觀無量壽經義疏 1.8.2

1.8.2

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;