觀無量壽佛經疏妙宗鈔 2.2.1

2.2.1

三、觀行即。 此中觀法，異常坐等直觀心性，故託他佛而為所緣，然是大乘知心作佛、佛即是心，其觀未成為塵所動。 始自圓聞觀佛妙境，至識次位勤行五悔。 若未發品，此等行人皆屬名字，故知名字其位甚長。 今明對塵即成佛觀，其中念念覺知之心，名觀行佛。 此自分二：初、觀妙色即真法。 以大小相皆悉周遍，故此色身即是真法。 又二； 初、約一佛，二：初、示始習即心觀相。 此是名字昇進之位，不獨解名，能修觀故； 但未入品，非觀行位觀佛相者。 若此經中八萬相好，非羸劣想而可繫緣，故須初心先觀落日，漸觀地樹及以座像，觀既深著方觀勝身。 今依《般舟》，初心先觀千輻輪相，次第逆想至肉髻三十二種，是下品相。 復從足起，可作始行繫心之境，不須更以落日為緣。 若相若好皆依於身，身唯金色，故云「如鑄金像」。 此之色相雖從心想如在目前，故云「與眼作對」。 言「妙色」者，即是不可思議色也。 所以者何？ 由此行人已圓聞故，知色唯心、知心唯色。 五根所對尚體唯心，況想成色豈在心外？ 此色非色、非色非非色，而能雙照色與非色。 既離情想，故名妙色。 非由三觀莫見妙色、非由妙色莫成三觀，境觀相資塵念靡間，方能得入觀行位也。 二、「開眼」下，明觀成稱性周遍。 妙心作相、妙相發心，心心不休成觀入品，塵緣莫動佛常現前，閉目了然、開眼不失，在明見佛、處暗不忘，性無間然，佛豈暫闕？ 一一相海莊嚴法身，相為大相、好為小相，觀大發小名為流出。 劫水雖大，止劑二禪，佛相遍周稱於法界，且以分喻顯於周遍。 觀行佛眼名曰周眸，此眼所觀何處非佛。 問：《金光明玄義》觀於三道顯金光明，似位尚云閉目則見、開目則失。 今觀三身位在觀行，因何開閉俱得見邪？ 答：彼明性德金光明理，此理初住方任運見，故於似位猶論得失。 今帶事定，託彼應色觀於三身，以其應相凡心可見，故理三身雖乃未顯，不妨應色先與定合，故令開閉皆見佛身。 如以三觀觀彼落日，三觀未成而能開閉皆見於日。 故雖事理一念同修，而理難事易，事易故先現、理難故後發。 故般舟三昧以三十二相為事境，以即空假中為理觀。 境觀雖乃同時而修，境必先成； 託境進觀、藉觀顯境，更進更顯，從凡入聖。 故知彼就趣真無住，對似愛頂墮為開閉得失。 此就應色，得成觀行。 為開閉俱見，不知事理難易淺深，此相違文何能銷釋？ 二、「念一」下，等諸佛，二：初、約一佛等諸佛。 為成觀故不可散緣，故以彌陀一佛為境。 雖觀一佛，何異十方； 雖照現今，何殊過未？ 此彰一切不離彌陀，良以彌陀是無量之一，故能等於一中無量。 二、「一身」下，明諸佛同三法。 「一佛等彼一切佛」者，以由佛佛同得三法：身是法身、智慧是般若、十力四無所畏是解脫，亦是三身三涅槃等。 身智言一者，顯於諸佛法報不別，應用亦同，故力無畏結云亦然，同身智一也。 菩薩因中分破無明，分同妙覺所證三法，無明破盡，則究竟同諸佛三法。 諸佛三法既其不二，是故彌陀三法不少、一切諸佛三法不多，故言等也。 二、「念色」下，念三身以結示。 色是應身，通於勝劣及他受用。 法門是報身，以諸法門聚而為身，即八萬四千陀羅尼為髮、第一義諦為髻、種智為頭、慈悲為眼、無漏為鼻、四辯為口、四十不共為齒、二智為手、如來藏為腹、三三昧為腰、定慧為足等。 此諸法門，若從所證名為法身，今從能證名為報身，自受用也。 實相是法身，非不具於一切法門及諸色相，讓於能證及垂應故。 今是所證及以能垂，但名實相； 前論觀法，文中但言相好周遍，次文乃約三法論等。 至今結示云念三身，應知法門及以實相不離色身，舉一即三、全三是一，法爾相即，非縱非橫。 是故此經第九佛觀，經示相好，疏名真法。 不知圓觀，此名莫消？

Third, the Stage of Contemplation and Action. The contemplation method here differs from ordinary seated meditation and the like that directly contemplates the mind-nature; therefore, one relies upon another Buddha as the cognitive object. Yet this is the Mahāyāna [understanding] that knows the mind creates the Buddha and the Buddha is precisely the mind; before one's contemplation is achieved, one is stirred by sense objects. From initially hearing perfectly the wondrous object of contemplating the Buddha up to recognizing one's successive stages and diligently practicing the five repentances, if one has not yet aroused the grades [of contemplation and action], such practitioners all belong to the Stage of Names and Words; thus one knows that the Stage of Names and Words is very long. Now, it is explained that facing sense objects immediately constitutes the contemplation of the Buddha, and the mind of awareness and knowing in each thought within it is called 'contemplating and practicing Buddha.' This itself is divided into two: first, contemplating the wondrous form is precisely the true reality. Because both the major and minor marks are all completely pervasive, this physical body is precisely the true reality. This also has two parts: first, regarding one Buddha. This has two parts: first, showing the initial practice of contemplating marks right within the mind. This is an advancing position within the Stage of Names and Words; they do not merely understand names, because they are able to cultivate contemplation; but because they have not yet entered the grades, they are not those who contemplate the Buddha's marks at the Stage of Contemplation and Action. If one considers the eighty thousand marks and signs in this sūtra, they are not something that can be fastened upon by frail thoughts; therefore, a beginner must first contemplate the setting sun, gradually contemplate the ground, trees, throne, and image, and only after the contemplation has become deeply fixed can one contemplate the superior body. Now, relying on the Pratyutpanna-[samādhi], a beginner first contemplates the thousand-spoke wheel mark, sequentially imagining in reverse order up to the uṣṇīṣa, the thirty-two marks, which are the marks of the lower grade. Then starting again from the feet, this can serve as an object for a beginner to bind the mind to, without needing to take the setting sun as an object further. Both the major marks and minor signs are based on the body, and the body is purely golden, hence it is said, 'like