佛說觀無量壽佛經 御製無量壽佛贊、題名署譯及序分（禁父緣起）
《觀無量壽佛經》的序分很長，長到佔了全經將近三分之一。而這一長段從頭到尾在做同一件事：關門。
關
父王被「幽閉置於七重室內」，七重。群臣被下令「一不得往」，一個都不准。
母親送食，門家看見了，說了；於是她也被「閉置深宮，不令復出」。
她想見佛，見不到——「世尊威重，無由得見」。她想見弟子，只能託人傳話。
七重室、深宮、不得往、不令復出、無由得見。五道門，一道一道關上。
到最後，連問一句「父王今者猶存在耶」，都要繞著彎問。
一句話的轉彎
被關到底的人，先問的是為什麼：「我宿何罪，生此惡子？」
這一句經文沒有正面回答。
真正接下去的是她自己說的下一句：「唯願世尊，為我廣說無憂惱處，我當往生，不樂閻浮提濁惡世也。」
從『我為什麼會這樣』轉成『我可以去哪裡』——序分的重量全落在這個轉彎上。
而她要離開的不只是那座宮殿。她說的是「此濁惡處」，說的是「願我未來不聞惡聲，不見惡人」。
一個親生的兒子能對父母動殺心，那麼還有誰是可靠的。她不分親疏，一併都捨。
開
門全關上之後，開的不是門。
是光。「爾時世尊放眉間光」，光遍照十方，回到佛頂化成金臺，十方諸佛的國土全在裡面現出來。
有的七寶合成，有的純是蓮花，有的像自在天宮，有的像頗梨鏡。佛一個也沒有指定，只是「令韋提希見」。
她自己挑了一個：「我今樂生極樂世界阿彌陀佛所。」
然後她請的不是那個地方，是去那裡的辦法：「教我思惟，教我正受。」
見過的人，替沒見過的人開口
序分收在一個問題上。
問的人已經見到了。她說「以佛力故見彼國土」——今天能見，是因為佛在。
所以她問：「若佛滅後，諸眾生等，濁惡不善，五苦所逼，云何當見阿彌陀佛極樂世界？」
門關到底的是她，光現眼前的是她，親眼見過的也是她。而她回過頭來，替沒有見過的人問了一句。
下一句，佛開始教日想觀。
The introduction to the Sūtra on Contemplating the Buddha of Measureless Life is long — long enough to take up nearly a third of the whole sūtra. And from beginning to end this long stretch is doing one and the same thing: shutting doors.
Shut
The father the king is “confined within a chamber of seven walls” — seven of them. The ministers are ordered that “not one of them may go to him” — not a single one.
The mother brings food; the gatekeeper sees it and says so; and then she too is “shut within the inner palace and not let out again.”
She wishes to see the Buddha and cannot: “the World-Honored One is majestic and grave, and I have no way to see him.” She wishes to see his disciples, and can only send word by another.
A chamber of seven walls; the inner palace; no one permitted to go; not let out again; no way to see. Five doors, shut one after another.
At the last, even to ask “is my father the king still alive?” one must go round about.
One Sentence Turns
The one shut in to the very end asks first why: “What offence did I commit in a former life, that I should bear so evil a son?”
To this the sūtra gives no direct answer.
What truly follows is the next sentence, and it is hers: “I pray only that the World-Honored One will expound to me at length a place without sorrow or torment. I would be born there, and take no more delight in Jambudvīpa, this turbid and evil world.”
From “why has this happened to me” to “where may I go” — the whole weight of the introduction rests on that turn.
And what she wishes to leave is not only that palace. She speaks of “this turbid and evil place,” and she says, “May I in the future not hear the sounds of evil, nor see evil persons.”
If a son born of one’s own body can turn a murderous mind upon his parents, then who is left to be relied on? She makes no distinction between near and distant kin, and gives up all together.
Opened
When every door has been shut, what opens is not a door.
It is light. “At that time the World-Honored One sent forth the light between his brows.” The light shone everywhere throughout the ten directions, returned to rest upon the Buddha’s crown and turned into a golden terrace, and the lands of the buddhas of the ten directions all appeared within it.
Some were composed of the seven precious substances, some made purely of lotus flowers, some like the palace of Īśvara, some like a mirror of crystal. The Buddha designated not one of them; he only “let Vaidehī see them.”
She chose one herself: “I now delight to be born in the world of Ultimate Bliss, where Amitābha Buddha is.”
And what she then asked for was not that place, but the way to reach it: “Teach me reflection, teach me right reception.”
One Who Has Seen Speaks for Those Who Have Not
The introduction closes upon a question.
The one who asks it has already seen. She says that she “sees that land by the Buddha’s power” — that she can see today is because the Buddha is here.
And so she asks: “If, after the Buddha has passed away, sentient beings are turbid, evil, and not good, and pressed by the five sufferings, how are they to see Amitābha Buddha and the world of Ultimate Bliss?”
The doors were shut to the last upon her; the light appeared before her; she is the one who saw with her own eyes. And she turns back and asks on behalf of those who have not seen.
In the next sentence, the Buddha begins to teach the contemplation of the sun.
大正藏 T12n0365〔起 T12 0340b23〕。段／行首〔T12 …〕＝大正藏頁·欄·行錨。
〔T12 0340b23〕御製無量壽佛贊 西方極樂世界尊，無量壽佛世希有； 能滅無始億劫業，令彼苦惱悉消除。 若人能以微妙心，甞以極樂為觀想， 廣與眾生分別說，舉目即見阿彌陀。 佛身色相顯光明，閻浮檀金無與等， 其高無比由旬數，六十萬億那由他； 眉間白毫五須彌，紺眼弘澄四大海， 光明演出諸毛孔，一孔遍含諸大千。 一界中有一河沙，沙有八萬四千相， 一一相中復如是，作者觀者隨現前。 以觀佛身見佛心，眾生憶想見化佛， 從相入得無生忍，以三昧受無邊慈。 佛身無量廣無邊，化導以彼宿願力， 有憶想者得成就，神通如意滿虛空。 眾生三種具三心，精進勇猛無退轉， 即得如來手接引，七寶宮殿大光明。 其身踴躍金剛臺，隨從佛後彈指頃， 行大乘解第一義，即生七寶蓮池中。 阿彌陀佛大慈悲，十力威德難贊說， 稱名一聲起一念，八十億劫罪皆除； 以是濟拔無有窮，是以名為無量壽。 昔世尊居耆闍崛，與大眾說妙因緣， 離憂惱與閻浮提，超脫一切諸苦趣。 淨妙國即極樂界，修三福發菩提心， 作是念者住堅專，故說無量壽佛觀。 如是功德不可說，不可說者妙光明， 無量清淨平等施，五濁眾生咸作佛。 斷彼一切顛倒想，猶如以水投海中， 濕性混合無不同，雖有聖智難分別， 人人皆為無量壽，稽首瞻禮即西方。 佛說觀無量壽佛經 宋西域三藏畺良耶舍譯 如是我聞： 一時，佛在王舍城耆闍崛山中，與大比丘眾千二百五十人俱；菩薩三萬二千，文殊師利法王子而為上首。爾時王舍大城有一太子，名阿闍世，隨順調達惡友之教，收執父王頻婆娑羅，幽閉置於七重室內，制諸群臣，一不得往。國大夫人，名韋提希，恭敬大王，澡浴清淨，以酥蜜和麨，用塗其身，諸瓔珞中盛葡萄漿，密以上王。爾時大王，食麨飲漿，求水漱口；漱口畢已，合掌恭敬，向耆闍崛山，遙禮世尊，而作是言：「大目乾連是吾親友，願興慈悲，授我八戒。」時目乾連如鷹隼飛，疾至王所；日日如是，授王八戒。世尊亦遣尊者富樓那，為王說法。如是時間經三七日，王食麨蜜得聞法故，顏色和悅。 〔T12 0341a14〕時阿闍世問守門人：「父王今者猶存在耶？」時守門者白言：「大王！國大夫人身塗麨蜜，瓔珞盛漿，持用上王；沙門目連及富樓那，從空而來，為王說法，不可禁制。」時阿闍世聞此語已，怒其母曰：「我母是賊，與賊為伴；沙門惡人，幻惑呪術，令此惡王多日不死。」即執利劍欲害其母。 時有一臣，名曰月光，聰明多智，及與耆婆，為王作禮。白言：「大王！臣聞毘陀論經說：『劫初已來，有諸惡王貪國位故，殺害其父一萬八千。』未曾聞有無道害母。王今為此殺逆之事，污剎利種，臣不忍聞！是栴陀羅，我等不宜復住於此。」時二大臣說此語竟，以手按劍，却行而退。時阿闍世驚怖惶懼，告耆婆言：「汝不為我耶？」耆婆白言：「大王！慎莫害母。」王聞此語，懺悔求救，即便捨劍，止不害母，勅語內官：「閉置深宮，不令復出。」 時韋提希被幽閉已，愁憂憔悴；遙向耆闍崛山，為佛作禮，而作是言：「如來世尊在昔之時，恒遣阿難來慰問我；我今愁憂，世尊威重，無由得見；願遣目連、尊者阿難，與我相見。」作是語已，悲泣雨淚，遙向佛禮。未舉頭頃，爾時世尊在耆闍崛山，知韋提希心之所念，即勅大目揵連及以阿難，從空而來。佛從耆闍崛山沒，於王宮出。 時韋提希禮已舉頭，見世尊釋迦牟尼佛，身紫金色坐百寶蓮華。目連侍左，阿難在右，釋梵護世諸天在虛空中，普雨天華，持用供養。時韋提希見佛世尊，自絕瓔珞，舉身投地，號泣向佛。白言：「世尊！我宿何罪，生此惡子？世尊復有何等因緣，與提婆達多共為眷屬？唯願世尊，為我廣說無憂惱處，我當往生，不樂閻浮提濁惡世也。此濁惡處，地獄、餓鬼、畜生盈滿，多不善聚。願我未來不聞惡聲，不見惡人。今向世尊五體投地，求哀懺悔。唯願佛日教我觀於清淨業處。」 爾時世尊放眉間光，其光金色，遍照十方無量世界；還住佛頂，化為金臺，如須彌山。十方諸佛淨妙國土，皆於中現。或有國土七寶合成；復有國土純是蓮花；復有國土如自在天宮；復有國土如頗梨鏡；十方國土皆於中現。有如是等無量諸佛國土嚴顯可觀，令韋提希見。 時韋提希白佛言：「世尊！是諸佛土，雖復清淨，皆有光明；我今樂生極樂世界阿彌陀佛所。唯願世尊，教我思惟，教我正受。」 爾時世尊即便微笑，有五色光，從佛口出，一一光照頻婆娑羅王頂。爾時大王雖在幽閉，心眼無障，遙見世尊，頭面作禮；自然增進，成阿那含。 爾時世尊告韋提希：「汝今知不？阿彌陀佛去此不遠；汝當繫念，諦觀彼國淨業成者。我今為汝廣說眾譬，亦令未來世一切凡夫欲修淨業者，得生西方極樂國土。欲生彼國者，當修三福：一者、孝養父母，奉事師長，慈心不殺，修十善業。二者、受持三歸，具足眾戒，不犯威儀。三者、發菩提心，深信因果，讀誦大乘，勸進行者。如此三事名為淨業。」 佛告韋提希：「汝今知不？此三種業，乃是過去、未來、現在三世諸佛淨業正因。」 佛告阿難及韋提希：「諦聽，諦聽！善思念之。如來今者，為未來世一切眾生為煩惱賊之所害者，說清淨業。善哉韋提希！快問此事。阿難！汝當受持，廣為多眾宣說佛語。如來今者，教韋提希及未來世一切眾生觀於西方極樂世界。以佛力故，當得見彼清淨國土，如執明鏡自見面像。見彼國土極妙樂事，心歡喜故，應時即得無生法忍。」 佛告韋提希：「汝是凡夫，心想羸劣，未得天眼，不能遠觀；諸佛如來有異方便，令汝得見。」 時韋提希白佛言：「世尊！如我今者，以佛力故見彼國土。若佛滅後，諸眾生等，濁惡不善，五苦所逼，云何當見阿彌陀佛極樂世界？」
The canonical text stands in Chinese only. This edition renders the essence, the plain reading, the exposition and the apparatus into English — never the sūtra itself. Switch to 漢讀本 or 並行雙語 above to read it.
宋畺良耶舍譯《佛說觀無量壽佛經》T12n0365 卷端，自〈御製無量壽佛贊〉起，歷經題、署譯，自「如是我聞」以下至「云何當見阿彌陀佛極樂世界」止。卷端之贊不是經文本身，照錄而別出，不入經文的段次。段首（…）＝大正藏頁·欄·行錨。
〔卷端·御製無量壽佛贊〕（非經文本身·不入經文段次）
（0340b23）御製無量壽佛贊
（0340b24）西方極樂世界裡的那一位世尊，無量壽佛，是世間稀有的；祂能滅除無始以來億劫所積的業，使那些苦惱全都消除。
（0340b26）若有人能以微妙的心，常常把極樂國土拿來作觀想，又廣為眾生一一分別解說，那麼一抬眼就見到阿彌陀佛。
（0340b28）佛身的色相顯出光明，閻浮檀金也比不上；祂的身量高得無可比擬，若以由旬計數，有六十萬億那由他。
（0340c01）眉間的白毫像五座須彌山，紺青的眼睛寬廣澄澈像四大海；光明從一個個毛孔演流出來，一個毛孔就周遍含攝了諸多大千世界。
（0340c03）一個世界之中有一條恒河的沙那麼多，一粒沙上有八萬四千相，每一相之中又是這樣；造作的人與觀想的人，隨時可以現前見到。
（0340c05）因觀佛的身而見到佛的心，眾生憶念想像就見到化佛；從相入手而得無生法忍，在三昧之中領受無邊的慈。
（0340c07）佛身無量而廣大無邊，以祂宿昔的願力來化度引導；凡有憶念想像的人都能得成就，神通如意充滿虛空。
（0340c09）眾生三類人具足三種心，精進勇猛而不退轉，就得到如來伸手接引，七寶宮殿放出大光明。
（0340c11）他的身踴上金剛臺，隨從在佛的後面，只一彈指的工夫；行大乘、解第一義的人，就生在七寶蓮池之中。
（0340c13）阿彌陀佛的大慈悲，十力的威德難以贊說；稱名一聲、起一個念，八十億劫的罪都除掉；以此濟拔沒有窮盡，所以名叫無量壽。
（0340c16）從前世尊住在耆闍崛山，為大眾宣說微妙的因緣，使人離開憂惱與閻浮提，超脫一切苦趣。
（0340c18）淨妙的國土就是極樂世界；修三福、發菩提心，作這樣憶念的人安住於堅固專一——所以說了無量壽佛觀。
（0340c20）這樣的功德不可說，那不可說的正是微妙的光明；無量清淨而平等地施與，五濁的眾生全都作佛。
（0340c22）斷除那一切顛倒的想，就像把水投進大海之中，濕的體性混合而沒有不同，縱有聖者的智慧也難以分別；人人都成為無量壽，稽首瞻禮的就是西方。
〔經文〕
〔一·經題〕（0340c26）《佛說觀無量壽佛經》。
〔二·署譯〕（0340c28）宋朝時代，來自西域的三藏法師畺良耶舍翻譯。
〔三·證信〕（0340c29）以下所記，是我親自從佛那裡聽來的。
〔四·化前序：時·主·處·眾〕（0340c29）那個時候，佛在王舍城的耆闍崛山（此山名為靈鷲，諸位聖者仙靈依之而住；又因峰形似鷲而名鷲頭）中，與大比丘眾一千二百五十人同在一處；還有菩薩三萬二千人，由文殊師利法王子作上首。
〔五·禁父緣〕（0341a02）那個時候，王舍大城裡有一位太子，名叫阿闍世（意思是未生怨，又名折指），隨順了調達（即提婆達多，此云天熱，亦云天授）這位惡友的教唆，收捕押住父王頻婆娑羅（意思是摸實，又名影堅），把他幽禁在七重深室之內，並且下令群臣，一個也不准前往。
國中的大夫人，名叫韋提希（意思是思惟），恭敬大王，先沐浴使身體清淨，用酥和蜜調和麨（乾的炒麥粉），塗在自己身上，又在許多瓔珞的珠孔中盛滿葡萄漿，暗中送上給大王。
（0341a07）那個時候大王吃了麨、喝了漿，要水漱口；漱口完畢，合掌恭敬，朝著耆闍崛山的方向遙遙禮拜世尊，這樣說道：『大目乾連是我的親友（他在俗家時是大王的至親，出家之後就是門下之師），願他興起慈悲，授我八戒（一日一夜之戒：不殺生、不偷盜、不行婬、不妄語、不飲酒、不以脂粉塗身、不歌舞唱伎也不前往觀聽、不上高廣大床；再加上不過中食一條，那一條是齋不是戒）。』
（0341a11）當時目乾連像鷹隼飛行那樣快，一下就到了大王的住處；天天都是如此，授給大王八戒。世尊也另外差遣尊者富樓那（意思是滿願子，說法第一，最善於開發人心），為大王說法。
（0341a13）這樣經過了三個七日，大王因為吃到麨與蜜、又得以聽聞佛法的緣故，臉色和悅。
〔六·禁母緣〕（0341a14）那時阿闍世問守門的人：『父王現在還活著嗎？』守門的人稟告說：『大王！國中的大夫人在身上塗了麨與蜜，瓔珞裡盛著漿，拿去獻給大王；沙門目連與富樓那，又從空中飛來，替大王說法，這是攔不住的。』
（0341a18）阿闍世聽了這話，對他母親發怒說：『我母親是賊，是與賊作伴的人；沙門是惡人，用幻術迷惑、用呪術作法，讓這個惡王多日不死。』隨即抽出利劍，要殺害他的母親。
（0341a21）當時有一位大臣，名叫月光，聰明而多智，和耆婆（意思是固活，出生時一手拿著藥囊、一手拿著針筒）一同來向大王行禮，稟告說：『大王！臣聽《毘陀論經》（古來相傳的典籍史記）上說：從劫初以來，有許多惡王因為貪圖國位的緣故，殺害他們的父親，共有一萬八千人；卻不曾聽說有誰無道到殺害母親的。大王今天做這件弒殺悖逆的事，玷污了剎利種姓（四姓之中最高的一等，是王者之種），臣不忍聽聞！這是栴陀羅（四姓之中最下的一流）的行徑，我們不宜再住在這裡。』
（0341a26）兩位大臣說完這番話，用手按著劍，倒退著走出去。
（0341a27）阿闍世驚怖惶懼，告訴耆婆說：『你不幫我了嗎？』耆婆稟告說：『大王！千萬不要殺害母親。』
（0341a29）大王聽了這話，懺悔求救，隨即丟下劍，停手不再害母，並且下令內官：『把她關在深宮裡，不許再出來。』
〔七·厭苦緣〕（0341b02）韋提希被幽禁之後，愁憂憔悴；遙遙朝著耆闍崛山，向佛行禮，這樣說道：『如來世尊在從前的時候，常常差遣阿難來慰問我；我如今滿懷愁憂，世尊威德深重，我沒有辦法見到；願世尊差遣目連、尊者阿難，與我相見。』
（0341b06）說完這番話，悲泣得淚下如雨，遙遙朝著佛行禮。頭還沒有抬起來的那一瞬間，那時世尊在耆闍崛山上，知道韋提希心裡所想念的，隨即敕令大目揵連與阿難，從空中前來；佛自己則從耆闍崛山隱沒，而在王宮中出現。
（0341b10）韋提希行禮完了抬起頭來，見到世尊釋迦牟尼佛，身作紫金色，坐在百寶蓮華之上。目連侍立在左邊，阿難侍立在右邊，帝釋、梵王與護世四天王等諸天在虛空中，普遍地降下天華，拿來供養。
（0341b13）韋提希見到佛世尊，自己扯斷了身上的瓔珞，整個身子撲倒在地，向佛號哭。她稟告說：『世尊！我宿世造了什麼罪，生下這樣一個惡子？世尊又是有什麼樣的因緣，會與提婆達多同作眷屬？
〔八·欣淨緣〕（0341b16）唯願世尊為我廣說沒有憂惱的地方，我要往生到那裡去，不喜歡閻浮提這個濁惡的世間了。這個濁惡的地方，地獄、餓鬼、畜生充滿其中，不善的積聚很多。願我未來不聽見惡的聲音，不看見惡的人。今天我向世尊五體投地（兩肘、兩膝、頭頂，這是五體），求哀懺悔（「懺摩」是梵語，「悔過」是漢語，兩邊並舉，所以叫懺悔）。唯願佛日教我觀想那清淨的業處。』
（0341b21）那時世尊放出眉間的光，那光是金色的，遍照十方無量的世界；又回來停住在佛的頭頂上，化成一座金臺，像須彌山那樣。十方諸佛清淨微妙的國土，全都在其中顯現。有的國土是七寶合成的；又有的國土純是蓮花；又有的國土像自在天宮；又有的國土像頗梨（一種清澈如冰的寶石）所作的鏡子；十方的國土都在其中顯現。有這樣許多無量的諸佛國土，莊嚴顯耀而可觀，讓韋提希看見。
（0341b27）那時韋提希稟告佛說：『世尊！這許多佛的國土，雖然都清淨，也都有光明；我如今喜歡生到極樂世界阿彌陀佛的處所。唯願世尊教我思惟，教我正受。』
〔九·散善顯行緣〕（0341c01）那時世尊隨即微笑，有五色的光從佛口中出來，一道一道照在頻婆娑羅王的頭頂上。那時大王雖然還在幽禁之中，心眼卻沒有障隔，遙遙見到世尊，以頭面向佛作禮；自然而然地增進，證成阿那含（第三果，不再還來欲界受生）。
（0341c04）那時世尊告訴韋提希：『你如今知道嗎？阿彌陀佛離這裡不遠；你應當繫住念頭，仔細觀想那個國土裡淨業成就的人。我如今為你廣說種種譬喻，也讓未來世裡一切想修淨業的凡夫，都能生到西方極樂國土。
（0341c08）想生到那個國土的人，應當修三種福：第一、孝養父母，奉事師長，以慈心不殺生，修十善業。第二、受持三歸，具足眾戒，不違犯威儀。第三、發菩提心，深信因果，讀誦大乘，勸勉並策進修行的人。這樣三件事，就叫做淨業。』
（0341c13）佛告訴韋提希：『你如今知道嗎？這三種業，正是過去、未來、現在三世諸佛淨業的正因。』
〔十·定善示觀緣〕（0341c15）佛告訴阿難和韋提希：『仔細聽，仔細聽！好好思量並記住它。如來今天要為未來世裡一切被煩惱這個賊所殘害的眾生，宣說清淨的業。
（0341c17）好啊韋提希！這件事問得痛快。阿難！你應當受持，廣泛地為許多人宣說佛的話。
（0341c18）如來今天要教韋提希和未來世裡一切眾生，觀想西方極樂世界。憑著佛的力量的緣故，能夠見到那清淨的國土，就像拿著一面明亮的鏡子自己照見面容一樣。見到那個國土極其美妙快樂的種種事，心裡歡喜的緣故，當時就得到無生法忍。』
（0341c22）佛告訴韋提希：『你是凡夫，心想羸弱低劣，還沒有得到天眼，不能看得遠；諸佛如來另有特別的方便，讓你能夠見到。』
（0341c24）那時韋提希稟告佛說：『世尊！像我今天這樣，是憑著佛的力量才見到那個國土。若是佛滅度之後，眾生們濁惡不善，被五種苦（生苦、老苦、病苦、死苦、愛別苦）所逼迫，怎麼能夠見到阿彌陀佛極樂世界呢？』
Translated in the Liu Song by Kālayaśas, The Sūtra Spoken by the Buddha on Contemplating the Buddha of Measureless Life, T12n0365, at the head of the fascicle: from the Imperially Composed Praise of the Buddha of Measureless Life, through the title of the sūtra and the attribution, and then from “Thus have I heard” down to “how are they to see Amitābha Buddha and the world of Ultimate Bliss?” The praise at the head of the fascicle is not the sūtra text itself; it is reproduced here but set apart, and it does not enter the numbering of the sūtra’s segments. The figures at the head of each segment give the Taishō page, register, and line.
