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# 大毘盧遮那成佛神變加持經 (Shubhakarasimha & Yixing 724) 1

The Vairocanābhisaṃbodhi Sutra 1

- **Language:** English

### [1.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.tantra.carya.mahavairocana*zh~en-bdk.1.1)

Chapter I  
  
The Stations of the Mind When  
  
Entering the Mantra Gateway  
  
Thus have I heard. At one time the Bhagavān (Lord) was residing in the vast adamantine palace of the Dharma realm empowered by Tathāgatas, in which all the vajradharas had all assembled; the great pavilion \[comparable to\] the king of jewels, born of the Tathāgata’s faith-and-understanding, play, and supernatural transformations, was lofty, without a center or perimeter, and variously adorned with great and wondrous jewel-kings, and the body of a bodhisattva formed a lion throne.  
  
Those vajra\[dhara\]s were called the vajradhara Gaganāmala, the vajradhara Gaganavikrama, the vajradhara Gaganasaṃbhava, the vajradhara Vicitrāmbaradhara, the vajradhara Vicitracārin, the vajradhara Sarvadharmasamatāvihārin, the vajradhara Anantasattvadhātuparitrāṇa, the vajradhara Nārāyaṇabalin, the vajradhara Mahānārāyaṇabalin, Suvajradhara, the vajradhara Paramavega, the vajradhara Vimala\[vajra\], the vajradhara Vajrāgra, the vajradhara Tathāgatavarman, the vajradhara Tathāgatapadodbhava, the vajradhara Aprapañcavihārin, the vajradhara Tathāgatadaśabalasaṃbhava, the vajradhara Vimalanetra, and Vajrapāṇi, Lord of Mysteries.  
  
Accompanied by a multitude of vajradharas equal in number to the dust motes of ten buddha fields with these at their head, and surrounded in front and behind by great bodhisattvas such as the bodhisattva Samantabhadra, the bodhisattva Maitreya, the bodhisattva Mañjuśrī, and the bodhisattva Sarvanīvaraṇaviṣkambhin, \[the Bhagavān\] expounded the Dharma, namely, the Dharma gateway of the state of the equality of body, speech, and mind,  
  
through the empowerment of the Tathāgata’s sun which transcends the three  
  
periods \[of past, present, and future\].  
  
Then, with the bodhisattvas headed by Samantabhadra and the vajra-  
  
dharas headed by the Lord of Mysteries, through the empowerment of the  
  
Tathāgata Vairocana there was swiftly made manifest the inexhaustible treas-  
  
ury of adornments \[of the equality\] of the body; likewise, there were swiftly  
  
made manifest the inexhaustible treasuries of adornments of the equality of  
  
speech and mind. These were not produced by the body or speech or mind  
  
of the Buddha Vairocana, and the limits of their arising and disappearing in  
  
all places cannot be apprehended. Yet all the actions of Vairocana’s body,

### [1.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.tantra.carya.mahavairocana*zh~en-bdk.1.5)

all the actions of his speech, and all the actions of his mind proclaim every-  
  
where and always in the realms of sentient beings the Dharma of the words  
  
of the mantra path. Moreover, he assumed the appearance of vajradharas  
  
and the bodhisattvas Samantabhadra, Padmapāṇi, and so on, and proclaimed  
  
everywhere in the ten directions the Dharma of the pure words of the mantra  
  
path so that \[all the steps from\] the initial generation of the \[bodhi-\]mind up  
  
to the ten stages may be progressively satisfied in this lifetime, the seeds of  
  
the karmic\[ally determined\] lives of the varieties of sentient beings who have  
  
been born and nurtured by karma may be eradicated, and there may also  
  
occur the sprouting of \[wholesome\] seeds.  
  
Then the vajradhara Lord of Mysteries, who was seated in this assem-  
  
bly, said to the Buddha, “World-honored One, how did the Tathāgata, wor-  
  
thy of worship (arhat) and perfectly all-knowing (samyaksaṃbuddha), obtain  
  
the knowledge of an omniscient one (sarvajñajñāna)? Having obtained the  
  
knowledge of an omniscient one, he expounds it extensively and dissemi-  
  
nates it for the sake of immeasurable beings, proclaiming the knowledge of  
  
an omniscient one in accordance with various destinies, various inclinations,  
  
and various means and ways, \[teaching\] either the path of the śrāvaka vehi-  
  
cle, or the path of the pratyekabuddha vehicle, or the path of the Great Vehi-  
  
cle (Mahayana), or the path of knowledge of the five \[supernatural\] facul-  
  
ties, or \[the method for\] aspiring to birth among gods (devas), or \[the methods  
  
for\] birth among humans or as a nāga, yakṣa, or gandharva through to teach-  
  
ing the method for birth as a mahoraga. Should there be any being who ought  
  
to be delivered by a buddha, then \[the Tathāgata\] assumes the form of a  
  
buddha; alternatively, he may assume the form of a śrāvaka, or he may assume  
  
the form of a pratyekabuddha or the form of a bodhisattva or the form of the god Brahmā or the form of Nārāyaṇa or Vaiśravaṇa, through to the form of a mahoraga, a human, a non-human, and so on, conforming with the speech of each and abiding in various modes of conduct. And yet this path of the knowledge of an omniscient one is of one taste, namely, the taste of the Tathāgata’s liberation.  
  
“World-honored One, just as, for example, the element of empty space is free from all differentiation, without differentiation and without nondifferentiation, so too is the knowledge of an omniscient one free from all differentiation, without differentiation and without nondifferentiation. Worldhonored One, just as, for example, the great earth is the support of all beings, so too is the knowledge of an omniscient one the support of gods, humans, and asuras. World-honored One, just as, for example, the element of fire insatiably burns all fuel, so too does the knowledge of an omniscient one insatiably burn all the fuel of ignorance. World-honored One, just as, for example, the element of wind removes all dust, so too does the knowledge of an omniscient one clear away all the dust of mental afflictions. Worldhonored One, just as, for example, the element of water is a delight for the support (i.e., bodies) of all beings, so too is the knowledge of an omniscient one a benefit and joy for gods and worldlings. World-honored One, what is the cause, what is the root, and what is the culmination of this knowledge?”  
  
When the vajradhara Lord of Mysteries had finished speaking thus, the Buddha Vairocana addressed him, saying, “Excellent, excellent, vajradhara! It is excellent, Vajrapāṇi, that you have asked me about this matter. You should listen attentively and pay very careful attention as I now explain it.”  
  
Vajrapāṇi said, “So be it, World-honored One. I am eager to listen.”