a cast golden image.' Although these physical marks arise from mental imagination, they are as if right before one's eyes, hence it is said, 'facing the eyes.' As for 'wondrous form,' it is precisely inconceivable form. Why is this? Because this practitioner has already heard perfectly, knowing that form is mind only and mind is form only. If even what the five sense faculties encounter has mind only as its substance, how could the form produced by thought be outside the mind? This form is not form, nor is it non-form and non-non-form, yet it can illuminate both form and non-form. Since it is free from emotional thoughts, it is called 'wondrous form.' Without the threefold contemplation, wondrous form cannot be seen; without wondrous form, the threefold contemplation cannot be completed. When object and contemplation assist each other without any interval of worldly thoughts, only then can one enter the Stage of Contemplation and Action. Second, from 'opening the eyes' onward, it clarifies that when contemplation is achieved, it accords with nature and is all-pervasive. The wondrous mind creates the marks, and the wondrous marks inspire the mind; thought after thought without pause, the contemplation is achieved and one enters the grades; worldly conditions do not stir it, and the Buddha constantly appears before one. With closed eyes it is clear, with open eyes it is not lost; in brightness one sees the Buddha, in darkness one does not forget; the nature is uninterrupted—how could the Buddha be absent for even an instant? Each ocean of marks adorns the dharmakāya; the marks are the major marks, and the signs are the minor signs; contemplating the major and bringing forth the minor is called 'flowing forth.' Although the kalpa waters are vast, they reach only up to the Second Dhyāna; the Buddha's marks are all-pervasive, according with the dharmadhātu, and are here illustrated by partial analogies to reveal their all-pervasiveness. The eye of the Buddha in contemplation and action is called the 'all-encompassing gaze'; wherever this eye looks, what place is not the Buddha? Question: The Profound Meaning of the Suvarṇaprabhāsa contemplates the three paths to reveal the golden light, and even at the Stage of Resemblance it says that with closed eyes one sees it, but with open eyes one loses it. Now in contemplating the three bodies, the stage is within Contemplation and Action; why is it that whether eyes are open or closed, one sees them in both cases? Answer: That text explains the principle of the inherent golden light, and this principle is only spontaneously seen at the First Abode; hence at the Stage of Resemblance there is still discussion of attainment and loss. Now, this involves phenomenal concentration, relying on that manifest form to contemplate the three bodies; because its manifest marks can be seen by an ordinary mind, even though the three bodies of principle are not yet revealed, this does not prevent the manifest form from uniting first with concentration, thus causing one to see the Buddha's body whether eyes are open or closed. It is like using the threefold contemplation to contemplate the setting sun: before the threefold contemplation is achieved, one can see the sun whether eyes are open or closed. Therefore, although phenomena and noumenon are cultivated simultaneously in a single thought, noumenon is difficult and phenomena are easy; because phenomena are easy, they appear first, and because noumenon is difficult, it is realized later. Therefore, the pratyutpanna-samādhi takes the thirty-two marks as the phenomenal object, and takes the identicalness of emptiness, the provisional, and the middle as the noumenal contemplation. Although the object and contemplation are cultivated at the same time, the object must be achieved first; relying on the object, contemplation advances, and depending on contemplation, the object is revealed; advancing further and revealing further, one proceeds from ordinary to sage. Therefore, we know that that text addresses the attainment of the