English
English version: ‘When it is the Kalala (受精卵, fertilized egg) stage, when it is the Arbuda (凝结期, coagulation stage), where are the bones in these stages? It should be known that these bones originally did not exist, but now they do, and once they exist, they will disappear again. These bones are no different from empty space. The external earth element is impermanent, and so is the internal body.’ When contemplating in this way, carefully observe one's own body, and all the bones will naturally break apart, like fine dust. Enter into samadhi and observe the bones, only seeing the location of the bones, but not seeing the shape of the bones. After emerging from samadhi and looking at the body, it is no different from before. Furthermore, one should observe the fire within the body, which comes from external fire. External fire is impermanent and does not stay for long. How can the fire within my body remain hot for long? When observing in this way, one sees that all the firelight on the bones has extinguished and disappeared. Furthermore, one should observe the water within the body, these waters of mine exist because of external water. External water is impermanent and cannot be sustained for long. Internal water is also like this, arising from conditions, where is there water and impure matter? External wind is impermanent and cannot be sustained for long, arising from conditions and ceasing from conditions. Now all the winds within my body are falsely compounded, forced into a mechanism, where is there wind? It arises from deluded thoughts, it is a reversed view. When contemplating in this way, one does not see the dragons within the body, and all the winds in the ears have extinguished and disappeared. In this way, contemplate carefully on one's own, where are people and earth, water, fire, and wind? Observe that this earth is a decaying dharma, observe that this fire is like an illusion. Also, observe that this wind arises from delusion, observe that this water appears from false imagination. When observing in this way, the practitioner sees the body like a banana tree, without solidity in the middle, or sees the mind like a bubble on water, hearing external sounds like echoes in a valley. When observing in this way, one sees all the firelight on the bones, sees the white light water, sees all the dragon winds in one place. Observe the body as still and silent, not recognizing the form of the body, the body and mind are peaceful, tranquil, and joyful. This state is called the end of the Fifteenth Great Four Elements Contemplation. The Sutra of the Secret Essentials of Dhyana, Volume 1 Taisho Tripitaka Volume 15, No. 0613, The Sutra of the Secret Essentials of Dhyana The Sutra of the Secret Essentials of Dhyana, Volume 2 Translated by Kumarajiva (鸠摩罗什) and others at Xiaoyao Garden in Chang'an during the Hongshi era of the Later Qin Dynasty. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 园译
Chinese