The Praise at the Head of the Fascicle: The Imperially Composed Praise of the Buddha of Measureless Life (not the sūtra text itself; outside the numbering of the sūtra’s segments)
（0340b23）The Imperially Composed Praise of the Buddha of Measureless Life.
（0340b24）That World-Honored One in the world of Ultimate Bliss in the West, the Buddha of Measureless Life, is rare in the world; he can extinguish the karma heaped up through koṭis of kalpas from a beginningless past, and cause all those torments to be wholly dispelled.
（0340b26）If someone can with a subtle mind constantly form the image of the land of Ultimate Bliss in contemplation, and expound it widely to sentient beings point by point, then the moment he lifts his eyes he sees Amitābha Buddha.
（0340b28）The form and marks of the Buddha’s body send forth light, which even Jambūnada gold cannot match; his height is beyond comparison — counted in yojanas, six hundred thousand koṭis of nayutas.
（0340c01）The white tuft between his brows is like five Mount Sumerus; his deep-blue eyes are broad and clear as the four great seas. Light streams out from pore after pore, and a single pore contains and pervades the many great-thousand world-systems.
（0340c03）Within a single world there are as many as the sands of one Gaṅgā; upon a single grain of sand there are eighty-four thousand marks, and within each single mark it is so again. The one who makes and the one who forms the image can see them present before him at any time.
（0340c05）By contemplating the Buddha’s body one sees the Buddha’s mind; when sentient beings recollect and form the image, they see the manifested Buddha. Entering by way of the marks they attain the patience of non-arising, and within samādhi they receive boundless loving-kindness.
（0340c07）The Buddha’s body is measureless, vast and without bound; by the power of his former vows he teaches, delivers, and guides. Whoever recollects and forms the image can bring it to accomplishment, and supernormal powers at will fill the whole of space.
（0340c09）Sentient beings of the three kinds are complete in the three minds; energetic, courageous, and non-retrogressive, they are received and led by the outstretched hand of the Tathāgata, and a palace of the seven precious substances sends forth great light.
（0340c11）His body leaps up onto the adamantine terrace and follows behind the Buddha in the time of a single snap of the fingers; one who practises the Great Vehicle and understands the ultimate meaning is born within a lotus pond of the seven precious substances.
（0340c13）The great kindness and compassion of Amitābha Buddha, and the majestic virtue of his ten powers, are hard to praise in speech; uttering the Name once and giving rise to a single thought, the offences of eighty koṭis of kalpas are all removed. His rescue by this means is without end, and therefore he is named Measureless Life.
（0340c16）Long ago the World-Honored One dwelt on Mount Gṛdhrakūṭa and proclaimed to the great assembly the subtle causes and conditions, so that people might leave sorrow and torment and Jambudvīpa behind and pass beyond all the destinies of suffering.
（0340c18）The pure and subtle land is precisely the world of Ultimate Bliss. Cultivating the three kinds of merit and giving rise to the aspiration for awakening, one who recollects in this way abides firm and single — and therefore the contemplation of the Buddha of Measureless Life was taught.
（0340c20）Merit such as this cannot be told, and what cannot be told is precisely the subtle light. Measureless, pure, and bestowed with equality, the beings of the five turbidities all become buddhas.
（0340c22）To cut off all those inverted notions is like pouring water into the great sea: the nature of wetness blends and is nowhere different, and even the wisdom of a sage could hardly tell one from another. Every person becomes Measureless Life, and what one bows the head to gaze upon and revere is the West.
The Sūtra Text
〔一 · The Title of the Sūtra〕（0340c26）The Sūtra Spoken by the Buddha on Contemplating the Buddha of Measureless Life.
〔二 · The Attribution〕（0340c28）Translated in the age of the Song by Kālayaśas, Tripiṭaka master from the Western Regions.
〔三 · Establishing Confidence〕（0340c29）Thus have I heard: what follows I heard directly from the Buddha.
〔四 · The Introduction Preceding the Teaching: Time, Master, Place, Assembly〕（0340c29）At that time the Buddha was on Mount Gṛdhrakūṭa in the city of Rājagṛha (the name of this mountain is rendered Spirit Vulture; the sages and numinous immortals dwell in dependence upon it; it is also called Vulture Head, the shape of the peak resembling a vulture), together with a great assembly of twelve hundred and fifty bhikṣus; and there were thirty-two thousand bodhisattvas, with Mañjuśrī, Prince of the Dharma, as their leader.
〔五 · The Cause of the Imprisonment of the Father〕（0341a02）At that time in the great city of Rājagṛha there was a prince named Ajātaśatru (the name means Enmity-Before-Birth; he is also named Broken-Finger). Following the instigation of that evil friend Diaoda (that is, Devadatta, whose name is here rendered Deva-Heat, also Deva-Given), he seized and held his father, King Bimbisāra (the name means Likeness to the Real; he is also named Firm Shadow), confined him within a chamber of seven walls, and issued orders to the ministers that not one of them should go to him.
The lady of the kingdom, named Vaidehī (the name means Reflection), revered the great king. She first bathed and made her body clean, mixed butter and honey with parched flour (dry roasted barley meal) and smeared it on her body, and filled the bead-holes of her necklaces with grape juice, which she secretly presented to the king.
（0341a07）At that time the great king ate the parched flour and drank the juice, and asked for water to rinse his mouth. When he had rinsed his mouth he joined his palms in reverence, bowed from afar toward Mount Gṛdhrakūṭa to the World-Honored One, and said: “Mahāmaudgalyāyana is my kinsman and friend (in lay life he was a close kinsman of the great king; once he had gone forth he became the teacher of the household). May he give rise to kindness and compassion and confer on me the eight precepts (the precepts of one day and one night: not to kill, not to steal, not to engage in sexual conduct, not to speak falsely, not to drink liquor, not to anoint the body with cosmetics, not to sing, dance, or perform, nor to go and watch or listen to such things, and not to lie upon a high, broad, or great bed; with the further item of not eating past midday, which is a fast and not a precept).”
（0341a11）At that time Maudgalyāyana came, as swift as a hawk or falcon in flight, at once to where the great king was; and so it was day after day, as he conferred the eight precepts on the king. The World-Honored One also sent the venerable Pūrṇa (the name means Son of Fulfilled Vows; he was foremost in teaching the Dharma and most skilled at opening people’s minds) to teach the Dharma to the great king.
（0341a13）In this way three sevens of days passed, and because the great king had eaten the parched flour and honey and had also been able to hear the Dharma, his countenance was calm and glad.
〔六 · The Cause of the Imprisonment of the Mother〕（0341a14）Then Ajātaśatru asked the gatekeeper: “Is my father the king still alive?” The gatekeeper reported: “Great king! The lady of the kingdom has smeared parched flour and honey upon her body and carried juice in her necklaces to present to the great king; and the śramaṇas Maudgalyāyana and Pūrṇa come through the air to teach the Dharma to the king. This cannot be prevented.”
（0341a18）When Ajātaśatru had heard these words, he grew angry with his mother and said: “My mother is a thief, and the companion of thieves; the śramaṇas are evil men who beguile with illusion and work spells, so that this evil king has not died all these many days.” At once he drew a sharp sword, wishing to kill his mother.
（0341a21）At that time there was a minister named Moonlight, intelligent and full of wisdom, who together with Jīvaka (the name means Made Firmly Alive; at his birth he held a medicine bag in one hand and a needle case in the other) came and paid homage to the great king. They reported: “Great king! Your servant has heard it said in the Vedic Treatises (books and histories handed down from antiquity) that since the beginning of the aeon there have been evil kings who, out of greed for the throne, killed their fathers, eighteen thousand of them; but it has never been heard that anyone was so lawless as to kill his mother. If the great king today does this deed of murder and rebellion, he defiles the kṣatriya lineage (the highest of the four castes, the lineage of kings), and your servant cannot bear to hear of it! This is the conduct of a caṇḍāla (the lowest stream of the four castes); it is not fitting that we should dwell here any longer.”
（0341a26）When the two great ministers had spoken these words, they laid their hands upon their swords and withdrew, walking backward.
（0341a27）Ajātaśatru was startled and afraid, and said to Jīvaka: “Will you not stand by me?” Jīvaka reported: “Great king! By no means kill your mother.”
（0341a29）When the great king had heard these words, he repented and sought deliverance; he at once cast down the sword and stopped, doing his mother no harm, and ordered the palace officers: “Shut her within the inner palace, and do not let her come out again.”
〔七 · The Cause of Weariness of Suffering〕（0341b02）When Vaidehī had been confined, she grew worn with sorrow and grief. Bowing from afar toward Mount Gṛdhrakūṭa to the Buddha, she said: “In former times the Tathāgata, the World-Honored One, constantly sent Ānanda to console me. Now I am filled with sorrow; the World-Honored One is majestic and grave, and I have no way to see him. May the World-Honored One send Maudgalyāyana and the venerable Ānanda, so that they may meet with me.”
（0341b06）When she had spoken these words, she wept in grief, her tears falling like rain, and bowed from afar toward the Buddha. Before she had lifted her head, the World-Honored One, who was on Mount Gṛdhrakūṭa, knew what Vaidehī was thinking in her mind, and at once ordered Mahāmaudgalyāyana and Ānanda to come through the air; and he himself vanished from Mount Gṛdhrakūṭa and appeared within the royal palace.
（0341b10）When Vaidehī had finished bowing and raised her head, she saw the World-Honored One, Śākyamuni Buddha, his body the colour of purple gold, seated upon a lotus flower of a hundred jewels. Maudgalyāyana stood in attendance on the left, Ānanda on the right; and Śakra, Brahmā, the four world-protecting heavenly kings, and the other gods were in the air, raining down heavenly flowers everywhere as an offering.
（0341b13）When Vaidehī saw the Buddha, the World-Honored One, she broke off her own necklaces, cast her whole body upon the ground, and wept aloud toward the Buddha. She said: “World-Honored One! What offence did I commit in a former life, that I should bear so evil a son? And what causes and conditions can the World-Honored One have, that he should have Devadatta for a kinsman?
〔八 · The Cause of Delight in Purity〕（0341b16）I pray only that the World-Honored One will expound to me at length a place without sorrow or torment. I would be born there, and take no more delight in Jambudvīpa, this turbid and evil world. This turbid and evil place is filled with hell beings, hungry ghosts, and animals, and there are many gatherings of what is not good. May I in the future not hear the sounds of evil, nor see evil persons. Today I throw the five parts of my body to the ground before the World-Honored One (the two elbows, the two knees, and the crown of the head are the five parts) and beg in sorrow for repentance (chanmo is a Sanskrit word and huiguo, confessing one’s faults, is Chinese; the two are set side by side, and so it is called repentance). I pray only that the Buddha-sun will teach me to contemplate the place of pure karma.”
（0341b21）At that time the World-Honored One sent forth the light between his brows. That light was golden, and it shone everywhere upon the measureless worlds of the ten directions; then it returned and rested upon the Buddha’s crown, and turned into a golden terrace like Mount Sumeru. The pure and subtle lands of the buddhas of the ten directions all appeared within it. Some lands were composed of the seven precious substances; some were made purely of lotus flowers; some were like the palace of Īśvara; some were like a mirror of crystal (a jewel clear as ice); the lands of the ten directions all appeared within it. There were measureless buddha-lands such as these, adorned and shining and worth contemplating, and he let Vaidehī see them.
（0341b27）Then Vaidehī said to the Buddha: “World-Honored One! These lands of the buddhas are indeed all pure, and all have light; yet I now delight to be born in the world of Ultimate Bliss, where Amitābha Buddha is. I pray only that the World-Honored One will teach me reflection, and teach me right reception.”
〔九 · The Cause That Discloses Practice through the Good Done in a Scattered Mind〕（0341c01）At that time the World-Honored One at once smiled, and light of five colours came forth from the Buddha’s mouth, each ray shining upon the crown of King Bimbisāra. At that time the great king, though still in confinement, had no obstruction to the eye of his mind; he saw the World-Honored One from afar and bowed with head and face to him, and of himself advanced and attained the stage of the anāgāmin (the third fruit; he would no longer return to be born in the realm of desire).
（0341c04）At that time the World-Honored One said to Vaidehī: “Do you know it now? Amitābha Buddha is not far from here. You should fix your thought and contemplate closely those in that land who have accomplished pure karma. I now expound many similes for you, and let all the ordinary beings of the future who wish to cultivate pure karma also be born in the land of Ultimate Bliss in the West.
（0341c08）Those who wish to be born in that land should cultivate three kinds of merit. First: be filial and care for father and mother, serve and attend teachers and elders, be kindly of mind and not kill, and cultivate the ten wholesome deeds. Second: take up and hold the three refuges, be complete in the various precepts, and not transgress in deportment. Third: give rise to the aspiration for awakening, believe deeply in cause and effect, recite the scriptures of the Great Vehicle, and encourage and urge on those who practise. These three things are called pure karma.”
（0341c13）The Buddha said to Vaidehī: “Do you know it now? These three kinds of karma are the very cause of the pure karma of all the buddhas of the past, the future, and the present, the buddhas of the three times.”
〔十 · The Cause That Shows Contemplation through the Good Done in Concentration〕（0341c15）The Buddha said to Ānanda and to Vaidehī: “Listen intently, listen intently! Reflect well upon it and keep it in mind. The Tathāgata today will expound pure karma for the sake of all sentient beings of the future who are harmed by that thief, the afflictions.
（0341c17）Excellent, Vaidehī! It is well that you have asked about this matter. Ānanda! You should receive and hold it, and proclaim the Buddha’s words widely to the many.
（0341c18）The Tathāgata today will teach Vaidehī and all sentient beings of the future to contemplate the world of Ultimate Bliss in the West. By the Buddha’s power they will be able to see that pure land, as when one holds a bright mirror and sees one’s own face. Seeing the utterly subtle and blissful things of that land, they will rejoice in mind, and at that very moment attain the patience of non-arising.”
（0341c22）The Buddha said to Vaidehī: “You are an ordinary person; the thought of your mind is weak and inferior, you have not yet gained the deva-eye, and you cannot see far. The buddhas, the tathāgatas, have a different skillful means by which you can be made to see.”
（0341c24）Then Vaidehī said to the Buddha: “World-Honored One! One such as I am today sees that land by the Buddha’s power. But if, after the Buddha has passed away, sentient beings are turbid, evil, and not good, and are pressed by the five sufferings (the suffering of birth, of old age, of sickness, of death, and of parting from what is loved), how are they to see Amitābha Buddha and the world of Ultimate Bliss?”
