观无量寿经（中英文对照）

CONTEMPLATION SUTRA THE SUTRA ON CONTEMPLATION OF AMITAYUS 观无量寿经 delivered by Shakyamuni Buddha Translated into Chinese during the Liu-Sung dynasty 刘宋西域三藏法师畺良耶舍 译 by the Tripitaka Master Kalayashas from Central Asia translated from Chinese by Hisao Inagaki Preface [1] 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. [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。 King Bimbisara imprisoned by his son Ajatashatru [2] 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. [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。 Queen Vaidehi's imprisonment [3] 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. [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。 Shakyamuni's visit to Vaidehi [4] 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? [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 wishes to be born in Amida's Pure Land [5] "I beseech you, World-Honored One, to reveal to me a land of no sorrow and no affliction where I can be reborn. I do not wish to live in this defiled and evil world of Jambudvipa where there are hells, realms of hungry spirits, animals and many vile beings. I wish that in the future I shall not hear evil words or see wicked people. World-Honored One, I now kneel down to repent and beg you to take pity on me. I entreat you, O Sun-like Buddha, to teach me how to visualize a land of pure karmic perfection." Then the World-Honored One sent forth from between his eyebrows a flood of light, which was the color of gold and illuminated the innumerable worlds in the ten quarters. Returning to the Buddha, the light settled on his head and transformed itself into a golden platform resembling Mount Sumeru. On the platform appeared the pure and resplendent lands of all the Buddhas in the ten quarters. Some of these lands were made of seven jewels, some solely of lotus-flowers; some resembled the palace in the Heaven of Free Enjoyment of Manifestation by Others, while some were like a crystal mirror in which all the lands in the ten quarters were reflected. Innumerable Buddha-lands like these, glorious and beautiful, were displayed to her. Vaidehi then said to the Buddha, "O World-Honored One, these Buddha-lands are pure and free of defilement, and all of them are resplendent. But I wish to be born in the Land of Utmost Bliss of Amitayus. I beseech you, World-Honored One, to teach [341c] me how to contemplate that land and attain samadhi." [5] 唯愿世尊。为我广说无忧恼处。我当往生。不乐阎浮提浊恶世也。此浊恶处。地狱饿鬼畜生盈满。多不善聚。愿我未来不闻恶声。不见恶人。今向世尊五体投地。求哀忏悔。唯愿佛日教我观于清净业处。尔时世尊放眉间光。其光金色。遍照十方无量世界。还住佛顶。化为金台如须弥山。十方诸佛净妙国土。皆于中现。或有国土七宝合成。复有国土纯是莲花。复有国土如自在天宫。复有国土如颇梨镜。十方国土皆于中现。有如是等无量诸佛国土严显可观。令韦提希见。时韦提希白佛言。世尊。是诸佛土。虽复清净皆有光明。我今乐生极乐世界阿弥陀佛所。唯愿世尊。教我思惟教我正受。 Emitting of light from Shakyamuni's smile [6] The World-Honored One smiled, and from his mouth came five-colored rays of light, each shining on King Bimbisara's head. Although the old king was confined, with his unhindered mind's eye he saw the World-Honored One in the distance. He knelt down in homage to the Buddha and effortlessly made spiritual progress until he reached the Stage of a Non-returner. [6] 尔时世尊即便微笑。有五色光从佛口出。一一光照频婆娑罗王顶。尔时大王虽在幽闭。心眼无障遥见世尊。头面作礼。