觀佛三昧法：
Meditation on the Buddha
佛為法王，能令人得種種善法，是故習禪之人先當念佛。念佛者，令無量劫重罪微薄得至禪定。至心念佛。佛亦念之，如人為王所念，怨家債主不敢侵近。念佛之人。諸餘惡法不來擾亂，若念佛者佛常在也。云何憶念？人之自信無過於眼，當觀好像便如真佛。先從肉髻、眉間白毫下至於足，從足復至肉髻，如是相相諦取，還於靜處閉目思惟，繫心在像不令他念。若念餘緣，攝之令還，心目觀察如意得見，是為得觀像定。當作是念：「我亦不往，像亦不來，而得見者，由心定想住也。」然後進觀生身便得見之，如對面無異也。人心馳散多緣惡法，當如乳母伺視其子，莫令墜於坑井險道。念則如子，行者如母，若心不住，當自責心：「念老病死甚為切近。若生天者，著於妙欲，無有治心善法；若墮三惡道，苦惱怖懅善心不生。今受妙法，云何可不至心專念耶？」又作念言：「生在末法，末法垂已欲滅，猶如赦鼓開門放囚，鼓音漸已欲止，門扉已閉一扇，豈可自寬不求出獄。過去無始世界已來，所更生死苦惱萬端，今所受法未得成就，無常死賊須臾叵保，當復更受無央數劫生死之苦。」如是種種鞭心，令心得住。心住相者，坐臥行步常得見佛，然後更進生身、法身。得初觀已，展轉則易。
The Buddha is the King of Dharma, enabling beings to cultivate all kinds of wholesome qualities. Therefore, those who practice meditation should first recollect the Buddha. Recollecting the Buddha diminishes even grave karma accumulated over countless eons, lightening it until one attains meditative absorption. When you wholeheartedly recollect the Buddha, the Buddha also recollects you. Just as someone remembered by a king is safe from enemies and creditors, so too a person who recollects the Buddha is undisturbed by any unwholesome states—the Buddha is always present with them.
How should one practice this recollection? A person's confidence is strongest in what they see with their own eyes. So you should visualize a beautiful image of the Buddha as if it were the real Buddha. Begin from the fleshy protuberance on his crown and the white hair between his brows, all the way down to his feet, then back up from his feet to the crown. Carefully observe each distinctive mark. Then go to a quiet place, close your eyes, and contemplate this image. Focus your mind on it, allowing no other thoughts to arise. If your mind wanders to other things, gently bring it back. With focused attention and observation, you will eventually "see" the image clearly—this is attaining the concentration of visualizing the Buddha. Understand that "I do not go anywhere, nor does the image come to me; yet I can see it because my mind is stable and focused on the image." From there, gradually progress to visualizing the living body of the Buddha, so that you see him as clearly as if you were face to face.
The human mind tends to scatter, often latching onto unwholesome things. You should watch over it like a nurse watching a child, ensuring it does not fall into perilous pits or dangerous paths. Let your mindfulness be the child, and you, the practitioner, be the nurse. When your mind refuses to settle, rebuke yourself: "Remember, old age, sickness, and death are very near. If you are reborn in heavenly realms, you will be intoxicated by sensual pleasures and lack the wholesome teachings to train your mind. If you fall into the three unfortunate realms [animals, hungry ghosts, hell beings], suffering and terror will overwhelm you, and wholesome thoughts will not arise. Now that you have encountered this wonderful Dharma, how can you fail to be wholeheartedly devoted?"
Also think: "We are born in the Dharma-ending age, and even this age is nearly coming to an end. It is like when the prison drum sounds, signaling that the gates are opening for the release of prisoners. But the drumbeat is fading, one door panel has already closed. Surely we cannot be complacent and fail to escape from prison. Since beginningless time through countless worlds, we have experienced infinite forms of birth, death, and suffering. Now we have encountered this Dharma but have not yet realized its goal. The thief of impermanence and death may strike at any moment, and we cannot be sure of even a breath; we risk experiencing countless eons of suffering in future lives."
By admonishing yourself in these various ways, compel your mind to settle down. When you have achieved stability of mind, you will always see the Buddha—whether sitting, lying down, walking, or standing. Then advance to contemplating his living body and his Dharma-body. Once you have achieved the initial visualization, further progress will come easily.