English
English version: Separate Contemplation Second, General Contemplation. The present Correct Fruit Contemplation is also like this. First is Separate Contemplation, second is General Contemplation. The 'general' and 'separate' here refer to contemplating the single body of Amitābha (Immeasurable Life Buddha), and contemplating the single bodies of the two Bodhisattvas (Avalokiteśvara and Mahāsthāmaprāpta) as Separate Contemplation. Amitābha has an inconceivable body, and so do the two Bodhisattvas. Contemplating the immeasurable bodies of Amitābha and the two Bodhisattvas is General Contemplation. Within the initial Separate Contemplation, there are two parts: first, creating an image contemplation; second, creating a true contemplation. The reason for first creating an image contemplation is that Amitābha's bodily form is inconceivable, like trying to paint in the air, which is difficult to achieve. Therefore, we first create an image contemplation. First, we create the sixteen-foot body contemplation, then the hundred-foot body contemplation, which is called Image Contemplation. Because we first create the Image Contemplation, we then create the True Contemplation of the Buddha's body. Question: Can creating the Image Contemplation first and then the True Contemplation be seen as the 'root' and 'trace'? Answer: If you want to do it this way, you can also regard the previous Image Contemplation as the 'trace' and the subsequent True Contemplation as the 'root'. Although you can do it this way, it's not very convenient to name it like that. It's just that we first create the Image Contemplation and then the True Contemplation. Within the initial Image Contemplation, there are two parts: first, imagining that Buddha's flower pedestal (lotus seat); second, imagining that Buddha and the two Bodhisattvas. Within the imagining of the flower pedestal, there are three parts: first, correctly imagining the flower pedestal; second, explaining the cause of the flower pedestal; third, explaining the function of the provisional contemplation. Now, it's the first part, correctly imagining the flower pedestal, as the scripture says. 'Ānanda, below this flower pedestal', this is the second part, explaining the cause of the flower pedestal. This flower pedestal is accomplished by the power of the original vows of the Bhikshu Dharmākara (Amitābha in his past life), which explains the fundamental cause of the flower pedestal. 'Those who accomplish this contemplation will eliminate below', this is the third part, explaining the function of the provisional contemplation, as the scripture says. 'The Buddha told Ānanda below', this is the second part, imagining the Buddha and Bodhisattvas, which is divided into two parts: first, contemplating the Dharmakāya Buddha (Dharmakāya Buddha); second, contemplating the Nirmāṇakāya Buddha (Manifestation Body Buddha). Now, it's the first part, contemplating the Dharmakāya Buddha. The Dharmakāya Buddha, the scripture says, 'The Tathāgata is the Dharmadhātu body', which is the Dharmakāya. Everything is the Dharmadhātu, everything is the Dharmakāya, so we first create this thought. Then it says, 'This mind is the thirty-two marks and eighty minor characteristics', 'This mind makes Buddha, this mind is Buddha', there are three 'is' in total. The reason for explaining the three 'is' is to clarify that the meaning of these three 'is' is sufficient. 'This mind is the thirty-two marks', which is the Nirmāṇakāya, 'This mind is Buddha', which is the Dharmakāya. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