《觀無量壽佛經》的第一句正文是「如是我聞」，第二句就把人帶進王舍城的宮牆裡：兒子囚禁父親，又拔劍要殺母親。一部要教人專心繫念、觀想西方的經，開場是一場血親相殘。
這一段有多長，歷來的讀法並不一致。善導《觀經四帖疏》把它整個判作序分，一直算到韋提希問「云何當見阿彌陀佛極樂世界」為止，正宗分要等到日想觀才開始；智顗《觀無量壽佛經疏》則把序分斷在「清淨業處」，佛放眉間光以下已是正說。本篇的分段從前者。兩家所判的界不同，各自的理由都在自己的書裡，此處並存，不作調停。
至於卷端那一篇〈御製無量壽佛贊〉，不是經文本身——它在經題之前，兩家的注疏也都不釋它一字；照錄存之，此下所講的是經。
序，不只是開場白
多數經典的序分，是報時、報地、報人：一時、佛在某處、與大眾若干人俱。《觀無量壽佛經》的序分也有這三樣，但只用了兩行——王舍城耆闍崛山，大比丘一千二百五十人，菩薩三萬二千人，文殊師利為上首。
然後經文立刻轉向宮城。
「爾時王舍大城有一太子，名阿闍世，隨順調達惡友之教，收執父王頻婆娑羅」——從這一句起，一直到夫人請佛、佛放光現國、佛開三福，全都還在序分之內。也就是說，這部經的「序」，佔了全經將近三分之一。
序這麼長，是因為它不只在交代時地人，它在交代為什麼要說這部經。
古來注家把這一長段拆成七節：化前序、禁父緣、禁母緣、厭苦緣、欣淨緣、散善顯行緣、定善示觀緣。七節之中，五節在說一件事——一個人是怎麼被逼到非求出離不可的地步。
兒子、父親、母親，和一把劍
阿闍世收捕父王，「幽閉置於七重室內，制諸群臣，一不得往」。
七重，是為了斷絕一切通路；下令群臣一個都不准去，是為了斷絕一切人情。經文用兩個動作寫這件事：忽然掩住王身叫做「收」，既已抓住不放叫做「執」。
母親韋提希去了。她「澡浴清淨，以酥蜜和麨，用塗其身，諸瓔珞中盛葡萄漿，密以上王」——先沐浴乾淨，把酥和蜜塗在身上，再把乾的炒麥粉敷在酥蜜之上，然後穿好衣服、戴上瓔珞，瓔珞的珠孔裡灌滿葡萄漿，一頭用蠟封住。看上去只是尋常的盛裝。
大王見了，就從她身上把酥與粉刮下來，團成一團吃了。
這是一個母親能想到的全部辦法。經文寫得極細——細到讀的人幾乎能看見那個把食物塗在自己身上、再一層層穿好衣服的動作。
守門的人看見了，也說了。太子聽完，罵母親是賊——「我母是賊，與賊為伴」——隨即「執利劍欲害其母」。
罵母親是賊，是因為她偷偷送了糧，使父親不死。這句話裡有一個很冷的邏輯：在他眼裡，讓人活著也是一種盜竊。
兩位大臣按著劍退出去
攔下這一劍的，不是佛，是兩位大臣。
月光與耆婆先向大王行禮——要諫大人，必先設拜以表身敬——然後才開口。月光引的不是佛法，是外道所傳的古書史記：從劫初以來，貪國位而殺父的惡王有一萬八千人，「未曾聞有無道害母」。
這句話很值得看清楚。他沒有說殺父是對的。他說的是：連那一萬八千個惡王，都沒有做到這一步。
接著他說「污剎利種」——剎利是四姓中最高的一等，是王者之種；而現在的行徑，是四姓中最下一流的行徑。最後他說：「我等不宜復住於此。」
說完，「以手按劍，却行而退」。
按著劍，是防身；倒退著走，是不敢轉身。這兩個動作合起來，把當時殿上的空氣寫盡了。
阿闍世驚怖惶懼，問耆婆：「汝不為我耶？」耆婆只回了一句：「大王！慎莫害母。」
劍就放下了。
她說的第一句話，不是求救
母親沒有被殺，卻被「閉置深宮，不令復出」。
她做的第一件事，是遙向耆闍崛山禮佛。她說的第一句話，也不是求救，而是：「如來世尊在昔之時，恒遣阿難來慰問我；我今愁憂，世尊威重，無由得見」。
從前有人來看我，現在沒有了——她開口先說的是這個。
然後佛來了。經文寫得很奇特：目連與阿難從空而來，佛卻是「從耆闍崛山沒，於王宮出」。此處不現身而來，那裡直接出現——因為宮中的禁約太嚴，若讓人看見佛從外面進來，只怕又要生出留難。
韋提希抬頭見佛，「自絕瓔珞，舉身投地，號泣向佛」。
那串瓔珞，正是前幾天用來藏葡萄漿的東西。此刻她親手扯斷了它。平日她的衣服首飾都由旁人伺候，如今見佛，羞慚之下，連鉤帶都不解就直接扯下來。
她問了兩個問題：「我宿何罪，生此惡子？」「世尊復有何等因緣，與提婆達多共為眷屬？」
第一個問題問自己，第二個問題問佛。她的意思很清楚：連佛都會有一個提婆達多，那我為什麼會有一個阿闍世？
經文對第一個問題沒有正面回答。
從『我不要這裡』到『我要那裡』
真正的轉折在下一句：「唯願世尊，為我廣說無憂惱處，我當往生，不樂閻浮提濁惡世也。」
她不再問為什麼，她開始問去哪裡。
而她要離開的，不只是這座宮殿。經文接著說：「此濁惡處，地獄、餓鬼、畜生盈滿，多不善聚。願我未來不聞惡聲，不見惡人。」
閻浮提整個是惡的，沒有一處可貪——她要捨的是整個世間。這是被一個親生兒子逼出來的結論：連親生的兒子都能對父母動殺心，何況不相干的人。所以她不分親疏，一併都捨。
然後是四個字：「求哀懺悔。」
要去一個清淨的地方，自己身上的舊債得先認。她沒有等佛提醒。
最後才是那句請法：「唯願佛日教我觀於清淨業處。」
「佛日」二字是法與喻並舉——太陽一出，眾闇盡除；佛的智慧一照，無明的長夜就亮了。她求的不是一個地方的名字，是到那裡去的辦法。
光臺上的無量國土
佛沒有直接回答。佛放眉間光，光化為金臺，十方諸佛的淨土全在裡面現出來。
有的國土七寶合成，有的純是蓮花，有的像自在天宮，有的像頗梨鏡。經文一一列出，然後說「令韋提希見」。
為什麼不直接說一個，要通通現出來？
因為若只是說給她聽，她看不見，心裡還是會有疑。所以一一顯現，擺在眼前，讓她自己看、自己挑。
她挑了：「我今樂生極樂世界阿彌陀佛所。」
這一句是她自己說的。佛現了十方國土，卻沒有指定哪一個——而她選的那一個，正是佛後面要說的那一個。
佛先說的，不是觀
選定之後，她請的是行法：「教我思惟，教我正受。」
而佛開口先說的，卻不是觀，是三福。
「一者、孝養父母，奉事師長，慈心不殺，修十善業。二者、受持三歸，具足眾戒，不犯威儀。三者、發菩提心，深信因果，讀誦大乘，勸進行者。」
這件事的次第值得停一下。眾生的根機有兩種：一種能定，一種散動；若只講定的一路，就有一大批人接不住。所以先把三福開出來，讓散動的人也有路可走。
而三福的第一條，是孝養父母。
在這一部由弒父囚母發起的經裡，佛開口說的第一件善事是孝養父母——經文沒有點破這個對照，它只是照著次第說下去。父母是世間福田中最極的，佛是出世福田中最極的；一個人若連世間最極的福田都不認，別的話就無從說起。
三福說完，佛加了一句：「此三種業，乃是過去、未來、現在三世諸佛淨業正因。」
不是為這一時、這一人說的權宜之計。
「汝是凡夫」
序分的最後一節，佛正式勅聽許說：「諦聽，諦聽！善思念之。」——諦聽是為了生聞慧，善思是思慧，念之是修慧。
接著佛說明所以能見的緣故：「以佛力故，當得見彼清淨國土，如執明鏡自見面像。」
拿鏡子照自己的臉，是最不費力的一種看見。而經文在此之前先說了「以佛力故」四個字。
然後佛對韋提希說了一句很重的話：「汝是凡夫，心想羸劣，未得天眼，不能遠觀」。
這句話是說給誰聽的？
若你以為韋提希本是聖者、本是大菩薩，只是示現，那麼這一部經就與你無關了——聖者能作的觀，我們作不來。所以經文在此直接把她定為凡夫：心想羸劣，眼力不及，看不了那麼遠。凡夫看不見，靠的是「諸佛如來有異方便」。
古來注家於此有兩種讀法：一說她確是凡夫，佛此語正為斷除後人『她是聖者所以能』的疑；一說她實是大菩薩而示同凡夫。兩說都在，此處並存不判。
而經文自己說的是那四個字。
最後一問，是替後來的人問的
序分收在韋提希的最後一問：
「如我今者，以佛力故見彼國土。若佛滅後，諸眾生等，濁惡不善，五苦所逼，云何當見阿彌陀佛極樂世界？」
她已經見到了。她問的是佛滅度以後的人怎麼辦。
五濁裡的劫濁，並不是劫本身濁，而是劫在減的時候諸惡加增；見濁是把自己的惡全看成善、把別人的一切都看成不是；五苦是生苦、老苦、病苦、死苦、愛別苦。
一個剛剛從刀口下活下來、剛剛親眼見過十方淨土的人，回頭問的是：那些沒有佛在世、又被這些逼著的人，要怎麼看見？她問的那批人裡，有我們。
序分到這裡結束。下一句，佛就開始教日想觀。
整部經之所以要用這麼長的一段作序，答案就在這一問裡：它先讓人看見一個人是怎麼走投無路的，再讓人看見那條路是為誰開的。
承衍——兩副眼，兩種序
上來是這一長段經文自身的義。此下另以隋唐兩副眼旁照——鏡非經，只是同一段王宮之事，換兩種讀法來看。
善導一路是《觀經四帖疏》的讀法。他把序分判到「云何見極樂世界」為止，正宗分自日觀始，並且明說自己這個判法「與諸師不同」——在他看來，日觀以上雖有多義，「看此文勢，但是由序也」。序分之內他分七緣，逐句坐實於事：「收」與「執」的訓詁、瓔珞盛漿的手法、按劍却行的緣由、闍王問「猶存在耶」而不直問死的心思，一一有解。他讀韋提希，是凡夫；讀阿闍世，是就事而責。而他讀全經之宗，是「今此《觀經》即以觀佛三昧為宗，亦以念佛三昧為宗。一心迴願往生淨土為體。」；讀這部經的位置，是釋迦在此方發遣、彌陀在彼國來迎，「彼喚此遣，豈容不去也」。他還在這部經裡分出「要門」與「弘願」兩層：要門是本經的定散二門，弘願則是「一切善惡凡夫得生者，莫不皆乘阿彌陀佛大願業力為增上緣」。
智顗一路是《觀無量壽佛經疏》的讀法。他判序分止於「清淨業處」，放光以下即入正說；全經之宗，他立為「心觀為宗、實相為體」，又說「以心觀淨則佛土淨，為經宗致」，並以四種淨土分判彼此。他讀發起序，直說「今經正以殺父以為發起」，而所以要舉這樁逆事，是「為彰此界極惡，令人厭棄」——親生的兒子尚且如此，才好教人同欣淨土。他讀阿闍世與提婆達多，判為「大士善權現化，行於非道通達佛道」；讀韋提希，判為「實大菩薩，此會即得無生忍，示同在凡夫」。他解名相尤詳：耆闍崛翻作靈鷲，調達此云天熱，耆婆此云固活，五體是兩肘兩膝頭頂，懺摩是梵言而悔過是漢語。
兩家所判的序分不同，所立的宗不同，讀闍王與韋提希也不同。一路把這段王宮之事讀成實事，一路把它讀成大士的權現；一路把經的宗落在念佛與迴願，一路落在心觀與實相。
而經自己不曾說哪一種讀法是對的。它只是照著次第，先寫一把劍，再寫一道光，最後寫一個問題。
The first sentence of the Sūtra on Contemplating the Buddha of Measureless Life is “Thus have I heard.” The second sentence carries us inside the palace walls of Rājagṛha: a son imprisons his father, and then draws a sword to kill his mother. A sūtra that means to teach people to fix their thought single-mindedly and to contemplate the West opens with kindred blood turned against itself.
How far this opening passage extends has never been read in one way. Shandao’s Commentary on the Contemplation Sūtra in Four Fascicles assigns the whole of it to the introduction, counting all the way to Vaidehī’s question, “How are they to see Amitābha Buddha and the world of Ultimate Bliss?”, so that the main body begins only at the contemplation of the sun. Zhiyi’s Commentary on the Sūtra on Contemplating the Buddha of Measureless Life instead breaks off the introduction at “the place of pure karma,” so that everything from the Buddha’s sending forth the light between his brows already belongs to the main teaching. The segmentation followed here is the former. The two draw the boundary differently; the reasons of each stand in his own book; both are preserved here, and no reconciliation is attempted.
As for the Imperially Composed Praise of the Buddha of Measureless Life at the head of the fascicle, it is not the sūtra text itself. It stands before the title of the sūtra, and neither commentary explains one word of it. It is reproduced and preserved as it stands; what is discussed below is the sūtra.
The Introduction Is Not Merely an Opening
The introduction of most scriptures reports a time, a place, and a company: at one time, the Buddha was dwelling in such a place, together with so many people. The introduction of this sūtra has these three as well, but it uses only two lines for them — Mount Gṛdhrakūṭa at Rājagṛha, twelve hundred and fifty great bhikṣus, thirty-two thousand bodhisattvas, with Mañjuśrī as their leader.
And then the text turns at once to the palace city.
“At that time in the great city of Rājagṛha there was a prince named Ajātaśatru, who followed the instigation of that evil friend Diaoda and seized and held his father, King Bimbisāra.” From this sentence onward — through the lady’s entreaty of the Buddha, the Buddha’s sending forth light and revealing the lands, and the Buddha’s disclosure of the three kinds of merit — everything is still inside the introduction. Which is to say: the “introduction” of this sūtra takes up nearly a third of the whole.
An introduction this long is long because it is not merely reporting time, place, and persons. It is reporting why this sūtra had to be spoken.
The commentators of old divided this long stretch into seven parts: the introduction preceding the teaching, the cause of the imprisonment of the father, the cause of the imprisonment of the mother, the cause of weariness of suffering, the cause of delight in purity, the cause that discloses practice through the good done in a scattered mind, and the cause that shows contemplation through the good done in concentration. Of the seven, five are telling one single thing — how a person came to be driven to the point where nothing was left but to seek a way out.
A Son, a Father, a Mother, and a Sword
Ajātaśatru seized his father the king and “confined him within a chamber of seven walls, and issued orders to the ministers that not one of them should go to him.”
Seven walls, to cut off every passage; an order that not one minister may go, to cut off every human tie. The sūtra writes the deed with two actions: suddenly to seize upon the king’s person is called “taking”; having got him, not to let go is called “holding.”
The mother, Vaidehī, went. She “bathed and made her body clean, mixed butter and honey with parched flour and smeared it on her body, filled her many necklaces with grape juice, and secretly presented it to the king” — first washing herself clean, then putting butter and honey on her body, then setting the dry roasted barley meal upon the butter and honey, then dressing and putting on her necklaces, with the beads of the necklaces filled full of grape juice and sealed at one end with wax. To look at, it was only ordinary finery.
When the great king saw it, he scraped the butter and flour from her body, rolled it into a ball, and ate it.
This was every device a mother could think of. The sūtra writes it in the finest detail — fine enough that a reader can almost see the motion of smearing food on one’s own body and then putting on layer after layer of clothing.
The gatekeeper saw, and told. When the prince had heard it, he cursed his mother as a thief — “My mother is a thief, and the companion of thieves” — and at once “drew a sharp sword, wishing to kill his mother.”
He curses his mother as a thief because she secretly brought provisions and so kept his father from dying. There is a very cold logic in that sentence: in his eyes, to let a man live is itself a kind of stealing.
Two Ministers Withdraw with Their Hands on Their Swords
What stopped that sword was not the Buddha. It was two ministers.
Moonlight and Jīvaka first paid homage to the great king — one who would remonstrate with a great man must first bow, to show that the person is honoured — and only then spoke. What Moonlight cited was not the Buddha-Dharma but the old books and histories transmitted in the non-Buddhist tradition: since the beginning of the aeon, evil kings who killed their fathers out of greed for the throne have numbered eighteen thousand, but “it has never been heard that anyone was so lawless as to kill his mother.”
That sentence is worth seeing clearly. He did not say that killing a father was right. He said: even those eighteen thousand evil kings never went this far.
Then he said that it “defiles the kṣatriya lineage” — the kṣatriya being the highest of the four castes, the lineage of kings; while the present conduct is the conduct of the lowest stream of the four castes. And at the last he said, “It is not fitting that we should dwell here any longer.”
Having spoken, they “laid their hands upon their swords and withdrew, walking backward.”
A hand on the sword is for defence; walking backward is not daring to turn one’s back. Those two motions together put down the whole air of that hall.
Ajātaśatru was startled and afraid, and asked Jīvaka, “Will you not stand by me?” Jīvaka answered with a single sentence: “Great king! By no means kill your mother.”
And the sword was laid down.
Her First Words Were Not a Cry for Help
The mother was not killed, but she was “shut within the inner palace and not let out again.”
The first thing she did was to bow from afar toward Mount Gṛdhrakūṭa and pay homage to the Buddha. And her first words were not a plea for rescue, but this: “In former times the Tathāgata, the World-Honored One, constantly sent Ānanda to console me. Now I am filled with sorrow; the World-Honored One is majestic and grave, and I have no way to see him.”
Someone used to come and see me, and now no one comes — that is what she says first.
Then the Buddha came. The sūtra writes it strangely: Maudgalyāyana and Ānanda came through the air, while the Buddha himself “vanished from Mount Gṛdhrakūṭa and appeared within the royal palace.” Not appearing on the way, but simply present at the other end — because the restrictions in the palace were so severe that, had anyone seen the Buddha come in from outside, further obstruction would only have been raised.
Vaidehī raised her head, saw the Buddha, and “broke off her own necklaces, cast her whole body upon the ground, and wept aloud toward the Buddha.”
Those necklaces were the very things that had hidden the grape juice a few days before. Now she tore them off with her own hands. Ordinarily her clothes and ornaments were attended to by others; seeing the Buddha now, in her shame she pulled them off without even undoing the clasps.
She asked two questions: “What offence did I commit in a former life, that I should bear so evil a son?” and “What causes and conditions can the World-Honored One have, that he should have Devadatta for a kinsman?”
The first question is asked about herself; the second is asked about the Buddha. Her meaning is plain: if even a buddha has a Devadatta, then why do I have an Ajātaśatru?
To the first question the sūtra makes no direct reply.
