Illustrated

Contemplation Sutra

《佛说观无量寿佛经》曼陀罗图解

经文翻译：刘宋西域三藏法师畺良耶舍 译

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Illustrations from the Taima Mandala

By Hisao Inagaki

Shakyamuni on the Vulture Peak

Devadatta's display of supernatural power and winning favor of Ajatashatru, who imprisoned King Bimbisara.

Queen Vaidehi brought food and drink to the king and the Buddha's disciples were sent to him through the air; Ajatashatru visited the prison and found the king still alive.

Enraged, Ajatashatru threatened to kill Vaidehi, but was stopped by the ministers. At Vaidehi,'s request, the Buddha's disciples appeared and then the Buddha himself. She prostrated herself before him.

[1] 如是我闻。一时佛在王舍城耆阇崛山中。与大比丘众千二百五十人俱。菩萨三万二千。文殊师利法王子。而为上首。

Thus have I heard. At one time the Buddha was staying on the Vulture Peak in Rajagriha [341a] with a large assembly of twelve hundred and fifty monks. He was also accompanied by thirty-two thousand bodhisattvas led by Manjushri, the Dharma Prince.

[2] 尔时王舍大城有一太子。名阿阇世。随顺调达恶友之教。收执父王频婆娑罗。幽闭置于七重室内。制诸群臣一不得往。国大夫人名韦提希。恭敬大王。澡浴清净。以酥蜜和糗用涂其身。诸璎珞中盛葡萄浆密以上王。尔时大王。食糗饮浆。求水漱口。漱口毕已。合掌恭敬。向耆阇崛山遥礼世尊。而作是言。大目乾连是吾亲友。愿兴慈悲授我八戒。时目乾连如鹰隼飞疾至王所。日日如是授王八戒。世尊亦遣尊者富楼那。为王说法。如是时间经三七日。王食糗蜜得闻法故。颜色和悦。

At that time, in the great city of Rajagriha, there was a prince named Ajatashatru. Instigated by his wicked friend, Devadatta, he seized his father, King Bimbisara, confined him in a room with seven-fold walls, and forbade all the court officials to visit the king.
Vaidehi, the king's consort, was devoted to him. After having bathed and cleansed herself, she spread over her body ghee and honey mixed to a paste with wheat flour, filled her ornaments with grape juice and secretly offered this food and drink to the king. He ate the flour paste and drank the juice and then asked for water. Having rinsed his mouth, he joined his palms in reverence and, facing the Vulture Peak, worshipped the World-Honored One from afar, said, "Mahamaudgalyayana is my close friend. I beseech you to have pity on me and send him here to give me the eight precepts."
Then Mahamaudgalyayana flew as swift as a hawk to the king. Day after day he came like this to give him the eight precepts. The World-Honored One also sent the Venerable Purna likewise to the palace to expound the Dharma to the king. Three weeks passed in this way. Because he had eaten the flour-paste and heard the Dharma, he appeared peaceful and contented.

[3] 时阿阇世问守门人。父王今者犹存在耶。时守门者白言。大王。国大夫人身涂麦蜜。璎珞盛浆持用上王。沙门目连及富楼那。从空而来为王说法。不可禁制。时阿阇世闻此语已。怒其母曰。我母是贼。与贼为伴。沙门恶人。幻惑咒术。令此恶王多日不死。即执利剑欲害其母。时有一臣名曰月光。聪明多智。及与耆婆。为王作礼。白言大王。臣闻毗陀论经说。劫初已来。有诸恶王贪国位故。杀害其父一万八千。未曾闻有无道害母。王今为此杀逆之事。污刹利种。臣不忍闻。是栴陀罗。我等不宜复住于此。时二大臣说此语竟。以手按剑却行而退。时阿阇世惊怖惶惧。告耆婆言。汝不为我耶。耆婆白言。大王。慎莫害母。王闻此语忏悔求救。即便舍剑止不害母。敕语内官。闭置深宫不令复出。

