的风都熄灭消失了。像这样种种仔细地自己思维，哪里有人以及地、水、火、风呢？观察这地是败坏之法，观察这火就像幻象。又观察这风是从颠倒产生的，观察这水是从虚妄的想象显现的。当这样观察时，修行人看到身体就像芭蕉树，中间没有坚实的东西，或者自己看到心就像水上的泡沫，听到外面的声音就像山谷的回声。当这样观察时，看到所有骨头上的火光、看到白色的光水、看到所有的龙风都在一处。观察身体静止寂灭，不认识身体的形状，身心安稳，恬静快乐。这样的境界，叫做第十五四大观结束。 《禅秘要法经》卷上 大正藏第 15 册 No. 0613 《禅秘要法经》 《禅秘要法经》卷中 后秦弘始年鸠摩罗什（Kumarajiva）等于长安逍遥园翻译