Mindful Visualization of the Jeweled Trees
A Mindfulness Practice Taught by Sakyamuni Buddha
Mindful Visualization of the Jeweled Trees is the 4th of the sixteen visualization practices directly extolled by Sakyamuni Buddha to Queen Vaidehi, the queen of the city of Rajagrha, some 2,500 years ago in response to her yearning for a place to be reborn that is free of afflictions and sufferings.
Queen Vaidehi requested the Buddha to teach her how to visualize such a place where she may hear no evil words, see no evil beings, and be reborn there. Among all the Buddha-lands revealed, the Queen chose to reborn in the Western Pure Land (the Land of Ultimate Bliss). This preaching, known as the Visualization Sutra, was then passed on to all of us sentient beings in this world.
What’s better than learning to practice mindfulness directly from our teacher, the Buddha? Let’s dive deep into the words of the Buddha for the practice of the Visualization of the Jeweled Trees.
The Buddha said to Ananda and Vaidehi,
“When the Visualization of the Ground has been completed, the next visualization is of the jeweled trees.
In visualizing the jeweled trees, one should see them one by one and form an image of seven pathways that are lined with these trees. Each tree is eight thousand yojanas high, and is adorned with blossoms and leaves made of the seven kinds of jewels. Each blossom and leaf is the color of a different jewel. From the lapis lazuli-colored blossoms is emitted a golden light; from the rock crystal-colored is emitted a crimson light; from the emerald-colored is emitted a sapphire light; and from the sapphire-colored is emitted a pearl-green ray of light. In addition, coral, amber, and all the other myriad jewels serve as dazzling ornaments.
“Exquisite nets of pearls completely cover the trees, and each tree is veiled by seven layers of nets. Between each of the nets there are five billion exquisite flower palaces that resemble the palace of Lord Brahma, and within each of them reside celestial children. Each of these children wears ornaments made of five billion noble wish-fulfilling jewels. The light from these mani jewels shines brightly for a radius of a hundred yojanas in all directions, not unlike a constellation of a billion suns and moons, but no words can fully describe the brilliance of this light. The intermingling of the light from these various jewels produces a color unexcelled among all colors.
“The rows of these jeweled-tree paths are evenly arranged, and their foliage is equally spaced. From among the leaves appear exquisite blossoms, and upon these flowers, fruits made of the seven kinds of jewels spontaneously appear. Each blossom is twenty-five yojanas in diameter, and their petals shine with a thousand colors and have a hundred different patterns so that altogether, the leaves are like heavenly ornaments. This array of exquisite blossoms is the color of the golden sands of the Jambu River and resembles revolving wheels of fire gently turning among the leaves; and from these flowers, fruits well up as if from Sakra’s vase.
“These fruits issue forth great floods of light that form banners, flags, and countless canopies adorned with jewels. Within these jeweled canopies, all the deeds of the Buddhas of the three-thousand-great-thousand worlds are illuminated, and the Buddha-Lands of the Ten Directions also appear within.
“When you have seen the trees in this way, visualize each detail in order: perceive the trunks, the branches, the leaves, the blossoms, and the fruits, and let your vision of all of them be clear and distinct. This is the Visualization of the Jeweled Trees and is called the Fourth Visualization. To do this visualization is called the right visualization; to do another is called an incorrect visualization.”
Consider it a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to come across and practice this method, as one will then achieve non-retrogression (no falling back to lower realms) to ultimately attain the Highest Perfect Enlightenment. If anyone is interested in learning the entire sixteen visualizations, one may read the full sutra text of the Visualization Sutra.
Set aside time to practice it everyday. Immerse your mind in this visualization to cultivate a pure state of mind.
[ Previous: Ground | Next: Visualization of Bodies of Water ]
Resources:
Visualization Sutra — Full sutra text
Five Pure Land Sutras
Amitabha Mindful Chanting Music Collection