。是心作佛即明二身因也。且问数论师。若为言是心佛即三十二相是心即佛耶。答云是心即佛此是真谛者不然。真谛是顽境无知。云何是佛。佛名为觉故真谛非佛。又真谛无心无佛。复何得言心是真耶。又心是心三十二相是色。心心复何得即耶。若即真者亦不然。即真无心无色无论即。若是世谛即不得即。两句不得解也。尔时无碍心即是佛。故华严经云心佛及众生是三无异相。中论云生死及涅槃无毫厘差别。净名云观身实相观佛亦然。今亦尔。只心即是佛。只佛即是心。此心若成法身则成。法身既成应身即成。故心是三十二相是即是佛也。是故应当一心下第二想应身佛。前作心即是佛观若成不须更作此观。何者心即是佛但于钝根者是成非。今还令识非者。是故须作此观也。然自有时双除。自有时明即是。双除者未曾佛未曾心。由心故佛。心既不可得。佛亦不可得。此非真谛。虽非心非佛始是大智也。作即是观者明只心即佛。观心既然观佛亦尔。此二观并未堪故所以更令作应身观也。就后为三。第一想佛。第二想二菩萨。第三明观力用。此则是第一想彼佛身如文所辨。复当更作下第二想二菩萨前想两华座次想二菩萨如文。然此想者令心净。心净即佛土净。佛土者只由心。心垢故佛土垢。心净佛土净。百万品心故有百万品 净土。佛心第一净故佛土第一净。故云唯佛一人居净土也。作此观者下第三明观之功用。在观渐深故功用转重也。佛告阿难此想成已次当下前开正果别观中本为二。第一想像观。此文已竟。今则第二作真观。此并就应身中作如此。二观前想像观应身。今真观应身。则是观无量寿佛真身也。就此为三。第一观无量寿佛。第二观观世音。第三观大势至。今则第一观无量寿佛身。此中文句可解。然释迦有三十二相八十种好。彼佛有八万四千相。一一相各有八万四千好。释迦太子时白毫长五尺。成佛长丈五者。申长丈五。放则卷成贝螺。彼佛白毫右旋如五须弥山也。然复有佛身相遍满虚空。所有徒众亦遍满虚空。所以有如此不同者。皆为适缘所见故也。作此观者得无生忍者。今观佛身相好云何得无生法忍耶。前已释。今更作一种解。明只此则是无生。何必更须会真谛境耶。所以大峰律师闻狗吠得无生。况今观佛身不得无生耶。佛告阿难及韦提希者。第二观观世音菩萨身如文。次第三观大势至菩萨身。此之二观各有正体及功用。如文可知。见此事时当起自心生于西方下观正果。中本为二。第一别观竟。今第二总观。就此文有两观。第一普观。第二杂观。言普观者总观无量寿佛身及徒众教门故云普观也。言杂观者或观无量寿具足身 现代汉语译本 净土（Sukhavati）。佛心第一清净，所以佛土第一清净。因此说只有佛一人居住在净土。作此观想的人，下面第三部分说明观想的功用。随着观想逐渐深入，功用也越来越大。佛告诉阿难（Ananda）此想成就后，接下来展开前面开示正果的别观，原本分为二。第一是想像观，这段文字已经结束。现在是第二作真观。这都是就应身（Nirmanakaya）中作观。两种观想，前一种想像观是观应身，现在真观也是观应身，则是观无量寿佛（Amitabha）的真身。就此分为三。第一观无量寿佛，第二观观世音（Avalokitesvara），第三观大势至（Mahasthamaprapta）。现在是第一观无量寿佛身。这段文字的文句可以理解。然而释迦（Sakyamuni）有三十二相八十种好，彼佛有八万四千相，每一相各有八万四千好。释迦太子时白毫长五尺，成佛时长丈五。伸长丈五，放开则卷成贝螺。彼佛白毫右旋如五须弥山（Mount Sumeru）。然而又有佛身相遍满虚空，所有徒众也遍满虚空。所以有如此不同，都是为了适应因缘所见。作此观想的人，得到无生法忍（Anutpattika-dharma-kshanti）。现在观佛身相好，为何能得到无生法忍呢？前面已经解释过。现在再作一种解释，说明仅仅如此就是无生，何必更须会真谛境呢？所以大峰律师闻狗吠而得无生，何况现在观佛身而不得无生呢？佛告诉阿难及韦提希（Vaidehi），第二观观世音菩萨身如文。次第三观大势至菩萨身。这两种观想各有正体及功用，如文可知。见此事时，应当发起自心生于西方，下面观正果。中本分为二。第一别观结束，现在第二总观。就这段文字有两观。第一普观，第二杂观。说普观，是总观无量寿佛身及徒众教门，所以说普观。说杂观，或者观无量寿具足身
English
English version Sukhavati (Pure Land). Because the Buddha's mind is the purest, the Buddha's land is the purest. Therefore, it is said that only the Buddha resides in the Pure Land. For those who practice this contemplation, the third part below explains the function of the contemplation. As the contemplation deepens, the function becomes greater. The Buddha told Ananda that after this thought is accomplished, the following will unfold the separate contemplations of the correct fruit, which were originally divided into two. The first is the imaginative contemplation, and this passage has ended. Now is the second, to practice true contemplation. This is all done in the Transformation Body (Nirmanakaya). Of the two contemplations, the former imaginative contemplation is of the Transformation Body, and now the true contemplation is also of the Transformation Body, which is to contemplate the true body of Amitabha (Immeasurable Life Buddha). This is divided into three. The first is to contemplate Amitabha, the second is to contemplate Avalokitesvara (The Observer of the Sounds of the World), and the third is to contemplate Mahasthamaprapta (Great Strength Arrived). Now is the first, to contemplate the body of Amitabha. The sentences in this passage can be understood. However, Sakyamuni (Sage of the Shakya Clan) has thirty-two major marks and eighty minor marks, while that Buddha has eighty-four thousand marks, each mark having eighty-four thousand