大毘盧遮那成佛經疏 6.155

6.155

經云「先安布內色，非安布外色」者，凡圖畫法，當先建立內心祕密蓮花藏竟，次造第一重伊字三點諸內眷屬，次造第二重四菩薩等諸大眷屬，以及第三重一切世天眷屬。又諸界道，中央及第一重當具五色，先以白色為周界竟，次於其外布赤色界，次外又布黃色，次外又布青色，最外次布黑色。其第二重，亦依如上次第布白赤黃三色。第三重周界，但布純白一色。皆極令均調正直，漸次右旋布之。其行道及供養處外緣等，隨作一純色界。瞿醯云「但用白色」也。所以先白色從中向外者，明此菩提心五種根力漸次增廣，乃至住於大般涅槃，則遍一切處無所不在，故黑色最居外也。若從淺至深、自迹歸本，則世尊俯同六趣為初門眷屬開發淨菩提心。若眾生入此明門超百六十心時，則已出過世間上菩薩位，故第三漫荼羅唯以白色為界也。第二漫荼羅於白之上更加赤色黃色者，赤是勤勇，菩提心中進修萬行。黃是如來念處萬德開敷，爾時即入重玄門居寂光土，乃至近居補處猶故不識一人，故於第二重但以三色為界也。第一重漫荼羅，於三色之上更加青色黑色者，青是大空三昧，所謂如來身口意密無盡加持，故作大虛空色。黑謂如來壽量常住之身，如是妙身畢竟無像，故作深玄色。此二句是如來祕藏，非普為一切眾生，故名眷屬也。又入此深玄色者，即是如來自證中胎花藏，爾時見五智色皆同一法界色，何有淺深之殊。而諸眾生，有漸入者、有超昇者、有頓入者，然其所趣畢竟同歸，故云一切內深玄也。

Regarding the sūtra's statement, "First arrange and apply the inner colours; do not arrange and apply the outer colours": in the general method of painting, one should first establish the inner mind's secret lotus matrix. Once that is done, next construct the inner retinue of the first tier, [symbolized by] the three dots of the syllable 'i'. Next construct the great retinue of the four bodhisattvas and others of the second tier, and then all the worldly deva retinues of the third tier. Furthermore, regarding the dividing pathways: the centre and the first tier should be fully equipped with the five colours. First draw the perimeter border with white; next, on its outer [side], apply a red border; next, on the outer side of that, apply yellow; next, on the outer side of that, apply blue; and outermost, next apply black. The second tier also follows the sequence above, applying the three colours of white, red, and yellow. For the perimeter border of the third tier, apply only a single pure white colour. All must be made extremely even and straight, applied gradually in a clockwise rotation. For the walkways, the outer borders of the offering places, and so forth, make a border of any single pure colour. The Guhyakā says, "Use only white." As to why one begins with white and proceeds from the centre outward: this clarifies that the five kinds of faculties and powers of this bodhicitta gradually increase and expand, until by abiding in Mahāparinirvāṇa, it pervades all places without being absent anywhere; hence black resides outermost. If one proceeds from the shallow to the deep, returning from the traces to the origin, then the Bhagavat deigns to equal the six destinies to open up the pure bodhicitta for the retinue of the initial gateway. When sentient beings enter this luminously clear gateway and transcend the one hundred and sixty minds, they have already transcended the worldly realm and ascended to the rank of a bodhisattva; hence the third maṇḍala takes only white as its border. In the second maṇḍala, the addition of red and yellow on top of white is because red is vigorous exertion, progressively cultivating myriad practices within bodhicitta. Yellow is the flourishing of the Tathāgata's smṛtyupasthāna and myriad virtues; at that time one enters the gateway of profound mysteries and dwells in the Land of Tranquil Light, such that even those closely dwelling as [bodhisattvas bound to] one last rebirth still do not recognise a single person; thus in the second tier, only three colours serve as the border. In the first tier of the maṇḍala, the addition of blue and black on top of the three colours is because blue is the samādhi of great emptiness, namely the endless adhiṣṭhāna of the Tathāgata's mysteries of body, speech, and mind; hence it is rendered the colour of the great empty sky. Black refers to the Tathāgata's body of eternal lifespan; such a wondrous body is ultimately formless, and is therefore rendered a deep, dark colour. These two clauses represent the Tathāgata's secret treasury; they are not for all sentient beings universally, and are therefore called the "retinue". Furthermore, entering this deep, dark colour is the matrix of the central womb of the Tathāgata's personal realization. At that time, one sees that the colours of the five wisdoms are all the single colour of the dharmadhātu; how could there be any distinction of shallow or deep? Yet, among sentient beings, there are those who enter gradually, those who leap forward, and those who enter頓 suddenly; nonetheless, that towards which they tend ultimately converges in the same destination. Hence it is said: "All the inner [colours] are deeply profound and dark."