[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [觀無量壽經義疏](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1749) › 1.8.2 # 觀無量壽經義疏 1.8.2 觀無量壽經義疏 1.8.2 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [1.8.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1749.1.8.2) 二、舉毫相大小如須彌，須彌舉高三百三十六萬里，縱廣亦然，彼佛高相過此五倍。 三、眼大小如四大海。 准此白毫及眼大小以度其身，身量太長，准身度其白毫及眼，其量太小。 是事云何？ 凡世人身五尺者一寸之眼，身於其眼不過長短五六十倍，佛亦應然。 無量壽佛眼如四大海，一海縱廣八萬由旬，四海合有三十三萬六千由旬，身過其眼五六十倍，縱令極多無出百倍，何緣佛身得六十萬倍那由他恒河沙由旬？ 准眼定身，正長六十萬倍那由他由旬。 言恒河沙者，或傳譯者謬而置之。 若身實長六十萬億那由他由旬，白毫及眼便是極小，當亦是其傳者謬矣。 觀音、勢至身量大小，准佛身量，長短未定。 四、身光大小，一一毛光如須彌山。 五、圓光大小，猶如百億三千世界。 就第三段明多少中，句別有五：一、明光中化佛多少，於圓光中有其百億那由他恒河沙化佛； 二、侍者多少，一一化佛無數菩薩以為侍者； 三、明相多少，有其八萬四千諸相； 四、明好多少，彼一一相各有八萬四千之好； 五、明光多少，於一一好各有八萬四千光明。 上來別觀，「念佛眾生」下，總以結勸。 「念佛眾生攝取不捨，光明相好及以化身不可具說」，結以顯多。 「但當憶」等，是勸辭也。 此初段畢。 自下第二、明其觀益。 於中有三：一、明得見阿彌陀佛，即得見於一切佛身； 二、明得見阿彌陀佛身，即見佛心； 三、結勸觀察。 初中三句：一、明見前阿彌陀佛身相事者，即見十方一切諸佛。 諸佛體同，故得見一即見一切。 二、明由見一切佛故，即得具足念佛三昧。 三、「作是觀」下，結以顯益。 第二段中，句亦有三：一、明見身即見佛心。 身由心起，故得見身即得見心。 又由見身，心想轉明，故得見心。 二、「佛心者大慈悲」下，辨佛心相，謂無緣慈普攝眾生。 然慈悲心有大有小，攀緣分別名之為小，心想都滅而於眾生無所分別自然現益目之為大。 小中有三：一、眾生緣。 緣諸眾生，欲與其樂、欲拔其苦。 二者、法緣。 觀諸眾生無我無人，但有五陰生滅法數，而行慈悲。 無我無人云何行慈？ 如《維摩》說「自念為生說如斯法，故名為慈。 」又念眾生妄為我人之所纏縛，深可哀傷，故行慈悲。 既無眾生，為誰說法？ 念誰為我之所纏縛？ 經言無者，但無人性，非無幻化假名眾生，故得為說念之被縛。 三者、無緣。 觀陰空寂本無所有，而行慈悲。 法既不有，云何行慈？ 亦有兩義：一、念為生說如斯法，即是第一義樂與人，故名為慈。 二、念眾生妄為有法之所纏縛，深可哀傷，故行慈悲。 法既不有，何處有人而為說乎？ 釋言：據彼菩薩自心，實不見人亦不見法，不見法故，無所言說； 不見人故，無可為說。 故經說言「平等法界佛不度生」。 據彼眾生以望菩薩，於眾生外別有菩薩，聞彼菩薩說無人法，捨妄契實同其所得，便言菩薩為生說法。 故經說言「眾生強分別，說佛度眾生」。 此前三種緣觀修習，通名為小。 大無量心亦有三種：一、眾生緣。 無心攀緣一切眾生，而於眾生自然現益。 故《涅槃》云「我實不往，慈善根力令諸眾生見如是事」。 二者、法緣。 無心觀法而於諸法自然普照，如日照物無所分別。 三者、無緣。 無心觀如，而於平等第一義中自然安住。 今此所論，是其大中眾生緣也，故今說言以無緣慈攝取眾生。 此是第二、辨佛心相。 三、「作此觀者捨身他」下，結明觀益。 此是第二、明見佛心。 「是故智」下，是第三段，結勸觀察。 上來第二、明觀利益。 「觀無量壽從一相」下，是第三段、重顯觀儀。 四、「見無量壽佛即見十方無量佛」等，重顯觀益。 此是第二、廣辨觀相，第三、總結，第四、辨邪正，文顯可知。 次、觀觀音，文別有六：一、結前生後； 二、「此菩薩」下，廣顯觀相； 三、「是為」下，結； > Second, citing the size of the mark of the white curl of hair to be like Sumeru: Sumeru has a height of 3,360,000 li, and its breadth and width are also like this; that Buddha's mark of height surpasses this by five times. Third, the eyes in size are like the four great oceans. If one evaluates his body based on this size of the white curl of hair and eyes, the measure of the body would be too tall; if one evaluates his white curl of hair and eyes based on the body, their measure would be too small. How is this so? Generally, when an ordinary person's body is five feet, their eyes are one inch; the body is no more than fifty or sixty times the length of the eyes, and this should also be so for a Buddha. Amitāyus's eyes are like the four great oceans, one ocean being 80,000 yojanas in breadth and width, and the four oceans together amounting to 336,000 yojanas; if the body surpasses his eyes by fifty or sixty times, even if maximally estimated it would not exceed a hundred times, on what basis could the Buddha's body reach sixty times ten thousand nayutas of Ganges sands of yojanas? If the body is determined based on the eyes, it would properly be sixty times ten thousand nayutas of yojanas in length. The mention of 'Ganges sands' was perhaps placed erroneously by the translator. If the body were truly sixty times one hundred thousand nayutas of yojanas in length, the white curl of hair and eyes would be extremely small, which must also be an error of the transmitter. The physical size of Guanyin and Shizhi, judged against the Buddha's physical size, remains unfixed in length. Fourth, the size of the body's light: the light of each single pore of hair is like Mount Sumeru. Fifth, the size of the halo: it is like a billion trichiliocosms. Within the third section explaining quantity, there are five clauses: first, explaining the quantity of transformation buddhas within the light: within the halo there are a billion nayutas of Ganges sands of transformation buddhas; second, the quantity of attendants: each transformation buddha has countless bodhisattvas as attendants; third, explaining the quantity of marks: there are 84,000 marks; fourth, explaining the quantity of signs: each of those marks has 84,000 signs; fifth, explaining the quantity of rays of light: on each sign there are 84,000 rays of light. The above has been the specific contemplation; from 'sentient beings who are mindful of the Buddha' onward, it concludes and exhorts in general. 