### [1.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.tantra.carya.mahavairocana*zh~en-bdk.1.6)

The Buddha said, “The bodhi-mind is its cause, compassion is its root, and expedient means is its culmination. Lord of Mysteries, what is bodhi? It means to know one’s mind as it really is. Lord of Mysteries, this is anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi (unsurpassed, perfect, and full awakening), and there is not the slightest part of it that can be apprehended. Why? \[Because\] bodhi has the characteristic of empty space, and there is no one to comprehend it, nor is there any understanding of it. Why? Because bodhi has no \[differentiating\] characteristics. Lord of Mysteries, all dharmas are without characteristics. That is to say, they have the characteristic of empty space.”  
  
Then Vajrapāṇi again said to the Buddha, “World-honored One, who is it that seeks omniscience? Who is it that accomplishes perfect awakening on account of bodhi? Who is it that generates the knowledge of an omniscient one?”  
  
The Buddha said, “Lord of Mysteries, it is in one’s own mind that one seeks bodhi and omniscience. Why? Because its original nature is pure. The mind is neither within nor without, nor can the mind be apprehended between the two. Lord of Mysteries, the Tathāgata, worthy \[of worship\] and perfectly and fully awakened, is neither blue nor yellow nor red nor white nor crimson nor the color of crystal, neither long nor short nor round nor square, neither bright nor dark, and neither male nor female nor neuter. Lord of Mysteries, the mind is not of the same nature as the realm of desire, nor is it of the same nature as the realm of form, nor is it of the same nature as the realm of non-form, nor is it of the same nature as the destinies of gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kiṃnaras, mahoragas, humans, or non-humans. Lord of Mysteries, the mind does not reside in the realm of the eyes, nor does it reside in the realms of the ears, nose, tongue, body, or mind, and neither is it visible, nor does it manifest itself.  
  
“Why? \[Because\] the mind, which has the characteristic of empty space, is free from all differentiation and nondifferentiation. Why is that? That whose nature is the same as empty space is identical to the mind, and that whose nature is the same as the mind is identical to bodhi. In this manner, Lord of Mysteries, the three entities of mind, the realm of empty space, and bodhi are without duality. They have compassion as their root and are fulfilled by the pāramitā of expedient means. For this reason, Lord of Mysteries, I teach the dharmas in this manner so as to make the multitudes of bodhisattvas purify the bodhi-mind and know their mind.  
  
“Lord of Mysteries, if a man of \[good\] family or a woman of \[good\] family wishes to know bodhi, they should know their own mind in this manner. Lord of Mysteries, how is one to know one’s own mind? It cannot, namely, be apprehended by seeking it in distinctions, or colors, or shapes, or external objects; or in form or sensation, ideation, volition, or consciousness; or in ‘I’ or ‘mine’; or in the grasper (i.e., subject) or the grasped (i.e., object); or in the pure; or in the \[eighteen\] elements \[of existence\] or \[the twelve\] sense fields; or in any other distinctions.  
  
“Lord of Mysteries, this gateway to the bodhisattva’s pure bodhi-mind is called the path whereby the Dharma becomes clear for the first time. If a bodhisattva trains while dwelling therein, he will then without prolonged hardship attain the samādhi that removes all obscurations. If he attains this \[samādhi\], then he will dwell on a par with buddhas and bodhisattvas: he will generate the five supernatural faculties; obtain the dhāraṇī (retention)

### [1.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.tantra.carya.mahavairocana*zh~en-bdk.1.7)

of immeasurable languages, words, and sounds; know the workings of the minds of beings; be protected by buddhas; remain undefiled even in birthand-death (samsara); not shirk fatigue for the sake of beings throughout the Dharma realm; succeed in abiding in the unconditioned precepts; be free from wrong views; and thoroughly understand right views. Furthermore, Lord of Mysteries, a bodhisattva dwelling in this \[samādhi\] that removes all obscurations will, through the power of his faith-and-understanding and without prolonged exertion, satisfy all the dharmas (attributes) of a buddha. Lord of Mysteries, in short, this man of good \[family\] or woman of good \[family\] will fully achieve the accomplishment of immeasurable merits.”  
  
Then the vajradhara Lord of Mysteries again questioned the Buddha in verse:  
  
How, World-honored One, do you explain the arising of bodhi in  
  
this mind?  
  
And by what signs does one know that one has generated the  
  
bodhi-mind?  
  
I beg you to explain the arising of the knowing mind, the mind, and  
  
excellent spontaneous knowledge.  
  
Great Striving Hero (mahāvīra), through how many stages does the  
  
mind successively arise?  
  
I beg you, O Buddha, to explain in full the characteristics of the  
  
mind and the time \[necessary to attain bodhi\],  
  
As well as the mass of merits and the practice of cultivated practices,  
  
The mind and the distinctions possessed by the mind—please, O  
  
Great Muni, explain them!  
  
When Vajrapāṇi had finished speaking thus, the World-honored One Mahāvairocana addressed him, saying:  
  
Excellent, true son of the Buddha! With your magnanimousness  
  
you benefit \[sentient beings\].  
  
The characteristics of the successive arising of the mind, the  
  
supreme state of the Great Vehicle,  
  
Are the great secret of the buddhas, unknowable by non-Buddhists.  
  
I shall now reveal it all: with singlemindedness you should listen  
  
attentively.  
  
By transcending the one hundred and sixty \[impure states of the\]  
  
mind, vast merits are produced,  
  
And their nature forever firm, one knows that bodhi has arisen.  
  
It is immeasurable like empty space, unblemished, and everlasting;  
  
Dharmas cannot move it, and it is originally quiescent and has no  
  
\[differentiating\] characteristics.  
  
Immeasurable knowledge is accomplished, and perfect and full  
  
awakening manifests;  
  
Cultivating the practices of worship, one thereby generates the  
  
\[bodhi-\]mind for the first time.  
  
“Lord of Mysteries, ordinary people, foolish and childlike, \[who have  
  
been dwelling in\] beginningless birth-and-death, cling to the notion of ‘self’  
  
and to the possessions of the self, and differentiate among immeasurable dis-  
  
tinctions of the self. Lord of Mysteries, if they do not discern the own-nature  
  
of the self, then \[notions of\] ‘I’ and ‘mine’ are born. Others again imagine  
  
that there exists \[as the prime cause\] time, the transformation of earth and  
  
other \[elements\], the self of yoga, established purity, unestablished non-  
  
purity, or the god Īśvara, or emanation, or time, or the revered, or the spon-  
  
taneous, or the inner self, or \[self in\] the measure of man, or the completely  
  
adorned, or life-force, or pudgala (person), or consciousness, or ālaya (store  
  
\[-consciousness\]), the knower, the seer, the grasper, the grasped, what knows  
  
internally, what knows externally, jñatvam (intelligence), mind-born, young-  
  
ster, what is eternally and determinately born, sound, and non-sound. Lord  
  
of Mysteries, such distinctions of the self have since times of yore been asso-  
  
ciated with \[false\] differentiation, and \[the adherents of these views\] hope  
  
for liberation in accordance with reason.  
  
