觀無量壽佛經疏 3.22

3.22

「又待水靜時取一米許，當水上信手投之水中，其水波即動遍於椀內，自面臨上觀之，其白者即動。更著豆許投之，水波更大，面上白者或見不見，乃至棗等投之於水，其波轉大，面上白者及自身頭面，總皆隱沒不現，猶水動故也。言椀者即喻身器也。言水者，即喻自心水也。言波浪者，即喻亂想煩惱也。言漸漸波浪息者，即是制捨眾緣住心一境也。言水靜境現者，即是能緣之心無亂，所緣之境不動，內外恬怕所求之相顯然。

"Furthermore, when the water has settled, take [a grain] of rice and drop it freely into the water; the ripples of the water will stir across the bowl, and leaning forward to look, the white [spot] will stir. Dropping [an object] about the size of a bean, the ripples of the water will be even greater, and the white [spot] on the face may be visible or invisible; up to dropping a date or the like into the water, its ripples will become still greater, and both the white [spot] on the face and one's own head and face will disappear completely and not manifest, because the water is stirred. The 'bowl' is an analogy for the bodily vessel. The 'water' is an analogy for the water of one's own mind. The 'ripples' are an analogy for distracted thoughts and afflictions. That 'the ripples gradually cease' means checking and relinquishing all conditions, steadying the mind on a single object. That 'the water settles and the object manifests' means the mind that conditions is unconfused, the object conditioned is unmoved, inwardly and outwardly tranquil, and the sought-after mark clearly appears.