自然增进成阿那含 Three acts of virtue for attaining birth in the Pure Land [7] Then the World-Honored One said to Vaidehi, "Do you know that Amitayus is not far away? Fix your thoughts upon and contemplate that Buddha-land, then you will accomplish the pure acts. I shall describe it to you in detail with various illustrations, so that all ordinary people in the future who wish to practice the pure karma may also be born in that Western Land of Utmost Bliss. Whoever wishes to be born there should practice three acts of merit: first, caring for one's parents, attending to one's teachers and elders, compassionately refraining from killing, and doing the ten good deeds; second, taking the three refuges, keeping the various precepts and refraining from breaking the rules of conduct; and third, awakening aspiration for Enlightenment, believing deeply in the law of causality, chanting the Mahayana sutras and encouraging people to follow their teachings. These three are called the pure karma." The Buddha further said to Vaidehi, "Do you know that these three acts are the pure karma practiced by all the Buddhas of the past, present and future as the right cause of Enlightenment?" [7] 尔时世尊告韦提希。汝今知不。阿弥陀佛去此不远。汝当系念谛观彼国净业成者。我今为汝广说众譬。亦令未来世一切凡夫欲修净业者得生西方极乐国土。欲生彼国者。当修三福。一者孝养父母。奉事师长。慈心不杀。修十善业。二者受持三归。具足众戒。不犯威仪。三者发菩提心。深信因果。读诵大乘。劝进行者。如此三事名为净业。佛告韦提希。汝今知不。此三种业乃是过去未来现在。三世诸佛净业正因。   Vaidehi asks how to visualize the Pure Land [8] The Buddha said to Ananda and Vaidehi, "Listen carefully, listen carefully and ponder deeply. I, the Tathagata, shall discourse on pure karma for the sake of all sentient beings of the future who are afflicted by the enemy, evil passions. It is very good, Vaidehi, that you have willingly asked me about this. Ananda, you must receive and keep the Buddha's words and widely proclaim them to the multitude of beings. I, the Tathagata, shall now teach you, Vaidehi, and all sentient beings of the future how to visualize the Western Land of Utmost Bliss. By the power of the Buddha all will be able to see the Pure Land as clearly as if they were looking at their own reflections in a bright mirror. Seeing the utmost beauty and bliss of that land, they will rejoice and immediately attain the insight into the non-arising of all dharmas." The Buddha said to Vaidehi, "You are an unenlightened, and so your spiritual powers are weak and obscured. Since you have not yet attained the divine eye, you cannot see that which is distant. But the Buddhas, Tathagatas, have special ways to enable you to see afar." Vaidehi said to the Buddha, "World-Honored One, through the Buddha's power, even I have now been able to see that land. But after the Buddha's passing, sentient beings will become defiled and evil, and be oppressed by the five kinds of suffering. How then will those beings be able to see the Land of Utmost Bliss of Amitayus?" [8] 佛告阿难及韦提希。谛听谛听善思念之。如来今者。为未来世一切众生为烦恼贼之所害者。说清净业。善哉韦提希快问此事。阿难。汝当受持广为多众宣说佛语。如来今者。教韦提希及未来世一切众生观于西方极乐世界。以佛力故。当得见彼清净国土。如执明镜自见面像。见彼国土极妙乐事。心欢喜故。应时即得无生法忍。佛告韦提希。汝是凡夫心想羸劣。未得天眼。不能远观。诸佛如来有异方便。令汝得见。时韦提希白佛言。世尊。如我今者以佛力故见彼国土。若佛灭后诸众生等。浊恶不善五苦所逼。云何当见阿弥陀佛极乐世界。 Thirteen contemplations: 1) contemplation of the setting sun [9] The Buddha said to Vaidehi, "You and other sentient beings should concentrate and, with one-pointed attention, turn your thoughts westward. How do you contemplate? All sentient beings [342a] except those born blind--that is, all those with the faculty of sight--should look at the setting sun. Sit in the proper posture, facing west. Clearly gaze at the sun, with mind firmly fixed on it; concentrate your sight and do not let it wander from the setting sun, which is like a drum suspended above the horizon. Having done so, you should then be able to visualize it clearly, whether your eyes are open or closed. This is the visualizing of the sun and is known as the first contemplation. To practice in this way is called the correct contemplation, and to practice otherwise is incorrect." [9] 佛告韦提希。汝及众生。应当专心。系念一处。想于西方。云何作想。凡作想者。一切众生自非生盲。有目之徒皆见日没。当起想念。正坐西向谛观于日。令心坚住。专想不移。见日欲没状如悬鼓。既见日已。闭目开目皆令明了。是为日想。名曰初观。作是观者名为正观。若他观者名为邪观。   