“Lord of Mysteries, ordinary people and their ilk, foolish and childlike,  
  
are just like rams. At times a dharmic thought may arise, namely, \[the thought  
  
of\] observing abstinence. Reflecting on this small thing, they engender joy and practice it from time to time. Lord of Mysteries, this represents the initial \[stage of the\] seed from which wholesome actions arise. Then, with this as the cause, on the six days of abstinence they make gifts to their parents, male and female \[children\], and kinsmen: this represents the second \[stage of\] sprouting. Then they present these gifts to those who are not kinsmen or acquaintances: this represents the third \[stage of\] budding. Then they present these gifts to those of competence and eminent virtue: this represents the fourth \[stage of\] leafing. Then they joyfully present these gifts to musicians and so on and proffer them to venerable elders: this represents the fifth \[stage of\] flowering. Then with these gifts they engender thoughts of affection and make offerings of them: this represents the sixth \[stage of\] bearing fruit. Next, Lord of Mysteries, they observe the precepts so as to be born in heaven: this represents the seventh \[stage of\] taking in seeds.  
  
“Next, Lord of Mysteries, as they transmigrate through birth-and-death with this mind \[of the seventh stage\], they hear the following words from a good friend: ‘This is a god, a great god, who bestows all happiness. If you worship him with devotion, all your wishes will be fulfilled. \[These gods are,\] namely, Īśvara, Brahmā, Nārāyaṇa, Śaṃkara, the Black God (= Rudra), the son of Īśvara (= Skanda), Āditya (Sun), Candra (Moon), the honored nāgas, as well as Kubera, Vaiśravaṇa, Śākya, Virūpākṣa, Viśvakarmā, Yama, Yama’s queen consort (Yamī), Brahmā’s queen consort (Brahmāṇī), Lokanātha, Agni, the son of Garuḍa, Īśvara’s queen consort, \[the nāga\] Padma, the nāga Takṣaka, the nāgas Vāsuki, Śaṅkha, Karkoṭaka, Mahāpadma, Kulika, Mahāphaṇi, Ādideva, and Sadānanta, or celestial seers, and great masters of the Vedas. Each of these should be duly worshiped.’ Upon hearing this, their hearts are filled with blessed joy, and respectfully revering them, they practice accordingly. Lord of Mysteries, this is called the eighth \[stage of the\] mind of the young child, the basis of fearlessness for common people, foolish and childlike, as they transmigrate through birth-and-death.  
  
“Lord of Mysteries, next there is a special practice. Following their \[friend’s\] instructions, they dwell in a special state, whereupon there arises the wisdom that seeks liberation. This is, namely, \[the teachings of\] permanence, impermanence, and emptiness, and they follow these teachings. Lord of Mysteries, it is not that they understand emptiness and non-emptiness, permanence  
  
and annihilation. With regard to both nonexistence and non-nothingness,  
  
they consider what they differentiate to be without differentiation. How is

### [1.12](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.tantra.carya.mahavairocana*zh~en-bdk.1.12)

one to differentiate emptiness? They do not know the varieties of emptiness,  
  
and \[so\] they will never be able to know nirvana. Therefore, one should real-  
  
ize that emptiness is dissociated from annihilation and permanence.”  
  
Then Vajrapāṇi made another request of the Buddha, saying, “World-  
  
honored One, please explain those \[various states of\] mind.”  
  
When Vajrapāṇi, Lord of Mysteries, had finished speaking thus, the  
  
Buddha addressed him, saying, “Lord of Mysteries, listen attentively to the  
  
characteristics of the mind. They are, namely, the mind of covetousness, the  
  
mind without covetousness, the mind of anger, the mind of kindness, the  
  
mind of stupidity, the mind of wisdom, the mind of decisiveness, the mind  
  
of doubt, the mind of darkness, the mind of clarity, the mind of accumula-  
  
tion, the mind of strife, the mind of disputation, the mind without disputa-  
  
tion, the mind of a god, the mind of an asura, the mind of a nāga, the mind  
  
of a man, the mind of a woman, the mind of Īśvara, the mind of a merchant,  
  
the mind of a farmer, the mind of a river, the mind of a pond, the mind of a  
  
well, the mind of protectiveness, the mind of parsimony, the mind of a dog,  
  
the mind of a cat, the mind of a garuḍa, the mind of a rat, the mind of singing,  
  
the mind of dance, the mind of drum-beating, the mind of a house, the mind  
  
of a lion, the mind of an owl, the mind of a crow, the mind of a rākṣasa, the  
  
mind of a thorn, the mind of a cave, the mind of wind, the mind of water,  
  
the mind of fire, the mind of mud, the mind of dye, the mind of a plank, the  
  
mind of confusion, the mind of poison, the mind of a noose, the mind of fet-  
  
ters, the mind of a cloud, the mind of a field, the mind of salt, the mind of a  
  
razor, the mind like \[Mount\] Sume\[ru\], the mind like the ocean, the mind  
  
like a hole, and the mind of \[re\]birth.  
  
“Lord of Mysteries, what is the mind of covetousness? It means to con-  
  
form to defiled dharmas. What is the mind without covetousness? It means  
  
to conform to undefiled dharmas. What is the mind of anger? It means to con-  
  
form to the dharma of wrath. What is the mind of kindness? It means to con-  
  
form to and cultivate the dharma of kindness. What is the mind of stupidity?  
  
It means to conform to and cultivate the dharma of nonexamination. What is  
  
the mind of wisdom? It means to conformingly cultivate dharmas that are  
  
special and increase \[one’s understanding\]. What is the mind of decisiveness?  
  