'Embracing and never abandoning sentient beings who are mindful of the Buddha; the light, marks and signs, as well as the transformation bodies cannot be fully described'—this concludes in order to reveal their abundance. 'One should simply keep in mind,' etc., are words of exhortation. This completes the first section. Next, the second explains the benefits of contemplation. Herein there are three: first, explaining that obtaining the sight of Amitābha Buddha is immediately obtaining the sight of the bodies of all buddhas; second, explaining that obtaining the sight of Amitābha Buddha's body is immediately seeing the Buddha's mind; third, concluding by exhorting contemplation. Within the first, there are three clauses: first, explaining that seeing the aforementioned forms and marks of Amitābha Buddha's body is immediately seeing all the buddhas of the ten directions. The essence of all buddhas is identical; therefore, through seeing one, one immediately sees all. Second, explaining that because of seeing all buddhas, one immediately attains the full contemplation-of-the-Buddha samādhi. Third, from 'to practice this contemplation' onward, concluding to show the benefits. Within the second section, there are also three clauses: first, explaining that seeing the body is immediately seeing the Buddha's mind. The body arises from the mind; therefore, through seeing the body one immediately sees the mind. Furthermore, through seeing the body, mental conceptualization becomes increasingly clear; therefore, one immediately sees the mind. Second, from 'the Buddha's mind is great compassion' onward, distinguishing the characteristics of the Buddha's mind, namely that unconditioned compassion universally embraces sentient beings. However, the mind of compassion can be great or small: grasping conditions and making discriminations is termed 'small'; when mental conceptualizations are utterly extinguished yet benefits are naturally manifested for sentient beings without discrimination, this is designated 'great.' Within the small, there are three: first, conditioned by sentient beings. Conditioning upon sentient beings, one wishes to bestow joy upon them and wishes to eradicate their suffering. Second, conditioned by phenomena. Contemplating that sentient beings lack self and lack person, consisting merely of the phenomena and factors of the arising and ceasing of the five aggregates, one practices compassion. Since there is no self and no person, how can one practice compassion? As the Vimalakīrti states: 'Reflecting to oneself: to explain such Dharma for the sake of beings is therefore called compassion.' Furthermore, reflecting that sentient beings are delusionally entangled by self and person, which is deeply lamentable, one therefore practices compassion. Since there are no sentient beings, for whom does one explain the Dharma? Who is reflected upon as being entangled by self? When the sūtra says there are none, it merely means there is no human nature; it does not mean there are no illusory, nominally designated sentient beings. Therefore one may explain it for them and reflect upon their being bound. Third, unconditioned. Contemplating that the aggregates are empty, quiescent, and originally nonexistent, one practices compassion. Since phenomena do not exist, how can one practice compassion? There are also two meanings: first, reflecting on explaining such Dharma for beings is immediately to bestow the ultimate truth's