佛告阿难：“汝今至心受持此四大观法，慎勿忘失，为未来世一切众生当广演说。”尔时阿难闻佛所说，欢喜奉行。“作此观时，以学观空故，身虚心劳，应服酥及诸补药，于深禅定应作补想观。补想观者，先自观身，使皮皮相裹犹如芭蕉，然后安心自开顶上想。复当劝进释梵护世诸天，使持金瓶盛天药。释提桓因在左、护世诸天在右，持天药灌顶，举身盈满。昼夜六时恒作此想。若出定时，求诸补药，食好饮食，恒坐安隐，快乐倍常。修是补身经三月已，然后更念其余境界。禅定力故，诸天欢喜。时释提桓因为说甚深空无我法，赞叹行者，头面敬礼。以服天药故，出定之时颜色和悦，身体润泽如膏油涂。见此事者，名第十六四大观竟。” 佛告阿难：“此想成已，复当更教系念住意，令观外色。一切色者从何处生？作此观时，见外五色如五色光，围绕己身。此想现时，自观身胸，胸骨渐渐明净如颇梨镜，明显可爱。复见外色，一一众色明如日光。得此观时，四方自然生四黑象，黑象大吼踏众色灭。如是众色，在地者灭；于虚空中，玄黄可爱倍复过常。尔时大象以鼻绕树，四象四边欲拔此树不能倾动。复有四象以鼻绕树，亦不能动。尔时行者见此事已，出定之时应于静处，若在冢间、若在树下、若 现代汉语译本 佛陀告诉阿难（Ananda，佛陀的十大弟子之一）: '你现在要全心全意地接受并牢记这四种伟大的观法，千万不要忘记，要为未来世的一切众生广泛地宣说。' 当时，阿难听了佛陀所说，欢喜地接受并实行。 '在进行这种观想时，因为学习观空，身体虚弱，内心疲劳，应该服用酥油以及各种滋补的药物，在深入禅定时，应该作补想观。补想观是，首先观想自己的身体，使皮肤像芭蕉一样层层包裹，然后安心地观想自己头顶打开。再劝请释天（Śakra-devānām-Indra，忉利天之主）、梵天（Brahmā，色界诸天之主）和护世诸天，让他们拿着盛满天药的金瓶。释提桓因（Śakro devānām indra，帝释天）在左边，护世诸天在右边，拿着天药灌注头顶，使全身充满。日夜六时都要经常作这种观想。如果出定时，要寻求各种滋补的药物，吃好的饮食，经常安稳地坐着，快乐比平时增加一倍。修习这种补身法三个月后，然后再念其他的境界。因为禅定的力量，诸天欢喜。这时，释提桓因为行者宣说甚深空无我法，赞叹行者，向行者顶礼。因为服用了天药，出定的时候脸色和悦，身体润泽，像涂了膏油一样。见到这件事的人，名为第十六四大观结束。' 佛陀告诉阿难：'这种观想成就后，再教导系念住意，使他观想外色。一切色从哪里产生？在作这种观想时，见到外面的五色像五色光一样，围绕着自己的身体。这种观想出现时，观想自己的胸部，胸骨渐渐明净，像颇梨镜（sphatika，水晶镜）一样，明显可爱。又见到外面的颜色，每一种颜色都像日光一样明亮。得到这种观想时，四方自然生出四头黑象，黑象大吼，踏灭众色。像这样，地上的众色就灭了；在虚空中，玄黄的颜色可爱，比平时更加美好。这时，大象用鼻子缠绕树木，四头象在四边想要拔起这棵树，却不能使它倾动。又有四头象用鼻子缠绕树木，也不能使它动摇。这时，行者见到这件事后，出定的时候应该在安静的地方，或者在坟墓间，或者在树下，或者'
English
English version The Buddha told Ananda (one of the ten principal disciples of the Buddha): 'Now, with all your heart, receive and uphold these four great contemplations, be careful not to forget them, and widely expound them for all sentient beings in the future.' At that time, Ananda, having heard what the Buddha said, joyfully accepted and practiced it. 'When practicing this contemplation, because of studying the contemplation of emptiness, the body becomes weak and the mind weary, one should take ghee and various tonics, and in deep meditation, one should perform the contemplation of supplementation. The contemplation of supplementation is to first contemplate one's own body, making the skin wrap around like a banana tree, and then peacefully contemplate the opening of the crown of one's head. Then, one should encourage Śakra-devānām-Indra (Lord of the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven), Brahmā (Lord of the Form Realm Heavens), and the guardian deities of the world to hold golden vases filled with celestial medicine. Śakro devānām indra (Indra) is on the left, and the guardian deities of the world are on the right, pouring celestial medicine onto the crown of the head, filling the entire body. One should constantly perform this contemplation six times day and night. If one emerges from meditation, one should seek various tonics, eat good food, and constantly sit peacefully, with joy doubled compared to usual. After practicing this body supplementation method for three months, then contemplate the remaining realms. Because of the power of meditation, the deities rejoice. At this time, Śakra-devānām-Indra expounds the profound