It means to carry out as told the instructions of the venerable. What is the mind of doubt? It means to always keep things undecided and so on. What is the mind of darkness? It means to produce an understanding based on misgivings with regard to dharmas about which there should be no misgivings. What is the mind of clarity? It means to practice without misgivings with regard to dharmas about which there can be no misgivings. What is the mind of accumulation? It means to be naturally disposed to make what is immeasurable one. What is the mind of strife? It means to be naturally disposed to argue with others about pros and cons. What is the mind of disputation? It means to produce pros and cons within oneself. What is the mind without disputation? It means to discard both pros and cons. What is the mind of a god? It means that the mind’s thoughts are accomplished as one conceives of them. What is the mind of an asura? It means to enjoy staying in \[the cycle of\] birthand-death. What is the mind of a nāga? It means to think about enormous wealth. What is the mind of a man? It means to think about benefiting others. What is the mind of a woman? It means to conform to the dharma of desire. What is the mind of Īśvara? It means to think that one should be able to do everything as one wishes. What is the mind of a merchant? It means to conformingly cultivate the dharma of first gathering \[goods cheaply\] and later dividing \[and selling them at a profit\]. What is the mind of a farmer? It means  
  
to conform to the dharma of first listening extensively and later seeking. What is the mind of a river? It means to conformingly cultivate the dharma of relying on two extremes. What is the mind of a pond? It means to conform to the dharma of thirsting insatiably. What is the mind of a well? It means to think thus, that what is profound is exceedingly profound. What is the mind of protectiveness? It means \[to consider\] that only this mind is real and other minds are not real. What is the mind of parsimony? It means to conform to the dharma of acting for oneself and not giving to others. What is the mind of a cat? It means to conformingly cultivate the dharma of proceeding slowly. What is the mind of a dog? It means to obtain a little and be happily content with it. What is the mind of a garuḍa? It means to conform to the dharma of \[relying on\] associates and assistants. What is the mind of a rat? It means to think about severing all bonds. \[What is the mind of singing? It means to think that sentient beings are to be captivated with songs of various melodies.\]7 What is the mind of dance? It means \[to think\] that by cultivating such a  
  
dharma, one will rise up \[in the air and perform\] various supernatural transformations. What is the mind of drum-beating? It means \[to think\] that by cultivating this dharma conformingly, one will beat the drum of the Dharma. What is the mind of a house? It means to conformingly cultivate the dharma of protecting one’s own person. What is the mind of a lion? It means to cultivate the dharma of non-timidity in all things. What is the mind of an owl? It means to think always in the dark of the night. What is the mind of a crow? It means to think with fear in all circumstances. What is the mind of a rākṣasa? It means to bring about what is unwholesome in what is wholesome. What is the mind of a thorn? It means to be naturally disposed to give rise to regret in all circumstances. What is the mind of a cave? It means to conformingly cultivate the dharma of entering caves \[to fulfill one’s desires\]. What is the mind of wind? It means to be naturally disposed to arise everywhere. What is the mind of water? It means to conformingly cultivate the dharma of washing away everything that is unwholesome. What is the mind of fire? It means to be naturally disposed to flare up with intense heat. \[What is the mind of mud? It means to soil others with one’s own faults.\]8 What is the mind of dye? It means to be naturally disposed to resemble another. What is the mind of a plank? It means to conformingly cultivate dharmas that accord with one’s own measure by rejecting other wholesome \[dharmas\]. What is the mind of confusion? It means that what is \[mentally\] grasped differs from what it is thought to be. What is the mind of poison? It means to conformingly cultivate the dharma of lifelessness. What is the mind of a noose? It means to be naturally disposed to dwell everywhere in the bonds of the self. What is the mind of fetters? It means to be naturally disposed to stand still with both feet. What is the mind of a cloud? It means to be always thinking about falling rain. What is the mind of a field? It means to always attend in this manner to one’s own person. What is the mind of salt? It means to add yet more thought to what has been thought through. What is the mind of a razor? It means to only rely in this manner on the dharma of the tonsure. What is the mind like \[Mount Su\]meru? It means that the cogitating mind is always naturally disposed to elevating itself. What is the mind like the ocean? It means to always accept oneself in this manner and abide \[thus\]. What is the mind like a hole? It means to be naturally disposed to first decide something and later amend it. What is the mind of \[re\]birth? It means to habitually  
  
perform all manner of actions and be \[re\]born \[in accordance with one’s previous actions\], and the mind is of this same nature.  
  
“Lord of Mysteries, multiplying by two once, twice, three times, four times and five times, there are altogether one hundred and sixty minds. When one transcends the mundane three false attachments, the supramun-  
  
dane mind is born. That is to say, having thus understood that there are only the \[five\] aggregates and no-self, one lingers on in cultivation \[associated with\] the \[six\] sense organs, \[six\] sense objects, and \[six\] elements (i.e., six consciousnesses), pulls out the stumps of karma and mental afflictions and the seeds of ignorance whence are born the twelve causes and conditions \[of dependent arising\], and dissociates oneself from the schools of established \[purity\] and so on. Such deep serenity cannot be known by any non-Buddhists, and previous buddhas have proclaimed it to be free from all faults.  
  
“Lord of Mysteries, with this supramundane mind dwelling in the \[five\] aggregates, such wisdom may arise correspondingly. If one is to give rise to freedom from attachment to the aggregates, one should observe foam, bubbles, a plantain tree, a mirage, and an illusion, thereby attaining liberation. That is to say, the \[five\] aggregates, \[twelve\] sense fields, \[eighteen\] elements, and the grasper and the grasped are all removed from Dharma-nature, and when one realizes the realm of quiescence in this manner, it is called the supramundane mind. Lord of Mysteries, when one has left behind the sequence of eight minds incompatible and compatible \[with the world\] and the web of karma and mental afflictions, this represents the yogin’s practice for transcending one eon.  
  
“Next, Lord of Mysteries, there is the practice of the Great Vehicle, whereby one generates the mind of the vehicle without any object \[of cognition\] and \[understands\] that dharmas have no self-nature. How? Just like those who practiced thus in former times, one observes the ālaya (substratum) of the aggregates and realizes that its own-nature is like an illusion, a mirage, a reflection, an echo, a whirling wheel of fire, and an \[imaginary\] gandharva city. Lord of Mysteries, if one thus abandons no-self \[in dharmas\], the mind-lord being absolutely free, one awakens to the fact that one’s own mind is originally unborn. Why? Because, Lord of Mysteries, the anterior and posterior limits of the mind cannot be apprehended. When one thus knows the nature of one’s own mind, this represents the yogin’s practice for transcending a second eon.  
  