Then Ajatashatru asked the guard, "Is my father still alive?"
The guard replied, "Great king, his consort spreads flour paste over her body and fills her ornaments with grape juice and offers these to the king. The monks Mahamaudgalyayana and Purna come here through the air to expound the Dharma to him. It is impossible to stop them."
Hearing this, Ajatashatru became furious with his mother and said, "Because you are an accomplice to that enemy, mother, you too are an enemy. Those monks are evil, for with their delusive magic they have kept this wicked king alive for many days." So saying, he drew his sharp sword, intending to kill her.
At that time the king had a minister named Candraprabha who was intelligent and wise. Together with Jivaka he made obeisances to the king and said, "Great King, according to a certain Vedic scripture, since the beginning of this cosmic period, there have been eighteen thousand wicked kings who have killed their fathers out of their desire to usurp the throne, but we have never heard of anyone who has committed the outrage of killing his mother. Your Majesty, if you commit such an outrage, you will bring disgrace upon the ksatriya class. As your ministers, we cannot bear to hear what people will say. As this would be the act of an outcaste, we could no longer remain here."
Having spoken these words, the two ministers grasped their swords and stepped back. Agitated and frightened, Ajatashatru said to Jivaka, "Are you not on my side?"
Jivaka replied, "Your Majesty, please restrain yourself and do not kill your mother."
Hearing this, the king repented and begged their forgiveness. [341b] Having thrown away his sword, he stopped short of killing his mother and, instead, ordered the court officials to lock her in an inner chamber and not to allow her to leave.

[4] 时韦提希被幽闭已。愁忧憔悴。遥向耆阇崛山。为佛作礼而作是言。如来世尊在昔之时。恒遣阿难来慰问我。我今愁忧。世尊威重无由得见。愿遣目连尊者阿难。与我相见。作是语已。悲泣雨泪遥向佛礼。未举头顷。尔时世尊在耆阇崛山。知韦提希心之所念。即敕大目揵连及以阿难。从空而来。佛从耆阇崛山没。于王宫出。时韦提希礼已举头。见世尊释迦牟尼佛。身紫金色坐百宝莲华。目连侍左。阿难在右。释梵护世诸天在虚空中。普雨天华持用供养。时韦提希见佛世尊。自绝璎珞举身投地。号泣向佛白言。世尊。我宿何罪生此恶子。世尊复有何等因缘。与提婆达多共为眷属。

Vaidehi, thus confined, grew emaciated with grief and despair. Facing the Vulture Peak, she worshipped the Buddha from afar and said, "O Tathagata, World-Honored One, you used to send Ananda to comfort me. Now I am in deep sorrow and distress. Since there is no way of my coming to look upon your august countenance, World-Honored One, I pray you send the Venerable Mahamaudgalyayana and the Venerable Ananda here to see me."
When she had said these words, tears of sorrow streamed down her cheeks like rain. Then she bowed towards the Buddha in the distance. Even before she raised her head, the World-Honored One, who was then staying on the Vulture Peak, knew Vaidehi's thoughts and immediately ordered Mahamaudgalyayana and Ananda to go to her through the air; he himself disappeared from the mountain and reappeared in the inner chamber of the royal palace.
After worshipping him, Vaidehi raised her head and saw Shakyamuni Buddha, the World-Honored One. He was the color of purple gold and was seated upon a lotus-flower of a hundred jewels. He was attended by Mahamaudgalyayana on his left and Ananda on his right. Shakra, Brahma, the guardian gods of the world and other devas were in the air about him. Scattering heavenly blossoms like rain, they paid homage to the Buddha.
When she saw the World-Honored One, Vaidehi tore off her ornaments and prostrated herself on the ground. Weeping bitterly, she said to the Buddha, "O World-Honored One, what bad karma did I commit in former lives that I have borne such an evil son? I wonder, World-Honored One, what karmic relations could have made you a relative of Devadatta?

参考稻垣久雄教授的英文版曼陀罗图解
汉译经文配图：肖越（慈光居士）