부산대학교 도서관

The Ālambana(所緣) of Buddhist thought is summarized into two meaning which the one is the ‘object of perception’ in wide meaning and the other is ‘a point of visualization practice’. The examples of the latter one is seen in Buddhist practice like Counting Breath(數息觀) that visualizing breath, and also seen in visualizing practice of Buddhist Stupa, and visualizing Maṇḍalas and Thig le in Annutarayoga system of Esoteric Buddhism.The Buddhist practices taught by Shakyamuni Buddha in the early age of Buddhism were to cease the continuation of passion so as to achieve realization of truth and to make it a purpose to reach to Samadhi that enable for the practitioner to discern the Dharma of supreme nature. The history of Buddhism shows the development of Ālambana(所緣) was an elements of Buddhist practices which aims at the concentration of mind to fulfill the purpose of Buddhist practice. In the age of sectarial Buddhism it was established by Thirty-seven Bodhipakṣika Dharma(三十七助道品) and the Samādhi of the Nine Stages(九次第定) which reflects the development of Ālambana with the expansion of skills that visualizing Counting of Breath(ānāpāna) or Skeleton(白骨觀) or Buddhist Stupa(佛塔觀).In the age of Mahayāna Buddhism the idea of Sarva-jñā(一切智) was appeared that by which knowledge all the Buddhas construct Pureland and accomplish the Buddha’s body of Dharma-kāya, Saṃbhoga-kāya and Nirṃana-kāya. In Mahāyāna- śraddhotpāda-śāstra(大乘起信論) it is said that the Attributes of Action(用大) is to emanates the Karmaic miracles(不思義業相) for saving sentient beings which practices results from Visualization of Karuna(大悲觀) which is to utilize the skill of Ālambana(所緣). In the Stage of Practices(修習次第) which was wrote by Kamalaśila, a pandit of Late Madhyamak school(後期中觀派) it is said that so as to save sentient beings one has to be excellent in the expedient of Ālambana(所緣). Ālambana has been one of expedients of Buddhist practicers since the Buddha age of early Samgha and also has been a foundation of sources of paintings, music, drama and architectures that was to represent the spirit of Buddhism. So the researches and concerns on the Ālambana is important to devote to the propagation of Buddhism in the future and to adapt to the development of new age of Religion in modern society.