佛說觀佛三昧海經 3

English (machine translation) 3

Language: English

3.1

Translated by the Eastern Jin Indian Tripiṭaka Master Buddhabhadra

The Buddha told his father, the king: “How does one contemplate the Buddha’s ears? The Buddha’s ears hang down universally, and the earlobes spirally produce seven hairs, the rims, and various marks. When he was born in the royal palace and his ears were first pierced, both ear-holes produced flowers inside and outside. From within these lotuses and the seven hairs on the ears, rays of light flow forth in five hundred branches; each branch has five hundred colors, and each color produces five hundred transformation Buddhas; each Buddha has five bodhisattvas and five bhikṣus as attendants, circling the light clockwise five times, equal above and below, shining upon the Buddha’s ears. The Buddha’s ears are lovely, like precious lotuses suspended in the sunlight. When the Buddha was in the world, the entire great assembly saw this mark. This is called the color, marks, and light of the Buddha’s ears.”

3.4

The Buddha told his father, the king: “If the fourfold assembly stays far away from bustle and clamor, and with correct mindfulness contemplates the marks of the Buddha’s ears, in their place of birth their auditory organ will be pure and free from all defilements and evils. Their ears will always be able to hear the supreme, wondrous twelve divisions of scripture, and having heard them, they will believe, understand, and practice according to the teachings, eliminating the sins of eighty kalpas of birth and death. If one cannot see them, one should enter a stūpa as before and attentively contemplate the ears of an image for one to fourteen days, and one will also attain the merit explained just now. Therefore, the wise should diligently practice and accumulate the correct contemplation of the Buddha’s ears, and not let it be neglected or lost; even when suffering from illness and lying on one’s side, one should also contemplate the pure marks of the Buddha’s ears. If one thus contemplates the ears of an image, with mind unflagging as visualized before, in subsequent births one will always be surrounded by possessors of dhāraṇīs as retinue, hearing the Dharma and holding it in memory like strung pearls. Contemplating in this way is called correct contemplation; contemplating otherwise is called incorrect contemplation.”

3.5

“How does one contemplate the mark of the Tathāgata’s square cheeks? Within the six lines on the Tathāgata’s cheeks, symmetrical on the left and right, there are wondrous lights and colors, twice as brilliant as usual, with the light and color of Jāmbūnada gold shining everywhere, making the Buddha’s facial features appear like pure gold, as if combining hundreds of thousands of suns and moons. This is called the mark of the Tathāgata’s square cheeks.”

3.6

“After the Buddha’s nirvāṇa, if the Buddha’s disciples focus their mindfulness, contemplate, and perform this visualization, they will eliminate the sins of a hundred kalpas of birth and death, and will see all Buddhas face-to-face, clearly and without doubt. Contemplating in this way is called correct contemplation; contemplating otherwise is called incorrect contemplation.”

3.7

“How does one contemplate the mark of the Tathāgata’s lion yawn? When the Buddha opens his mouth, it is square and even like that of a lion king. From both corners of the mouth flow forth three rays of light; their golden color exceeds the previous light by hundreds of thousands of ten millions of times, ascending into the light of the ears, circling the hair, and emerging from the occipital bone to circle the preceding halo. Between each line there are three transformation Buddhas; each transformation Buddha has two Brahmā kings as attendants. This is called the mark of the Tathāgata’s lion yawn.”

3.8

“After the Buddha’s nirvāṇa, if disciples of the fourfold assembly perform this contemplation, they will eliminate the sins of ten kalpas of birth and death. In subsequent births, their mouths will always have the fragrance of utpala flowers, and whatever they proclaim, people will believe and accept, just as Śakra and the thirty-two devas are fully trusted by all. Contemplating in this way is called correct contemplation; contemplating otherwise is called incorrect contemplation.”

3.9

“What is called contemplating the mark of the Tathāgata’s nose? The Tathāgata’s nose is high, long, and straight, situated in the center of the face; the tip of the Tathāgata’s nose is like the beak of a falcon king. From the nostrils light flows, pouring upward and downward. The upward light ascends into the eyes, eyebrows, the mark of the white hair-tuft, and the hairline, directly entering the bone of the crown uṣṇīṣa like a golden banner, emerging from the occipital bone to transform into various flowers. Atop the flowers there are celestial musicians (gandharvas) holding musical instruments in their hands, everywhere entering among all the transformation Buddhas to serve as an escort, circling the light ten times. The downward light descends directly into the Buddha’s moustache, surrounding the hairs of the moustache, causing flowers to blossom at their roots like grains of panic grass, flowing into the lips and palate, and between the teeth, illuminating and adorning the throat, descending to the Buddha’s chest to form clouds of light, pure within and without, free from all dust and obscuration, like a vaiḍūrya vessel forming golden flames of light. This is called the mark of the Tathāgata’s truly pure nose.”

3.10

“After the Buddha’s nirvāṇa, if the Buddha’s disciples contemplate in this way, they will eliminate the extremely grave evil karma of a thousand kalpas. In their future rebirths they will smell sublime fragrance, their minds will be clear and free from attachment to fragrances, and they will always take the fragrance of morality as bodily ornamentation. Contemplating in this way is called correct contemplation; contemplating otherwise is called incorrect contemplation.”

