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

(25-27)

Illustrations from the Taima Mandala

By Hisao Inagaki

The aspirants in the highest level of the middle grade

[25] 佛告阿难及韦提希。中品上生者。若有众生受持五戒。持八戒斋。修行诸戒。不造五逆。无众过恶。以此善根。回向愿求生于西方极乐世界。行者临命终时。阿弥陀佛与诸比丘眷属围绕。放金色光至其人所。演说苦空无常无我。赞叹出家得离众苦。行者见已心大欢喜。自见己身坐莲花台。长跪合掌为佛作礼。未举头顷即得往生极乐世界。莲花寻开。当华敷时。闻众音声赞叹四谛。应时即得阿罗汉道。三明六通具八解脱。是名中品上生者。

The Buddha said to Ananda and Vaidehi, "Those who attain birth on the highest level of the middle grade are the sentient beings who keep the five precepts, observe the eight abstinences, practice in compliance with various precepts, and abstain from committing the five gravest offenses and other transgressions. They transfer the merit acquired to the Western Land of Utmost Bliss, aspiring to be born there.
"When such a person is about to die, Amitayus appears before him, surrounded by a host of monks and radiating a golden light. He then expounds the truth of suffering, emptiness, impermanence and no-self, and praises renunciation of the world as the way to escape from suffering.
"Seeing this, the aspirant greatly rejoices and finds himself seated upon a lotus-flower. He kneels down, joins his palms and worships the Buddha. Before he raises his head, he attains birth in the Land of Utmost Bliss, where his lotus-bud soon opens. When the flower opens, he hears various sounds and voices extolling the Four Noble Truths. He immediately attains Arhatship, acquires the three kinds of transcendent knowledge and the six supernatural powers, and realizes the eight samadhis of emancipation. Such a person is called one who attains birth on the highest level of the middle grade.

The aspirants in the middle level of the middle grade

[26]中品中生者。若有众生。若一日一夜持八戒斋。若一日一夜持沙弥戒。若一日一夜持具足戒。威仪无缺。以此功德。回向愿求生极乐国。戒香薰修。如此行者命欲终时。见阿弥陀佛与诸眷属放金色光。持七宝莲花至行者前。行者自闻空中有声。赞言。善男子。如汝善人。随顺三世诸佛教故。我来迎汝。行者自见坐莲花上。莲花即合。生于西方极乐世界。在宝池中。经于七日莲花乃敷。花既敷已。开目合掌赞叹世尊。闻法欢喜得须陀洹。经半劫已成阿罗汉。是名中品中生者。

"Those who attain birth on the middle level of the middle grade are the sentient beings who observe for at least a day and night the eight abstinences, the precepts for a novice or the complete precepts of a monk or a nun, and do not violate any of the rules of conduct. They transfer the merit acquired to the Land of Utmost Bliss, aspiring to be born there.
"When such an aspirant, perfumed by the virtue of observing the precepts, is about to die, he sees Amitayus coming towards him with his attendants, radiating a golden light and carrying a seven-jewelled lotus-flower. He hears a voice in the sky above praising him, saying 'Man of good deeds, since you are virtuous and have followed the teachings of the Buddhas of the three periods, I have come to welcome you.' The aspirant finds himself seated upon the lotus-flower. The flower having closed, the aspirant is born on a jewelled pond of the Western Land of Utmost Bliss. After seven days the lotus-bud unfolds, and then he opens his eyes. With joined palms he pays homage to the World-Honored One, rejoices at hearing the Dharma and reaches the Stage of a Stream-Winner. After half a kalpa, he becomes an Arhat. Such a person is called one who attains birth on the middle level of the middle grade. [345c]

The aspirants in the lowest level of the lowest grade

[27] 中品下生者。若有善男子善女人。孝养父母行世仁义。此人命欲终时遇善知识。为其广说阿弥陀佛国土乐事。亦说法藏比丘四十八大愿。闻此事已寻即命终。譬如壮士屈伸臂顷。即生西方极乐世界。生经七日遇观世音及大势至。闻法欢喜得须陀洹。过一小劫成阿罗汉。是名中品下生者。是名中辈生想。名第十五观。作是观者名为正观。若他观者名为邪观。

"Those who attain birth on the lowest level of the middle grade are good men and women who are dutiful to and care for their parents and do benevolent deeds for others. When such a person is about to die, he may meet a good teacher, who fully explains to him the bliss of the land of Amitayus and the Forty-eight Great Vows of the Bhiksu Dharmakara. Having heard this, he dies and in the short time it takes a strong man to bend and straighten his arm, he attains birth in the Western Land of Utmost Bliss. Seven days after his birth there, he meets Avalokiteshvara and Mahasthamaprapta, rejoices at hearing the Dharma from them and so reaches the Stage of a Stream-Winner. After one smaller kalpa, he becomes an Arhat. Such a person is called one who attains birth on the lowest level of the middle grade. These three together are known as the contemplation of the middle grade of aspirants and the fifteenth contemplation. To practice in this way is called the correct contemplation, and to practice otherwise is incorrect."

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）