大毘盧遮那成佛神變加持經 (Shubhakarasimha & Yixing 724) 6

English (machine translation) 6

Language: English

6.1

Translated by Śubhakarasiṃha, Tripiṭaka Master from India under the Great Tang, together with the Śramaṇa Yixing

6.2

Chapter 18: Receiving the Precepts of Upāya

Then the vajradhara Guhyakādhipati addressed the Buddha, saying: "Lord! May you speak of the precepts practiced and studied by the bodhisattva mahāsattvas endowed with wisdom and upāya, so that those who take refuge may have no ambivalence toward the bodhisattva mahāsattvas, be free from doubt, and be ever indestructible amid the cyclic flow of birth and death." After he had spoken thus, the Lord Vairocana, viewing the entire dharmadhātu with the Tathāgata eye, addressed the vajradhara Guhyakādhipati, saying: "Listen attentively, Vajrapāṇi! I shall now explain the path of skilful practice. If a bodhisattva mahāsattva abides in this, he will attain thorough comprehension of the Mahāyāna. Guhyakādhipati! A bodhisattva observes the precept against taking life, which should not be done; he observes the precepts against taking what is not given, sexual misconduct, false speech, harsh speech, divisive speech, and meaningless speech; and he should not commit greed, anger, wrong views, and so forth. Guhyakādhipati! As for these precepts to be practiced and studied, as the bodhisattva practices and studies them, he acts in common with the fully enlightened Lords and the bodhisattvas; he should train in this way."

6.4

Then the vajradhara Guhyakādhipati addressed the Buddha, saying: "Lord! The Bhagavat has also spoken of such ten paths of wholesome action in the Śrāvakayāna, and worldly people as well as various non-Buddhists also ever aspire to practice the ten paths of wholesome action. Lord! What distinction is there among them? How are they diverse?" After he had spoken thus, the Buddha addressed the vajradhara Guhyakādhipati, saying: "Excellent, excellent! Guhyakādhipati! Excellent indeed are you, who can ask the Tathāgata about such a matter. Guhyakādhipati! You should listen attentively; I shall now expound the Dharma-gate of the single path that differentiates these paths. Guhyakādhipati! As for the precepts of the Śrāvakayāna, I have taught them as devoid of wisdom and upāya, teaching them to accomplish and develop an extreme wisdom, not practicing the ten paths of wholesome action in an equal manner; and those worldly ones, moreover, being free from grasping a self, are moved by other causes. Bodhisattvas practicing the Mahāyāna enter the equality of all phenomena, embracing wisdom and upāya; because it is for both oneself and others, all their actions proceed. Therefore, Guhyakādhipati, bodhisattvas should diligently cultivate and study this embracing of wisdom and upāya to enter the equality of all phenomena."

6.5

Then the Lord again viewed the realm of all sentient beings with eyes of great compassion and addressed the Bodhisattva Vajrapāṇi, saying: "Guhyakādhipati! Those bodhisattvas, throughout their entire lives, observe the precept against taking life; they should lay aside knives and clubs, be free from the intention to kill, and protect the lives of others just as their own bodies. There are other forms of upāya where, among classes of sentient beings according to their activities, in order to liberate them from bad karmic retribution, something is performed without an intention of enmity or harm.

6.6

"Furthermore, Guhyakādhipati! A bodhisattva observes the precept against taking what is not given; toward the belongings possessed by others, he does not give rise to the thought of touching or taking them, much less taking other things that are not given. There are other forms of upāya: seeing that sentient beings are stingy and hoard possessions without cultivating the merit of giving, according to their character, in order to destroy their stinginess, free from self and other he performs giving for their sake, and by praising timely giving, causes them to obtain wondrous beauty and the like. Guhyakādhipati! If a bodhisattva gives rise to a greedy thought and touches and takes it, that bodhisattva falls back from the factors of awakening and transgresses the unconditioned Vinaya Dharma.