3.11

“How does one contemplate the Tathāgata’s moustache? From the tips of the hairs of the moustache blossom three rays of light: purple, dark blue, and red. Such light shines directly from the sides of the mouth, circling the neck upward, surrounding the circular halo to form three kinds of lines, which are distinct. Among the colors, the uppermost produces a precious jewel between each line; the light of the jewels possesses hundreds of thousands of colors. Beneath the jewels, white flowers support one another stem by stem. Having completed three circuits, the light then returns into the moustache. This is called the light-mark of the Tathāgata’s moustache.”

3.12

“After the Buddha’s nirvāṇa, those who perform this contemplation will eliminate the sins of thirty kalpas of birth and death. In subsequent births, all the pores of their bodies will possess natural light, their minds will find no pleasure in attachments to home, kin, or worldly delights, and they will always delight in leaving the household life to practice the dhūta austerities. Contemplating in this way is called correct contemplation; contemplating otherwise is called incorrect contemplation.”

3.13

"How does one contemplate the Tathāgata's mark of lips delightfully red like the bimba fruit? From the upper and lower lips, as well as the gums and palate, light harmoniously emerges. That light is spherical, resembling strings of hundreds of thousands of red pearls. It exits the Buddha's mouth and enters the Buddha's nose; it exits the Buddha's nose and enters the white curl of hair (ūrṇā); it exits the white curl of hair and enters between the strands of his hair; it exits from between the strands of his hair and enters into the halo of light, shining upon and adorning the various flowers. Light arises from the imprints on the forty teeth in his mouth; its light is red and white, each ray illuminating the others and shining on the forty teeth, causing the bases of the forty teeth naturally to be uniformly white like a crystal wall, upper and lower even and without disparity. The patterns and lines between the teeth radiate various beams of light, also red and white. During the Buddha's lifetime, these various colours dazzled the eyes of people. After the Buddha's parinirvāṇa, one should contemplate and see these colours with the eye of the mind.

3.14

"If disciples of the Buddha practice this contemplation, they eliminate the sins of birth and death for two thousand kalpas. In their future rebirths, their lips and mouths will be exquisite, their teeth will have neither gaps nor deficiencies, and they will attain the supreme of colours. Though they attain such colour, their minds will not be greedily attached to it. They will constantly see the Buddhas, voice-hearers, and pratyekabuddhas, who will expound the Dharma for them so that their minds are free from doubt. To contemplate in this way is called correct contemplation; to contemplate otherwise is called false contemplation.

3.15

"How does one contemplate the Tathāgata's mark of the broad and long tongue? The Tathāgata's tongue was obtained as a karmic reward from the ten pāramitās and the ten virtuous deeds. Under the base of his tongue and on both sides of the tongue, there are two precious gems that pour forth sweet dew (amṛta) dripping onto the base of the tongue. Heavenly beings, mortals, and bodhisattvas of the ten grounds have neither this mark of the tongue nor this taste. On the tongue are five patterns like the markings of a jewelled seal. This supreme taste enters the seal patterns, flowing up and down into lapis lazuli tubes. When the Buddhas smile, they move the base of their tongues. Due to the power of this taste, the tongue emits five rays of light, distinct in five colours, circling the Buddha seven times and then re-entering through his crown. When the Buddha extends his tongue, it is like a lotus petal, reaching up to the hairline and completely covering the Buddha's face. Under the tongue, there are also veins of various variegated colours. This supreme taste flows into the veins, and due to the power of that taste, transforms into numerous beams of light possessing fourteen colours.

3.16

"Two rays of light shine upward on immeasurable worlds. Between each ray of light is a platform of light whose various marvellous colours cannot be fully described. Each platform of light has countless niches; in each niche, immeasurable transformation Buddhas sit cross-legged, completely surrounded by voice-hearers, bodhisattvas, and the entire assembly. Traversing immeasurable worlds above, they transform into a single Buddha whose body is tall and eminent like Mount Sumeru. The number of such Buddhas is immeasurable; they all extend the mark of their tongues in the same way!

3.17

"Two rays of light shine downward to the Avīci hell, turning the Avīci hell golden-yellow. Through the power of the Buddha's tongue, the suffering beings are granted temporary respite and sigh with remorse over the evil deeds done in their former lives. Going down through immeasurable worlds in this way, in each world are transformed jewelled flower-trees, their leaves shaped like the Buddha's tongue. The marks of their tongues emit light, each ray shining upon the next and transforming into transformation Buddhas whose bodies are pure silver-white and endowed with the marks. Each transformation Buddha extends a broad and long tongue, and within the light of the tongue-mark are transformation Buddhas; the number of such transformation Buddhas is immeasurable. The radiance of the transformation Buddhas forms a silver mountain, high, large, and boundless. Among those mountains, silver trees, golden flowers, and silver fruits exclusively grow. Beneath the trees are white jade lotus flowers, and atop the flowers are white jade transformation people. From the navels of the jade people, six dragons are manifested; the mouths of the dragons are black and the colour of the dragons is pure white. The number of these transformed jade people is immeasurable. Going further down through immeasurable worlds, white jade trees are seen emerging from below up to the Sahā world, flourishing further up to the summit of the three realms. Their branches spread wide, and their leaves have colours—ninety-eight colours in all. Each leaf covers the three realms. Between the leaves, there are dragons, elephants, tigers, wolves, lions, venomous insects, vicious beasts, wildcats, and mice; there is nothing not present. Other realms are seen by the practitioner themselves.