2) contemplation of the water [10] The Buddha said to Ananda and Vaidehi, "After you have accomplished the first contemplation, next practice visualization of water. Envision the western quarter as entirely flooded by water. Then picture the water as clear and pure, and let this vision be distinctly perceived. Keep your thoughts from being distracted. After you have visualized the water, envision it becoming frozen. After you have visualized the ice as transparent to its depth, see it turning into beryl. When you have attained this vision, next imagine that the beryl ground shines brilliantly, inside and out, and that this ground is supported from below by columns, which are made of diamond and the seven jewels and hung with golden banners. These columns have eight sides and eight corners, each side being adorned with a hundred jewels. Each jewel emits a thousand rays of light, each ray in turn having eighty-four thousand colors. As they are reflected on the beryl ground, they look like a thousand kotis of suns, so dazzling that it is impossible to see them in detail. "On this beryl ground, golden paths intercross like a net of cords. The land is divided into areas made of one or the other of the seven jewels, so the partitions are quite distinct. Each jewel emits a flood of light in five hundred colors. The light appears in the shape of a flower or a star or the moon; suspended in the sky, it turns into a platform of light, on which there are ten million pavilions made of a hundred jewels. Both sides of this platform are adorned with a hundred kotis of flowered banners and innumerable musical instruments. As eight pure breezes arise from the light and play the musical instruments, they proclaim the truth of suffering, emptiness, impermanence and no-self. This is the visualizing of the water and is known as the second contemplation. [10] 佛告阿难及韦提希。初观成已。次作水想。想见西方一切皆是大水。见水澄清。亦令明了。无分散意。既见水已当起冰想。见冰映彻作琉璃想。此想成已。见琉璃地内外映彻。下有金刚七宝金幢。擎琉璃地。其幢八方八楞具足。一一方面百宝所成。一一宝珠有千光明。一光明八万四千色。映琉璃地。如亿千日不可具见。琉璃地上。以黄金绳杂厕间错。以七宝界分齐分明。一一宝中有五百色光。其光如花。又似星月。悬处虚空成光明台。楼阁千万百宝合成。于台两边各有百亿花幢无量乐器。以为庄严。八种清风从光明出。鼓此乐器。演说苦空无常无我之音。是为水想。名第二 3) contemplation of the ground [11] "When you have attained this contemplation, visualize each object quite clearly without losing the image, whether your eyes are closed or open. Except when sleeping, always keep it in mind. To practice in this way is called the correct contemplation, and to practice otherwise is incorrect." The Buddha said to Ananda and Vaidehi, "When the visualization of the water has been accomplished, it is called the general perception of the ground of the Land of Utmost Bliss. If you attain a state of samadhi, you will see this ground so clearly and distinctly that it will be impossible to describe it in detail. This is the visualizing of the ground and is known as the third contemplation." The Buddha said to Ananda, "Keep these words of the Buddha in mind, and expound this method of visualizing the ground for the benefit of the multitude of future beings who will seek emancipation from suffering. If one has attained a vision of the ground of that land, the evil karma which one has committed during eighty kotis of kalpas of Samsara will be extinguished, and so one will certainly be born in the Pure Land in the next life. Do not doubt this. To practice in this way is called the correct contemplation, and to practice otherwise [342b] is incorrect." [11] 此想成时。一一观之极令了了。闭目开目不令散失。唯除食时。恒忆此事。作此观者名为正观。若他观者名为邪观。佛告阿难及韦提希。水想成已。名为粗见极乐国地。若得三昧。见彼国地了了分明。不可具说。是为地想。