6.7

"Furthermore, Guhyakādhipati! A bodhisattva observes the precept against sexual misconduct: toward those possessed by others, one's own wife, and those protected by the marks of their own clans, he does not give rise to greedy thoughts, much less uniting two bodies in improper places. There are other forms of upāya where, according to those who should be saved, he embraces and protects sentient beings.

6.8

"Furthermore, Guhyakādhipati! A bodhisattva, throughout his entire life, observes the precept against false speech; even for the sake of sustaining life, he should not speak falsely, for that would be deceiving the bodhi of the Buddhas. Guhyakādhipati! This is called a bodhisattva abiding in the supreme Mahāyāna. If he speaks falsely, he transgresses and loses the Dharma of the Buddhas' bodhi. Therefore, Guhyakādhipati, one should understand this Dharma-gate in this way and abandon untrue speech.

6.9

"Furthermore, Guhyakādhipati! A bodhisattva accepts and maintains the precept against harsh abusive speech; he should embrace sentient beings with gentle thoughts and speech, and words appropriate to their kind. Why is this? Guhyakādhipati! The initial practice of a bodhisattva is to benefit and bring joy to sentient beings. Alternatively, another bodhisattva, seeing those who dwell in the causes of the evil destinies, manifests harsh speech in order to subdue them.

6.10

"Furthermore, Guhyakādhipati! A bodhisattva accepts and maintains the precept against divisive speech, abandoning speech that causes dissension and speech that causes distress and harm; one who violates this is not called a bodhisattva. He does not give rise to thoughts of estranging sentient beings. There are different forms of upāya: if those sentient beings develop attachment according to whatever they see, he speaks divisive words according to their kind to cause them to abide in the one path, namely, the path of sarvajñajñāna.

6.11

"Furthermore, Guhyakādhipati! A bodhisattva observes the precept against frivolous speech; with words suited to each kind, conforming to time and place, he brings forth benefit, causing all sentient beings to give rise to joyful hearts and purifying their ear faculty. Why is this? Because a bodhisattva has differentiated speech. Or another bodhisattva, prioritizing pleasant joking, arouses sentient beings' desire and pleasure to make them abide in the Buddhadharma. Although he fully utters meaningless words, such a bodhisattva is not attached to the cyclic flow of birth and death.

6.12

"Furthermore, Guhyakādhipati! A bodhisattva should observe the precept against greed, not giving rise to defiled thoughts toward the belongings enjoyed by others. Why is this? Because no bodhisattva gives rise to an attached mind. If a bodhisattva's mind has defiled thoughts, he lacks power regarding the gate of omniscience and falls into an extreme. Moreover, Guhyakādhipati, a bodhisattva should arouse joy, thinking: 'This is what I ought to do,' causing it to arise naturally, [saying,] 'Very excellent indeed,' frequently rejoicing within himself so as not to cause those sentient beings to lose their wealth.

6.13

"Furthermore, Guhyakādhipati! A bodhisattva should observe the precept against anger; in all places he ever cultivates patient endurance, not attached to anger or joy, his mind proceeding with equality toward enemies and friends. Why is this? A bodhisattva does not harbor ill will. Why so? Because a bodhisattva's fundamental nature is pure. Therefore, Guhyakādhipati, a bodhisattva should observe the precept against anger.

6.14

"Furthermore, Guhyakādhipati! A bodhisattva should abandon wrong views and practice right view, fearing the future world, without harming, crookedness, or flattery, his mind upright and straight, with resolute certainty in his mind toward the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha. Therefore, Guhyakādhipati, wrong view is the most grave fault, capable of severing all roots of goodness of a bodhisattva; it is the mother of all unwholesome phenomena. Therefore, Guhyakādhipati, down to mere jest, one should not give rise to the causes and conditions of wrong views."