From “I Do Not Want This Place” to “I Want That One”
The real turn comes in the next sentence: “I pray only that the World-Honored One will expound to me at length a place without sorrow or torment. I would be born there, and take no more delight in Jambudvīpa, this turbid and evil world.”
She stops asking why, and begins to ask where.
And what she means to leave is not only that palace. The sūtra goes on: “This turbid and evil place is filled with hell beings, hungry ghosts, and animals, and there are many gatherings of what is not good. May I in the future not hear the sounds of evil, nor see evil persons.”
The whole of Jambudvīpa is evil, and there is not one place in it worth coveting — what she means to relinquish is the entire world. This is the conclusion forced out of her by a son of her own body: if even a son born of one’s own body can turn a murderous mind upon his parents, how much more anyone unrelated. And so she makes no distinction between near and distant kin, and gives up all together.
Then come four words: “beg in sorrow for repentance.”
To go to a pure place, one must first own the old debts on one’s own account. She did not wait for the Buddha to remind her.
Only last comes the request for the Dharma: “I pray only that the Buddha-sun will teach me to contemplate the place of pure karma.”
The words “Buddha-sun” set Dharma and simile side by side — when the sun comes out, all darkness is wholly removed; when the Buddha’s wisdom shines, the long night of ignorance grows bright. What she asks for is not the name of a place, but the means of getting there.
The Measureless Lands upon the Terrace of Light
The Buddha did not answer directly. He sent forth the light between his brows; the light turned into a golden terrace, and the pure lands of the buddhas of the ten directions all appeared within it.
Some lands were composed of the seven precious substances, some purely of lotus flowers, some like the palace of Īśvara, some like a mirror of crystal. The sūtra lists them one by one, and then says that he “let Vaidehī see them.”
Why not simply name one? Why make them all appear?
Because if it were only told to her, she could not see it, and a doubt would remain in her mind. So they were manifested one by one, set before her eyes, for her to look at and to choose for herself.
And she chose: “I now delight to be born in the world of Ultimate Bliss, where Amitābha Buddha is.”
That sentence is her own. The Buddha revealed the lands of the ten directions and designated none of them — and the one she chose is precisely the one he was about to teach.
What the Buddha Taught First Was Not Contemplation
Having chosen, what she asked for was a practice: “Teach me reflection, teach me right reception.”
But what the Buddha spoke of first was not contemplation. It was the three kinds of merit.
“First: be filial and care for father and mother, serve and attend teachers and elders, be kindly of mind and not kill, and cultivate the ten wholesome deeds. Second: take up and hold the three refuges, be complete in the various precepts, and not transgress in deportment. Third: give rise to the aspiration for awakening, believe deeply in cause and effect, recite the scriptures of the Great Vehicle, and encourage and urge on those who practise.”
The order here is worth pausing over. The capacities of sentient beings are of two kinds: some can be concentrated, some are scattered and unsettled; and if only the way of concentration were taught, a great many people could not take hold of it. So the three kinds of merit are opened out first, and those who are scattered also have a road to walk.
And the first of the three kinds of merit is to be filial and care for father and mother.
In a sūtra initiated by the killing of a father and the imprisoning of a mother, the first good deed the Buddha names is filial care for father and mother. The sūtra does not point out the contrast; it simply goes on speaking in order. Parents are the utmost field of merit in the world, and the Buddha is the utmost field of merit beyond the world; if a person will not acknowledge even the utmost field of merit in the world, there is no way to begin saying anything else to him.
When the three kinds of merit have been taught, the Buddha adds a sentence: “These three kinds of karma are the very cause of the pure karma of all the buddhas of the past, the future, and the present.”
Not an expedient devised for this one occasion and this one person.
“You Are an Ordinary Person”
In the last section of the introduction the Buddha formally charges them to listen and permits the teaching: “Listen intently, listen intently! Reflect well upon it and keep it in mind.” Listening intently is so that the wisdom born of hearing may arise; reflecting well is the wisdom of reflection; keeping it in mind is the wisdom of cultivation.
Then he explains why seeing is possible at all: “By the Buddha’s power they will be able to see that pure land, as when one holds a bright mirror and sees one’s own face.”
Holding a mirror to look at one’s own face is the least effortful kind of seeing there is. And before that, the sūtra has already said four words: “by the Buddha’s power.”
Then the Buddha says something very weighty to Vaidehī: “You are an ordinary person; the thought of your mind is weak and inferior, you have not yet gained the deva-eye, and you cannot see far.”
Whom is that sentence spoken to?
If you take Vaidehī to have been a sage all along, a great bodhisattva merely putting on a display, then this sūtra has nothing to do with you — what a sage can contemplate, we cannot. And so the sūtra fixes her here as an ordinary person: the thought of her mind weak and inferior, her sight insufficient, unable to see that far. What an ordinary person who cannot see depends upon is that “the buddhas, the tathāgatas, have a different skillful means.”
On this point the commentators of old read in two ways: one says that she is indeed an ordinary person, and that this word of the Buddha is precisely to cut off the later doubt that “she could do it because she was a sage”; the other says that she is in reality a great bodhisattva who displays herself as one among ordinary beings. Both readings stand, and both are preserved here without adjudication.
What the sūtra itself says is those four words.
The Last Question Is Asked for Those Who Come After
The introduction closes on Vaidehī’s last question:
“One such as I am today sees that land by the Buddha’s power. But after the Buddha has passed away, when sentient beings are turbid, evil, and not good, pressed by the five sufferings, how are they to see Amitābha Buddha and the world of Ultimate Bliss?”
She has already seen. What she asks about is what people are to do after the Buddha has passed away.
Among the five turbidities, the turbidity of the aeon is not that the aeon itself is turbid, but that when the aeon declines the many evils increase; the turbidity of views is turning all one’s own evils into good and seeing everything in others as wrong; and the five sufferings are the suffering of birth, of old age, of sickness, of death, and of parting from what is loved.
Someone who has just come alive from under the blade, who has just seen the pure lands of the ten directions with her own eyes, turns back and asks: those who have no buddha in the world, and who are pressed by these things — how are they to see? Among the people she asks for, we are included.
Here the introduction ends. In the next sentence, the Buddha begins to teach the contemplation of the sun.
The reason the whole sūtra needs so long a passage for its introduction lies in that one question: it first lets us see how a person comes to have nowhere left to go, and then lets us see for whom that road was opened.
Carrying Forward — Two Sets of Eyes, Two Introductions
What stands above is the meaning of this long passage of the sūtra in its own right. What follows lets two sets of eyes, from the Sui and the Tang, shine upon it from the side — a mirror is not the sūtra, only the same matter in the royal palace seen under two ways of reading.
The line of Shandao is the reading of the Commentary on the Contemplation Sūtra in Four Fascicles. He assigns the introduction all the way to “how are they to see the world of Ultimate Bliss,” and begins the main body at the contemplation of the sun, saying openly that this division of his is “not the same as that of the various masters” — for in his view, though there are many meanings above the contemplation of the sun, “when one looks at the movement of the text, it is only the causal introduction.” Within the introduction he distinguishes seven causes and settles every sentence upon the event: the glossing of “taking” and “holding,” the manner of filling the necklaces with juice, the reason for laying a hand on the sword and withdrawing backward, the calculation behind the prince’s asking “is he still alive” rather than asking directly about death — each has its explanation. He reads Vaidehī as an ordinary person, and reads Ajātaśatru by holding him to the deed. And the governing theme of the whole sūtra, as he reads it, is that “this Contemplation Sūtra takes the samādhi of contemplating the Buddha as its governing theme, and likewise takes the samādhi of recollecting the Buddha as its governing theme, with single-minded dedication of the vow to birth in the Pure Land as its substance”; the place of this sūtra, as he reads it, is that Śākyamuni sends forth from this quarter while Amitābha comes from that land to welcome — “called from there and sent forth from here, how could one not go?” He further distinguishes two levels within this sūtra, the essential gate and the vast vow: the essential gate is the two gates of concentration and scattering in this sūtra, while the vast vow is that “of all ordinary beings, good or evil, who attain birth there, there is none who does not ride upon the power of Amitābha Buddha’s great vow and its karmic force as the dominant condition.”
The line of Zhiyi is the reading of the Commentary on the Sūtra on Contemplating the Buddha of Measureless Life. He ends the introduction at “the place of pure karma,” so that everything from the sending forth of light enters the main teaching; and the governing theme of the whole sūtra he establishes as “contemplation of mind as the governing theme and true reality as the substance,” saying further that “when contemplation of mind is pure the buddha-land is pure — this is the sūtra’s governing purport,” and dividing this land from that by four kinds of pure land. Reading the initiating introduction, he says outright that “the present sūtra takes precisely the killing of the father as its initiating occasion,” and that the reason for raising such an act of rebellion is “to display the utter evil of this realm, so that people may be wearied of it and cast it away” — if even a son of one’s own body can act so, only then can people be taught to delight together in the Pure Land. Reading Ajātaśatru and Devadatta, he judges them to be “the skillful expedient manifestations of a great being, who walks in what is not the path and thereby penetrates the Buddha’s path”; reading Vaidehī, he judges her to be “in reality a great bodhisattva, who at this assembly attains the patience of non-arising, and displays herself as one among ordinary beings.” He is especially detailed in glossing names: Gṛdhrakūṭa is rendered Spirit Vulture; Diaoda is here rendered Deva-Heat; Jīvaka is here rendered Made Firmly Alive; the five parts of the body are the two elbows, the two knees, and the crown of the head; chanmo is a Sanskrit word while huiguo, confessing one’s faults, is Chinese.
The two draw the introduction differently, establish the governing theme differently, and read Ajātaśatru and Vaidehī differently. One line reads this matter in the royal palace as a real event, the other reads it as the expedient manifestation of a great being; one lets the governing theme of the sūtra come to rest in recollecting the Buddha and dedicating the vow, the other in contemplation of mind and true reality.
And the sūtra itself never says which reading is the right one. It only sets down, in order, first a sword, then a light, and last a question.
考據Apparatus
全段定位 本單元收卷端〈御製無量壽佛贊〉、經題、署譯，及「如是我聞」以下至「云何當見阿彌陀佛極樂世界」止。卷端之贊不屬畺良耶舍所譯之經文本身，其身分之四證別立一目於九目之後；此處先記其界：贊訖於〔T12n0365 0340c24〕，經題起於〔T12n0365 0340c26〕。經文之域即善導《四帖疏》所判之序分全境——證信序一句、化前序四事，發起序七緣（禁父·禁母·厭苦·欣淨·散善顯行·定善示觀，並化前序）。智顗疏之序分止於「清淨業處」，較善導所判為短，二疏之界不同，逐條並錄不判。本經漢地無第二譯本，異譯對勘一目誠實記無。
一、科判定位
善導《觀經四帖疏》於逐文釋前，先總判全經：
「從此以下就文料簡，略作五門明義」〔T37n1753 0251c09〕
其序、正、流通之界：
「一、從如是我聞下，至五苦所逼云何見極樂世界已來，明其序分。」〔T37n1753 0251c09〕
本單元起訖與此序分之起訖逐字相合：經文起「佛說觀無量壽佛經」〔T12n0365 0340c26〕，訖「云何當見阿彌陀佛極樂世界」〔T12n0365 0341c27〕；疏所標序分起於「如是我聞」，經題與署譯在其前，屬卷端題署，本帙併入本單元收錄。
序分之內部再分為二：