名第三观 4) contemplation of the trees [12] The Buddha said to Ananda and Vaidehi, "When you have accomplished visualization of the ground, next contemplate the jewelled trees. This is how to do so. Visualize each one and then form an image of seven rows of trees, each being eight thousand yojanas high and adorned with seven-jewelled blossoms and leaves. Each blossom and leaf has the colors of various jewels. From the beryl-colored blossoms and leaves issues forth a golden light. From the crystal-colored issues forth a crimson light. From the agate-colored issues forth a sapphire light. From the sapphire-colored issues forth a green pearl light. Coral, amber and all the other jewels serve as illuminating ornaments. Splendid nets of pearls cover the trees. Between these seven rows of nets covering each tree there are five hundred kotis of palaces adorned with exquisite flowers, like the palace of King Brahma, where celestial children naturally dwell. Each of these children wears ornaments made of five hundred kotis of Shakra-abhilagna-mani-gems, which light up a hundred yojanas in all directions, like a hundred kotis of suns and moons shining together, and so it is impossible to describe them in detail. Manifold jewels intermingle, producing the most beautiful colors. "Rows of these jewelled trees are evenly arranged, and their leaves are equally spaced. From among the leaves appear wonderful blossoms which spontaneously bear fruits of seven jewels. Each leaf is twenty-five yojanas in both length and breadth. Like the celestial ornaments, the leaves are of a thousand colors and a hundred patterns. These trees have marvelous blossoms which are the color of gold from the Jambu River and spin like fire-wheels among the leaves. From these blossoms appear various fruits, as from Shakra's vase, and from the fruits issue forth great floods of light, which transform themselves into banners and innumerable jewelled canopies. Inside the jewelled canopies can be seen reflections of all the activities of the Buddha throughout the universe of a thousand million worlds. The Buddha-lands in the ten quarters are also reflected in them. "After you have seen these trees, visualize each detail in order: the trunks, branches, leaves, blossoms and fruits, and let your vision of all of them be clear and distinct. This is the visualizing of the trees, and is called the fourth contemplation. To practice in this way is called the correct contemplation, and to practice otherwise is incorrect." [12] 佛告阿难。汝持佛语。为未来世一切大众欲脱苦者。说是观地法。若观是地者。除八十亿劫生死之罪。舍身他世必生净国。心得无疑。作是观者名为正观。若他观者名为邪观。佛告阿难及韦提希。地想成已。次观宝树。观宝树者。一一观之作七重行树想。一一树高八千由旬。其诸宝树七宝花叶无不具足。一一华叶作异宝色。琉璃色中出金色光。颇梨色中出红色光。马脑色中出车渠光。车渠色中出绿真珠光。珊瑚琥珀一切众宝以为映饰。妙真珠网弥覆树上。一一树上有七重网。一一网间有五百亿妙华宫殿。如梵王宫。诸天童子自然在中。一一童子有五百亿释迦毗楞伽摩尼宝以为璎珞。其摩尼光照百由旬。犹如和合百亿日月。不可具名。众宝间错色中上者。此诸宝树行行相当。叶叶相次。于众叶间生诸妙花。花上自然有七宝果。一一树叶。纵广正等二十五由旬。其叶千色有百种画。如天缨珞。有众妙华作阎浮檀金色。如旋火轮。宛转叶间踊生诸果。如帝释瓶。有大光明。化成幢幡无量宝盖。是宝盖中。映现三千大千世界一切佛事。十方佛国亦于中现。见此树已。亦当次第一一观之。观见树茎枝叶华果。皆令分明。是为树想。名第四观。作是观者名为正观。若他观者名为邪观。   5) contemplation of the ponds [13] The Buddha said to Ananda and Vaidehi, "When you have accomplished visualization of the trees, next contemplate the ponds. This is how to do so. In the Land of Utmost Bliss, there are ponds of water possessing eight excellent qualities, each made of seven jewels which are soft and pliable. The water, springing from a wish-fulfilling king-mani-gem, forms fourteen streams. Each stream is the color of the seven jewels. Its banks are made of gold and its bed strewn with diamond sand of many colors. In each stream there are sixty kotis of lotus-flowers of seven jewels, which are round and symmetrical, measuring twelve yojanas in diameter. The water from the mani-gem flows among the flowers and meanders between the trees. As it ripples, it produces exquisite sounds, [342c] which proclaim the truths of suffering, emptiness, impermanence, no-self and of the Paramitas. Its sound also pr