觀無量壽佛經疏妙宗鈔 2.2.1

2.2.1

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?