joy upon people; therefore it is called compassion. Second, reflecting that sentient beings are delusionally entangled by existing phenomena, which is deeply lamentable, one therefore practices compassion. Since phenomena do not exist, where are there people for whom to explain it? The explanation says: based on that bodhisattva's own mind, they truly see neither person nor phenomena; because they do not see phenomena, there is nothing spoken; because they do not see persons, there is no one to whom to speak. Therefore the sūtra states: 'In the impartial realm of phenomena, the Buddha does not deliver sentient beings.' Based on those sentient beings looking toward the bodhisattva: apart from sentient beings there is distinctively a bodhisattva; hearing that bodhisattva explain the absence of person and phenomena, relinquishing delusion and tallying with reality, they become identical with what \[the bodhisattva\] attained, and thus say that the bodhisattva explains the Dharma for beings. Therefore the sūtra states: 'Sentient beings forcibly discriminate, saying that the Buddha delivers sentient beings.' These previous three kinds of conditioned contemplations and cultivations are collectively called 'small.' The great immeasurable mind also has three kinds: first, conditioned by sentient beings. With no mind grasping upon any sentient beings, benefits are naturally manifested for sentient beings. Therefore the Nirvāṇa states: 'I truly do not go; through the power of the wholesome roots of compassion, sentient beings are caused to see such matters.' Second, conditioned by phenomena. With no mind contemplating phenomena, all phenomena are naturally illuminated everywhere, like the sun shining on objects without discrimination. Third, unconditioned. With no mind contemplating thusness, one naturally abides within the impartial ultimate truth. What is discussed here now is conditioned by sentient beings within the 'great'; therefore it is now stated that one embraces sentient beings with unconditioned compassion. This is the second: distinguishing the characteristics of the Buddha's mind. Third, from 'one who practices this contemplation, upon abandoning this body and \[being born in\] another' onward, concludes and explains the benefits of contemplation. This is the second: explaining the sight of the Buddha's mind. From 'therefore the wise' onward is the third section: concluding by exhorting contemplation. The above has been the second: explaining the benefits of contemplation. From 'contemplating Amitāyus beginning from a single mark' onward is the third section: reiterating the protocol of contemplation. Fourth, 'seeing Amitāyus Buddha is immediately seeing the immeasurable buddhas of the ten directions,' etc., reiterates the benefits of contemplation. This is the second: extensively distinguishing the features of the contemplation; third, summarizing; fourth, distinguishing right from wrong; the text is clear and intelligible. Next, contemplating Guanyin; the text specifically has six parts: first, connecting the preceding to initiate the following; second, from 'this bodhisattva' onward, extensively revealing the features of the contemplation; third, from 'this is' onward, concluding; > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 1.8.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1749.1.8.1) - [Next: 1.8.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1749.1.8.3) - [Up: 1.8](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1749.1.8) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1749~en-mt.1.8.2) — English, machine translation ## Linked texts (1) - [維摩義記](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1776.3.35) — Classical Chinese --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1749.1.8.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1749.1.8.2) · Pramāṇa