觀無量壽佛經疏妙宗鈔 4.6

4.6

四、樹觀，二：初、分科。二、隨釋，三：初、結前生後。二、正明觀行。問：日觀水觀皆先立境，地樹等觀何不云邪？答：別論水日有曾見相，可指為境；地樹已下非曾覩對，將何為境？若通論者，皆得有境。何者？諸觀皆用教所示相，憶持在心為所緣境，仍了能觀本具此法，託境想成令性具法發明心目，是故心觀及所發相一一皆三。故知通論皆得有境。此文為五：初、「觀寶」下，樹體者下之莊嚴及生法等，皆是能依。今一一樹八千由旬，即所依體。二、「一一」下，莊嚴相。瑠璃，具云吠瑠璃邪，此云不遠，謂西域有山去波羅奈城不遠，此寶出彼，故以名之。玻瓈，正云窣坡致迦，其狀少似此方水精，然有赤白者。三、「諸天」下，明生法。生即眾生，諸天童子也。以生對諸莊嚴之事，皆稱為法。釋迦毘楞伽，此云能勝摩尼，正云末尼，此翻離垢，言此寶光淨，不為垢穢所染。又翻增長，謂有此寶處必增其成德。舊云「翻為如意隨意」，此皆義譯也。色中上者，謂摩尼之光間雜眾寶，色像殊妙最上無過也。閻浮檀金，閻浮具云染部捺陀，此是西域河名，近閻浮捺陀樹，其金出彼河中。此則河因樹立稱、金由河得名。如帝釋瓶者，帝釋具云釋迦因陀羅，此云能主，言其能為天主。言瓶者，《釋論》第十五云「有人常供養天。其人貧窮，一心供養滿十二歲，求索富貴。天愍此人，自現其身而問之曰：『汝求何等？』答：『我求富貴，欲令所願皆得。』天與一器名曰德瓶，而語之言：『所須之物從此瓶出。』其人如已，應意所欲無所不得。」今此妙華涌出諸果，如彼天瓶出種種物，故以喻之。四、「有大」下，現佛國。非獨現一大千，十方佛剎亦於中現。樹觀若發，轉觀佛土亦應不難。五、「觀見」下，結觀。雖因光蓋見十方土，然從樹起，故須結末而歸其本。三、「是為」下，結。此乃結樹當第四觀。

Fourth, the contemplation of the trees, which has two parts: first, dividing the sections; second, following the text to explain them, which has three parts: First, concluding the preceding and introducing the following. Second, directly clarifying the practice of contemplation. Question: The contemplation of the sun and the contemplation of water both first establish an objective sphere; why do the contemplations of the ground, trees, and so forth not do so? Answer: Distinctively speaking, water and the sun have marks previously seen that can be pointed to as the objective sphere; the ground, trees, and subsequent objects have not been previously beheld, so what could be taken as the objective sphere? Generally speaking, however, all can have an objective sphere. Why? All contemplations take the marks revealed by the teaching and hold them in mind as the objective sphere of condition; further, understanding that the capable contemplation inherently possesses these dharmas, one relies on the sphere to bring the visualization to completion, causing the inherently possessed dharmas to be illuminated before mind and eye. Therefore, the mind contemplation and the marks it gives rise to are, each and every one, threefold. Thus we know that, generally speaking, all can have an objective sphere. This text has five parts: 1. From "contemplate the jewel" onwards: the substance of the trees. The adornments and born beings below are all dependent upon them. Now, each tree being eight thousand yojanas constitutes the substance depended upon. 2. From "each and every" onwards: the marks of adornment. Lapis lazuli (ruri), fully called vaiḍūrya, is translated here as "not far," meaning that in the Western Regions there is a mountain not far from the city of Vārāṇasī where this jewel is produced, hence it was named after it. Crystal (bōli), properly called sphaṭika, somewhat resembles the quartz (crystal) of this land, though it has red and white varieties. 3. From "the devas" onwards, clarifying the born beings and dharmas. "Born" refers to sentient beings, the celestial youths. When sentient beings are contrasted with the matters of adornment, all [the latter] are called "dharmas." Śakra-bhilanga, translated here as "victorious maṇi"; properly "maṇi," translated here as "free from defilement," means that this jewel's light is pure and not defiled by dirt or impurities. It is also translated as "increasing," meaning that wherever this jewel is present, its virtues inevitably increase. Formerly it was translated as "wish-fulfilling" (cintā) or "according to one's wish," both being translations by meaning. "Supreme among colors" means that the light of the maṇi blends with the various jewels, its colors and forms being wondrous and unsurpassable. Jāmbūnada gold: jāmbū is fully called jambūnada, which is the name of a river in the Western Regions near the jambūnada tree; the gold is produced within that river. Thus the river takes its name from the tree, and the gold takes its name from the river. "Like the vase of Śakra": Śakra is fully called Śakro Devānām Indra, translated here as "capable lord," meaning he is able to be the lord of devas. Regarding the vase, the fifteenth fascicle of the Treatise [on the Great Perfection of Wisdom] states: "There was a man who constantly made offerings to a deva. He was impoverished, and single-mindedly made offerings for a full twelve years, seeking wealth and honor. Taking pity on him, the deva manifested his own body and asked him, 'What do you seek?' He replied, 'I seek wealth and honor, and wish all my desires to be fulfilled.' The deva gave him a vessel called the 'Vase of Virtue' and told him, 'Whatever you need will come forth from this vase.' The man did so, and obtained whatever his mind desired." Now, these wondrous flowers welling forth various fruits are like that celestial vase producing all kinds of things, hence the metaphor. 4. From "there is a great" onwards, the manifestation of Buddha-lands. Not only is one great chiliocosm manifested, but Buddha-lands of the ten directions also manifest within them. If the tree contemplation arises, shifting to contemplate the Buddha-lands should also not be difficult. 5. From "having contemplated and seen" onwards, concluding the contemplation. Although one sees the lands of the ten directions by means of the canopy of light, it nonetheless originates from the trees; therefore one must conclude the branch and return to the root. Third, from "this is" onwards, the conclusion. This concludes the tree [contemplation] as the fourth contemplation.