3.18

"One ray of light shines toward the eastern direction, causing the ground of the east to become golden. Mountains, rivers, trees, and forests are all engulfed in fire, yet the fiery light and the golden light do not obstruct one another. At the tips of the golden light, there are transformation Buddhas, Buddha after Buddha in succession, extending to the immeasurable worlds of the eastern direction, just as dense as stalks of rice or hemp without any gaps. Each Buddha has immeasurable bodhisattvas as attendants. These bodhisattvas also extend the mark of the tongue, exactly like that of the Buddha. The immeasurable radiance of these marks of the tongue transforms into clouds of light. Within the clouds of light, as many transformation Buddhas as fine dust motes sit cross-legged. Such rays of light are immeasurable in number. At that time, at the tip of the flames, there are five yakṣas holding sharp swords; with four mouths on their heads, they inhale fire as they run. The number of such spirits is immeasurable, extending to the eastern direction in just the same way!

3.19

"One ray of light illuminates the immeasurable worlds of the southern direction, making those worlds the colour of lapis lazuli. Upon the lapis lazuli ground grow golden flowers; upon the golden flowers grow agate flowers; upon the agate flowers grow tridacna flowers; upon the tridacna flowers grow rose-gem flowers; upon the rose-gem flowers grow amber flowers; upon the amber flowers grow coral flowers; upon the coral flowers grow solar-essence flowers; upon the solar-essence flowers grow diamond flowers; upon the diamond flowers grow mani-light flowers. Between each petal of the mani-light flowers, there are immeasurable colours and hundreds of millions of jewelled flowers. On each flower stamen, there are immeasurable Śākyamuni [Buddhas] sitting cross-legged, surrounded by the great assembly of bodhisattvas. At that time, from the bodily pores of all in the great assembly, these flowers also emerge. Rare events appear on each flower, as described above. These transformation Buddhas extend their broad and long tongues, displaying radiance that is hundreds of thousands of myriads of times superior to those marks. Between the flowers are exquisite jewelled thrones, lofty and magnificent like the couch of the Brahmā king. On each couch is a great bodhisattva, with features dignified and majestic like Maitreya, who also extends the mark of the broad and long tongue. The radiance of their tongues forms mani nets covering the transformation Buddhas and the great assembly. From within the mani nets, great precious light emerges; at the tip of that precious light, there are further immeasurable and boundless transformation Buddhas. Each transformation Buddha has countless bhikṣu attendants. At that time, the bhikṣus sit on golden lotus flowers, their bodies golden-yellow, settled in dhyāna with palms joined, entering the concentration of buddha-mindfulness (buddhānusmṛti-samādhi). From all the pores of their bodies, golden light emerges. Each ray of light transforms into a transformation Buddha like a golden mountain, surrounding the bhikṣus, and transformation bhikṣus also surround the Buddhas, in numbers too great to be spoken of.

3.20

"One ray of light shines toward the western direction, making the ground of the west the colour of crystal. Upon the crystal ground are diamond clouds; within the diamond clouds are white jewel clouds; within the white jewel clouds are red pearl clouds; within the red pearl clouds are white pearl clouds; within the white pearl clouds are purple pearl clouds; within the purple pearl clouds are green pearl clouds; within the green pearl clouds are pink pearl clouds; within the pink pearl clouds are clouds of Jāmbūnada gold sand; within the gold sand clouds are clouds of diamond and mani dust motes; within the clouds of diamond and mani dust motes are clouds of dust motes of all jewel colours. Within each of these clouds are fifty-six hundred million colours, exquisite and fresh, exceeding the scope of the eyes; only a tranquil mind can accord with them. In these marks, there are further immeasurable transformation Buddhas like dust motes; for each transformation Buddha, there are immeasurable transformed disciples like dust motes. The dust motes are not large, and the Buddhas are not small, dignified and exquisite like Śākyamuni, and they also extend the mark of their tongues.

3.21

"One ray of light shines toward the northern direction, making the ground of the north the colour of tridacna. Upon the tridacna ground are diamond stūpas. Each Buddha stūpa is surrounded by hundreds of thousands of wondrous stūpas, immeasurable in number; the smallest stūpa is fifty hundred million nayutas of yojanas high. Inside each stūpa, there are further hundred-million dust-mote-numbered niches and caves. In each cave, immeasurable and boundless waters of jewel colours gush forth naturally. Upon these waters, large lotuses display radiance. When this light appears, its fragrance is exquisite, surpassing the fragrance of sandalwood on this side of the sea by hundreds of thousands of myriads of times. This fragrance transforms into exquisite radiance; within the rays of radiance are transformation Buddhas whose bodily colours are exquisite, supreme among jewels, and all kinds of jewels emerge from their tongue-marks. At that time, in each cave there is immeasurable radiance; in each ray of radiance, immeasurable transformation Buddhas; and each transformation Buddha further extends the mark of the tongue, its radiance immeasurable, also forming fragrant stūpas, extending beyond the immeasurable worlds of the northern direction, inexhaustible—all arising from the ocean-like samādhi of buddha-mindfulness.

3.22

"One ray of light shines toward the south-eastern direction, making the ground of the south-east the colour of agate. Upon the agate ground are amber mountains; upon the amber mountains grow forests of the seven treasures. Among the seven-treasure forests are ten springs of water; the waters have the colours of ten jewels. The colours of the water emit light, illuminating the immeasurable worlds of the south-eastern direction everywhere. Where the light shines, there are great jewel mountains; between each mountain and beneath each tree grow māndarāva flowers and mahāmāndarāva flowers. On the flower platforms is a transformation Buddha of pure lapis lazuli colour, clear and transparent inside and out beyond description. Light of variegated jewel colours circles his body a thousand times. Within each light are immeasurable transformation Buddhas; each transformation Buddha is surrounded by an immeasurable assembly, all of lapis lazuli colour. Each transformation Buddha extends the light of the tongue-mark, which transforms into jewelled mountains. These jewelled mountains extend further across the immeasurable worlds of the south-east.