Dharma of emptiness and no-self for the practitioner, praises the practitioner, and bows in reverence. Because one has taken celestial medicine, when emerging from meditation, the complexion is harmonious and joyful, and the body is lustrous, as if coated with ointment. One who sees this is said to have completed the Sixteenth Great Four Elements Contemplation.' The Buddha told Ananda: 'After this contemplation is accomplished, then further teach the abiding of mindfulness, causing one to contemplate external forms. From where do all forms arise? When practicing this contemplation, one sees external five colors like five-colored light, surrounding one's own body. When this contemplation appears, contemplate one's own chest, the chest bones gradually becoming clear and pure, like a sphatika (crystal) mirror, distinctly lovely. Again, one sees external colors, each color as bright as sunlight. When one attains this contemplation, four black elephants naturally arise from the four directions, the black elephants roaring loudly, trampling and destroying the multitude of colors. In this way, the multitude of colors on the ground are destroyed; in the empty space, the dark yellow color is lovely, even more beautiful than usual. At this time, the elephants wrap their trunks around the trees, the four elephants on the four sides wanting to uproot the trees, but unable to make them tilt. Again, four elephants wrap their trunks around the trees, also unable to move them. At this time, after the practitioner sees this, when emerging from meditation, one should be in a quiet place, either among the tombs, or under a tree, or' --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
阿练若处，覆身令密。应当静寂更求好药以补己身。如上修习补身药法复经三月，一心精进，如救头然，心不放逸。于所受戒不起犯心，昼夜六时忏悔诸罪。复更思惟身无我空，如前境界一一谛观极令明了。此想成时，胸骨渐明，犹如神珠内外映彻。心内毒蛇复更踊身腾住空中，口中有火，欲吸摩尼珠，了不能得。如前失舍，自扑于地，身心迷闷望见四方。尔时诸象复更奔竞来至树所。时诸夜叉罗刹、恶兽诸龙蛇等俱时吐毒，与黑象战。尔时黑象以鼻绕树，声吼而挽。象挽树时，诸龙夜叉吐毒前战不肯休息。尔时地下有一师子，两眼明显似如金刚，忽然踊出与诸龙战，尔时诸龙踊住空中。象故挽树终不休息，地渐渐动。是时行者地动之时，当观此地从空而有，非坚实法。如此地者，如乾闼婆城、如野马行，从虚妄出，何缘而动？作是思惟时，自见己身胸骨乃至面骨渐渐明净，见诸世间一切所有皆悉明了。得此观时，如执明镜自观面像。行者尔时见诸身外一切众色及诸不净，亦见身内一切不净。此想成时，名第十七身念处观。” 佛告阿难：“汝好受持此身念处灌顶章句，慎勿忘失，开甘露法门，为未来世一切众生当广演说。”尔时阿难闻佛所说，欢喜奉行。 佛告阿难：“此想成已，复当更教系念思惟谛 现代汉语译本：在寂静的阿练若（araṇya，远离人烟的处所）处所，要遮蔽身体使之严密。应当在静寂之处寻求好的药物来补养自身。如上述修习补身药的方法，再经过三个月，一心精进，如同救头燃一般，内心不放逸。对于所受持的戒律不起违犯之心，昼夜六个时辰忏悔各种罪过。再次思维身体无我空性，如之前的境界一一仔细观察，务必使其明了。当这种观想成就时，胸骨逐渐明亮，犹如神珠一般内外映彻。心中的毒蛇再次跃起身腾在空中，口中有火，想要吸取摩尼珠（maṇi，宝珠），却始终不能得逞。如同之前失去住所一样，自己扑倒在地，身心迷闷，四处张望。这时，众象再次奔跑争斗，来到树旁。当时，各种夜叉（yakṣa，一种鬼神）、罗刹（rāksasa，恶鬼）、恶兽以及各种龙蛇等同时吐毒，与黑象战斗。当时，黑象用鼻子缠绕树木，吼叫着拉拽。当象拉拽树木时，各种龙和夜叉吐毒上前战斗，不肯停歇。这时，地下有一头狮子，两眼明亮，如同金刚（vajra，坚硬无比）一般，忽然跃出与各种龙战斗，当时各种龙腾跃在空中。象仍然拉拽树木，终不停止，地面渐渐震动。这时，修行者在地面震动之时，应当观察此地是从空中而有，并非坚实的法。像这样的地，如同乾闼婆城（gandharva-nagar，海市蜃楼）、如同野马奔腾，从虚妄中产生，有什么原因而震动呢？作这样的思维时，自己看到自身胸骨乃至面骨渐渐明净，看到各种世间一切所有都明了。得到这种观想时，如同拿着明镜自己观看面容。修行者这时看到自身外一切众色以及各种不净，也看到自身内一切不净。这种观想成就时，名为第十七身念处观。 佛告诉阿难（ānanda，释迦牟尼的十大弟子之一）: ‘你要好好受持这身念处灌顶章句，千万不要忘记，开启甘露法门，为未来世的一切众生广泛演说。’当时，阿难听闻佛所说，欢喜奉行。 佛告诉阿难：‘这种观想成就后，应当再次教导系念思维仔细观察。’