佛說觀無量壽佛經 1.28

1.28

which, like canopies made of the seven kinds of jewels, cover the entire earth.

“The dais is made of śakra-abhilagna-maṇi-gems and is decorated with eighty thousand diamonds, kiṃśuka-gems, brahma-maṇi-gems, and also with exquisite pearl nets. On the dais four columns with jeweled banners spontaneously arise, each appearing to be as large as a thousand million koṭis of Mount Sumerus. On the columns rest a jeweled canopy similar to that in the palace of the Yāma Heaven. It is also adorned with five hundred koṭis of excellent gems, each emitting eighty-four thousand rays shining in eightyfour thousand different tints of golden color. Each golden light suffuses this jeweled land and transforms itself everywhere into various forms, such as diamond platforms, nets of pearls, and nebulous clusters of flowers. In all the ten directions it transforms itself into anything according to one’s wishes and performs the activities of the Buddha. This is the visualization of the lotus throne and is known as the seventh contemplation.”

The Buddha further said to Ānanda, “This majestic lotus flower was originally produced by the power of Bhikṣu Dharmākara’s [Original] Vow. Those who wish to see Buddha Amitāyus should first practice this contemplation of the flower throne. In doing so, do not contemplate in a disorderly way. Visualize the objects one by one—each petal, each gem, each ray of light, each dais, and each column. See all of these as clearly and distinctly as if you were looking at your own image in a mirror. When this contemplation is accomplished, the evil karma that would bind you to birth and death for five hundred koṭis of kalpas will be extinguished, and you will certainly be born in the Land of Utmost Bliss. To practice in this way is called the correct contemplation, and to practice otherwise is incorrect.”

16 The Buddha said to Ānanda and Vaidehī, “After you have seen this, next visualize the Buddha. Why the Buddha? Because buddha tathāgatas have cosmic bodies, and so enter into the meditating mind of each sentient being. For this reason, when you contemplate a buddha, your mind itself takes the

form of his thirty-two physical characteristics and eighty secondary marks.

Your mind produces the Buddha’s image and is itself the Buddha. The ocean

of perfectly and universally enlightened buddhas thus arises in the meditat-

ing mind. For this reason, you should singlemindedly concentrate and deeply

contemplate the Buddha Tathāgata, Arhat, and Perfectly Enlightened One.

“When you visualize the Buddha, you should first form his image.

Whether your eyes are open or closed, perceive a jeweled image of him, who

is the color of gold from the Jambu River, sitting on that flower throne. When

you have thus perceived a seated image of the Buddha, your mind’s eye will

open and you will clearly and distinctly see the seven-jeweled glorious objects

of the Land of Utmost Bliss, including the seven-jeweled ground, the jew-

eled ponds, the rows of jeweled trees covered with heavenly jeweled cur-

tains, and jeweled nets spreading over the sky. Perceive these as clearly and

distinctly as if you were seeing an object in the palm of your hand.

“After you have seen this image, visualize on the Buddha’s left a large