minor marks. When Sakyamuni was a prince, the white hair between his eyebrows was five feet long, and when he became a Buddha, it was fifteen feet long. When stretched out, it is fifteen feet long, and when released, it curls into a conch shell. That Buddha's white hair curls to the right like the five Mount Sumerus. However, there is also the Buddha's body that pervades all of space, and all the disciples also pervade all of space. The reason for these differences is all to adapt to what is seen by conditions. Those who practice this contemplation obtain Anutpattika-dharma-kshanti (the Patience with the Non-arising of Dharmas). Now, contemplating the marks and characteristics of the Buddha's body, how can one obtain Anutpattika-dharma-kshanti? It has been explained before. Now, let's give another explanation, stating that this alone is non-arising, why is it necessary to understand the realm of true reality? Therefore, Lawyer Dafeng attained non-arising upon hearing a dog bark, how much more so now, contemplating the Buddha's body, could one not attain non-arising? The Buddha told Ananda and Vaidehi, the second contemplation is to contemplate the body of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva as the text says. Next, the third contemplation is to contemplate the body of Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva. These two contemplations each have a proper essence and function, as can be understood from the text. When seeing this matter, one should arouse one's own mind to be born in the West, below is the contemplation of the correct fruit. The middle part is divided into two. The first separate contemplation ends, now the second general contemplation. In this passage, there are two contemplations. The first is the general contemplation, and the second is the miscellaneous contemplation. Saying general contemplation, is to generally contemplate the body of Amitabha and the teachings of the disciples, therefore it is called general contemplation. Saying miscellaneous contemplation, is either to contemplate the complete body of Amitabha --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
或变现身或大身或小身及二菩萨一切身。杂观佛菩萨一切身一切教故云杂观。今则第一普观。如文无量寿佛化身下第二杂观也。 佛告阿难及韦提希上品下十六品观本大为二段。第一有十三观观果。第二有三观观因观果竟。今则观因。观果者观无量寿佛依正二果。故云观果。观因者则三辈往生。三辈往生若为是观耶。解云此三辈是生净土之因。今观察生净土之因有其上中下。故名为观也。无量寿佛经但明三辈。此中开三辈为九辈。三辈者谓上中下也。九辈者于上品有三。中下亦三故成九辈也。今则第一上品中三也。前明上品上生。发菩提心修行经七日则生彼国见彼佛身。闻说妙法则悟无生法忍。问此是何地无生耶。解云此是七地无生。何以得知耶。解云下品生百法明门得欢喜地。下品既得欢喜。当知此是七地无生也。问摄大乘论明一地三阿僧祇劫行。今是何地见无量寿佛身。闻彼佛法则得无生耶。解云此事难知。若约位而为论者此是六地菩萨。见佛闻法则得七地无生也。又且有超行人。如释迦超弥勒成佛。故不可知也。上品中生者第二明上品中生人。不必读诵大乘经。但善解义理深信因果不谤大乘。此功德愿生彼国即得往生彼国七宝池中大宝华中。经一宿则开也。然彼一宿亦大长远。何者彼一日一夜敌阎浮提一 现代汉语译本： 或者变现自身，或者变现大身，或者变现小身，以及变现二菩萨（指观世音菩萨和大势至菩萨）的一切身。普遍地观察佛菩萨的一切身和一切教法，所以称为‘杂观’。现在则是第一‘普观’。如同经文‘无量寿佛化身’以下是第二‘杂观’。 佛告诉阿难和韦提希夫人，上品下生到十六品观，总的来说分为两大段。第一段有十三观，是观察果报。第二段有三观，是观察因地。观察果报完毕，现在则是观察因地。观察果报，是观察无量寿佛的依报和正报二种果报，所以称为‘观果’。观察因地，则是三辈往生。三辈往生可以算作是观吗？解释说，这三辈是往生净土的因。现在观察往生净土的因，有上、中、下三种，所以称为‘观’。 《无量寿佛经》只说明三辈，这里将三辈展开为九辈。三辈是指上、中、下三辈。九辈是指上品有三辈，中品和下品也各有三辈，所以成为九辈。现在则是第一上品中的三辈。 前面说明上品上生，发菩提心，修行七日，就能往生彼国，见到彼佛身，听闻微妙的佛法，就能证悟无生法忍。问：这是什么地位的无生法忍？答：这是七地的无生法忍。凭什么知道呢？答：下品往生的人，证得百法明门，得到欢喜地。下品既然能得到欢喜地，应当知道这是七地的无生法忍。问：《摄大乘论》说明一地要经历三大阿僧祇劫的修行，现在是什么地位才能见到无量寿佛身，听闻佛法就能证得无生法忍呢？答：这件事难以得知。如果按照阶位来论，这是六地菩萨，见到佛，听闻佛法，就能证得七地的无生法忍。而且还有超越常规修行的人，如同释迦牟尼佛超越弥勒菩萨而成佛，所以不可得知。上品中生，第二说明上品中生的人，不必读诵大乘经典，但能善于理解义理，深信因果，不诽谤大乘。以此功德，愿生彼国，就能往生彼国七宝池中的大宝莲花中，经过一夜就会开放。然而彼国的一夜也极其长远。为什么呢？因为彼国的一日一夜相当于阎浮提的一个