樂邦文類 4.138

4.138

Those who wish to cultivate the contemplation of rebirth should, in a single place, place a rope bed facing west, for the reason that it facilitates visualization and symbolizes the proper orientation. Sit upright in the cross-legged posture with neck and spine aligned, neither leaning forward nor hunching; harmonize your breathing, and settle and fix your mind. However, the contemplation methods cultivated in the sūtras and treatises are extremely numerous; how could a beginning commoner practice them all? Now, drawing from the essential and easy visualizations, two kinds are briefly demonstrated. Among these two kinds, one should follow what is suitable, not necessarily using both together. Those who are already proficient in other visualizations may do as they please; so long as one does not depart from the Pure Land teaching, one ought to cultivate it. Regarding the two kinds: First is to assist the intention of general contemplation. Having sat, visualize yourself that the merit cultivated at this very moment shall rightly lead to rebirth in the Land of Ultimate Bliss. You should immediately arouse the thought and visualize being born there: sitting cross-legged inside a lotus flower, visualizing the lotus flower closed, and visualizing the flower opening. When the flower opens, visualize five hundred colors of light coming to illuminate your body. Visualize opening your eyes, seeing the buddhas, bodhisattvas, and the land. Thereupon, visualize sitting before the Buddha listening to the wondrous Dharma, and hearing all sounds expound the Dharma you delight to hear, with all that is heard being in accord with the twelve divisions of the canon. When practicing this visualization, you must be extremely firm, keeping the mind undistracted. Let the mental visualization be clear and distinct, as if seen by the eyes; only after a long time should you arise. Second is to directly visualize Amitābha Buddha's sixteen-foot golden body sitting upon a flower. Exclusively focus on the single mark of the white curl between his eyebrows. The curl is one zhang and five chi in length, five cun in circumference, with eight ridges on the outside. The curl is hollow inside, spiraling to the right between the eyebrows, pristine, bright, and transparent beyond full description, shining against the golden countenance with clear boundaries. When practicing this visualization, halt the mind and concentrate on the visualization, firm and unmoving. Furthermore, one should contemplate that whatever is seen through mindfulness and visualization, whether accomplished or not yet accomplished, is all conditioned by mindfulness and visualization, lacking real nature and marks; all that exists is empty, just like a reflection of a face in a mirror, like the moon's reflection in water, like a dream, like an illusion. Though empty, it can still be seen; all is manifested by the nature of the mind. All that exists is one's own mind. The mind does not know the mind itself; the mind does not see the mind itself. If the mind has thoughts, that is delusion; if it is without thought, that is nirvāṇa. That the mind exists and that the mind does not exist are both termed having thoughts, and all are termed delusion, failing to see the dharmatā. Dharmas born of causes and conditions are identical to the empty, provisional, and middle; neither one nor different, neither vertical nor horizontal, inconceivable. When mental visualization is quiescent, one is able to accomplish the buddha-mindfulness samādhi; only after a long time should one arise.