true and non-abiding, speaking of attainment and loss in opening and closing [the eyes] to counter the resemblance [stage's] clinging to the peak and falling. Here, it addresses the manifest form and the attainment of contemplation and action, resulting in seeing it whether eyes are open or closed. If one does not understand the difficulty and ease, the shallowness and depth, of phenomena and noumenon, how could these contradictory texts be reconciled? Second, from 'mindful of one' onward, it equates to all Buddhas. This has two parts: first, regarding one Buddha equating to all Buddhas. In order to accomplish contemplation, conditions must not be dispersed, hence one takes the single Buddha Amida as the object. Although one contemplates a single Buddha, how does this differ from the ten directions? Although illuminating the present, how does it differ from the past and future? This reveals that everything is not separate from Amida; this is truly because Amida is the One of the measureless, and therefore is able to equal the measureless within the One. Second, from 'one body' onward, it explains that all Buddhas share the three dharmas. 'One Buddha equals all those Buddhas' because Buddha after Buddha equally attains the three dharmas: the body is the dharmakāya, wisdom is prajñā, and the ten powers and four fearlessnesses are liberation; they are also the three bodies, three nirvāṇas, and so forth. Stating that body and wisdom are one reveals that among all Buddhas, the dharmakāya and saṃbhogakāya are not distinct, and their adaptive applications are also identical; therefore the powers and fearlessnesses conclude by saying 'it is also thus,' being identical to the oneness of body and wisdom. When bodhisattvas in the causal stage partially destroy fundamental ignorance, they partially share the three dharmas realized by Wondrous Awakening; when ignorance is completely exhausted, they are ultimately identical to the three dharmas of all Buddhas. Since the three dharmas of all Buddhas are non-dual, the three dharmas of Amida are not deficient, and the three dharmas of all Buddhas are not redundant; hence it is said they are 'equal.' Second, from 'mindful of form' onward, it concludes by showing the mindfulness of the three bodies. Form is the nirmāṇakāya, spanning superior and inferior as well as other-enjoyment. Dharma-gates are the saṃbhogakāya, because the collection of various dharma-gates constitutes the body: that is, the eighty-four thousand dhāraṇīs are the hair, the supreme truth is the uṣṇīṣa, the wisdom of aspects is the head, compassion is the eyes, the taintless is the nose, the fourfold eloquence is the mouth, the forty unshared qualities are the teeth, the two wisdoms are the hands, the tathāgatagarbha is the belly, the three samādhis are the waist, concentration and wisdom are the feet, and so forth. Regarding these dharma-gates, if viewed from what is realized, they are called the dharmakāya; here, viewed from that which realizes, they are called the saṃbhogakāya, the self-enjoyment body. True reality is the dharmakāya; it is not devoid of all dharma-gates and various physical marks, but cedes them to that which realizes and that which manifests responses. Now, what is realized and what can manifest responses are simply named true reality; earlier, when discussing the contemplation method, the text merely said the marks and signs are all-pervasive, and the subsequent text then discussed equality regarding the three dharmas. Coming now to the concluding instruction that says one is mindful of the three bodies, one should know that the dharma-gates and true reality are not separate from the physical body: bringing up one is precisely the three, and all three are precisely the one; they are mutually identical by natural law, neither longitudinal nor lateral. Therefore, in this sūtra's ninth contemplation of the Buddha, the sūtra demonstrates the marks and signs, and the commentary names them the true reality. Without knowing the perfect contemplation, how could this name be resolved?