3.23

"One ray of light shines upon the immeasurable worlds of the south-western direction, making the ground of the south-west pure coral in colour. Upon the coral ground rise jasper pavilions; the lowest pavilion is fifty hundred million yojanas high. A pavilion has one hundred million pillars; each pillar has the colours of ten billion jewels. Each jewel emits countless rays of light; each ray of light transforms into immeasurable thousands of billions of jewelled trees. Beneath each tree are six springs of water, which enter through the roots of the trees and emerge from the branches; as they flow out, they display six jewel colours. Within each water grows a lotus flower, its blossom fresh and white. Atop the flower is a white transformation Buddha whose body is extraordinarily white, surpassing all else. Above the white colour are five hundred colours, with exquisite radiance circling the Buddha's body. Each ray of radiance transforms into countless Buddhas; each transformation Buddha has countless bodhisattvas. The pillars of the pavilions all emit light; within each ray of light are countless transformation Buddhas. Blue-green transformation Buddhas walk upon the coral ground, while white transformation Buddhas walk atop the jasper pavilions. The chambers and niches of the pavilions all have countless transformation Buddhas such as these, who also extend the mark of the tongue and emit great light. That light is exquisite, illuminating the immeasurable worlds of the south-west inexhaustibly.

3.24

"One ray of light shines toward the north-western direction, turning the north-west into amber ground. Upon the amber ground rise pearl mountains; upon the pearl mountains are coral trees, white jade leaves, mani flowers, golden fruits, and solar-essence stamens. Beneath the trees, there are naturally large lions whose bodies are made of the seven treasures. The lions' eyes emit great light that illuminates the amber ground, causing a great lotus flower to grow upon the amber ground, its circumference immeasurable and boundless. On each flower is a cloud of light, purple in colour; atop the clouds are nets of green pearl colour. Between the pearl nets grow golden lotuses; upon the golden lotuses is a transformation Buddha whose body is purple-golden, encircled by radiance of five colours: blue-green, yellow, red, white, and [purple]. Within each ray of light are countless transformation Buddhas; each transformation Buddha has an immeasurable assembly. These transformation Buddhas extend their broad and long tongues in just the same way! In this manner, it thoroughly illuminates the immeasurable worlds of the north-western direction, the radiance of the tongue-marks inexhaustible."

3.25

“One ray of light shines upon the northeastern direction, causing the earth in the northeast to turn purely the color of vajra. Upon the vajra ground grow flowers formed from a combination of the seven treasures. Upon the flowers rise banners of jambūnada-gold color. At the head of each banner is a flower; those flowers have boundless hundreds of thousands of jewel colors and countless petals. Each flower petal transforms into boundless hundreds of thousands of jeweled canopies. At each corner of the canopies are seven-jeweled banners, and at the top of each banner is a seven-jeweled canopy, whose covering extends over all worlds in the land of the northeastern direction. The canopies have five pennants formed of pure yellow gold, and the pennants have tens of millions of boundless precious bells. The bells emit sublime sounds praising the Buddha's name, praising veneration of the Buddha, praising recollection of the Buddha, and praising repentance. After producing these sounds, from the ground beneath the jeweled canopies great light leaps forth—sublime light numbering countless hundreds of billions. Within each light, boundless transformation Buddhas sit cross-legged, seated within the jeweled canopies. Further, they leap up and abide in empty space: leaping in the east and vanishing in the west, leaping in the west and vanishing in the east; leaping in the south and vanishing in the north, leaping in the north and vanishing in the south; leaping at the periphery and vanishing in the center, leaping in the center and vanishing at the periphery. Or they manifest a great body that fills empty space; having grown large, they again manifest as small, their bodies like mustard seeds, walking, standing, sitting, and lying down in empty space; emitting water from the upper body and fire from the lower body, emitting water from the lower body and fire from the upper body; treading on earth as if on water, and treading on water as if on earth. In the water grow lotuses as large as chariot wheels, and upon the flowers are Buddhas sitting cross-legged. Boundless and limitless transformation Buddhas such as these are seen simultaneously leaping into the air and performing the eighteen transformations. Above the fire grows a golden Mount Sumeru, adorned with the constellations, the sun and moon, the seven treasures, the nāgas, yakṣas, and the waters of the great ocean. In this way, all the existences to the left and right of these many Mount Sumerus fully appear. These many mountains are boundless in number, and on their peaks are Buddhas who also manifest the mark of the tongue. The light of this mark of the tongue completely illuminates boundless worlds in the northeastern direction, inexhaustible and without end.

3.26

“One ray shines upward from Jambudvīpa to the palaces of the Four Heavenly Kings, causing the Four Heavenly Kings to all see the Bhagavat Śākyamuni, the Sun among Men, riding upon a seven-jeweled terrace and proceeding with the great assembly to that heaven. Having seen him, the devas arouse the bodhicitta. This extends to all the devas of the formless realm, who all see this mark clearly and distinctly without confusion in their minds, causing the formless realm devas not to slander nirvāṇa and to give rise to the aspiration for bodhi.

