往生集 1.233

1.233

贊曰。畫佛觀佛。善用者頗類。蓋畫能置人馬腹。豈不能置人佛國耶。然則畫工畫佛。何以不往生。噫問渠還室必淨。想必寂否。況畫工雜繪群形。喻老惟專一佛。專則觀也。非畫也。丹青者流。毋假口於此。

Appraisal: Painting the Buddha and contemplating the Buddha are quite similar for those who practice them well. Indeed, if painting can deposit a person into the belly of a horse, could it not deposit a person into the Buddha land? But if so, why do painters who paint the Buddha not attain rebirth? Alas! Ask them if their room is necessarily clean, and if their thoughts are necessarily stilled! Moreover, ordinary painters depict a multitude of varied forms, whereas Elder Yu concentrated solely on the one Buddha. Concentration is contemplation, not painting. Let painters not make excuses with this.