6.15

At that time, the vajradhara Guhyakādhipati addressed the Buddha, saying: "Lord, may you please explain the precepts of the ten wholesome courses of action that sever [afflictions] to their very roots. How is it that a bodhisattva, possessing sovereign power in royal status, dwelling in a palace, surrounded by parents, wife, children, and retinue, and enjoying wondrous heavenly pleasures, does not generate fault?" After he had spoken thus, the Buddha told the vajradhara: "Good indeed, good indeed, Guhyakādhipati! Listen attentively and reflect on it well; I will now expound the definitive skillfulness of the bodhisattva vinaya. Guhyakādhipati, you should know that there are two kinds of bodhisattvas. What are the two? Namely, the lay and the renunciant. Guhyakādhipati, that lay bodhisattva undertakes and observes the clauses of the five precepts, possesses sovereign authority, and through various skillful means conforms to time and place, freely attracting [others] in seeking sarvajña. That is to say, endowed with skillful means, he displays dramatic arts, dance, heavenly shrines, and various craft-skills, and in accordance with those skillful means, he attracts sentient beings with the four articles of attraction, causing them all to aspire to anuttarasamyaksaṃbodhi. Namely, observing the precepts against taking life, against taking what is not given, against false speech, against sexual misconduct, and against wrong views: these are called the clauses of the five precepts for the lay person. A bodhisattva who undertakes and observes the virtuous precepts as taught should be endowed with sincere faith and diligently cultivate them, following the training rules of the past Tathāgatas, abiding in the conditioned precepts, endowed with wisdom and skillful means, and attaining the Tathāgata's unexcelled, auspicious, unconditioned aggregate of morality. There are four root downfalls that must not be committed even for the sake of saving one's life. What are the four? Namely, slandering the teachings, abandoning the bodhicitta, stinginess, and harming sentient beings. Why is this? Because these are defiled in nature and do not constitute holding the bodhisattva precepts. Why is that?

6.16

"The perfectly awakened ones of the past, and those of the future,
And the present Venerable One among humans, endowed with wisdom and skillful means,
Cultivate unexcelled awakening and attain taintless siddhi;
They also teach other training rules, apart from the wisdom of skillful means.
You should know that the Great Diligent Hero guides and inspires the śrāvakas."

6.17

Chapter 19: The Arising of the Hundred Letters

6.18

At that time, the Lord Vairocana surveyed the great assembly and, in order to proclaim the unfailing teaching—which fulfills all mantra mastery according to inclination, the king of mantras, the guide of mantras, the one of great majesty, firmly abiding in the three samayas and completing the three dharmas—addressed the mighty Vajrapāṇi with an exquisite voice, saying: "Diligent Hero, listen single-mindedly to the mantras and the guide of mantras." Thereupon, abiding in the samādhi of the Arising of Wisdom, he spoke the mantra of the Hundred Rays of Universal Illumination, which gives rise to various skillful wisdoms:

6.20

The Buddha told Vajrapāṇi: "All these mantras,
The true king and savior of the world, accomplishing great majesty,
Are precisely the Fully Enlightened One, the Sage sovereign over phenomena.
Dispelling the darkness of all ignorance, appearing everywhere like the sun disc,
They are my own essence, the adhiṣṭhāna of the Great Sage.
For the benefit of sentient beings, he manifests transformations,
Even causing all things to arise according to thoughts and wishes,
Able to perform them all, the unexcelled state of supernatural transformations.
Therefore, in every way, purify the body and leave behind all defilements;
Constantly cultivate diligently in accord with the principle, dedicating your aspiration to the Buddha's bodhi."