“Next, Lord of Mysteries, bodhisattvas cultivating bodhisattva practices  
  
via the gateway of mantras accomplish all the immeasurable merit and knowl-  
  
edge accumulated during immeasurable and incalculable hundreds of thou-  
  
sands of koṭis of nayutas of eons and all the immeasurable wisdom and expe-  
  
dient means for fully cultivating all practices; they become a refuge for the  
  
worlds of gods and humans, they transcend the stages of all śrāvakas and  
  
pratyekabuddhas, and they are attended and revered by Śakra Devendra  
  
(King of Gods) and so on. So-called emptiness is dissociated from the sense  
  
organs and sense objects, has no \[differentiating\] characteristics and no \[cog-  
  
nitive\] objectivity, transcends all frivolous arguments (prapañca), and is  
  
boundless like empty space; all the dharmas (attributes) of a buddha are suc-  
  
cessively born in dependence on it, and it is dissociated from the conditioned  
  
and unconditioned realms, dissociated from all activities, and dissociated  
  
from the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind. \[Then\] is born the mind  
  
utterly without own-nature. Lord of Mysteries, such an initial mind the  
  
Buddha has declared to be the cause for becoming a buddha; although lib-  
  
erated from karma and mental afflictions, it still has karma and mental afflic-  
  
tions at its base. The world will venerate \[such a person\] and should always  
  
make offerings to him.  
  
“Next, Lord of Mysteries, in the stage of practice with faith-and-under-  
  
standing one observes the three minds, the vision of wisdom \[based on\]  
  
immeasurable pāramitās, and the four means of conversion. The stage of  
  
faith-and-understanding is unparalleled, immeasurable, and inconceivable,  
  
and \[in it\] one establishes the ten minds and boundless knowledge is born.  
  
Everything whatsoever that I have taught is all obtained on the basis of this  
  
\[stage\]. Therefore, the wise person should reflect on this stage of faith-and-  
  
understanding in omniscience, and transcending one more eon he should  
  
ascend to dwell in this stage. One quarter of this will take one beyond \[the  
  
stage of\] faith-and-understanding.”15

### [1.13](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.tantra.carya.mahavairocana*zh~en-bdk.1.13)

Then the vajradhara Lord of Mysteries said to the Buddha, “World-  
  
honored One, I beg you, O savior of the world, to explain the characteris-  
  
tics of the mind. How many stations of fearlessness are there to be obtained  
  
by a bodhisattva?”  
  
When Vajrapāṇi had finished speaking thus, the World-honored One  
  
Mahāvairocana addressed him, saying, “Listen attentively and consider most  
  
carefully \[what I say\]. Lord of Mysteries, when those ordinary people, foolish and childlike, cultivate wholesome actions and renounce unwholesome actions, they will obtain ‘fearlessness of the wholesome.’ If they know the self as it really is, they will obtain ‘fearlessness of the body.’ If they observe their own body composed of the aggregates of attachment, abandoning any material image of themselves, they will obtain ‘fearlessness of no-self.’ If they renounce the aggregates and dwell in the cognition of dharmas, they will obtain ‘fearlessness of dharmas.’ If they renounce dharmas and dwell without any object \[of cognition\], they will obtain ‘fearlessness of the noself of dharmas.’ Again, all \[five\] aggregates, \[eighteen\] elements, and \[twelve\] sense fields, the grasper and the grasped, self, life, and so on, as well as dharmas and objectlessness, are empty and their own-nature is without any \[essential\] nature—when this knowledge of emptiness is born, they will obtain ‘fearlessness of the equality of the own-nature of all dharmas.’  
  
“Lord of Mysteries, if bodhisattvas cultivating bodhisattva practices via the gateway of mantras examine in deep cultivation the ten propositions about dependent arising, they will master mantra practices and achieve realization therein. What are the ten \[propositions about dependent arising\]? They are, namely, that \[dependent arising\] is like an illusion, a mirage, a dream, a reflection, a gandharva city, an echo, the moon \[reflected\] in water, bubbles, a flower in empty space, and a whirling wheel of fire. Lord of Mysteries, those bodhisattvas cultivating bodhisattva practices via the gateway of mantras should observe in the following manner.  
  
“What is an illusion? It is just as when, through the art of magic and the power of drugs, various visible images, both those creating \[other illusions\] and those created, deceive one’s eyes so that one sees remarkable things that produce one another in succession, coming and going in the ten directions, and yet they neither go nor do they not go. Why? Because their original nature is pure. In the same way illusions \[produced by\] mantras are able to produce anything through success in recitation.  
  
“Next, Lord of Mysteries, a mirage is by nature empty; it is in dependence on the false notions of worldlings that it is established and may be spoken about. In the same way the notion of mantras is merely a provisional designation.  
  
“Next, Lord of Mysteries, just as things seen in a dream last for a day,  
  
a muhūrta (forty-eight minutes), a kṣaṇa (instant), a year, or some other  
  
\[period of time\], are of various strange kinds, and cause experiences of all  
  
manner of suffering and happiness, yet upon awakening there is nothing  
  
whatsoever to be seen, so too should the dreamlike mantra practices be known  
  
to be thus.  
  
“Next, Lord of Mysteries, with the analogy of a reflection one compre-  
  
hends how mantras are able to produce siddhi. Just as a face in dependence  
  
on a mirror manifests an image of the face, so too should one understand  
  
siddhi \[produced by\] mantras.  
  
“Next, Lord of Mysteries, with the analogy of an \[imaginary\] gandharva  
  
city one comprehends the accomplishment of a palace \[produced as\] siddhi.  
  
“Next, Lord of Mysteries, with the analogy of an echo one comprehends  
  
the sound of mantras. Just as an echo exists in dependence on sound, so too  
  
should the mantrin understand \[mantras\].  
  
“Next, Lord of Mysteries, just as the moon rises with the result that it  
  
shines upon clear water and manifests a reflected image of the moon, so too

### [1.14](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.tantra.carya.mahavairocana*zh~en-bdk.1.14)

should the vidyādhara thus explain the likening of mantras to the moon in  
  
the water.  
  
“Next, Lord of Mysteries, just as the heavens cause rain to fall, pro-  
  
ducing bubbles, so too should the various transformations of siddhi \[pro-  
  
duced by\] mantras be known to be thus.  
  
“Next, Lord of Mysteries, it is just as in space there are neither beings  
  
nor life and no creator can be apprehended, and yet because the mind is  
  
deluded and confused, it produces these various false visions \[of nonexist-  
  
ent flowers and so on in empty space\].  
  
“Next, Lord of Mysteries, it is like a firebrand: if someone holding it in  
  
his hand then whirls it around in the air, there will appear the image of a wheel.  
  