「又就前序中復分為二：一、從如是我聞一句，名為證信序。二、從一時下至云何見極樂世界已來，正明發起序。」〔T37n1753 0251c25〕
「初言證信者即有二義：一謂如是二字，即總標教主，能說之人。二謂我聞兩字，即別指阿難，能聽之人。」〔T37n1753 0251c27〕
發起序之內，疏細分為七：
「二、就發起序中，細分為七」〔T37n1753 0252a21〕
| 疏之七緣 | 疏標起訖（逐字） | 錨 | 本帙白話段位 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 一·化前序 | 「初、從一時佛在下，至法王子而為上首已來，明化前序。」 | 〔T37n1753 0252a21〕 | 〔四〕 |
| 二·禁父緣 | 「二、從王舍大城下，至顏色和悅已來，正明發起序禁父之緣。」 | 〔T37n1753 0252a22〕 | 〔五〕 |
| 三·禁母緣 | 「三、就禁母緣中，即有其八。」 | 〔T37n1753 0255c01〕 | 〔六〕 |
| 四·厭苦緣 | 「四、就厭苦緣中，即有其四。」 | 〔T37n1753 0256c25〕 | 〔七〕 |
| 五·欣淨緣 | 「五、就欣淨緣中即有其八。」 | 〔T37n1753 0257c25〕 | 〔八〕 |
| 六·散善顯行緣 | 「六、就散善顯行緣中，即有其五。」 | 〔T37n1753 0258c07〕 | 〔九〕 |
| 七·定善示觀緣 | 「七、就定善示觀緣中，即有其七。」 | 〔T37n1753 0260a29〕 | 〔十〕 |
序分之收束，疏文明言：
「初明證信序，次明化前序，後明發起序。上來雖有三序不同，總明序分竟。」〔T37n1753 0261a26〕
witness 分欄·二疏序分之界不同（誌錄不判）：
| 疏 | 序分之界（逐字） | 錨 |
|---|---|---|
| 善導《觀經四帖疏》（唐） | 「一、從如是我聞下，至五苦所逼云何見極樂世界已來，明其序分。」 | 〔T37n1753 0251c09〕 |
| 智顗《觀無量壽佛經疏》（隋·天台） | 「分文為三：序、正、流通。」 | 〔T37n1750 0188c22〕 |
| 同上·序分之內分 | 「序中文二：證信、發起。」 | 〔T37n1750 0188c25〕 |
智顗判序分止於「清淨業處」而以「爾時世尊放眉間光」以下入正說；善導則收全境入序，正宗自日觀始，並自陳其判與他家不同：
「今定立正宗，與諸師不同。」〔T37n1753 0261b06〕 「從日觀已上，雖有多義不同，看此文勢，但是由序也。」〔T37n1753 0261b08〕
二判相去者，正是本單元之後半（放光現國、微笑益父、三福、勅聽許說一段）：在善導為序，在智顗已入正說。本帙切分從善導（承衍主鏡），智顗之判逐字並錄，不設調停。
二、異譯對勘
本經漢地無第二譯本——已查大正藏第十二冊寶積·涅槃部諸經題名（T12n0360–T12n0396）：淨土一系之經，《無量壽經》有四譯並存，《阿彌陀經》有羅什、玄奘二本，唯《佛說觀無量壽佛經》止此一本，無異譯可勘。誠實記之。
疏家亦以此經與同軸二經相對而不作異譯之勘。智顗疏於教相處自述三經之別：
「大本二卷，晉永嘉年中竺法護譯」〔T37n1750 0188c14〕 「此本是宋元嘉時畺良耶舍於揚州譯。」〔T37n1750 0188c15〕
誌錄不判：智顗所述之大本譯人譯時（竺法護·晉永嘉）與今本《無量壽經》T12n0360 卷端所題（曹魏康僧鎧）不合。此屬經錄之議，並錄之，不代裁。
三、經論宗依（眼）
二鏡於本經之宗，所立不同——並錄不判。
善導立宗於三昧與迴願：
「今此《觀經》即以觀佛三昧為宗，亦以念佛三昧為宗。一心迴願往生淨土為體。」〔T37n1753 0247a18〕
智顗立宗於心觀與實相：
「此經心觀為宗、實相為體。」〔T37n1750 0186c13〕 「今此經宗，以心觀淨則佛土淨，為經宗致。」〔T37n1750 0188b15〕
教相之判，二鏡相合：
| 疏 | 逐字 | 錨 |
|---|---|---|
| 善導 | 「今此《觀經》菩薩藏收，頓教攝。」 | 〔T37n1753 0247a21〕 |
| 智顗 | 「二藏明義，菩薩藏收。漸頓悟入，此即頓教。」 | 〔T37n1750 0188c18〕 |
說人與說處，善導亦有專判：
「佛在王宮為韋提等說。」〔T37n1753 0247a26〕
本單元所繫之要義在「要門」與「弘願」二語，善導於玄義分自立之：
「即廣開淨土之要門，安樂能人顯彰別意之弘願」〔T37n1753 0246b06〕 「其要門者，即此《觀經》定散二門是也。定即息慮以凝心，散即廢惡以修善，迴斯二行求願往生也。」〔T37n1753 0246b07〕 「言弘願者，如《大經》說，一切善惡凡夫得生者，莫不皆乘阿彌陀佛大願業力為增上緣也。」〔T37n1753 0246b09〕
弘願之經證即《無量壽經》之本願（善導引《大經》為據，見上）。定散二門之出處與請主，疏設問答而定：
「定善一門韋提致請，散善一門是佛自說。」〔T37n1753 0247b04〕 「從日觀下至十三觀已來名為定善。三福九品名為散善。」〔T37n1753 0247b23〕
本單元之末，正是散善（三福）已說而定善未起之交；下一單元日想觀即定善之首。二土之遣迎，疏以一語總之：
「仰惟釋迦此方發遣，彌陀即彼國來迎，彼喚此遣，豈容不去也。」〔T37n1753 0246b13〕
四、本段釋要（四帖疏逐文）
化前序——說法必待時處，疏立喻而明其故：
「洪鐘雖響，必待扣而方鳴。大聖垂慈，必待請而當說。」〔T37n1753 0252b14〕
王舍城之名——疏舉其緣起：往古百姓造舍屢為天火所燒，唯王家無火近，王乃教之曰「但言我今為王造舍」〔T37n1753 0253b01〕，「因此相傳故名王舍」〔T37n1753 0253b02〕；又「此城極大，居民九億」〔T37n1753 0253b03〕。
起化之處二義——「二則如來赴請，光變為臺影現靈儀，夫人即求生安樂。」〔T37n1753 0253b06〕
收執二字——「忽掩王身曰收，既得不捨曰執，故名收執也。」〔T37n1753 0254c03〕
幽閉七重之故——「但以王之宮閤，理絕外人，唯有群臣則久來承奉。」〔T37n1753 0254c07〕
夫人何以得入——疏設問答：諸臣受制而夫人不制者，「又夫人者，身是女人，心無異計。與王宿緣業重久近夫妻，別體同心，致使人無外慮。」〔T37n1753 0254c23〕
奉食之法——「即取酥蜜先塗其身，後取乾麨始安酥蜜之上」〔T37n1753 0254c15〕；及王見之，「即刮取身上酥麨，團授與王。」〔T37n1753 0254c28〕
親友二字——「但目連在俗是王別親，既得出家即是門師」〔T37n1753 0255a06〕、「然在俗為親，出家名友，故名親友也。」〔T37n1753 0255a07〕
八戒何須日日受——疏設問而答之：
「山不厭高，海不厭深，刀不厭利，日不厭明，人不厭善，罪不厭除，賢不厭德，佛不厭聖。」〔T37n1753 0255b15〕
闍王之問何以不直問死——「但以內心標死，口問在者，為欲息永惡逆之聲也。」〔T37n1753 0255c12〕；門家何以盡告，則曰「一切私密不可久行，縱巧牢藏，事還彰露。」〔T37n1753 0255c20〕
罵母為賊之義——「言我母是賊已下，正明口出惡辭。」〔T37n1753 0256a07〕、「母乃私為進糧，故令不死。」〔T37n1753 0256a09〕
執劍一節——「何其痛哉，撮頭擬劍，身命頓在須臾。」〔T37n1753 0256a14〕、「夫人爾時熱汗遍流，心神悶絕。嗚呼哀哉！」〔T37n1753 0256a16〕
二臣所引之典——「此明廣引古今書史歷帝之文記。」〔T37n1753 0256b03〕；剎利與旃陀羅之別：「言剎利者，乃是四姓高元，王者之種，代代相承」〔T37n1753 0256b17〕、「言是旃陀羅者，乃是四姓之下流也。」〔T37n1753 0256b20〕
自絕瓔珞——「言自絕瓔珞者，此明夫人身莊瓔珞，猶愛未除。忽見如來，羞慚自絕。」〔T37n1753 0257b24〕；「言目連侍左等者，此明更無餘眾唯有二僧。」〔T37n1753 0257b14〕
厭穢之徹底——「此明閻浮總惡，未有一處可貪。」〔T37n1753 0258a02〕、「此明夫人真心徹到，厭苦娑婆，欣樂無為，永歸常樂。」〔T37n1753 0258a11〕、「是故夫人不簡親疎，總皆頓捨。」〔T37n1753 0258a18〕
佛日二字——「言佛日者，法喻雙標也。譬如日出，眾闇盡除。佛智輝光，無明之夜日朗。」〔T37n1753 0258a24〕
光臺現國何以不逕說——「此彰如來意密也。」〔T37n1753 0258b08〕、「是以一一顯現，對彼眼前，信彼所須，隨心自選。」〔T37n1753 0258b10〕、「致使如來密遣夫人別選也。」〔T37n1753 0258b27〕；金臺之形，「如之言似，似須彌山，此山腰細上闊」〔T37n1753 0258b03〕。
口光照頂之故——「今明此光從口出，直照王頂者，即授其小果。」〔T37n1753 0258c21〕、「斯乃因光見佛，非意所期。致敬歸依，即超證第三之果。」〔T37n1753 0258c26〕
三福之標——「言欲生彼國者，標指所歸也。言當修三福者，總標行門也。」〔T37n1753 0259a22〕、「此明一切眾生機有二種：一者定，二者散。若依定行即攝生不盡，是以如來方便顯開三福，以應散動根機。」〔T37n1753 0259a20〕；孝養之所以重，「又父母者，世間福田之極也。佛者，即是出世福田之極也。」〔T37n1753 0259b09〕
繫念一語——「言汝當繫念已下，正明凡惑障深心多散動，若不頓捨攀緣，淨境無由得現。」〔T37n1753 0259a11〕
勅聽許說——「此明如來前則總告令安心聽受，此文則別勅阿難受持勿忘」〔T37n1753 0260b21〕
執鏡自照之喻——「言如執明鏡自見面像已下，此明夫人及眾生等入觀住心，凝神不捨，心境相應悉皆顯現」〔T37n1753 0260c02〕；而凡夫之所以須佛力，「此明眾生業障觸目生盲，指掌謂遠」〔T37n1753 0260b28〕。
汝是凡夫一句——「然韋提現是菩薩，假示凡身。我等罪人，無由比及。為斷此疑，故言汝是凡夫也。」〔T37n1753 0260c15〕、「言心想羸劣者，由是凡故曾無大志也。」〔T37n1753 0260c16〕
此處之「即得無生法忍」——疏判為預說而非已得：「此乃玄談，未標得處。」〔T37n1753 0260c08〕，其忍「亦名喜忍，亦名悟忍，亦名信忍。」〔T37n1753 0260c07〕；真得忍之處，疏別繫於第七觀初：「韋提得忍，出在第七觀初」〔T37n1753 0251b10〕。
五濁五苦——「言濁惡不善者，此明五濁也。一者劫濁，二者眾生濁，三者見濁，四者煩惱濁，五者命濁。」〔T37n1753 0261a06〕、「言劫濁者，然劫實非是濁，當劫減時諸惡加增也。」〔T37n1753 0261a08〕、「言眾生濁者，劫若初成，眾生純善；劫若末時，眾生十惡彌盛也。」〔T37n1753 0261a09〕、「言見濁者，自身眾惡總變為善，他上無非見為不是也。」〔T37n1753 0261a10〕、「言命濁者，由前見惱二濁，多行殺害無慈恩養」〔T37n1753 0261a13〕、「言五苦所逼者。八苦中取生苦、老苦、病苦、死苦、愛別苦，此名五苦也。」〔T37n1753 0261a16〕
五、諸家異釋（分欄並錄·誌錄不判）
| 事 | 善導《四帖疏》（唐） | 錨 | 智顗疏（隋·天台） | 錨 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 序分之界 | 「一、從如是我聞下，至五苦所逼云何見極樂世界已來，明其序分。」 | 〔T37n1753 0251c09〕 | 「分文為三：序、正、流通。」 | 〔T37n1750 0188c22〕 |
| 經之宗體 | 「今此《觀經》即以觀佛三昧為宗，亦以念佛三昧為宗。一心迴願往生淨土為體。」 | 〔T37n1753 0247a18〕 | 「此經心觀為宗、實相為體。」 | 〔T37n1750 0186c13〕 |
| 發起之義 | 「二、從王舍大城下，至顏色和悅已來，正明發起序禁父之緣。」 | 〔T37n1753 0252a22〕 | 「今經正以殺父以為發起。何故舉此逆事為發起耶，為彰此界極惡，令人厭棄。」 | 〔T37n1750 0189c20〕 |
| 闍王之逆 | 「言我母是賊已下，正明口出惡辭。」（逐句就事而釋） | 〔T37n1753 0256a07〕 | 「如此等事，皆是大士善權現化，行於非道通達佛道。」 | 〔T37n1750 0190a24〕 |
| 韋提之機 | 「然韋提現是菩薩，假示凡身。我等罪人，無由比及。為斷此疑，故言汝是凡夫也。」 | 〔T37n1753 0260c15〕 | 「韋提實大菩薩，此會即得無生忍，示同在凡夫。」 | 〔T37n1750 0191b26〕 |
| 佛何以自往 | 「此明夫人宮內禁約極難。」（釋此沒彼出） | 〔T37n1753 0257b06〕 | 「父願聞法，遣人傳授，為化義足。母求生淨土，非佛不開，故須自往。」 | 〔T37n1750 0189c27〕 |
| 五濁之次第 | 「一者劫濁，二者眾生濁，三者見濁，四者煩惱濁，五者命濁。」 | 〔T37n1753 0261a06〕 | 「「濁惡」者，濁，五濁也，一見、二煩惱、三眾生、四命、五劫。」 | 〔T37n1750 0190c24〕 |
| 無生忍之位 | 「此乃玄談，未標得處。」 | 〔T37n1753 0260c08〕 | 「「即得無生忍」，是初住初地。」 | 〔T37n1750 0191b22〕 |
二家於本單元之所作，判然二路：善導逐句釋事——收執二字之訓、瓔珞盛漿之法、按劍却行之故、母子二人之情狀，一一坐實於王宮之事；智顗則多就名相與位次而判——五體之數、懺摩之語、三種淨業之屬、無生忍之階。闍王之逆，善導就事而責，智顗判為大士善權；韋提之機，善導就佛語判其為凡而斷眾疑，智顗判其實是大菩薩而示同凡夫。二說相違，並錄之，不設調停，不擇一為正。
智顗疏詳略之偏——本單元之經文，智顗於「爾時世尊放眉間光」以下方入正說，其前之禁父禁母一段釋文甚略；善導則以序分義一整卷（T37n1753 卷第二·〔0251c06–0261a27〕）逐句釋之。二疏廣略之議，本帙誌錄不判，逐條入存疑帳。
六、術語（首見名相·釋義皆自二鏡）
| 名相 | 疏釋逐字 | 錨 | 鏡 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 耆闍崛山 | 「「耆闍崛山」者，翻名靈鷲，諸聖仙靈依之而住。又名鷲頭，峰形似鷲。」 | 〔T37n1750 0189b10〕 | 智顗 |
| 文殊師利·法王子 | 「文殊，此云妙德，以法化人，名法王子也。」 | 〔T37n1750 0189c18〕 | 智顗 |
| 阿闍世 | 「又阿闍世者乃是西國正音，此地往翻，名未生怨，亦名折指。」 | 〔T37n1753 0253b12〕 | 善導 |
| 阿闍世（折指之由） | 「唯損手小指。因即外人同唱言折指太子也。」 | 〔T37n1753 0253c17〕 | 善導 |
| 頻婆娑羅·韋提希·阿闍世（並釋） | 「頻婆娑羅，此云摸實，亦曰影堅。韋提希，此云思惟。阿闍世，此云未生怨，或婆羅留支，此云折指。」 | 〔T37n1750 0189c28〕 | 智顗 |
| 調達（提婆達多） | 「調達，此云天熱，亦云天授，是斛飯王子，是佛堂弟、阿難親兄。」 | 〔T37n1750 0190a08〕 | 智顗 |
| 耆婆 | 「耆婆，此云固活，生時一手把藥囊、一手把針筒。」 | 〔T37n1750 0190b21〕 | 智顗 |
| 富樓那 | 「富樓那，此云滿願子，亦滿慈子，從父母得名，說法第一，巧開人心，故偏遣之。」 | 〔T37n1750 0190b05〕 | 智顗 |
| 剎利 | 「言剎利者，乃是四姓高元，王者之種，代代相承」 | 〔T37n1753 0256b17〕 | 善導 |
| 栴陀羅 | 「言是旃陀羅者，乃是四姓之下流也。」 | 〔T37n1753 0256b20〕 | 善導 |
| 毘陀論經 | 「此明廣引古今書史歷帝之文記。」 | 〔T37n1753 0256b03〕 | 善導 |
| 五體 | 「兩肘、兩膝、頭頂，是為五體也。」 | 〔T37n1750 0191a04〕 | 智顗 |
| 懺悔 | 「懺摩，梵言；悔過，漢語。」 | 〔T37n1750 0191a04〕 | 智顗 |
| 阿那含 | 「「阿那含」者，第三不還果也。」 | 〔T37n1750 0191b08〕 | 智顗 |
| 煩惱賊 | 「「煩惱賊」者，此能損慧命、傷法身，故名為賊也。」 | 〔T37n1750 0191b21〕 | 智顗 |
| 諦聽·善思念之 | 「諦聽令生聞慧，善思思慧念之修慧。」 | 〔T37n1750 0191b21〕 | 智顗 |
| 異方便 | 「「異方便」者，即十六觀。」 | 〔T37n1750 0191b29〕 | 智顗 |
| 五苦 | 「言五苦所逼者。八苦中取生苦、老苦、病苦、死苦、愛別苦，此名五苦也。」 | 〔T37n1753 0261a16〕 | 善導 |
| 四種淨土（智顗之判） | 「四種淨土，謂凡聖同居土、方便有餘土、實報無障礙土、常寂光土也，各有淨穢。」 | 〔T37n1750 0188b16〕 | 智顗 |
去此不遠——二鏡各有其釋：善導以三義明之（分齊不遠·一念即到·定境相應常見）〔T37n1753 0259a06〕；智顗曰「以佛力故欲見即見。」〔T37n1750 0191b10〕。並錄。
麨 之字——底本作 CBETA 缺字 CB00595，善導疏與智顗疏所用亦同此字。疏文兩處自釋其物之用：「即取酥蜜先塗其身，後取乾麨始安酥蜜之上」〔T37n1753 0254c15〕、「即刮取身上酥麨，團授與王。」〔T37n1753 0254c28〕——乾而可與酥蜜相和、可刮取成團，是乾粉狀之食。字形之事詳目九。
五苦所逼一語，善導曰「八苦中取生苦、老苦、病苦、死苦、愛別苦，此名五苦也。」〔T37n1753 0261a17〕，智顗則曰「「五苦」者，五道非樂，故云五苦。」〔T37n1750 0191c03〕——二說並錄；本帙白話括注從善導（主鏡），智顗說錄而不廢。
梵語形唯依古德所傳；「此云」之漢譯即疏家所傳之音義，二疏未出梵形者，不代擬。
七、譬喻·修辭
經文自用之譬凡五：
| 譬 | 經文逐字 | 錨 |
|---|---|---|
| 鷹隼 | 「時目乾連如鷹隼飛，疾至王所」 | 〔T12n0365 0341a11〕 |
| 須彌山 | 「化為金臺，如須彌山」 | 〔T12n0365 0341b22〕 |
| 頗梨鏡 | 「復有國土如頗梨鏡」 | 〔T12n0365 0341b25〕 |
| 自在天宮 | 「復有國土如自在天宮」 | 〔T12n0365 0341b24〕 |
| 執鏡自照 | 「如執明鏡自見面像」 | 〔T12n0365 0341c21〕 |
鏡疏於其中二譬有釋：金臺之如須彌，「如之言似，似須彌山，此山腰細上闊」〔T37n1753 0258b03〕；執鏡之譬，「言如執明鏡自見面像已下，此明夫人及眾生等入觀住心，凝神不捨，心境相應悉皆顯現」〔T37n1753 0260c02〕。鷹隼一譬，疏明言其為喻速：「故引快鷹為喻」〔T37n1753 0255b09〕。
鏡疏自立之譬，非經文所有，錄以備考而不與經譬相混：洪鐘待扣〔T37n1753 0252b14〕、佛日破闇〔T37n1753 0258a24〕、山不厭高一連八句〔T37n1753 0255b15〕。
修辭上可記者二：①經文以「時」「爾時」為節，一事一轉，禁父·禁母·厭苦·欣淨·散善·定善六段皆以之啟；②夫人之請凡四轉——先訴宿罪，次求無憂惱處，次求哀懺悔，末請觀清淨業處，由怨而厭、由厭而欣、由欣而求行，次第井然。此為經文自具之勢，非疏家所標。
八、徵引承衍
- 今譯注諸帙之內徵引本單元經文者，零命中（已查全樹：「孝養父母，奉事師長」「五苦所逼」「如執明鏡自見面像」諸語，除本經原典層與鏡源逐行檔外，他帙無一命中）。誠實記之。
- 本軸內部之對讀點：《阿彌陀經》帙之考據層於 01、02、03、05、07 諸單元引《觀經》為證，所引分在本經樹想（04）至下輩生想（16）之域（如「稱佛名故，於念念中，除八十億劫生死之罪」〔T12n0365 0346a19〕），不涉本單元。
- 卷端之贊與本經後文相應：贊語「沙有八萬四千相，一一相中復如是」〔T12n0365 0340c03〕之所本，即本經第九真身觀「無量壽佛有八萬四千相；一一相中，各有八萬四千隨形好」〔T12n0365 0343b23〕；贊語「以觀佛身見佛心」〔T12n0365 0340c05〕之所本，即「作是觀者，名觀一切佛身，以觀佛身故亦見佛心」〔T12n0365 0343b29〕；贊語「眾生三種具三心」〔T12n0365 0340c09〕之所本，即上品上生「具三心者必生彼國。復有三種眾生，當得往生」〔T12n0365 0344c12〕；贊語「稱名一聲起一念，八十億劫罪皆除」〔T12n0365 0340c14〕之所本，即下品下生「稱佛名故，於念念中，除八十億劫生死之罪」〔T12n0365 0346a19〕。四者皆本經自有之文，贊撮之而成頌——此為贊出於本經而非本經出於贊之內證，詳附目。
九、校本定位
大正藏校記（<app>）於本單元域內共十五處，底本與宋【宋】、元【元】、明【明】、流布本【流布本】對讀：
| 錨 | 底本 | 異讀 | 見證 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0340c26 | 「佛」 | 無此字 | 流布本 |
| 0340c28 | 「宋」 | 劉宋 | 宋·元 |
| 0340c28 | 「西域三藏」 | 元嘉中 | 流布本 |
| 0340c28 | 「三藏」 | 三藏法師 | 宋·元·明 |
| 0341a07 | 「葡萄」 | 蒲桃／蒲萄 | 宋·元·流布本／明 |
| 0341a10 | 「目乾連」 | 目犍連 | 宋·元·明·流布本 |
| 0341a14 | 「人」 | 者 | 宋·元·明·流布本 |
| 0341a15 | 「者」 | 人 | 宋·元·明·流布本 |
| 0341a26 | 「我等不宜復住於此」 | 不宜住此 | 流布本 |
| 0341b08 | 「目揵連」 | 目犍連 | 流布本 |
| 0341b11 | 「在」 | 侍 | 宋·元·明 |
| 0341b18 | 「餓」 | 饑 | 明 |
| 0341b25 | 「頗梨」 | 玻𭹳 | 宋·元·明·流布本 |
| 0341c02 | 「王」 | 無此字 | 流布本 |
| 0341c13 | 「乃是」 | 無此二字 | 流布本 |
署譯三異之義：①「宋」與「劉宋」之別在繫朝或繫姓——底本止稱「宋」，宋元二本增「劉」以別於趙宋。②「西域三藏」與「元嘉中」之別在繫地或繫年——底本繫其所來之域，流布本改繫其譯出之年號。③「三藏」與「三藏法師」之別在繫學或繫位。三異俱屬署譯之文而非經文，並錄不判。
「目乾連」三形並見於本單元：0341a10、0341a11 作「目乾連」，0341b08 作「目揵連」；作「目犍連」之見證各處不同——0341a10 宋元明與流布本，0341a11 宋元明（流布本不列），0341b08 唯流布本。同一單元之內底本自有二形，逐字保留，不作正字化會同。善導疏於此人通作「目連」〔T37n1753 0255a05〕。
「餓」與「饑」——0341b18「地獄、餓鬼、畜生盈滿」，明本「餓」作「饑」。誌錄不判。
卷端之贊域內校記零命中——〔T12n0365 0340b23–0340c24〕全域無 <app> 一條。與經文域十五處相對，此為附目四證之一，見下。
gaiji 四見——皆屬同一字 CB00595（其構形依藏本所繫為〔麩-夫+少〕，所繫通行字形為『麨』），見於「以酥蜜和麨」〔T12n0365 0341a06〕、「食麨飲漿」〔T12n0365 0341a08〕、「王食麨蜜」〔T12n0365 0341a13〕、「身塗麨蜜」〔T12n0365 0341a16〕。依抽取契約保留藏本現有字形，不補不改。二鏡引此經文時所用亦是此字〔T37n1753 0254c15〕〔T37n1750 0190a28〕。通行字形之位唯在本目，不代入正文，不加括注於正文。
本單元無夾註（place="inline" note 零命中）；無全形空格（U+3000 零命中）；無 CBETA 新增校注（本經新增校注五條，最早者在〔T12n0365 0342a12〕，皆在本單元之外）。
附目、卷端〈御製無量壽佛贊〉之身分（四證）
本單元收〈御製無量壽佛贊〉一篇，起〔T12n0365 0340b23〕，訖〔T12n0365 0340c24〕。此贊不屬畺良耶舍所譯之經文本身，本帙照錄並標明，不混入經文之段次與計數。四證如下：
證一·藏本結構自分二區——贊自為一區，題作「御製無量壽佛贊」；經題「佛說觀無量壽佛經」與署譯「宋西域三藏畺良耶舍譯」在其後，且卷之開合起於經題而不起於贊。贊在卷題之前而同屬一卷之內，是附而非本。
證二·二鏡俱零命中——善導《四帖疏》四卷（已查 T37n1753 全篇）、智顗《觀無量壽佛經疏》（已查 T37n1750 全篇），皆自經題與「如是我聞」起釋，於此贊一字未牒、未釋、未引。二疏所讀之本，其經自經題始。
證三·校記零命中——大正藏於經文域內十五處出校（見目九），於贊域〔0340b23–0340c24〕一條亦無。四對校本於此篇無異同可記。
證四·全藏孤見——「御製無量壽佛贊」之題與其首句「西方極樂世界尊」，於盤上全藏（T·X·J·D 等各部）唯本經一見（已查各部全樹）。無他本轉載，無經錄繫其撰人，無序跋述其緣起。
贊之取材出於本經——贊語之八萬四千相、以觀佛身見佛心、三種三心、稱名除八十億劫罪四事，逐句皆本經後文所自有（逐條錨見目八）。是先有經而後有贊，非先有贊而後有經。
撰人與年代——藏中不繫，本帙不代擬。「御製」二字自標其出於帝王之手，然盤上諸本於其人其時一字不載：本經卷端無序跋，藏中無他處轉錄，經錄亦無繫屬之文。查無即記無——不以通行之說回填，不揣測其為何代何帝。此事逐條入存疑帳。
本帙之處置：贊文一字不增不刪，照錄於原典層；白話層別出一節而標明其非經文本身，不入經文段次；義疏層不釋贊文為經義；心要層不取贊語為經之逐字。收，不等於認它是經；不收，也不等於它不存在。
Placement of the passage as a whole. This unit gathers the Imperially Composed Praise of the Buddha of Measureless Life at the head of the fascicle, the title of the sūtra, the attribution, and everything from 「如是我聞」—“Thus have I heard” down to 「云何當見阿彌陀佛極樂世界」—“how are they to see Amitābha Buddha and the world of Ultimate Bliss?” The praise at the head of the fascicle does not belong to the sūtra text translated by Kālayaśas; the four proofs of its status are set out in a topic of their own after the nine. Its boundary is recorded here first: the praise ends at 〔T12n0365 0340c24〕 and the title of the sūtra begins at 〔T12n0365 0340c26〕. The domain of the sūtra text is exactly the whole extent of the introduction as divided by Shandao’s Commentary in Four Fascicles — one sentence establishing confidence, four matters of the introduction preceding the teaching, and seven causes of the initiating introduction (the imprisonment of the father, the imprisonment of the mother, weariness of suffering, delight in purity, the disclosure of practice through the good done in a scattered mind, and the showing of contemplation through the good done in concentration, together with the introduction preceding the teaching). Zhiyi’s commentary ends its introduction at 「清淨業處」—“the place of pure karma,” which is shorter than Shandao’s division; the two commentaries draw the boundary differently, and each is recorded item by item without adjudication. There is no second Chinese translation of this sūtra, and the topic of collation with the alternate translations honestly records that absence.