6.21

Chapter 20: The Correlation of the Fruits of the Hundred Letters

6.22

At that time, the Lord Vairocana addressed the vajradhara Guhyakādhipati, saying: "Guhyakādhipati, if one enters the ground of the great wisdom empowerment of the Great Awakened Lord, one sees oneself abiding in the clauses of the three samayas. Guhyakādhipati, having entered the great wisdom empowerment of the Bhagavat, one manifests buddha-activities in the form of dhāraṇīs." At that time, the Great Awakened Lord, abiding before all sentient beings as appropriate, performed buddha-activities and expounded the clauses of the three samayas. The Buddha said: "Guhyakādhipati, observe the wide and vast scope of my speech-wheel, reaching everywhere through the pure gates of boundless worlds, expressing according to its original nature, and causing all sentient beings to rejoice in accordance with the manifold dharmadhātu gates. It is just as the Lord Śākyamuni now, flowing everywhere through the inexhaustible space realm, diligently performs buddha-activities in the Buddha lands. Guhyakādhipati, sentient beings are not able to comprehend that this sign of the Lord's speech-wheel emits the exquisite sounds and adorned ornaments of perfect awakening, the images of the Buddha born from the womb-realm, causing joy to arise according to the inclinations of sentient beings." At that time, the Lord diligently exhorted and inspired [sentient beings] throughout the gates of boundless world-oceans across the dharmadhātu to accomplish bodhi and bring forth the practice and vows of the bodhisattva Samantabhadra. Taking birth in this sea of world families adorned with the womb-realm where wondrous flowers cover the earth, he purified the Buddha lands through the pure gates of manifold natures, manifested the bodhimaṇḍa, and abided in buddha-activities. Next, he aspired to the state of samyaksaṃbodhi: because he knew that the mind is boundless, he knew that the body is boundless. Because he knew that the body is boundless, he knew that wisdom is boundless. Because he knew that wisdom is boundless, he immediately knew that sentient beings are boundless. Because he knew that sentient beings are boundless, he immediately knew that the space realm is boundless. Guhyakādhipati, because the mind is boundless, he attained the four kinds of boundlessness. Having attained them, he realized supreme, perfect awakening, possessed the ten wisdom powers, subdued the four māras, and roared the lion's roar with fearlessness. The Buddha spoke a verse, saying:

6.23

"Diligent hero, all these are the state of the Unexcelled Awakened One,
In the training rules of the hundred gates, the mind spoken of by the Buddhas."

6.24

Chapter 21: The Attainment of the Station of the Hundred Letters

6.25

At that time, the vajradhara Guhyakādhipati experienced something unprecedented and spoke a verse, saying:

6.26

"The Buddha speaks of the mantra, savior of the world, which can generate all mantras.
How does the Great Sage know it, and who can know where it comes from?
Who generates such mantras? Who is the generator? Please explain!
Great Diligent Hero, supreme among speakers, please disclose all of this."

6.27

At that time, the Bhagavat, the Sage sovereign over phenomena,
Completely and universally pervading all worlds,
The All-Wise One, the Great Sun Lord, addressed him, saying:
"Excellent, Mahāsattva! Venerable Vajrapāṇi!
I shall explain all of the subtlest, most marvelous,
Secret essential points of the Buddhas, which non-Buddhists cannot know.
If, born of the compassion-maṇḍala, one attains the Mahāyāna empowerment,
Is gentle, endowed with virtuous deeds, and always compassionate, benefiting others,
Conditioned observation of bodhi is what is always unseen.
He who is able to know this, the Great Self of the inner mind,
In accordance with the station of his own mind, the dwelling place of the Guide,
There is an eight-petaled, mind-born lotus flower, exceedingly magnificent.
Within the full moon disc, stainless like a pure mirror,
There always abides the mantra savior of the world,
Golden-hued, blazing with light, abiding in samādhi and destroying poison;
Like the sun, difficult to gaze upon, and likewise for all sentient beings.
Always and constantly, within and without, universally bestowing adhiṣṭhāna,
With such an eye of wisdom, he understands the bright mirror of the mind.
Because the mantra practitioner's eye of wisdom contemplates this round mirror,
He will see his own form, serene, the mark of the Fully Awakened One.
Body generates the reflection of body, mind is born from mind;
It constantly generates purity and its own manifold actions.
Then light appears from it, shining round like lightning-flame;
The mantra practitioner can perform all the buddha-activities.
If one sees that it has become pure, hearing and the rest are likewise;
Just as the mind conceives, one can accomplish all tasks."