3.27

“One ray shines downward upon the asuras, yakṣas, gandharvas, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, nāgas, rākṣasas, pūtanas, kumbhīras, spirits who consume human vitality, kumbhāṇḍas, kṛtyas, spirits of the wilderness, pretas, vomit-eating pretas, spittle-eating pretas, pus-and-blood-eating pretas, feces-and-urine-eating pretas, mountain spirits, tree spirits, and water spirits. The bodies of several hundred thousand such spirits and deities temporarily take on the color of devas' bodies, becoming supple, joyful, and serene, like a monk entering the third dhyāna. In accordance with their respective karmic practices, these spirits spontaneously arouse the three kinds of bodhicitta. When the light of the mark of the tongue appears to the pretas, it is like cold water extinguishing the fire between their joints. Once the fire is extinguished, the molten copper falls to the ground and sinks straight into the earth. At that time, all the pretas open their mouths and cry out: ‘We are starving, starving! For tens of millions of years we have never seen water. Now we encounter this water, which dispels the heat with cool refreshment. Whose power is this?’ A voice in the sky proclaims: ‘Foolish pretas, there is a Buddha, a Bhagavat, who emits light from his tongue. His light shines upon you, causing all your bitter afflictions to come to rest.’ When these words have been spoken, before each preta appears a compassionate mother seated on a lotus throne. Just as a compassionate mother embraces an infant and gives it milk to drink, she satisfies the pretas. Once satisfied, they arouse the bodhicitta. Once they have aroused this aspiration, each compassionate mother transforms into a Buddha. At that time, each Buddha also emits the mark of the tongue to deliver the pretas.”

3.28

The Buddha withdrew the mark of his tongue. This light, of a thousand colors, circled the Buddha a thousand times. Within the light were a thousand Buddhas who entered through the Buddha's crown. After they entered, the Buddha's body became majestically manifest: the thirty-two primary marks and eighty secondary signs all shone brightly, and streaming light suffused his entire body, gleaming and radiant, surpassing hundreds of thousands of countless billions of suns.

3.29

The Buddha told his father the king: “The Tathāgata's mark of the tongue and the merits of his tongue, and the sphere of contemplating the tongue, are like this! After the Buddha's parinirvāṇa, for those who cultivate sharp mindfulness of the Buddha and contemplate the Buddha's tongue, the sphere of their mental eye will be as spoken above. One who performs this contemplation will eradicate the sins of life and death accumulated over a hundred billion eighty-four thousand kalpas, and upon relinquishing this body in another life, will encounter eighty billion Buddhas. In the presence of those Buddhas, they will see those Buddhas' marks of the broad and long tongue emitting great light, just like this! Thereafter, they will receive the prediction of the path to bodhi.”

3.30

The Buddha told Ānanda: “Uphold the Buddha's words and do not let them be forgotten. Tell the disciples that one who rectifies their body and mind, sits upright in correct concentration, and contemplates the broad and long tongue is no different from when I am in the world. If there are sentient beings who hear this discourse and do not feel alarm, doubt, or give rise to slander, who do not vex those who practice mindfulness of the Buddha, but encourage them and offer them worship, reverence, honor, and praise—though such people may not themselves practice mindfulness of the Buddha, by virtue of their good intention they will eliminate the extremely grave evil karma of a hundred kalpas. In their future rebirths they will encounter Maitreya, and up to Rucika Buddha; in the presence of a thousand Buddhas they will hear the Dharma and receive transformation, constantly attaining this buddhānusmṛti-samādhi.”

3.31

The Buddha told his father the king: “Such contemplation is called correct contemplation. If one contemplates otherwise, it is called incorrect contemplation.

3.32

“How does one contemplate the mark of the Tathāgata's neck, the mark of his filled-in collarbones, the mark of the auspicious character on his chest, and the mark of the svastika emblem? From among these characters emerges a halo of light. The round mark of the neck is like a lapis lazuli cylinder suspending a fine golden banner. On the throat are distinct dot-marks, resembling the character ‘I’. From each dot flow two rays of light; each ray circles the halo in front, completing seven full circuits with every stroke distinct. Between each stroke is a sublime lotus, upon which are seven transformation Buddhas. Each transformation Buddha has seven bodhisattvas as attendants. Both hands of each bodhisattva hold a wish-fulfilling cintāmaṇi jewel; the jewels possess golden light and are fully endowed with blue, yellow, red, white, and jewel colors. Circling thus amid the rays and strokes—this is called the mark of the halo emerging from the Buddha's neck, the inscription of the virtuous character on his chest, the filled-in collarbones in the svastika emblem, and the mark of the pearls beneath his armpits. Among these marks, each superior mark possesses variegated light of five hundred colors that reflect and illuminate each other without mutual obstruction. The light of each color circles the neck light a full five hundred times. In each stroke are five hundred transformation Buddhas; each transformation Buddha has five hundred bodhisattvas as attendants, and five hundred monks holding white flywhisks standing in attendance to the left and right. In these lights, the light of the transformation Buddhas, the light of the transformation bodhisattvas, and the light of the transformation monks all manifest clearly: the great Mount Sumeru, the palaces of the Four Heavenly Kings, the palaces of the various devas, the sun, moon, and stars, the nāga palaces, the spirit palaces, the asura palaces, the spirits of the ten jewel mountains, the spirits of the four seas, the aquatic creatures, the gandharvas, and so forth; the objects of reverence worshipped by the brahmins, the ninety-five kinds of unusual arts of the ṛṣis, and the karmic connections through successive lifetimes with parents and relatives—such spirits and beings all fully manifest within the Buddha's light.