I. Doctrinal-Outline Placement
Before explaining the text line by line, Shandao’s Commentary on the Contemplation Sūtra in Four Fascicles first divides the whole sūtra:
「從此以下就文料簡，略作五門明義」—“From this point on I take up the text and sift it, briefly setting out the meaning under five gates” 〔T37n1753 0251c09〕
His boundaries for the introduction, the main body, and the transmission:
「一、從如是我聞下，至五苦所逼云何見極樂世界已來，明其序分。」—“First, from ‘Thus have I heard’ down to ‘pressed by the five sufferings, how are they to see the world of Ultimate Bliss’ makes clear its introduction.” 〔T37n1753 0251c09〕
The beginning and ending of this unit agree word for word with the beginning and ending of that introduction: the sūtra text begins at 「佛說觀無量壽佛經」—“The Sūtra Spoken by the Buddha on Contemplating the Buddha of Measureless Life” 〔T12n0365 0340c26〕 and ends at 「云何當見阿彌陀佛極樂世界」—“how are they to see Amitābha Buddha and the world of Ultimate Bliss” 〔T12n0365 0341c27〕. The commentary marks the introduction as beginning at 「如是我聞」—“Thus have I heard”; the title and the attribution stand before it as the heading at the head of the fascicle, and are gathered into this unit here.
The introduction is further divided in two:
「又就前序中復分為二：一、從如是我聞一句，名為證信序。二、從一時下至云何見極樂世界已來，正明發起序。」—“Again, within the foregoing introduction there is a further twofold division. First, the single sentence ‘Thus have I heard’ is called the introduction that establishes confidence. Second, from ‘at one time’ down to ‘how are they to see the world of Ultimate Bliss’ precisely makes clear the initiating introduction.” 〔T37n1753 0251c25〕
「初言證信者即有二義：一謂如是二字，即總標教主，能說之人。二謂我聞兩字，即別指阿難，能聽之人。」—“The first, ‘establishing confidence,’ has two meanings. First, the two words ‘thus have’ generally set forth the master of the teaching, the one able to speak it. Second, the two words ‘I heard’ point particularly to Ānanda, the one able to hear it.” 〔T37n1753 0251c27〕
Within the initiating introduction, the commentary makes a finer division into seven:
「二、就發起序中，細分為七」—“Second, within the initiating introduction there is a finer division into seven” 〔T37n1753 0252a21〕
| The commentary’s seven causes | The commentary’s stated boundaries (verbatim) | Anchor | Plain-Reading segment in this edition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 · The introduction preceding the teaching | 「初、從一時佛在下，至法王子而為上首已來，明化前序。」—“First, from ‘at one time the Buddha was dwelling’ down to ‘with the Prince of the Dharma as their leader’ makes clear the introduction preceding the teaching.” | 〔T37n1753 0252a21〕 | 〔四〕 |
| 2 · The cause of the imprisonment of the father | 「二、從王舍大城下，至顏色和悅已來，正明發起序禁父之緣。」—“Second, from ‘the great city of Rājagṛha’ down to ‘his countenance was calm and glad’ precisely makes clear the cause of the imprisonment of the father within the initiating introduction.” | 〔T37n1753 0252a22〕 | 〔五〕 |
| 3 · The cause of the imprisonment of the mother | 「三、就禁母緣中，即有其八。」—“Third, within the cause of the imprisonment of the mother there are eight parts.” | 〔T37n1753 0255c01〕 | 〔六〕 |
| 4 · The cause of weariness of suffering | 「四、就厭苦緣中，即有其四。」—“Fourth, within the cause of weariness of suffering there are four parts.” | 〔T37n1753 0256c25〕 | 〔七〕 |
| 5 · The cause of delight in purity | 「五、就欣淨緣中即有其八。」—“Fifth, within the cause of delight in purity there are eight parts.” | 〔T37n1753 0257c25〕 | 〔八〕 |
| 6 · The cause that discloses practice through the good done in a scattered mind | 「六、就散善顯行緣中，即有其五。」—“Sixth, within the cause that discloses practice through the good done in a scattered mind there are five parts.” | 〔T37n1753 0258c07〕 | 〔九〕 |
| 7 · The cause that shows contemplation through the good done in concentration | 「七、就定善示觀緣中，即有其七。」—“Seventh, within the cause that shows contemplation through the good done in concentration there are seven parts.” | 〔T37n1753 0260a29〕 | 〔十〕 |
The commentary states the close of the introduction explicitly:
「初明證信序，次明化前序，後明發起序。上來雖有三序不同，總明序分竟。」—“First the introduction that establishes confidence was made clear, next the introduction preceding the teaching, and last the initiating introduction. Although the three introductions above are distinct, the introduction as a whole is now complete.” 〔T37n1753 0261a26〕
Witness column · the two commentaries draw the boundary of the introduction differently (recorded without adjudication):
| Commentary | Boundary of the introduction (verbatim) | Anchor |
|---|---|---|
| Shandao, Commentary on the Contemplation Sūtra in Four Fascicles (Tang) | 「一、從如是我聞下，至五苦所逼云何見極樂世界已來，明其序分。」—“First, from ‘Thus have I heard’ down to ‘pressed by the five sufferings, how are they to see the world of Ultimate Bliss’ makes clear its introduction.” | 〔T37n1753 0251c09〕 |
| Zhiyi, Commentary on the Sūtra on Contemplating the Buddha of Measureless Life (Sui · Tiantai) | 「分文為三：序、正、流通。」—“The text is divided into three: introduction, main body, and Transmission.” | 〔T37n1750 0188c22〕 |
| As above · the internal division of the introduction | 「序中文二：證信、發起。」—“Within the introduction the text is twofold: establishing confidence and initiating.” | 〔T37n1750 0188c25〕 |
Zhiyi ends the introduction at 「清淨業處」—“the place of pure karma,” assigning everything from 「爾時世尊放眉間光」—“at that time the World-Honored One sent forth the light between his brows” onward to the main teaching; Shandao gathers the whole extent into the introduction, begins the main body at the contemplation of the sun, and states of his own accord that his division differs from that of others:
「今定立正宗，與諸師不同。」—“The main body as I now definitively establish it differs from that of the various masters.” 〔T37n1753 0261b06〕 「從日觀已上，雖有多義不同，看此文勢，但是由序也。」—“Everything above the contemplation of the sun, though many meanings differ, is, when one looks at the movement of the text, only the causal introduction.” 〔T37n1753 0261b08〕
What separates the two divisions is precisely the second half of this unit — the sending forth of light and the revealing of the lands, the smile that benefits the father, the three kinds of merit, and the passage charging them to listen and permitting the teaching: for Shandao these are introduction, for Zhiyi they have already entered the main teaching. The segmentation of this edition follows Shandao (the principal mirror for carrying forward), while Zhiyi’s division is recorded alongside word for word, with no reconciliation attempted.
II. Collation with the Alternate Translations — recorded without adjudication
There is no second Chinese translation of this sūtra. The titles of the sūtras in the Ratnakūṭa and Nirvāṇa divisions of the twelfth Taishō volume have been searched (T12n0360–T12n0396): among the scriptures of the Pure Land line, the Sūtra of Measureless Life survives in four translations and the Amitābha Sūtra in two, by Kumārajīva and by Xuanzang, while the Sūtra Spoken by the Buddha on Contemplating the Buddha of Measureless Life stops at this one recension, and there is no alternate translation to collate. This is honestly recorded.
The commentators likewise set this sūtra beside the two other scriptures of the same axis without making a collation of translations. In treating the classification of the teaching, Zhiyi states the distinction among the three scriptures:
「大本二卷，晉永嘉年中竺法護譯」—“The larger recension in two fascicles was translated by Dharmarakṣa in the Yongjia era of the Jin” 〔T37n1750 0188c14〕 「此本是宋元嘉時畺良耶舍於揚州譯。」—“The present recension was translated by Kālayaśas at Yangzhou in the Yuanjia era of the Song.” 〔T37n1750 0188c15〕
Recorded without adjudication: the translator and date Zhiyi gives for the larger recension (Dharmarakṣa, the Yongjia era of the Jin) do not agree with what is written at the head of the present Sūtra of Measureless Life, T12n0360 (Kang Sengkai of the Cao Wei). This belongs to the study of the scriptural catalogues; it is recorded alongside, and no judgment is made in their stead.
III. Scriptural and Treatise Grounding (the “eye”)
The two mirrors establish the governing theme of this sūtra differently — recorded alongside without adjudication.
Shandao establishes the governing theme in samādhi and in the dedication of the vow:
「今此《觀經》即以觀佛三昧為宗，亦以念佛三昧為宗。一心迴願往生淨土為體。」—“This Contemplation Sūtra takes the samādhi of contemplating the Buddha as its governing theme, and likewise takes the samādhi of recollecting the Buddha as its governing theme. Single-minded dedication of the vow to birth in the Pure Land is its substance.” 〔T37n1753 0247a18〕
Zhiyi establishes it in contemplation of mind and in true reality:
「此經心觀為宗、實相為體。」—“This sūtra takes contemplation of mind as its governing theme and true reality as its substance.” 〔T37n1750 0186c13〕 「今此經宗，以心觀淨則佛土淨，為經宗致。」—“The governing theme of this sūtra is that when contemplation of mind is pure the buddha-land is pure; this is the sūtra’s governing purport.” 〔T37n1750 0188b15〕
On the classification of the teaching the two mirrors agree:
| Commentary | Verbatim | Anchor |
|---|---|---|
| Shandao | 「今此《觀經》菩薩藏收，頓教攝。」—“This Contemplation Sūtra is gathered into the bodhisattva treasury and included in the sudden teaching.” | 〔T37n1753 0247a21〕 |
| Zhiyi | 「二藏明義，菩薩藏收。漸頓悟入，此即頓教。」—“Setting forth the meaning by the two treasuries, it is gathered into the bodhisattva treasury. As to gradual and sudden entry into awakening, this is the sudden teaching.” | 〔T37n1750 0188c18〕 |
Shandao also judges the speaker and the place expressly:
「佛在王宮為韋提等說。」—“The Buddha taught it in the royal palace for Vaidehī and the rest.” 〔T37n1753 0247a26〕
The essential meaning to which this unit is tied lies in the two expressions 「要門」—“the essential gate” and 「弘願」—“the vast vow,” which Shandao establishes for himself in the Section on the Profound Meaning:
「即廣開淨土之要門，安樂能人顯彰別意之弘願」—“he opens wide the essential gate of the Pure Land, and the Able One of Peace and Bliss makes manifest the vast vow of his particular intent” 〔T37n1753 0246b06〕 「其要門者，即此《觀經》定散二門是也。定即息慮以凝心，散即廢惡以修善，迴斯二行求願往生也。」—“As for the essential gate, it is precisely the two gates of concentration and scattering in this Contemplation Sūtra. Concentration means stilling thought so as to gather the mind; scattering means putting away evil so as to cultivate good. One dedicates these two practices and seeks the vow to be born there.” 〔T37n1753 0246b07〕 「言弘願者，如《大經》說，一切善惡凡夫得生者，莫不皆乘阿彌陀佛大願業力為增上緣也。」—“As for the vast vow: as the Larger Sūtra says, of all ordinary beings, good or evil, who attain birth there, there is none who does not ride upon the power of Amitābha Buddha’s great vow and its karmic force as the dominant condition.” 〔T37n1753 0246b09〕
The scriptural warrant for the vast vow is the original vow of the Sūtra of Measureless Life, which Shandao cites as the Larger Sūtra above. The source of the two gates of concentration and scattering, and who requested them, the commentary settles by a question and answer:
「定善一門韋提致請，散善一門是佛自說。」—“The one gate of the good done in concentration was requested by Vaidehī; the one gate of the good done in a scattered mind the Buddha taught of himself.” 〔T37n1753 0247b04〕 「從日觀下至十三觀已來名為定善。三福九品名為散善。」—“From the contemplation of the sun down through the thirteenth contemplation is called the good done in concentration. The three kinds of merit and the nine grades are called the good done in a scattered mind.” 〔T37n1753 0247b23〕
The end of this unit is exactly the juncture at which the good done in a scattered mind (the three kinds of merit) has been taught while the good done in concentration has not yet begun; the contemplation of the sun in the next unit is the first of the good done in concentration. The sending forth from this land and the welcome from that one, the commentary gathers into a single sentence:
「仰惟釋迦此方發遣，彌陀即彼國來迎，彼喚此遣，豈容不去也。」—“Reverently considering: Śākyamuni sends forth from this quarter, and Amitābha comes from that land to welcome. Called from there and sent forth from here, how could one not go?” 〔T37n1753 0246b13〕
IV. Essentials of the Commentary on This Passage (the Commentary in Four Fascicles, line by line)
The introduction preceding the teaching — a teaching must await its time and place, and the commentary sets up a simile to make the reason clear:
「洪鐘雖響，必待扣而方鳴。大聖垂慈，必待請而當說。」—“Though the great bell resounds, it must wait to be struck before it rings. Though the great sage lets down his compassion, he must wait to be asked before he speaks.” 〔T37n1753 0252b14〕
The name of Rājagṛha — the commentary gives its origin: in ancient times the houses the people built were repeatedly burnt by the fire of heaven, and only the king’s household was never approached by fire; the king therefore instructed them, 「但言我今為王造舍」—“only say: I am now building a house for the king” 〔T37n1753 0253b01〕, and 「因此相傳故名王舍」—“from this it was handed down, and so it is named the King’s House” 〔T37n1753 0253b02〕; further, 「此城極大，居民九億」—“this city is exceedingly great; its inhabitants number nine koṭis” 〔T37n1753 0253b03〕.
