A Golden Image, Held in Mind
The practice now moves from doctrine into precise, repeatable method: a golden image seated upon the throne already visualized, held steady whether the eyes are open or closed, and traced twice over — once from crown to feet, once from feet to crown. Shandao then makes a remarkable claim about this single contemplation's own place among all sixteen.
An Exhortation, and Fixing the Object
四、從是故應當下，至三佛陀已來，正明如前所益專住必成，展轉相教勸觀彼佛也。五、從想彼佛者，牒前生後。言先當想像者，定所觀境。
Fourth, from "for this very reason, you should" down through "a fully awakened buddha," this makes plain that the benefit already described, when single-mindedly pursued, shall without fail be accomplished, and exhorts beings to teach one another in turn, and to contemplate that Buddha.
Fifth, from "as for contemplating that Buddha": this cites what precedes and opens what follows. As for "one should first visualize an image": this fixes the very object to be contemplated.
Crown to Feet, and Feet to Crown
六、從閉目開目下，至如觀掌中已來，正明辨觀成相。即有其四。一明身四威儀，眼之開合見一金像似現目前，常作此想。二明既能觀像，像即須有坐處，即想前華座，想像在上而坐。三明想見像坐已，心眼即開。四明心眼既開，即見金像及彼極樂諸莊嚴事，地上虛空了然無礙。又觀像住心之法一如前說，從頂一一想之，面眉毫相、眼鼻口耳、咽項肩臂手指，又抽心向上想，胸腹臍陰、脛膝[跳-兆+專]足、十指千輪等一一想之，從上向下名順觀，從下千輪向上名逆觀。如是逆順住心，不久必得成也。又佛身及華座寶地等，必須上下通觀。然十三觀中，此寶地寶華金像等觀最要。若欲教人即教此法。但此一法成者，餘觀即自然了也。
Sixth, from "whether the eyes are closed or open" down through "as though seeing it in the palm of one's own hand," this makes plain the distinguishing of the mark of this contemplation's own accomplishment. There are four points within it. First, this makes plain that, in every one of the body's four postures, whether the eyes open or close, one beholds a single golden image appearing as though directly before one's own eyes — one should constantly form this very contemplative thought. Second, this makes plain that, once one is able to contemplate this image, that image must have a place to be seated — one thus visualizes the lotus throne described earlier, and pictures the image seated upon it. Third, this makes plain that, once one has visualized the image seated there, the eye of the mind opens at once. Fourth, this makes plain that, once the eye of the mind has opened, one beholds directly this golden image, together with all the splendid adornments of that Land of Ultimate Bliss, the ground and the sky alike appearing clearly and without any obstruction. Further, the method for contemplating this image and settling the mind upon it follows exactly what was already described earlier — visualizing, from the crown of the head, each mark in turn: the face, the curl of hair between the brows, the eyes, nose, mouth, and ears, the throat, neck, shoulders, arms, and fingers; and then, drawing the mind further upward, visualizing the chest, belly, navel, and hidden organ, the shins, knees, calves, and feet, the ten toes, and the thousand-spoked wheel marks, each in turn. Proceeding from above downward is called forward contemplation; proceeding from the thousand-spoked wheel marks below upward is called reverse contemplation. Settling the mind in this way, both forward and reverse, one shall without fail attain accomplishment before long. Further, the Buddha's own body, and the lotus throne, and the jeweled ground, and all the rest, must be contemplated thoroughly, from top to bottom alike. Now, among these thirteen points, this contemplation of the jeweled ground, the jeweled flower, and the golden image is the very most essential. Should one wish to teach this to others, one need only teach this very method — for once this single method is accomplished, every other contemplation shall naturally become clear of itself.
Shandao's own final assertion here — that the ground, flower, and image contemplations are "the very most essential" among all thirteen remaining points, and that mastering this single method causes "every other contemplation" to become clear of itself — is a striking claim about relative priority within a sequence otherwise presented as sixteen distinct, individually necessary steps. It suggests that the forward-and-reverse method described here, sustained attention moving deliberately in both directions through a single object, functions as something closer to a transferable skill than a contemplation confined to this one context: once a practitioner has genuinely learned to hold an entire complex form steadily in mind, crown to feet and back again, that same capacity carries directly into whatever object the remaining contemplations present next.
Part 55 Complete
This closes Part 55. Part 56 continues into the vision this contemplation opens onto: the appearance of the two attendant bodhisattvas seated to either side, and the entire land — every jeweled tree, tower, and pond — becoming visible at once, its every adornment now understood to be teaching the Dharma continuously.
Continue to Part 56 — Two Bodhisattvas, and an Entire Land Made Visible →