“Lord of Mysteries, in this manner one should understand this state of  
  
the Great Vehicle, this state of the mind, this state of what is equal to the  
  
unequaled, this state of certainty, this state of perfect and full awakening,  
  
and this state of gradual birth in the Great Vehicle. One will \[then\] be able  
  
to completely possess the riches of the Dharma, bring forth great knowledge  
  
with various skills, and fully know all notions about the mind as it really is.”  
  
Full Accoutrements and Mantras  
  
for Entering the Maṇḍala  
  
Thereupon the vajradhara Lord of Mysteries said to the Buddha, “It is remarkable, World-honored One, that you should explain this saṃbodhi self-realized by the buddhas, the inconceivable Dharma realm which transcends the mind-ground, and that by various means and ways you expound the Dharma for the varieties of beings in accordance with their own nature and faith-andunderstanding. I beg you, World-honored One, next to explain the cultivation of mantra practices and the great king of maṇḍalas ‘Born of the Matrix of Great Compassion’ for the fulfillment of immeasurable beings in future ages and for their salvation and happiness.”  
  
Then the Bhagavān Vairocana, having completely surveyed the great assembly, addressed the vajradhara Lord of Mysteries, saying, “Listen attentively, Vajrapāṇi! I shall now explain the Dharma gateway for cultivating maṇḍala practices and bringing to fulfillment the knowledge of an omniscient one.”  
  
Then, because the World-honored One Vairocana had formerly vowed to accomplish the inexhaustible Dharma realm and liberate realms of beings without exception, all the Tathāgatas gathered together and he gradually entered the samādhi “Generation of the Matrix of Great Compassion.” From every part \[of the body\] of the World-honored One there appeared figures of Tathāgatas that, for the sake of beings ranging from those who had generated the \[bodhi-\]mind for the first time to those of the tenth stage, pervaded the ten directions and then returned to their own positions in the Buddha’s body, where, abiding in their own positions, they reentered \[the Buddha’s body\].  
  
Then the Bhagavān again addressed the vajradhara Lord of Mysteries, saying, “Listen attentively, Vajrapāṇi, to the layout of the maṇḍala! First, the ācārya should have generated the bodhi-mind; he should have wondrous  
  
wisdom and compassion, combine various arts, be well skilled in the culti-  
  
vation of prajñāpāramitā, have mastered the three vehicles, fully compre-  
  
hend the true meaning of mantras, know the minds of beings, have faith in  
  
the buddhas and bodhisattvas, have received the consecrations for transmit-  
  
ting the teachings and so on, and be well versed in the drawing of a maṇḍala;  
  
by nature he should be adaptable and free from self-attachment, and he should  
  
have duly gained decisiveness in the practice of mantras, have thoroughly

### [1.16](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.tantra.carya.mahavairocana*zh~en-bdk.1.16)

practiced yoga, and dwell in the intrepid bodhi-mind. Lord of Mysteries, such  
  
an exemplary ācārya is extolled by the buddhas and bodhisattvas.  
  
“Next, Lord of Mysteries, should that ācārya see a being who is suit-  
  
able as a receptacle for the Dharma, is free from sullies, has great faith-and-  
  
understanding, assiduity, and profound faith, and is always thinking of benefit-  
  
ing others—should the disciple possess such characteristics, the ācārya  
  
should of his own accord go and exhort him, addressing him as follows:  
  
‘Son of the Buddha, these methods of the path of mantra practice  
  
in the Great Vehicle  
  
I shall now explain for \[you,\] a receptacle for the Great Vehicle.  
  
The Fully and Perfectly Awakened Ones of the past and the  
  
World-honored Ones  
  
Of future ages and of the present abide in bringing benefit to beings.  
  
These worthy ones understand the wondrous method of mantras;  
  
Striving Heroes, they have obtained \[all-\]faceted knowledge while  
  
seated in characteristicless bodhi.  
  
The power of mantras is without compare, and \[with it\] the Lion of  
  
the Śākyas, savior of the world,  
  
Was able to destroy the very strong and extremely wrathful army  
  
of Māra.  
  
Therefore you, O Son of the Buddha, should with such wisdom  
  
And expedient means perform \[rites of\] accomplishment so that you  
  
obtain sarvajña\[jñāna\] (knowledge of an omniscient one).’  
  
The practitioner (i.e., ācārya), having with a compassionate mind  
  
inspired \[the disciple\], should further encourage him,  
  
And when \[the disciple\] is firmly established and has received the  
  
teachings, he should select a flat site.  
  
Mountain groves with plentiful flowers and fruits and with  
  
agreeable pure springs—  
  
These are extolled by the buddhas, and \[there\] he should perform  
  
the deeds of the circular altar (i.e., maṇḍala).  
  
Or in a place by a flowing river graced with geese and cranes,  
  
There, with wise understanding, he should construct the maṇḍala  
  
‘Born of Compassion.’  
  
Localities formerly frequented by Perfectly Awakened Ones, masters  
  
of dependent \[arising\] (i.e., pratyekabuddhas),  
  
And multitudes of śrāvakas of the Sage are always praised by  
  
the Buddha.  
  
Furthermore, in other places such as monasteries, araṇyas  
  
(hermitages),  
  
Flower\[-decked\] houses, high towers, exquisite ponds and parks,  
  
Caityas, shrines for the Fire God (Agni), cow pens, river sandbars,  
  
Temples of gods, empty rooms, and places where seers have  
  
attained the path—  
  
In places such as these described above or \[others\] pleasing to  
  
the mind

### [1.17](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.tantra.carya.mahavairocana*zh~en-bdk.1.17)

He should draw a maṇḍala in order to bring benefit to the disciple.  
  
“Lord of Mysteries, having selected a site, he clears away pebbles, broken earthenware, potsherds, skulls, hair, chaff, ashes, cinders, thorns, bones, rotten wood, and so on, as well as insects, ants, dung beetles, and poisonous or stinging kinds \[of creatures\].  
  
“Once such flaws have been removed, on the morning of a propitious day, having determined a day on which the time, lunar mansion, and planets are all in harmony, and at a time before the \[morning\] meal with an auspicious sign, he should first make obeisance to all the Tathāgatas and arouse the Earth God\[dess\] (Pṛthivī) with these verses:  
  
You, O Goddess, are witness to how the buddhas, guiding teachers,  
  
Performed special practices and purified the \[ten\] stages and  
  
pāramitās.  
  
Just like the Lion of the Śākyas, savior of the world, who defeated  
  
the hosts of Māra’s army,  
  
I too will vanquish Māra, and \[then\] I shall draw a maṇḍala.  
  