The two meanings of the place where the teaching arose — 「二則如來赴請，光變為臺影現靈儀，夫人即求生安樂。」—“Second, the Tathāgata answers the request; the light turns into a terrace in which the numinous forms appear as images, and the lady thereupon seeks birth in Peace and Bliss.” 〔T37n1753 0253b06〕
The two words “seized and held” — 「忽掩王身曰收，既得不捨曰執，故名收執也。」—“Suddenly to lay hold of the king’s person is called ‘taking’; having got him, not to let go is called ‘holding’; hence the words ‘seized and held.’” 〔T37n1753 0254c03〕
Why he was confined behind seven walls — 「但以王之宮閤，理絕外人，唯有群臣則久來承奉。」—“Only because the king’s palace chambers are by their nature closed to outsiders, and only the assembled ministers have long attended upon him.” 〔T37n1753 0254c07〕
How the lady was able to enter — the commentary sets a question and answers it: the ministers were restrained while the lady was not, because 「又夫人者，身是女人，心無異計。與王宿緣業重久近夫妻，別體同心，致使人無外慮。」—“Further, the lady is a woman in body and harbours no other design in mind. Her karmic bond with the king from former lives is weighty, and they have long been husband and wife: separate in body, one in mind. Hence no one had any further suspicion of her.” 〔T37n1753 0254c23〕
The manner of presenting the food — 「即取酥蜜先塗其身，後取乾麨始安酥蜜之上」—“she took butter and honey and first smeared them on her body, and then took dry parched flour and set it upon the butter and honey” 〔T37n1753 0254c15〕; and when the king saw it, 「即刮取身上酥麨，團授與王。」—“he scraped the butter and parched flour from her body, rolled it into a ball, and gave it to the king.” 〔T37n1753 0254c28〕
The two words “kinsman and friend” — 「但目連在俗是王別親，既得出家即是門師」—“Maudgalyāyana while in lay life was a particular kinsman of the king; once he had gone forth he became the teacher of the household” 〔T37n1753 0255a06〕 and 「然在俗為親，出家名友，故名親友也。」—“In lay life he was a kinsman; having gone forth he is called a friend; hence the words ‘kinsman and friend.’” 〔T37n1753 0255a07〕
Why the eight precepts had to be received day after day — the commentary poses the question and answers it:
「山不厭高，海不厭深，刀不厭利，日不厭明，人不厭善，罪不厭除，賢不厭德，佛不厭聖。」—“A mountain does not weary of height, the sea does not weary of depth, a blade does not weary of sharpness, the sun does not weary of brightness, a person does not weary of goodness, offences do not weary of being removed, a worthy does not weary of virtue, a buddha does not weary of holiness.” 〔T37n1753 0255b15〕
Why the prince did not ask outright whether his father was dead — 「但以內心標死，口問在者，為欲息永惡逆之聲也。」—“Only because in his heart he marked out death while with his mouth he asked whether the king was alive, wishing to still forever the report of his evil and rebellion.” 〔T37n1753 0255c12〕; and as to why the gatekeeper told him everything, 「一切私密不可久行，縱巧牢藏，事還彰露。」—“No secret can be kept up for long; however cleverly it is hidden away, the matter comes to light in the end.” 〔T37n1753 0255c20〕
The sense of cursing the mother as a thief — 「言我母是賊已下，正明口出惡辭。」—“From ‘my mother is a thief’ onward precisely makes clear that evil words came out of his mouth.” 〔T37n1753 0256a07〕 and 「母乃私為進糧，故令不死。」—“The mother secretly brought him provisions, and so caused him not to die.” 〔T37n1753 0256a09〕
The passage of the drawn sword — 「何其痛哉，撮頭擬劍，身命頓在須臾。」—“How grievous! He seized her by the head and raised the sword; her body and life hung upon an instant.” 〔T37n1753 0256a14〕 and 「夫人爾時熱汗遍流，心神悶絕。嗚呼哀哉！」—“At that moment hot sweat streamed over the lady and her mind and spirit fainted away. Alas, how sorrowful!” 〔T37n1753 0256a16〕
The books the two ministers cited — 「此明廣引古今書史歷帝之文記。」—“This makes clear that he cites widely from the books and histories of past and present and from the records of successive emperors.” 〔T37n1753 0256b03〕; and on the difference between the kṣatriya and the caṇḍāla: 「言剎利者，乃是四姓高元，王者之種，代代相承」—“As for the kṣatriya: it is the highest and first of the four castes, the lineage of kings, handed on from generation to generation” 〔T37n1753 0256b17〕 and 「言是旃陀羅者，乃是四姓之下流也。」—“As for the caṇḍāla: it is the lowest stream of the four castes.” 〔T37n1753 0256b20〕
Breaking off her own necklaces — 「言自絕瓔珞者，此明夫人身莊瓔珞，猶愛未除。忽見如來，羞慚自絕。」—“As for ‘she broke off her own necklaces’: this makes clear that the lady’s body was adorned with necklaces, her attachment not yet removed; suddenly seeing the Tathāgata, in shame she broke them off herself.” 〔T37n1753 0257b24〕; and 「言目連侍左等者，此明更無餘眾唯有二僧。」—“As for ‘Maudgalyāyana attended on the left’ and the rest: this makes clear that there was no other company, only the two monks.” 〔T37n1753 0257b14〕
How thorough her weariness of the defiled world is — 「此明閻浮總惡，未有一處可貪。」—“This makes clear that Jambudvīpa is wholly evil; there is not one place in it worth coveting.” 〔T37n1753 0258a02〕, 「此明夫人真心徹到，厭苦娑婆，欣樂無為，永歸常樂。」—“This makes clear that the lady’s true mind penetrated all the way through: wearied of suffering in the Sahā world, delighting in the unconditioned, she returned forever to lasting bliss.” 〔T37n1753 0258a11〕, and 「是故夫人不簡親疎，總皆頓捨。」—“Therefore the lady made no distinction between near and distant kin, and gave up all at once.” 〔T37n1753 0258a18〕
The two words “Buddha-sun” — 「言佛日者，法喻雙標也。譬如日出，眾闇盡除。佛智輝光，無明之夜日朗。」—“As for ‘the Buddha-sun’: Dharma and simile are set forth together. It is as when the sun rises and all darkness is wholly removed; the radiance of the Buddha’s wisdom makes the night of ignorance bright as day.” 〔T37n1753 0258a24〕
Why the lands were shown upon the terrace of light instead of simply named — 「此彰如來意密也。」—“This displays the secret intent of the Tathāgata.” 〔T37n1753 0258b08〕, 「是以一一顯現，對彼眼前，信彼所須，隨心自選。」—“Therefore he manifested them one by one before her very eyes, trusting to what she required, letting her choose for herself according to her mind.” 〔T37n1753 0258b10〕, and 「致使如來密遣夫人別選也。」—“So that the Tathāgata secretly let the lady make the choice herself.” 〔T37n1753 0258b27〕; as to the shape of the golden terrace, 「如之言似，似須彌山，此山腰細上闊」—“the word ‘like’ means ‘resembling’: it resembles Mount Sumeru, a mountain slender at the waist and broad above” 〔T37n1753 0258b03〕.
Why the light from the mouth shone upon the king’s crown — 「今明此光從口出，直照王頂者，即授其小果。」—“Here it is made clear that this light issued from the mouth and shone straight upon the king’s crown, thereby conferring on him the lesser fruit.” 〔T37n1753 0258c21〕 and 「斯乃因光見佛，非意所期。致敬歸依，即超證第三之果。」—“Thus by the light he saw the Buddha, which he had not looked for in his own mind; paying homage and taking refuge, he leapt at once to the realization of the third fruit.” 〔T37n1753 0258c26〕
The setting forth of the three kinds of merit — 「言欲生彼國者，標指所歸也。言當修三福者，總標行門也。」—“As for ‘those who wish to be born in that land,’ it marks out where they return to. As for ‘they should cultivate the three kinds of merit,’ it sets forth the gate of practice as a whole.” 〔T37n1753 0259a22〕 and 「此明一切眾生機有二種：一者定，二者散。若依定行即攝生不盡，是以如來方便顯開三福，以應散動根機。」—“This makes clear that the capacities of all sentient beings are of two kinds: first, concentrated; second, scattered. If one relied on the practice of concentration alone, not all beings would be gathered in; therefore the Tathāgata by skillful means disclosed the three kinds of merit, so as to meet capacities that are scattered and unsettled.” 〔T37n1753 0259a20〕; and as to why filial care weighs so much, 「又父母者，世間福田之極也。佛者，即是出世福田之極也。」—“Further, parents are the utmost field of merit in the world; the Buddha is the utmost field of merit beyond the world.” 〔T37n1753 0259b09〕
The expression “fix your thought” — 「言汝當繫念已下，正明凡惑障深心多散動，若不頓捨攀緣，淨境無由得現。」—“From ‘you should fix your thought’ onward precisely makes clear that the ordinary being’s delusions and obstructions are deep and his mind much scattered; unless he gives up his grasping at objects all at once, the pure realm has no way to appear.” 〔T37n1753 0259a11〕
The charge to listen and the permission to teach — 「此明如來前則總告令安心聽受，此文則別勅阿難受持勿忘」—“This makes clear that the Tathāgata first told them all in general to settle their minds and receive what was heard, while this passage particularly charges Ānanda to receive and hold it and not to forget” 〔T37n1753 0260b21〕
The simile of holding a mirror to one’s own face — 「言如執明鏡自見面像已下，此明夫人及眾生等入觀住心，凝神不捨，心境相應悉皆顯現」—“From ‘as when one holds a bright mirror and sees one’s own face’ onward, this makes clear that the lady and sentient beings enter contemplation and settle the mind; concentrating their spirit without letting go, mind and object correspond and all is made manifest” 〔T37n1753 0260c02〕; and as to why an ordinary being must rely on the Buddha’s power, 「此明眾生業障觸目生盲，指掌謂遠」—“This makes clear that beings’ karmic obstructions make them blind to whatever meets the eye, so that what lies in the palm of the hand is called far off” 〔T37n1753 0260b28〕.
The sentence “you are an ordinary person” — 「然韋提現是菩薩，假示凡身。我等罪人，無由比及。為斷此疑，故言汝是凡夫也。」—“But Vaidehī is manifestly a bodhisattva who provisionally displays an ordinary body, and we who are offenders have no way to come near her. To cut off this doubt, therefore, he says: you are an ordinary person.” 〔T37n1753 0260c15〕 and 「言心想羸劣者，由是凡故曾無大志也。」—“As for ‘the thought of your mind is weak and inferior’: because she is ordinary, she has never had great resolve.” 〔T37n1753 0260c16〕
The 「即得無生法忍」—“she at once attains the patience of non-arising” of this passage — the commentary judges it to be spoken in anticipation rather than already attained: 「此乃玄談，未標得處。」—“This is a preliminary statement; it does not yet mark the place of attainment.” 〔T37n1753 0260c08〕, and that patience 「亦名喜忍，亦名悟忍，亦名信忍。」—“is also called the patience of joy, also the patience of awakening, also the patience of trust.” 〔T37n1753 0260c07〕; the place where patience is truly attained the commentary assigns separately to the beginning of the seventh contemplation: 「韋提得忍，出在第七觀初」—“Vaidehī’s attainment of patience occurs at the beginning of the seventh contemplation” 〔T37n1753 0251b10〕.
The five turbidities and the five sufferings — 「言濁惡不善者，此明五濁也。一者劫濁，二者眾生濁，三者見濁，四者煩惱濁，五者命濁。」—“As for ‘turbid, evil, and not good’: this makes clear the five turbidities. First, the turbidity of the aeon; second, the turbidity of beings; third, the turbidity of views; fourth, the turbidity of afflictions; fifth, the turbidity of lifespan.” 〔T37n1753 0261a06〕, 「言劫濁者，然劫實非是濁，當劫減時諸惡加增也。」—“As for the turbidity of the aeon: the aeon itself is truly not turbid; it is that when the aeon declines the many evils increase.” 〔T37n1753 0261a08〕, 「言眾生濁者，劫若初成，眾生純善；劫若末時，眾生十惡彌盛也。」—“As for the turbidity of beings: when the aeon is first formed, beings are purely good; when the aeon reaches its end, the ten evils among beings grow ever more rampant.” 〔T37n1753 0261a09〕, 「言見濁者，自身眾惡總變為善，他上無非見為不是也。」—“As for the turbidity of views: all one’s own many evils are turned into good, while in others there is nothing that is not seen as wrong.” 〔T37n1753 0261a10〕, 「言命濁者，由前見惱二濁，多行殺害無慈恩養」—“As for the turbidity of lifespan: on account of the two preceding turbidities of views and afflictions, much killing and harm is done, with no kindness or nurture” 〔T37n1753 0261a13〕, and 「言五苦所逼者。八苦中取生苦、老苦、病苦、死苦、愛別苦，此名五苦也。」—“As for ‘pressed by the five sufferings’: from among the eight sufferings, the suffering of birth, of old age, of sickness, of death, and of parting from what is loved are taken; these are called the five sufferings.” 〔T37n1753 0261a16〕
V. Divergent Readings of the Commentators (in parallel columns — recorded without adjudication)
| Point | Shandao, Commentary in Four Fascicles (Tang) | Anchor | Zhiyi’s commentary (Sui · Tiantai) | Anchor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The boundary of the introduction | 「一、從如是我聞下，至五苦所逼云何見極樂世界已來，明其序分。」—“First, from ‘Thus have I heard’ down to ‘pressed by the five sufferings, how are they to see the world of Ultimate Bliss’ makes clear its introduction.” | 〔T37n1753 0251c09〕 | 「分文為三：序、正、流通。」—“The text is divided into three: introduction, main body, and Transmission.” | 〔T37n1750 0188c22〕 |
| The governing theme and substance of the sūtra | 「今此《觀經》即以觀佛三昧為宗，亦以念佛三昧為宗。一心迴願往生淨土為體。」—“This Contemplation Sūtra takes the samādhi of contemplating the Buddha as its governing theme, and likewise takes the samādhi of recollecting the Buddha as its governing theme. Single-minded dedication of the vow to birth in the Pure Land is its substance.” | 〔T37n1753 0247a18〕 | 「此經心觀為宗、實相為體。」—“This sūtra takes contemplation of mind as its governing theme and true reality as its substance.” | 〔T37n1750 0186c13〕 |
| The sense of what initiates the sūtra | 「二、從王舍大城下，至顏色和悅已來，正明發起序禁父之緣。」—“Second, from ‘the great city of Rājagṛha’ down to ‘his countenance was calm and glad’ precisely makes clear the cause of the imprisonment of the father within the initiating introduction.” | 〔T37n1753 0252a22〕 | 「今經正以殺父以為發起。何故舉此逆事為發起耶，為彰此界極惡，令人厭棄。」—“The present sūtra takes precisely the killing of the father as its initiating occasion. Why raise this act of rebellion as the initiating occasion? To display the utter evil of this realm, so that people may be wearied of it and cast it away.” | 〔T37n1750 0189c20〕 |
| The prince’s act of rebellion | 「言我母是賊已下，正明口出惡辭。」—“From ‘my mother is a thief’ onward precisely makes clear that evil words came out of his mouth.” (explaining sentence by sentence, holding to the event) | 〔T37n1753 0256a07〕 | 「如此等事，皆是大士善權現化，行於非道通達佛道。」—“Matters such as these are all the skillful expedient manifestations of a great being, who walks in what is not the path and thereby penetrates the Buddha’s path.” | 〔T37n1750 0190a24〕 |
| Vaidehī’s capacity | 「然韋提現是菩薩，假示凡身。我等罪人，無由比及。為斷此疑，故言汝是凡夫也。」—“But Vaidehī is manifestly a bodhisattva who provisionally displays an ordinary body, and we who are offenders have no way to come near her. To cut off this doubt, therefore, he says: you are an ordinary person.” | 〔T37n1753 0260c15〕 | 「韋提實大菩薩，此會即得無生忍，示同在凡夫。」—“Vaidehī is in reality a great bodhisattva who at this assembly attains the patience of non-arising, and displays herself as one among ordinary beings.” | 〔T37n1750 0191b26〕 |
| Why the Buddha went himself | 「此明夫人宮內禁約極難。」—“This makes clear that the restrictions upon the lady within the palace were extremely severe.” (explaining his vanishing here and appearing there) | 〔T37n1753 0257b06〕 | 「父願聞法，遣人傳授，為化義足。母求生淨土，非佛不開，故須自往。」—“The father wished to hear the Dharma, and sending someone to transmit it sufficed for the purpose of teaching. The mother sought birth in the Pure Land, which none but a buddha can open; therefore he had to go himself.” | 〔T37n1750 0189c27〕 |
| The order of the five turbidities | 「一者劫濁，二者眾生濁，三者見濁，四者煩惱濁，五者命濁。」—“First, the turbidity of the aeon; second, the turbidity of beings; third, the turbidity of views; fourth, the turbidity of afflictions; fifth, the turbidity of lifespan.” | 〔T37n1753 0261a06〕 | 「「濁惡」者，濁，五濁也，一見、二煩惱、三眾生、四命、五劫。」—“‘Turbid and evil’: turbid means the five turbidities — first views, second afflictions, third beings, fourth lifespan, fifth the aeon.” | 〔T37n1750 0190c24〕 |
| The stage of the patience of non-arising | 「此乃玄談，未標得處。」—“This is a preliminary statement; it does not yet mark the place of attainment.” | 〔T37n1753 0260c08〕 | 「「即得無生忍」，是初住初地。」—“‘She at once attains the patience of non-arising’ — this is the first abode and the first ground.” | 〔T37n1750 0191b22〕 |
What the two houses do in this unit falls into two plainly distinct paths: Shandao explains the events sentence by sentence — the glossing of the two words “seized and held,” the method of filling the necklaces with juice, the reason for laying a hand on the sword and withdrawing backward, the condition of mother and son — settling each upon the events of the royal palace; Zhiyi more often judges by way of technical terms and stages — the number of the five parts of the body, the word chanmo, what the three kinds of pure karma belong to, the rank of the patience of non-arising. On the prince’s rebellion, Shandao holds him to the deed while Zhiyi judges it the skillful expedient of a great being; on Vaidehī’s capacity, Shandao judges her ordinary on the strength of the Buddha’s own word and thereby cuts off the doubts of others, while Zhiyi judges her in reality a great bodhisattva displaying herself as one among ordinary beings. The two accounts stand in contradiction; they are recorded alongside, with no reconciliation set up and neither chosen as the correct one.
The unevenness of detail in Zhiyi’s commentary — as to the sūtra text of this unit, Zhiyi enters the main teaching only from 「爾時世尊放眉間光」—“at that time the World-Honored One sent forth the light between his brows” onward, and his explanation of the imprisonment of the father and of the mother before that is very brief; Shandao explains the same stretch sentence by sentence over a whole fascicle of the Section on the Introduction (T37n1753, fascicle two · 〔0251c06–0261a27〕). The question of the two commentaries’ breadth and brevity is in this edition recorded without adjudication, and entered item by item in the record of open questions.
