文／蓮生活佛盧勝彥
昔日。
師父告訴我：「有一觀法，甚為重要。」
「是何觀法？」
師父答：「阿字觀。三密者，手結印契，口誦陀羅尼，心觀阿字本不生。」
「什麼是阿字本不生？」我問。
師父答：「了脫生死，不再生於三界六趣，常住不生不滅之中是大涅槃的境界。」
行者端身正坐，面對一軸，軸中有一白素光明月輪，輪中畫八葉蓮花，蓮花上梵文或藏文阿字（ ），此時行者出入息，都是阿字，口誦阿字，如此而修，久久功成。
修到功成，開眼閉眼，看見阿字月輪，非常分明，將阿月輪引入行者身中，此時，身外的阿月輪和身內的阿月輪合一。
此觀成就，一剎那即身成佛，截斷煩惱菩提生死涅槃差別之妄見。
師父說：「阿彌陀佛的佛號，為何是十方三世一切佛的最勝，其因緣在一個字，就是『阿』字，此字是一切諸佛菩薩的共同種子字也，要往生西方，修阿字觀，一定往生。」
據我所知，釋迦牟尼佛說，一切眾生心中皆有佛性，悉有成佛種子，如來未說出這種子是何？
在密教，種子就是「阿」字，只要一念觀阿字，其成佛之快，尤勝於千經萬典，即身成佛，毫無疑問。
這是密教的肝腦，密教的大祕密，瑜伽大相應在其中，與佛一味。
Ajikan, the Visualization of the Seed Syllable AH
Written by Lian-shen Linving Buddha Sheng-yen Lu
Translated by Cheng Yew Chung edited by Victor Hazen
True Buddha Foundation Translation Team
Once, my Master told me, 「There is a very important visualization exercise.」 I asked my Master what it was, to which he replied, 「It is the visualization of the seed syllable AH. It encompasses the three secrets of forming the mudra, chanting the mantra, and contemplating on the unborn state of the seed syllable AH.」
「What do you mean that the seed syllable AH is unborn?」 I asked. My Master replied, 「It means liberation from life and death, where one no longer needs to be reborn in the three realms and the six realms of transmigration, abiding constantly in the state of non-creation and non-annihilation within the realm of Maha Nirvana.」
The practitioner sits properly in a straight posture and faces a scroll on which is painted a white illuminating moon disc. Inside the disc is an eight-petalled lotus. Resting on the lotus is the syllable AH in either Sanskrit or Tibetan script. The practitioner inhales and exhales the syllable AH in his or her every breath, and chants the AH syllable. When he cultivates in this fashion over a period of time, he should see results. As his cultivation ripens, he should be able to see the moon disc with the syllable AH distinctively, whether he opens or closes his eyes. He would need to draw the AH syllable moon disc into himself, and at this point, the external syllable AH moon disc merges with the syllable AH moon disc within him.
When one gains success with this visualization exercise, one instantly attains Buddhahood in this very body, and cuts the mistaken view that a duality exists between the concepts of affliction and bodhi, Samsara and Nirvana.
My Master said, 「The epithet of Amitabha ranks supreme among all the buddhas of the three times and ten directions because of the syllable AH. This syllable is the common seed syllable of all buddhas and bodhisattvas. Thus, if one aspires to be reborn in the Western Pure Land, one only needs to cultivate the visualization of the syllable AH to ensure rebirth.」
From what I know, Sakyamuni Buddha said that all sentient beings have the Buddha Nature within their heart, pointing to the existence of a seed of attaining buddhahood. But the Tathagata did not reveal what this seed is.
In Tantric Buddhism, this seed is the syllable AH. Should the practitioner visualize the syllable AH with one mind, he would undoubtedly speed his way to buddhahood at a pace that allows him to attain it in this very body. It would far exceed the pace of attaining buddhahood through studying thousands of sutras.
Here lies the very essence and secret of Tantrayana, where the great union of Yoga can be found, through which the very taste of buddhahood is experienced.