3.33

“Furthermore, hundreds of billions of boundless spirits and deities reflectively appear in the halo, preaching filial duty to the people of Jambudvīpa. When these phantom people see the crowds, they all say of their own accord: ‘I was your father, I was your mother; in boundless lifetimes, your name was such-and-such, and my name was such-and-such.’ Boundless multitudes such as these, being objects of reverence for sentient beings, are seen distinctly in the Buddha's halo like a painting or like seeing one's face in a mirror. Such marks are called the halo. It encircles the Buddha's neck, extending one fathom upward, one fathom downward, one fathom to the left, and one fathom to the right, fully reaching eight feet. From within the halo flow transformation Buddhas. The things that all sentient beings long to see all appear clearly within it. Above the halo is a golden radiance, majestically manifest and delightful like a cintāmaṇi jewel. Amid the cintāmaṇi radiance, flowering trees are phantasmally produced; those trees are golden, and hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of jambūnada-gold [treasures] cannot compare to them. Beneath each tree is a precious lotus, and upon the lotus is a transformation Buddha of pure yellow gold, covered overhead as if by a lapis lazuli canopy, bringing into clear relief his golden countenance with distinct boundaries. Such transformation images are boundless in number.

3.34

“When the Buddha was in the world, whenever the Bhagavat walked, this light illuminated the ground: one yojana ahead was purely of yellow gold; one yojana behind was purely of yellow gold; one yojana to the left was purely of yellow gold; one yojana to the right was purely of yellow gold. If someone walked close to the Buddha's left or right, that person's foul odors would completely disappear, and people gazing from afar would see them as equally of golden color. When the Buddha sat beneath a tree, this light blazed brilliantly, like an array of golden flowers scattered through the Jeta Grove. If someone attentively observed the light of the Buddha's nape: one who looked while walking in front saw the Buddha in front; one who looked from behind saw the Buddha behind; one who looked from the left saw the Buddha on the left; one who looked from the right saw the Buddha on the right. When people coming from the eight directions saw the light of his nape from afar, they each said: ‘The śramaṇa Gautama is wandering at ease amidst golden mountains, coming toward my place.’ In this way, people each had different visions; this is called the light of the nape. When this light is seen, tens of billions of rays of light arise from the uṣṇīṣa on the Buddha's crown, one light succeeding another, up to boundless worlds in the zenith; even the devas, humans of the world, and bodhisattvas of the tenth ground cannot see [its limit]. His hair coils to the right in superior, exquisite spiral whorls, with which the colors of kingfishers and peacocks cannot compare. A thousand rays of light rise up with blazing brilliance. When this light rises, all the sublime marks on the Buddha's uṣṇīṣa bone and within the Buddha's head all reflect and appear, filling his facial features with delightful light; the exquisite flowers gained as retribution in pure lands of humans and devas cannot serve as an analogy. The light of the Buddha's face becomes even more distinct. The light of the Buddha's neck, the Buddha's chest, and the Buddha's arms becomes many times brighter and clearer than before. The Buddha's knees emit light; that light is white and divides into four branches, which rotate upward along his body, transforming into white flowers that enter beneath the light of his nape. His navel emits five rays of light, each ray having two branches, and each branch having five colors, which enter his ribs; like white jade tubes containing multi-colored water, they spontaneously leap forth from behind both shoulders, blazing like golden cintāmaṇi gems standing against one another. In the cintāmaṇi lights are sublime lotuses; upon each lotus are seven transformation Buddhas, appearing like paintings or seals, rotating with the Buddha's body without mutual obstruction. Between the aineya-antelope calves, the interconnected bones, and the coiled-nāga knots, golden rays of light emerge from within. Each of these rays emerges from one joint and enters another joint, harmoniously combining in this way into one great light, like a golden cintāmaṇi, resting behind the Buddha's elbows and blazing up to the light of his crown. His copper-colored nails and webbed toes and fingers each have light; that light is brilliantly radiant, like lapis lazuli and crystal, fully endowed with the colors of the seven treasures, matching the Buddha's body from the insteps of his feet like cintāmaṇi jewels, and ascending like the previous light up to the halo.”

3.35

"Under the soles of [the Buddha's] feet, from the mark of the wheels and from the elongated heels, a flower arises from each. Those flowers are subtle and wondrous, resembling utpala flowers of a pure realm, emerging from the Buddha's heels. They encircle the rays of light for a full ten circuits, flower succeeding flower. Within each flower are five transformation Buddhas; each transformation Buddha has fifty bodhisattvas as attendants; and above the crown of each bodhisattva there arises cintāmaṇi-gem light. When these marks appear, from each and every pore of the Buddha's body there arise eighty-four thousand minute, subtle, minor rays of light, adorning the bodily light and making it exceedingly lovely. Such manifold, variegated colors are called the 'constant light', the 'agreeable light', also called the 'light according with what all sentient beings delight to see', and also called the 'light that bestows eyes upon sentient beings'. This light extends for one fathom, and its marks are manifold. When Ghoṣila contemplated this light of the Buddha, it became small accordingly, and even when the great bodhisattvas of other directions contemplated the Buddha, this light became large accordingly, as spoken in the Avataṃsaka."