“He should kneel down with his \[right\] hand stretched out upon the  
  
ground and chant this verse repeatedly. He should \[also\] make offerings of  
  
unguent, flowers, and so on, and after having made offerings, the mantrin  
  
should again take refuge in all the Tathāgatas. Then he prepares the site in  
  
accordance with \[ritual\] procedures so that it possesses many virtues.”  
  
Then the vajradhara Lord of Mysteries bowed down at the feet of the  
  
World-honored One and spoke these verses:  
  
“The Buddha’s Dharma is free from all characteristics, and the  
  
Dharma abides in the station of the Dharma;  
  
What you have explained is incomparable, without characteristics,  
  
and unconditioned.  
  
Yet why, O Great Energetic One, do you teach this which has  
  
characteristics,  
  
As well as mantra practices? This does not conform with the way  
  
of Dharma-thusness!”  
  
Then the Bhagavān, the Buddha Vairocana,  
  
Addressed Vajrapāṇi: “Listen carefully to the characteristics of the  
  
Dharma!  
  
The Dharma is free from differentiation and all false conceptions.  
  
If one eliminates false conceptions and the workings of the mind  
  
and thought,  
  
The supreme and perfect awakening that I attained is ultimately  
  
like empty space,  
  
But unknown to ordinary foolish beings, who are wrongly attached  
  
to the objective realm.  
  
That they hanker after \[auspicious\] times, directions, signs, and so on  
  
is because they are enveloped by ignorance,  
  
And it is in order to liberate them that these are taught in conformity  
  
with them as an expedient.  
  
But in reality there is no time or direction, nothing done, and no doer;  
  
All dharmas simply abide in the real character \[of things\].  
  
Furthermore, Lord of Mysteries, in future ages

### [1.21](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.tantra.carya.mahavairocana*zh~en-bdk.1.21)

Beings of inferior intelligence, shrouded in stupidity and passion,  
  
Will simply on the basis of their attachment to existence forever  
  
delight in the impermanent and the permanent  
  
And in good and bad signs in times, directions, and the actions that  
  
they perform.  
  
Ignorant of this path, they will blindly seek results,  
  
And it is in order to deliver them that I teach this method in  
  
conformity with them.  
  
“Lord of Mysteries, one prepares a site from among the places such as were described \[above\] and makes it hard. Taking gomayī (cow dung) and gomūtra (cow’s urine) that have not fallen to the ground, one mixes them together and smears them \[over the site\]. Then, with the mantra for perfumed water, one purifies \[the site\] by sprinkling \[it with perfumed water\]. The mantra is: Namaḥ samantabuddhānāṃ, apratisame gaganasame samatānugate prakṛtiviśuddhe dharmadhātuviśodhani svāhā. (Homage to all Buddhas! O you who are without equal! you who are equal to the sky! you who have attained equality! you who are pure by nature! you who purify the Dharma realm! svāhā!)17 \[1\]  
  
Next, the practitioner, in the middle \[of the site\] with his mind  
  
concentrated, visualizes Vairocana,  
  
Who is on a seat of a white lotus flower, his hair done in a topknot  
  
to form a crown,  
  
And emits light rays of various colors that completely surround his  
  
entire body.  
  
Next—this too should be done in a state of meditation—he visualizes  
  
the buddhas of the four quarters.  
  
The \[buddha of the\] eastern quarter is called Ratnaketu, and the  
  
color of his body is like the radiance of the sun \[at sunrise\].  
  
The great striving hero (mahāvīra) in the southern quarter is the  
  
fully awakened Saṃkusumita\[rājendra\]:  
  
He is golden in color and emits rays of light, and his samādhi is  
  
free from all sullies.  
  
The Buddha Akṣobhya in the northern quarter is in meditation,  
  
free from affliction and composed.  
  
The benevolent and victorious one (jina) in the western quarter—  
  
he is called Amitāyus.  
  
The reciter, contemplating \[thus\], then dwells in the buddha  
  
chamber,  
  
Where he should take possession of the site with \[the mantra of\]  
  
Acala of great renown  
  
Or by using \[the mantra of\] Trailokyavijaya, by which all objectives  
  
are accomplished.  
  
White sandalwood is used to paint the fine round maṇḍalas  
  
(i.e., circles)—  
  
The first in the center is for myself (i.e., Vairocana), the second is  
  
for the world-saviors,  
  
And the third, like theirs, is for the Buddha-Mother Gaganalocanā;  
  
The fourth is for Padmapāṇi, the fifth is for the vajradhara  
  
(i.e., Vajrapāṇi),  
  
And the sixth, for Acalanātha, is mindfully placed below that  
  
\[for Vajrapāṇi\].

### [1.24](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.tantra.carya.mahavairocana*zh~en-bdk.1.24)

He offers unguent, flowers, and so on, thinking of the Tathāgatas,  
  
And with utmost sincerity and showing respect, he utters the  
  
following verse:  
  
‘Because the buddhas, compassionate ones, pay heed to us,  
  
May they take possession of the site tomorrow, and may the  
  
Buddha’s sons descend as well!’  
  
“Having said this, he should then recite this mantra: Namaḥ samanta-  
  
buddhānāṃ, sarvatathāgatādhiṣṭhānādhiṣṭhite acale vimale smaraṇe prakṛti-  
  
pariśuddhe svāhā. (Homage to all Buddhas! O you who have been empow-  
  
ered by the empowerment of all the Tathāgatas! unmoving one! unsullied one!  
  
you who remember! you who are completely pure by nature! svāhā!) \[2\]  
  
The mantra-reciting practitioner next engenders thoughts of  
  
compassion,  
  
And repairing to the western quarter, with focused thoughts he goes  
  
to sleep,  
  
Thinking of no-self in the purity of the bodhi-mind.  
  
In his dreams he may see bodhisattvas of great renown  
  
And buddhas without measure appear and perform various deeds,  
  
Or, with thoughts of comfort, they may encourage the practitioner,  
  
\[saying,\]  
  
‘Because you are mindful of beings, you construct a maṇḍala.  
  
Excellent, Mahāsattva! What you draw is quite sublime!’  
  
Then, on another (i.e., the next) day, he receives the initiands.  
  
If the disciples have faith, have been born into a pure lineage,  
  
Revere the Three Jewels, adorn themselves with profound wisdom,  
  
Have perseverance, are not lethargic, are pure and faultless in their  
  
śīla (moral conduct),  
  
Have patience, are not miserly, and are intrepid and firm in their  
  
vows of practice—  
  
Such people should be accepted, regardless of any other \[short–  
  
comings\].  
  