VI. Terms (first occurrences — all glosses drawn from the two mirrors)
| Term | The commentary’s gloss, verbatim | Anchor | Mirror |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gṛdhrakūṭa | 「「耆闍崛山」者，翻名靈鷲，諸聖仙靈依之而住。又名鷲頭，峰形似鷲。」—“‘Gṛdhrakūṭa’: the name is rendered Spirit Vulture; the sages and numinous immortals dwell in dependence upon it. It is also called Vulture Head, the shape of the peak resembling a vulture.” | 〔T37n1750 0189b10〕 | Zhiyi |
| Mañjuśrī · Prince of the Dharma | 「文殊，此云妙德，以法化人，名法王子也。」—“Mañjuśrī: here rendered Wondrous Virtue. Because he transforms people by the Dharma, he is named Prince of the Dharma.” | 〔T37n1750 0189c18〕 | Zhiyi |
| Ajātaśatru | 「又阿闍世者乃是西國正音，此地往翻，名未生怨，亦名折指。」—“Further, Ajātaśatru is the correct sound of the Western Country; rendered here in former times, the name is Enmity-Before-Birth, and also Broken-Finger.” | 〔T37n1753 0253b12〕 | Shandao |
| Ajātaśatru (the reason for “Broken-Finger”) | 「唯損手小指。因即外人同唱言折指太子也。」—“Only the little finger of his hand was injured. Thereupon outsiders all called him the Broken-Finger prince.” | 〔T37n1753 0253c17〕 | Shandao |
| Bimbisāra · Vaidehī · Ajātaśatru (glossed together) | 「頻婆娑羅，此云摸實，亦曰影堅。韋提希，此云思惟。阿闍世，此云未生怨，或婆羅留支，此云折指。」—“Bimbisāra: here rendered Likeness to the Real, also called Firm Shadow. Vaidehī: here rendered Reflection. Ajātaśatru: here rendered Enmity-Before-Birth; or Poluoliuzhi, here rendered Broken-Finger.” | 〔T37n1750 0189c28〕 | Zhiyi |
| Diaoda (Devadatta) | 「調達，此云天熱，亦云天授，是斛飯王子，是佛堂弟、阿難親兄。」—“Diaoda: here rendered Deva-Heat, also Deva-Given. He is a son of King Droṇodana, the Buddha’s cousin, and Ānanda’s own elder brother.” | 〔T37n1750 0190a08〕 | Zhiyi |
| Jīvaka | 「耆婆，此云固活，生時一手把藥囊、一手把針筒。」—“Jīvaka: here rendered Made Firmly Alive. At his birth he held a medicine bag in one hand and a needle case in the other.” | 〔T37n1750 0190b21〕 | Zhiyi |
| Pūrṇa | 「富樓那，此云滿願子，亦滿慈子，從父母得名，說法第一，巧開人心，故偏遣之。」—“Pūrṇa: here rendered Son of Fulfilled Vows, also Son of Fulfilled Kindness, named from his father and mother. He was foremost in teaching the Dharma and skilled at opening people’s minds; therefore he in particular was sent.” | 〔T37n1750 0190b05〕 | Zhiyi |
| kṣatriya | 「言剎利者，乃是四姓高元，王者之種，代代相承」—“As for the kṣatriya: it is the highest and first of the four castes, the lineage of kings, handed on from generation to generation” | 〔T37n1753 0256b17〕 | Shandao |
| caṇḍāla | 「言是旃陀羅者，乃是四姓之下流也。」—“As for the caṇḍāla: it is the lowest stream of the four castes.” | 〔T37n1753 0256b20〕 | Shandao |
| The Vedic Treatises | 「此明廣引古今書史歷帝之文記。」—“This makes clear that he cites widely from the books and histories of past and present and from the records of successive emperors.” | 〔T37n1753 0256b03〕 | Shandao |
| The five parts of the body | 「兩肘、兩膝、頭頂，是為五體也。」—“The two elbows, the two knees, and the crown of the head — these are the five parts of the body.” | 〔T37n1750 0191a04〕 | Zhiyi |
| Repentance | 「懺摩，梵言；悔過，漢語。」—“Chanmo is a Sanskrit word; huiguo, confessing one’s faults, is Chinese.” | 〔T37n1750 0191a04〕 | Zhiyi |
| Anāgāmin | 「「阿那含」者，第三不還果也。」—“‘Anāgāmin’: it is the third fruit, that of the non-returner.” | 〔T37n1750 0191b08〕 | Zhiyi |
| The thief of the afflictions | 「「煩惱賊」者，此能損慧命、傷法身，故名為賊也。」—“‘The thief of the afflictions’: it can damage the life of wisdom and wound the Dharma body, and is therefore named a thief.” | 〔T37n1750 0191b21〕 | Zhiyi |
| Listen intently · reflect well and keep it in mind | 「諦聽令生聞慧，善思思慧念之修慧。」—“‘Listen intently’ causes the wisdom born of hearing to arise; ‘reflect well’ is the wisdom of reflection; ‘keep it in mind’ is the wisdom of cultivation.” | 〔T37n1750 0191b21〕 | Zhiyi |
| A different skillful means | 「「異方便」者，即十六觀。」—“‘A different skillful means’: it is the sixteen contemplations.” | 〔T37n1750 0191b29〕 | Zhiyi |
| The five sufferings | 「言五苦所逼者。八苦中取生苦、老苦、病苦、死苦、愛別苦，此名五苦也。」—“As for ‘pressed by the five sufferings’: from among the eight sufferings, the suffering of birth, of old age, of sickness, of death, and of parting from what is loved are taken; these are called the five sufferings.” | 〔T37n1753 0261a16〕 | Shandao |
| The four kinds of pure land (Zhiyi’s division) | 「四種淨土，謂凡聖同居土、方便有餘土、實報無障礙土、常寂光土也，各有淨穢。」—“The four kinds of pure land are the land of common residence of ordinary beings and noble ones, the land of expedient means with remainder, the land of true recompense free of obstruction, and the land of eternally quiescent light; each has its pure and its defiled aspect.” | 〔T37n1750 0188b16〕 | Zhiyi |
“Not far from here” — each of the two mirrors has its own explanation: Shandao makes it clear by three meanings (the distance is not far · a single thought arrives · in the settled state of contemplation mind and object correspond and it is constantly seen) 〔T37n1753 0259a06〕; Zhiyi says 「以佛力故欲見即見。」—“By the Buddha’s power, wishing to see, one sees at once.” 〔T37n1750 0191b10〕. Both are recorded.
The character 麨 — the base text has the CBETA missing character CB00595, and Shandao’s and Zhiyi’s commentaries use the same character. The commentary twice explains of itself what the substance is used for: 「即取酥蜜先塗其身，後取乾麨始安酥蜜之上」—“she took butter and honey and first smeared them on her body, and then took dry parched flour and set it upon the butter and honey” 〔T37n1753 0254c15〕 and 「即刮取身上酥麨，團授與王。」—“he scraped the butter and parched flour from her body, rolled it into a ball, and gave it to the king.” 〔T37n1753 0254c28〕 — dry, able to be blended with butter and honey, and able to be scraped off and rolled into a ball: it is a food in dry powder form. The matter of its written form is treated in full in Topic IX.
On the expression “pressed by the five sufferings,” Shandao says 「八苦中取生苦、老苦、病苦、死苦、愛別苦，此名五苦也。」—“from among the eight sufferings, the suffering of birth, of old age, of sickness, of death, and of parting from what is loved are taken; these are called the five sufferings” 〔T37n1753 0261a17〕, while Zhiyi says 「「五苦」者，五道非樂，故云五苦。」—“‘The five sufferings’: the five destinies are not bliss, and so they are called the five sufferings” 〔T37n1750 0191c03〕 — the two accounts are recorded alongside; the parenthetical gloss in the Plain Reading of this edition follows Shandao (the principal mirror), while Zhiyi’s account is recorded and not discarded.
Sanskrit forms are grounded only in what the ancient masters transmitted; the Chinese renderings introduced by 「此云」—“here rendered” are the sound and sense the commentators handed down, and where the two commentaries give no Sanskrit form none is supplied in their stead.
VII. Similes and Rhetoric
The sūtra uses five similes of its own:
| Simile | The sūtra’s wording, verbatim | Anchor |
|---|---|---|
| The hawk and falcon | 「時目乾連如鷹隼飛，疾至王所」—“then Maudgalyāyana, like a hawk or falcon in flight, came swiftly to where the king was” | 〔T12n0365 0341a11〕 |
| Mount Sumeru | 「化為金臺，如須彌山」—“it turned into a golden terrace, like Mount Sumeru” | 〔T12n0365 0341b22〕 |
| The crystal mirror | 「復有國土如頗梨鏡」—“again there were lands like a mirror of crystal” | 〔T12n0365 0341b25〕 |
| The palace of Īśvara | 「復有國土如自在天宮」—“again there were lands like the palace of Īśvara” | 〔T12n0365 0341b24〕 |
| Holding a mirror to one’s own face | 「如執明鏡自見面像」—“as when one holds a bright mirror and sees one’s own face” | 〔T12n0365 0341c21〕 |
The mirroring commentary explains two of these. Of the golden terrace being like Sumeru: 「如之言似，似須彌山，此山腰細上闊」—“the word ‘like’ means ‘resembling’: it resembles Mount Sumeru, a mountain slender at the waist and broad above” 〔T37n1753 0258b03〕. Of the simile of holding the mirror: 「言如執明鏡自見面像已下，此明夫人及眾生等入觀住心，凝神不捨，心境相應悉皆顯現」—“from ‘as when one holds a bright mirror and sees one’s own face’ onward, this makes clear that the lady and sentient beings enter contemplation and settle the mind; concentrating their spirit without letting go, mind and object correspond and all is made manifest” 〔T37n1753 0260c02〕. Of the hawk-and-falcon simile the commentary says expressly that it is a simile for speed: 「故引快鷹為喻」—“therefore the swift hawk is drawn in as a simile” 〔T37n1753 0255b09〕.
The similes the mirroring commentary sets up itself, which the sūtra does not have, are recorded for reference and not confused with the sūtra’s own similes: the great bell waiting to be struck 〔T37n1753 0252b14〕, the Buddha-sun breaking the darkness 〔T37n1753 0258a24〕, and the eight linked sentences beginning “a mountain does not weary of height” 〔T37n1753 0255b15〕.
Two matters of rhetoric may be recorded: first, the sūtra articulates its joints with 「時」—“then” and 「爾時」—“at that time,” one event turning at each, and the six passages of the imprisonment of the father, the imprisonment of the mother, weariness of suffering, delight in purity, the good done in a scattered mind, and the good done in concentration all open with them. Second, the lady’s entreaty turns four times — first she tells of the offences of former lives, next she asks for a place without sorrow or torment, next she begs in sorrow for repentance, and last she asks to contemplate the place of pure karma; from resentment to weariness, from weariness to delight, and from delight to asking for a practice, the order is exact throughout. This is a movement the sūtra possesses of itself, not something marked out by the commentators.
VIII. Citation and Carrying Forward
- Among the volumes of this translation series, citations of the sūtra text of this unit are nowhere found. The whole tree has been searched: apart from the source layer of this sūtra itself and the line-by-line files of the mirror sources, no other volume yields a single occurrence of expressions such as 「孝養父母，奉事師長」—“be filial and care for father and mother, serve and attend teachers and elders,” 「五苦所逼」—“pressed by the five sufferings,” or 「如執明鏡自見面像」—“as when one holds a bright mirror and sees one’s own face.” This is honestly recorded.
- Points of parallel reading within this axis: the apparatus layer of the Amitābha Sūtra volume cites the Contemplation Sūtra as warrant in units 01, 02, 03, 05, and 07, and what it cites falls within the range from the contemplation of the trees (04) to the contemplation of birth in the lowest grade (16) of this sūtra — for instance 「稱佛名故，於念念中，除八十億劫生死之罪」—“because he utters the Buddha’s name, in thought after thought the offences of eighty koṭis of kalpas of birth-and-death are removed” 〔T12n0365 0346a19〕 — and does not touch this unit.
- The praise at the head of the fascicle corresponds to the later text of this sūtra: what the line of the praise, 「沙有八萬四千相，一一相中復如是」—“each grain of sand has eighty-four thousand marks, and within each single mark it is so again” 〔T12n0365 0340c03〕, is based upon is the ninth contemplation, of the true body, in this sūtra: 「無量壽佛有八萬四千相；一一相中，各有八萬四千隨形好」—“the Buddha of Measureless Life has eighty-four thousand marks, and within each single mark there are eighty-four thousand secondary excellences conforming to the form” 〔T12n0365 0343b23〕. What the line 「以觀佛身見佛心」—“by contemplating the Buddha’s body one sees the Buddha’s mind” 〔T12n0365 0340c05〕 is based upon is 「作是觀者，名觀一切佛身，以觀佛身故亦見佛心」—“one who makes this contemplation is said to contemplate the body of every buddha; and because he contemplates the Buddha’s body he also sees the Buddha’s mind” 〔T12n0365 0343b29〕. What the line 「眾生三種具三心」—“sentient beings of the three kinds are complete in the three minds” 〔T12n0365 0340c09〕 is based upon is the highest birth of the highest grade: 「具三心者必生彼國。復有三種眾生，當得往生」—“those complete in the three minds will necessarily be born in that land; and there are three further kinds of sentient beings who will attain birth there” 〔T12n0365 0344c12〕. What the line 「稱名一聲起一念，八十億劫罪皆除」—“uttering the Name once and giving rise to a single thought, the offences of eighty koṭis of kalpas are all removed” 〔T12n0365 0340c14〕 is based upon is the lowest birth of the lowest grade: 「稱佛名故，於念念中，除八十億劫生死之罪」—“because he utters the Buddha’s name, in thought after thought the offences of eighty koṭis of kalpas of birth-and-death are removed” 〔T12n0365 0346a19〕. All four are text that this sūtra possesses of itself, which the praise gathers up into verse — this is the internal evidence that the praise comes out of the sūtra and not the sūtra out of the praise, treated in full in the appended topic.
IX. Placement Among the Recensions
The Taishō collation notes (<app>) number fifteen within the domain of this unit, collating the base text against the Song 【宋】, Yuan 【元】, Ming 【明】, and current-circulation 【流布本】 witnesses:
| Anchor | Base text | Variant | Witnesses |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0340c26 | 「佛」—“Buddha” | absent | circulation |
| 0340c28 | 「宋」—“Song” | 劉宋 (“Liu Song”) | Song · Yuan |
| 0340c28 | 「西域三藏」—“Tripiṭaka master from the Western Regions” | 元嘉中 (“in the Yuanjia era”) | circulation |
| 0340c28 | 「三藏」—“Tripiṭaka master” | 三藏法師 (“Tripiṭaka Dharma master”) | Song · Yuan · Ming |
| 0341a07 | 「葡萄」—“grape” | 蒲桃／蒲萄 | Song · Yuan · circulation ／ Ming |
| 0341a10 | 「目乾連」—“Maudgalyāyana” | 目犍連 | Song · Yuan · Ming · circulation |
| 0341a14 | 「人」—“person” | 者 | Song · Yuan · Ming · circulation |
| 0341a15 | 「者」—“the one who” | 人 | Song · Yuan · Ming · circulation |
| 0341a26 | 「我等不宜復住於此」—“it is not fitting that we should dwell here any longer” | 不宜住此 (“ought not to dwell here”) | circulation |
| 0341b08 | 「目揵連」—“Maudgalyāyana” | 目犍連 | circulation |
| 0341b11 | 「在」—“was on” | 侍 (“attended on”) | Song · Yuan · Ming |
| 0341b18 | 「餓」—“hungry [ghosts]” | 饑 (“famished”) | Ming |
| 0341b25 | 「頗梨」—“crystal” | 玻𭹳 | Song · Yuan · Ming · circulation |
| 0341c02 | 「王」—“king” | absent | circulation |
| 0341c13 | 「乃是」—“are precisely” | absent | circulation |
What the three variants in the attribution mean: (1) 「宋」 against 「劉宋」 turns on naming the dynasty or naming its house — the base text says only 「宋」, while the Song and Yuan witnesses add 「劉」 to distinguish it from the Zhao Song. (2) 「西域三藏」 against 「元嘉中」 turns on naming the region or naming the year — the base text names the region he came from, while the circulation witness names instead the reign era in which he made the translation. (3) 「三藏」 against 「三藏法師」 turns on naming his learning or naming his rank. All three belong to the wording of the attribution and not to the sūtra, and they are recorded alongside without adjudication.
Three written forms of 「目乾連」 appear within this unit: at 0341a10 and 0341a11 the text has 「目乾連」, and at 0341b08 it has 「目揵連」; the witnesses that read 「目犍連」 differ from place to place — at 0341a10 the Song, Yuan, Ming, and circulation witnesses; at 0341a11 the Song, Yuan, and Ming (the circulation witness is not listed); at 0341b08 the circulation witness alone. Within a single unit the base text itself has two forms; both are preserved word for word, with no normalization into one graph. Shandao’s commentary regularly writes this person as 「目連」 〔T37n1753 0255a05〕.
「餓」 and 「饑」 — at 0341b18 the text reads 「地獄、餓鬼、畜生盈滿」—“filled with hell beings, hungry ghosts, and animals,” where for 「餓」 the Ming witness reads 「饑」—“famished.” Recorded without adjudication.
Within the domain of the praise at the head of the fascicle the collation notes yield nothing — throughout 〔T12n0365 0340b23–0340c24〕 there is not one <app>. Set against the fifteen instances in the domain of the sūtra text, this is one of the four proofs of the appended topic; see below.
Gaiji, four occurrences — all of the one character CB00595 (whose constituent form as recorded in the canonical witness is 〔麩-夫+少〕, and whose associated common form is 『麨』), occurring in 「以酥蜜和麨」—“mixed butter and honey with parched flour” 〔T12n0365 0341a06〕, 「食麨飲漿」—“ate the parched flour and drank the juice” 〔T12n0365 0341a08〕, 「王食麨蜜」—“the king had eaten the parched flour and honey” 〔T12n0365 0341a13〕, and 「身塗麨蜜」—“smeared parched flour and honey upon her body” 〔T12n0365 0341a16〕. Under the extraction contract the form present in the canonical witness is preserved, neither supplied nor altered. The two mirrors likewise use this character when citing the sūtra text 〔T37n1753 0254c15〕 〔T37n1750 0190a28〕. The place for the common form is this topic alone; it is not carried into the body, and no parenthetical gloss on it is added there.
This unit has no inline note (no occurrence of a place="inline" note); no ideographic space (no occurrence of U+3000); and no CBETA supplementary collation note (there are five supplementary collation notes in this sūtra, the earliest at 〔T12n0365 0342a12〕, all outside this unit).
Appended Topic. The Status of the 〈Imperially Composed Praise of the Buddha of Measureless Life〉 at the Head of the Fascicle (Four Proofs)
This unit gathers in the Imperially Composed Praise of the Buddha of Measureless Life, which begins at 〔T12n0365 0340b23〕 and ends at 〔T12n0365 0340c24〕. This praise does not belong to the sūtra text translated by Kālayaśas; this edition reproduces it and marks it as such, without mixing it into the numbering and counting of the sūtra’s segments. The four proofs are as follows:
Proof one · the structure of the canonical witness itself divides into two zones — the praise forms a zone of its own, headed 「御製無量壽佛贊」—“Imperially Composed Praise of the Buddha of Measureless Life”; the title of the sūtra, 「佛說觀無量壽佛經」—“The Sūtra Spoken by the Buddha on Contemplating the Buddha of Measureless Life,” and the attribution, 「宋西域三藏畺良耶舍譯」—“translated in the Song by Kālayaśas, Tripiṭaka master from the Western Regions,” stand after it, and the opening and closing of the fascicle begin at the title of the sūtra and not at the praise. The praise stands before the fascicle heading yet within the same fascicle: it is appended, not original to it.
Proof two · both mirrors yield nothing — Shandao’s Commentary in Four Fascicles in four fascicles (the whole of T37n1753 has been searched) and Zhiyi’s Commentary on the Sūtra on Contemplating the Buddha of Measureless Life (the whole of T37n1750 has been searched) both begin their explanation from the title of the sūtra and from 「如是我聞」—“Thus have I heard,” and neither cites, explains, or quotes a single word of this praise. In the recension the two of them read, the sūtra begins at the title of the sūtra.
Proof three · the collation notes yield nothing — the Taishō supplies fifteen collation notes within the domain of the sūtra text (see Topic IX), and within the domain of the praise 〔0340b23–0340c24〕 not a single one. The four collated witnesses record no difference whatever in this piece.
Proof four · a solitary occurrence in the whole canon — the title 「御製無量壽佛贊」—“Imperially Composed Praise of the Buddha of Measureless Life” and its opening line 「西方極樂世界尊」—“the Honored One of the world of Ultimate Bliss in the West” occur, throughout the whole canon on disk (the T, X, J, and D divisions and the rest), in this sūtra alone (the whole tree of every division has been searched). There is no other witness that reprints it, no scriptural catalogue that assigns it an author, and no preface or colophon that recounts its occasion.
The material of the praise comes out of this sūtra — the four matters of the praise, the eighty-four thousand marks, seeing the Buddha’s mind by contemplating the Buddha’s body, the three kinds and the three minds, and the removal of the offences of eighty koṭis of kalpas by uttering the Name, are each of them, sentence by sentence, already present in the later text of this sūtra (the anchors are given item by item in Topic VIII). The sūtra came first and the praise after, not the praise first and the sūtra after.
Author and date — the canon assigns none, and this edition supplies none in its stead. The two words 「御製」—“imperially composed” declare of themselves that it came from an emperor’s hand; yet on the witnesses on disk not one word is set down concerning the person or the time: this sūtra has no preface or colophon at the head of the fascicle, no other place in the canon reprints it, and the scriptural catalogues have no text assigning it. What is not found is recorded as not found — no current account is used to fill the gap, and no conjecture is made as to which dynasty or which emperor. This matter is entered item by item in the record of open questions.
How this edition handles it: not a word of the praise is added or removed, and it is reproduced in the source layer; the Plain Reading sets it apart in a section of its own and marks it as not the sūtra text itself, outside the numbering of the sūtra’s segments; the Exposition does not explain the praise as the meaning of the sūtra; and the Essentials does not take the wording of the praise for the wording of the sūtra. To gather it in is not to grant that it is the sūtra; and not to gather it in would not make it cease to exist.