3.36

The Buddha said to his father the king and instructed Ānanda: "I shall now reveal in full to you the marks and rays of the body." Having spoken these words, the Buddha arose from his seat and said to Ānanda: "All you monks and Śākya sons! All of you arise, place your palms together facing the Buddha, and attentively contemplate the Tathāgata, from the light of the crown down to the light of the feet, and from the uṣṇīṣa on the crown down to the flat, full marks under the feet." He further instructed the monks: "Again, from the flat, full marks under the feet upward to the uṣṇīṣa, also contemplate the Tathāgata's bodily light and the light of his neck." He further instructed: "From each and every pore of the Buddha throughout the entire body, contemplate each detail distinctly, like a person holding a mirror and viewing the reflection of their own face. If one gives rise to defiled, evil, and unwholesome thoughts, or if one has violated the Buddha's prohibitive precepts, one will see the image as purely black, like a person made of charcoal."

3.37

Among the assembly of Śākya sons, five hundred Śākya sons saw the Buddha's form-body as like a person made of charcoal; among the assembly of monks, one thousand people saw the Buddha's form-body as like a person of red earth; among the assembly of upāsakas, sixteen people saw the Buddha's form-body as like the leg of a black elephant; among the assembly of upāsikās, twenty-four people saw the Buddha's bodily form as like a heap of ink. Thus the four assemblies each saw differently. Among the assembly of bhikṣuṇīs, there were bhikṣuṇīs who saw the Buddha's form-body as white silver in color; among the assembly of upāsikās, there were upāsikās who saw the Buddha's form-body as indigo-dyed blue. Thus what the four assemblies saw when contemplating the Buddha's form-body was not the same.

3.38

At that time, hearing these words of the Buddha, the four assemblies wept and shed tears like rain, joined their palms, and said to the Buddha: "We now cannot see the wondrous form." The five hundred Śākya sons tore out their hair, threw their bodies to the ground, with blood running from their noses, [crying]: "The Buddha was born into our house. When the Buddha was first born, everyone saw him as pure golden yellow. Yet we alone constantly see the Buddha's body as like a person made of charcoal, or like emaciated brāhmaṇas. What transgressions and faults did we commit in past lifetimes? We pray only that the Sun of the Buddha will explain it for us!" Having spoken these words, they tore out their hair, wailing as before and writhing, throwing themselves to the ground.

3.39

At that time, the compassionate father uttered a Brahmā voice and consoled the Śākyas and the four assemblies: "Good sons! The Tathāgata, the Sun of the Buddha, appears in the world precisely to eliminate your transgressions and faults. Arise again; the Buddha knows the proper time and will explain it for you." At that time the great assembly arose from the ground, circumambulated the Buddha three times, and prostrated at the feet of the Bhagavat.

3.40

The five hundred Śākya sons went to Ānanda's place, paid homage to Ānanda, and said: "Venerable One! You and we were all born into the Śākya clan. You alone are intelligent and retain the Buddha's words, like pouring water into a different vessel. Due to our past sins, we cannot even see the Buddha's body, how much less hear the Dharma?" Having spoken these words, they wept before Ānanda.

3.41

At that time, the Tathāgata addressed the Śākya sons with a Brahmā voice and instructed the great assembly: "Brothers, do not wail anymore. In the past, there was a Buddha named Vipaśyin, Tathāgata, Arhat, Samyaksambuddha, who appeared in the world and taught and transformed sentient beings. After he had completed crossing people over and entered parinirvāṇa, during the Semblance Dharma period there was an elder named Candrasūryaguṇa, who had five hundred sons, intelligent and deeply wise, extensively learned in all worldly arts, asterisms, and calendar calculations, versed in them all. Their father, the elder, faithfully revered the Buddha's Dharma, and constantly spoke to his sons about the contemplation of the Buddha's mind, and also taught the profound twelve links of dependent origination. Having heard it, the sons harbored doubt and did not believe, saying: 'Our father is old and decrepit, deceived and confused by those śramaṇas. None of our books have such meaning; where has father sought and found this now?' At that time, because the father, the elder, pitied his sons, he concealed the Buddha's Dharma and did not expound it for them. Then all the sons simultaneously contracted a severe illness. Seeing that his sons' lives would not last long, the father went to his sons' quarters, wept and joined his palms before each child, and said: 'You held wrong views and did not believe the correct Dharma. Now the knife of impermanence is slicing through your bodies; in your minds' anguish, what will you rely on? There is a Buddha, a Bhagavat named Vipaśyin; you should recite his name.' Having heard this, out of respect for their father, the sons recited, 'Homage to the Buddha.' The father further told them: 'You should recite the Dharma, you should recite the Saṅgha.' Before they could recite three times, the sons' lives came to an end. Because they had recited the Buddha's name, they were born in heaven among the Four Heavenly Kings. When their heavenly lifespans ended, due to their former karma of wrong views, they fell into the great hells. Suffering torments in the hells, the warden rākṣasas gouged out their eyes with hot iron forks. While undergoing this suffering, they remembered the instructions their father, the elder, had given them. Because of recollecting the Buddha, they emerged from the hells and were reborn among humans, poor and base. When Śikhin Buddha appeared, they also encountered him, yet only heard the Buddha's name without seeing the Buddha's form; when Viśvabhū Buddha appeared, they also heard the Buddha's name; when Krakucchanda Buddha appeared, they also heard his name; when Kanakamuni Buddha appeared, they also heard his name; when Kāśyapa Buddha appeared, they also heard his name. By the cause and condition of hearing the names of the six Buddhas, they were born together with me. Although born here, while my bodily marks now are so dignified and adornment-filled, you see my body as like an emaciated brāhmaṇa; my body is golden, such that Jambūnada gold cannot compare, yet you see my form as like a person made of charcoal."