For either ten or eight, seven or five, two, one or four \[people\]  
  
Should the initiation be performed, or even if the number exceeds  
  
this.”  
  
Then Vajrapāṇi, Lord of Mysteries, again said to the Buddha, “Worldhonored One, what should this maṇḍala be called? And what is the meaning of ‘maṇḍala’?”  
  
The Buddha said, “This is called the ‘Maṇḍala Which Generates the Buddhas.’ It is of a taste (maṇḍa: “essence”) that is utterly without compare and of a taste that is unsurpassed, and therefore it is referred to as ‘maṇḍala.’

### [1.28](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.tantra.carya.mahavairocana*zh~en-bdk.1.28)

Furthermore, Lord of Mysteries, because of pity for boundless realms of beings this is in a broad sense the maṇḍala ‘Born of the Matrix of Great Compassion.’  
  
“Lord of Mysteries, \[the maṇḍala\] is empowered by the anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi accumulated by the Tathāgata during immeasurable eons, and therefore it is endowed with immeasurable virtues. You should understand as follows, Lord of Mysteries: it was not for the sake of one being that the Tathāgata attained perfect and full awakening, nor was it for two nor for many \[beings\]; it was out of pity for the realms of beings with complete predictions and incomplete predictions \[of their future awakening\] that the Tathāgata attained perfect and full awakening, and by the power of his vow of great compassion he expounds the Dharma in immeasurable realms of beings in accordance with their own nature.  
  
“Lord of Mysteries, those who have not practiced the Great Vehicle in the past and have never thought about the practices of the Mantra Vehicle  
  
are unable in the slightest degree to see or hear them, rejoice in them, and accept them on faith. But, Vajrasattva, if those sentient beings have in the past advanced through the immeasurable gateways of the path of the Mantra Vehicle of the Great Vehicle and have already been practicing it, it is for them that terms and numbers have been established within these \[abovementioned\] limits.  
  
“The ācārya, too, should with thoughts of great compassion make the following vow: to receive immeasurable beings and create the causes and conditions for the seeds of bodhi so as to deliver \[all\] realms of beings without exception.  
  
The mantra-reciting practitioner, having received \[the disciples\]  
  
in this manner,  
  
Commands them to take the Three Refuges, makes them confess  
  
their previous sins,  
  
Gives them unguent, flowers, and so on to offer to the holy deities,  
  
And should confer upon them the precept of knowledge unobstructed  
  
throughout the three ages.  
  
Next, he should give them tooth sticks, of either uḍumbara  
  
Or aśvattha and so on, protected \[with a mantra\], purified,  
  
Adorned with perfume and flowers, straight, and conforming with  
  
\[distinctions between\] top and bottom.  
  
\[The disciples\] face either east or north, and having chewed \[the  
  
sticks\], they cast them down—  
  
\[Thereby the ācārya\] will know the signs of whether these beings  
  
are suitable as receptacles or not.  
  
A sūtra (cord) with three knots is then tied to their left arms.  
  
In order that the disciples thus accepted may be freed from defilements  
  
And increase their faith, \[the ācārya\] should expound the Dharma  
  
accordingly  
  
And encourage them, making their resolution firm, by proclaiming  
  
these verses:  
  
‘You will obtain an unequaled boon, your position identical to that  
  
of the Great Selves.  
  
All the Tathāgatas and the multitudes of bodhisattvas in this teaching  
  
Have all received you, and you will accomplish the great deed  
  
(i.e., enlightenment).

### [1.29](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.tantra.carya.mahavairocana*zh~en-bdk.1.29)

Tomorrow you will gain birth in the Great Vehicle.’ \[The ācārya\] having instructed them in this manner, they may in  
  
dreams while asleep See monks’ dwellings, groves all imposingly lovely, Halls of outstanding appearance, bright and spacious \[multistory\]  
  
houses, Banners, parasols, maṇi-gems, jeweled swords, flowers pleasing  
  
to the mind, Women in fresh white garments, upright and of beautiful complexion, Close relatives or good friends, men of divine physique, Herds of cows with abundant milk, sutra scrolls clean and unsoiled, Omniscient ones (i.e., buddhas), pratyekabuddhas, and multitudes  
  
of the Buddha’s śrāvakas, High-minded bodhisattvas, the actual bestowal of results, The crossing of oceans, rivers or lakes, as well as the hearing of  
  
pleasant voices In midair saying, ‘How auspicious!’ or ‘You will be given the fruit  
  
of your mind’s desire!’ Favorable signs such as these should be carefully differentiated, And those that differ from these should be known not to be good  
  
dreams. Those \[disciples\] well-established in the precepts arise on the morrow,  
  
and after they have told the teacher \[the content of their dreams\], The teacher expounds the Dharma with these phrases so as to exhort  
  
the practitioners: ‘This path of the most excellent vow, the Mahayana of the great  
  
mind— You now seek after it and will attain \[the state of\] Tathāgatas, Great dragons of spontaneous knowledge revered by the world like  
  
stupas; It completely transcends existence and nonexistence and is unsullied,  
  
like empty space.  
  
The profundity of the dharmas is difficult to comprehend, not  
  
contained by anything,  
  
And removed from all false conceptions, for frivolous arguments  
  
are originally nonexistent.  
  
Its activities wondrous, without compare, and always based on the  
  
two truths,  
  
This vehicle is most excellent, and \[henceforth\] you will dwell in  
  
this path.’”  
  
Then the vajradhara Aprapañcavihārin said to the Buddha, “World-hon-  
  
ored One, I beg you to explain the precept of knowledge unobstructed through-  
  
out the three ages, for if a bodhisattva abides in it, it causes buddhas and  
  
bodhisattvas all to rejoice.”  
  
When he had finished speaking thus, the Buddha addressed the vajra-  
  
dhara Aprapañcavihārin and the others, saying, “Son of the Buddha, listen  
  
attentively! When a person of \[good\] family abides in this precept, he unites  
  
his body, speech, and mind, making them one, and does not create any dhar-

_First 13 of 17 passages. [Read on](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.tantra.carya.mahavairocana*zh~en-bdk.1)_

## Translations (1)

- [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.tantra.carya.mahavairocana*zh~en-mt.1.1) — English, machine translation

## Linked texts (1)

- [大毘盧遮那成佛神變加持經 (Śubhakarasiṃha & Yixing 724)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.tantra.carya.mahavairocana*zh.1.1) — Classical Chinese

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Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.tantra.carya.mahavairocana*zh~en-bdk.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.tantra.carya.mahavairocana*zh~en-bdk.1) · Pramāṇa