觀無量壽佛經疏 3.8

3.8

「二者欲令眾生識知自業障有輕重。云何得知？由教住心觀日。初欲住心時，教令跏趺正坐，右脚著左髀上與外齊，左足安右髀上與外齊，左手安右手上，令身正直，合口齒勿相近，舌柱上㗁為令咽喉及鼻中氣道宣通故。又令觀身四大，內外俱空，都無一物。身之地大，皮肉筋骨等，心想散向西方，盡西方際，乃至不見一塵之相。又想身之水大，血汗津淚等，心想散向北方，盡北方際，乃至不見一塵之相。又想身之風大，散向東方，盡東方際，乃至不見一塵之相。又想身之火大，散向南方，盡南方際，乃至不見一塵之相。又想身之空大，即與十方虛空一合，乃至不見一塵不空之相。又想身之五大皆空，唯有識大湛然凝住，猶如圓鏡，內外明照，朗然清淨。作此想時，亂想得除，心漸凝定，然後徐徐轉心諦觀於日。其利根者，一坐即見明相現前。當境現時，或如錢大，或如鏡面大。於此明上，即自見業障輕重之相。一者黑障，猶如黑雲障日。二者黃障，又如黃雲障日。三者白障，如似白雲障日。此日猶雲障故，不得朗然顯照。眾生業障亦如是。障蔽淨心之境，不能令心明照。行者若見此相，即須嚴飾道場安置佛像，清淨洗浴著淨衣，又燒名香，表白諸佛一切賢聖。向佛形像，現在一生，懺悔無始已來，乃身口意業所造十惡五逆、四重謗法、闡提等罪。極須悲涕雨淚，深生慚愧，內徹心髓，切骨自責。懺悔已，還如前坐法，安心取境。境若現時，如前三障盡除，所觀淨境朗然明淨。此名頓滅障也。或一懺即盡者，名利根人也。或一懺但除黑障，或一懺得除黃白等障，或一懺但除白障，此名漸除，不名頓滅也。既自識業相如是，唯須勤心懺悔，日夜三時六時等但憶得即懺者，最是上根上行人也。譬如湯火燒身一覺即却，豈容徒待時、待處、待緣、待人方始除也。

"Second, he wished to cause sentient beings to recognize the lightness or heaviness of their own karmic obstacles. How is this known? Through being taught to steady the mind and contemplate the sun. When first desiring to steady the mind, [the practitioner] is taught to sit upright in full lotus posture, placing the right foot upon the left thigh, aligned with its outer edge, and placing the left foot upon the right thigh, aligned with its outer edge; placing the left hand upon the right hand; holding the body upright; closing the mouth without clenching the teeth; pressing the tongue against the upper palate so that the breath passages in the throat and nose remain clear. Furthermore, [the practitioner] is taught to contemplate the four great elements of the body as both internally and externally empty, entirely devoid of a single thing. [For] the earth element of the body—the skin, flesh, sinews, bones, and so forth—the mind visualizes them dispersing toward the west, reaching the furthest bounds of the western direction, until not even the appearance of a single speck of dust is seen. Next, [the practitioner] visualizes the water element of the body—the blood, sweat, bodily fluids, tears, and so forth—the mind visualizing them dispersing toward the north, reaching the furthest bounds of the northern direction, until not even the appearance of a single speck of dust is seen. Next, [the practitioner] visualizes the wind element of the body dispersing toward the east, reaching the furthest bounds of the eastern direction, until not even the appearance of a single speck of dust is seen. Next, [the practitioner] visualizes the fire element of the body dispersing toward the south, reaching the furthest bounds of the southern direction, until not even the appearance of a single speck of dust is seen. Next, [the practitioner] visualizes the space element of the body uniting as one with the space of the ten directions, until not even the appearance of a single speck of dust that is not empty is seen. Next, [the practitioner] visualizes that the five elements of the body are all empty, and only the consciousness element remains, limpid and congealed, like a round mirror, clearly illuminating inside and out, bright and pure. When forming this visualization, distracted thoughts are eliminated, the mind gradually congeals into stillness, and thereafter [the practitioner] slowly turns the mind to contemplate the sun attentively. Those of sharp faculties will see the appearance of clarity manifest before them in a single sitting. When that object manifests, it may be as large as a coin, or as large as the face of a mirror. Upon this clarity, one personally sees the signs of the lightness or heaviness of one's karmic obstacles. First is the dark obstacle, like a black cloud obstructing the sun. Second is the yellow obstacle, like a yellow cloud obstructing the sun. Third is the white obstacle, like a white cloud obstructing the sun. Because this sun is obscured by clouds, it cannot shine brightly. The karmic obstacles of sentient beings are also like this: they obstruct the realm of the pure mind and prevent the mind from shining brightly. If practitioners see these signs, they must adorn the sanctuary, enshrine a Buddha statue, bathe purely, put on clean clothes, burn fine incense, and announce [their intention] to all the Buddhas and all the sages and worthies. Facing the image of the Buddha, in this present single life, they should repent of the sins created through bodily, verbal, and mental karma since beginningless time—the ten evils, the five heinous deeds, the four gravest offenses, disparaging the Dharma, being an icchantika, and so forth. They must weep bitterly and shed tears, give rise to deep shame, penetrate to the very marrow of their hearts, and reprove themselves to the bone. Having repented, they return to the previous posture and sit, steadying the mind to grasp the object. If the object manifests, and the aforementioned three obstacles are completely eradicated, the pure object contemplated will be brightly clear and pure. This is called the sudden eradication of obstacles. One who eradicates them completely with a single repentance is called a person of sharp faculties. If with a single repentance only the dark obstacle is eliminated, or with a single repentance the yellow and white obstacles are eliminated, or with a single repentance only the white obstacle is eliminated, this is called gradual elimination, not sudden eradication. Having personally recognized that karmic signs are like this, one must simply repent with diligent mind; one who repents whenever one remembers, at the three periods or six periods of the day and night, is the most superior practitioner of highest faculties. It is like being burned by boiling water or fire: as soon as one feels it, one immediately recoils; how could one casually wait for a time, wait for a place, wait for conditions, or wait for another person before removing it?