3.42

The Buddha told the Śākya sons: "You should now recite the names of the past Buddhas and pay homage to the Buddhas; also invoke your father's name and pay homage to the past Buddhas; also recite my name and pay homage to me; and in the future there will be a Buddha named Maitreya, to whom you should also pay homage. Acknowledge your sins of wrong views from past lifetimes. Now that the Buddha is currently in the world and the assembly of śramaṇas has all gathered like clouds, you should disclose and repent your faults before the Saṅgha of venerable monks, comply with the Buddha's words to repent your various sins, and in the presence of the assembly of the Buddha's Dharma, throw your five limbs to the ground like the collapse of Mount Tai. Repenting before the Buddha, your mind's eye will be opened, and you will see the Buddha's form-body, dignified, wondrous, and subtle, like Mount Sumeru brilliantly illuminating the great ocean."

3.43

Having seen the Buddha, their hearts were filled with great joy, and they said to the Buddha: "Bhagavat! We now see the Buddha's thirty-two marks and eighty minor marks, his body of golden-yellow color, each mark and sign radiating immeasurable light." Having spoken these words, they immediately attained the Path and became srotāpannas. They said to the king, their father: "We now wish to go forth into homelessness and cultivate the Path in the Buddha's Dharma."

3.44

The king, their father, said: "Ask the Buddha yourselves whether the Buddha will permit you or not."

3.45

They immediately went to the Buddha's place and said: "Bhagavat! We wish to go forth into homelessness." The Buddha said to the Śākya sons: "Welcome, monks!" Their beards and hair naturally fell away, and they instantly became śramaṇas; the clothes they wore transformed into Dharma robes. They joined their palms, paid homage to the Buddha, and recited 'Homage to the Buddha.' Before they could even lift their heads, they became arhats, fully endowed with the three knowledges and six supernormal knowledges.

3.46

The Buddha said to his father the king: "Great King, do you now see the Śākya sons repenting, eliminating their sins, and becoming arhats?"

3.47

The king, his father, said to the Buddha: "Indeed, I have already seen it!"

3.48

The Buddha said to his father the king: "These monks in a past life, with an evil mind, slandered the correct Dharma of the Buddha. Merely for the sake of their father did they recite 'Homage to the Buddha.' Life after life they were constantly able to hear the names of the Buddhas, until in this present life they encountered my appearance, saw the Buddha's form-body and saw the Saṅgha, heard what the Buddha taught, and repented their manifold sins. Because of repenting, their various obstacles were eliminated; because their obstacles were eliminated, they became arhats."

3.49

The Buddha said to Ānanda: "After my nirvāṇa, if gods and worldly humans recite my name and recite 'Homage to the Buddhas', the blessings and merit they obtain will be immeasurable and boundless. How much more so for those who concentrate their thoughts and recollect the Buddhas—how could their various obstacles not be extinguished and eliminated?"

3.50

The Buddha said to the monks: "The reason you saw the Buddha's form-body as like red earth is that in a past life, during the Final Dharma period of Dīpaṃkara Buddha, you went forth into homelessness to study the Path. Having gone forth, you gave rise to impure thoughts toward your teacher and preceptor. However, that preceptor had attained the path of an arhat. Knowing the disciples' thoughts, he told them: 'Dharma sons! Do not give rise to doubtful thoughts toward your preceptor and the Saṅgha. If you give rise to doubtful thoughts, there will never be any principle by which you can attain the pure precepts.' Then the monks, hearing the preceptor speak, gave rise to anger and hatred in their hearts. At that time, the preceptor, knowing the disciples' minds, gradually restrained himself and did not speak to them. Then the one thousand disciples, each according to their lifespan whether long or short, were about to die, while the preceptor was still living and had not entered nirvāṇa. At that time, the preceptor went to his disciples' quarters and spoke these words: 'You monks! When first receiving the Dharma, you doubted your teacher and doubted the precepts, consuming the alms of the faithful in vain. Now what will you rely on?' Hearing this, the men's hearts were terrified and their hair stood on end. They said: 'Preceptor! Expound the Dharma for us.' The preceptor said: 'Your situation is now urgent; it is not suitable to teach you to repent elsewhere. You should now simply recite the complete ten epithets: Dīpaṃkara Buddha, Tathāgata, Arhat, Samyaksambuddha.'

3.51

"Then the monks followed the preceptor's words and all recited, 'Homage to the Buddhas.' Having recited the Buddha's [name], they immediately passed away. Due to their wholesome thought, they were born in heaven; ascending to birth in Trāyastriṃśa, they naturally enjoyed pleasures. When their heavenly lifespans ended, they were born down in the world. Due to the sin of their past life—consuming the alms of the faithful in vain—they fell among hungry ghosts, with molten copper poured down their throats, their lifespans enduring for eighty-four thousand years. When their sins as hungry ghosts were exhausted, they were born among animals; when their sins as animals were exhausted, they were reborn among humans, adorned with poverty and baseness. Having been born among humans, they heard the names of the Buddhas. By the power of having gone forth in their past life, faith arose from within; as with their previous consciousness, they recited 'Homage to the Buddha.' By the cause, condition, and merit of reciting the Buddha's name, through eight thousand lifetimes they constantly encountered an era of a Buddha, yet with their eyes they did not behold the form-body of the Buddhas, how much less hear the Dharma? Until today, they have encountered my era, yet they see my body looking like red earth."

First 51 of 78 passages. Read on

Linked texts (1)

佛說觀佛三昧海經 — Classical Chinese