觀無量壽佛經義疏 3.37

3.37

「『此想成者，滅除五萬劫生死之罪，必定當生極樂世界。』」滅罪除疑。此是觀佛最初方便，滅罪猶少；次至像觀，滅罪乃多；後至佛觀，得無生忍，即破無明。五、簡邪正。

"‘When this visualization is accomplished, it extinguishes the offenses of saṃsāra of fifty thousand eons, and one will definitely be born in the world of Sukhāvatī.’" Eliminating offenses and destroying doubt. This is the initial expedient for contemplating the Buddha, so the offenses eliminated are still relatively few; when one proceeds to the contemplation of the image, the offenses eliminated are many; subsequently reaching the contemplation of the Buddha, one attains anutpattika-dharma-kṣānti, which shatters fundamental ignorance. Fifth, distinguishing the correct from the incorrect.