In Praise of a Gold and Silver Painted Scene of the Buddha Manifestation in the Pure Land of the West, with a Preface
I hear that west of the golden sky, in the place where the sun sinks away separated from China by ten trillion Buddhist lands, there is a World of Ultimate Joy. The Buddha of that country has a height of sixty trillion yojanas, as uncountable as the Ganges' sand. The white hairs between His eyebrows curl and turn to the right like five Sumeru mountains, and the light from His eyes is clear and bright like the waters of the four oceans. He sits erect preaching The Law, abiding forever in tranquility.
The lakes there gleam with golden sand; the banks are lined with jewelled trees. Railings and balconies enclose it all, and netting is stretched on every side. Colored glazes and mother-of-pearl from the giant clam decorate the storied halls. From crystal and cornelian comes the splendor of the glittering stains. All this the sundry Buddhas have affirmed; these are not mere empty words.
This gold and silver painted scene of the manifestation in the Pure Land of the West was erected for her late husband, His Lordship Wei, Governor of Hu Prefecture, by the Lady Qin of Pingyi Commandery. Her Ladyship embodies the purity of ice and jade and exemplifies the teaching of the mother's sagelike goodness. In the love and loyalty of the marriage bond, she hopes for him to be lifted up from the dark paths of purgatory, and for the depth of their children's filial devotion to see him perfected in luminous blessing. Thus has she pledged her precious things and sought out famous artisans.
Applying gold they have created the foundation; painting with silver they have supplied the figures. Through the power of the Eight Dharmas, the waves move on the Blue Lotus pools, and fragrant flowers from the seven jewels shine in relief against the golden ground. Whatever is caressed by the refreshing breeze is as if it were producing the five musical notes, so that a hundred and a thousand kinds of sublime music all seem to be set in play.
Be it one who has already expressed the prayer, or one who has not yet expressed the prayer, be it one who has already been born, or one who has not yet been born, devout contemplation for seven days will give him rebirth into that land. Infinite is the power from the merit of this. We may ponder it, but it is hard to explain. In praise I say:
Looking toward the west where the sun sinks away,
Behold afar that Face of Great Compassion.
Eyes pure as the waters of the four oceans,
His body shines like a mountain of purple gold.
By diligent contemplation we can surely be reborn,
Thus the acclaim of Ultimate Joy
Mid pearl netting and trees of precious jewels,
The flowers of Heaven are scattered in fragrant halls.
In this painting it is all before our eyes,
And in prayer we entrust ourselves to that spiritual realm.
On the ocean of power from the merit of this,
Let divine intercession be our boat and bridge,
That eight billion kalpas of human sin
Maybe as frost swept away by the wind
Let all think on the Buddha of Eternal Life,
Even praying for the light of His jadelike hair.
The lakes there gleam with golden sand; the banks are lined with jewelled trees. Railings and balconies enclose it all, and netting is stretched on every side. Colored glazes and mother-of-pearl from the giant clam decorate the storied halls. From crystal and cornelian comes the splendor of the glittering stains. All this the sundry Buddhas have affirmed; these are not mere empty words.
This gold and silver painted scene of the manifestation in the Pure Land of the West was erected for her late husband, His Lordship Wei, Governor of Hu Prefecture, by the Lady Qin of Pingyi Commandery. Her Ladyship embodies the purity of ice and jade and exemplifies the teaching of the mother's sagelike goodness. In the love and loyalty of the marriage bond, she hopes for him to be lifted up from the dark paths of purgatory, and for the depth of their children's filial devotion to see him perfected in luminous blessing. Thus has she pledged her precious things and sought out famous artisans.
Applying gold they have created the foundation; painting with silver they have supplied the figures. Through the power of the Eight Dharmas, the waves move on the Blue Lotus pools, and fragrant flowers from the seven jewels shine in relief against the golden ground. Whatever is caressed by the refreshing breeze is as if it were producing the five musical notes, so that a hundred and a thousand kinds of sublime music all seem to be set in play.
Be it one who has already expressed the prayer, or one who has not yet expressed the prayer, be it one who has already been born, or one who has not yet been born, devout contemplation for seven days will give him rebirth into that land. Infinite is the power from the merit of this. We may ponder it, but it is hard to explain. In praise I say:
Looking toward the west where the sun sinks away,
Behold afar that Face of Great Compassion.
Eyes pure as the waters of the four oceans,
His body shines like a mountain of purple gold.
By diligent contemplation we can surely be reborn,
Thus the acclaim of Ultimate Joy
Mid pearl netting and trees of precious jewels,
The flowers of Heaven are scattered in fragrant halls.
In this painting it is all before our eyes,
And in prayer we entrust ourselves to that spiritual realm.
On the ocean of power from the merit of this,
Let divine intercession be our boat and bridge,
That eight billion kalpas of human sin
Maybe as frost swept away by the wind
Let all think on the Buddha of Eternal Life,
Even praying for the light of His jadelike hair.
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