6.28

"Furthermore, Guhyakādhipati, the arising of the reflection of their own bodies for the bodhisattvas practicing bodhisattva conduct in the mantra-naya has nothing superior to sambodhi. Just as the aggregation held together by the four great elements, such as the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind, is empty of intrinsic nature in this way and held only by name, like space, free from clinging, equal to a reflection—those Tathāgatas' realization of perfect awakening is mutually dependent in origin without interruption. If it arises from conditions, it arises just like a reflection. Therefore, all iṣṭadevatās are myself, and I am the iṣṭadevatās; they mutually give rise to the arising of the devatā-form of the body generated by the body. Guhyakādhipati, observe that the conditions of phenomena depend on penetrating wisdom, and penetrating wisdom depends on the conditions of phenomena; they act reciprocally, abiding nowhere, their nature being empty. Guhyakādhipati, how is it born from the mind? The mind can generate reflections. Guhyakādhipati, just as when a painter paints white, yellow, or red, it arises from the mind attached to it, and their counterparts evolve in the body in this way. Guhyakādhipati, it is also like inwardly contemplating a maṇḍala in the mind to cure fever: that sentient being's fever is immediately cured without doubt. The maṇḍala is not different from the mind, nor is the mind different from the maṇḍala. Why is this? Because that maṇḍala has a single characteristic. Guhyakādhipati, it is also like an illusionist conjuring a man, and that man again creates a phantom. Guhyakādhipati, what do you think: which of the two is superior?" Then Vajrapāṇi said to the Buddha: "Lord, these two men have no difference. Why is this? Lord, because they are not truly born. Because these two men are empty by nature, they are equal to an illusion." "Just so, Guhyakādhipati, the various things born of the mind and that which is born from the mind are both empty in this way, non-dual and without distinction."

6.29

Chapter 22: The Accomplishment and Recitation of the Hundred Letters

6.30

At that time, the Lord addressed the vajradhara Guhyakādhipati, saying: "Listen attentively, Guhyakādhipati! For the mantra savior of the world, body and body have no distinct divisions. Mind is born from mind, causing it to be well purified and completely illuminated. Emitted from that place, it arises in correspondence and pervades all limbs. Foolish ordinary people never know this and do not understand this path. Even down to the parts generated from the body, because they are of boundless kinds, the divisions of this mantra savior of the world are likewise spoken of as boundless. For example, just as the auspicious cintāmaṇi brings benefit according to various desires, so the body of the Illuminator of the World accomplishes all aims without exception. Guhyakādhipati, how does the non-conceptual dharmadhātu follow all actions? Guhyakādhipati, it is just like the space realm: it is not a sentient being, not a living soul, not a manuṣya, not a māṇava, not an agent, not a veda, not the grasper, not the grasped, free from all conceptualization and non-conceptualization; yet regarding all the actions of going and coming of that inexhaustible realm of sentient beings, no doubt arises. In this way, the non-conceptual sarvajñajñāna is equal to space, revolving within and without all sentient beings."

6.31

At that time, the Lord again expounded the clause of purifying the inexhaustible realm of sentient beings, the clause of emanating samādhi, the inconceivable clause, and the clause of turning the portals of others:

6.32

"If fundamentally non-existent, yet arising in accord with the world,
How does one comprehend emptiness and bring forth this yogin?
If the intrinsic nature is thus, the name of awakening cannot be found;
A mind equal to space should arise, which is called the bodhicitta.
One should generate kindness and compassion, conforming to all worlds;
Abiding in the conduct of mere ideation, this is called the Buddhas.
You should know that ideation fabricates; contemplate this as the emptiness of emptiness.
Just as the counting method below proceeds, differing by increments of one,
Diligent hero, emptiness is also like this, increasing in successive order;
Namely, these syllables such as 'A' are empowered by spontaneous wisdom."

6.35

"Guhyakādhipati, contemplate how, emanating and proliferating conceptually within this space, empowered by the syllable A, one accomplishes the path of samādhi. Guhyakādhipati, thus the syllable A abides in various adornments, arrayed in positions. Because all phenomena are originally unarisen, it displays its own form. Or, through the meaning of ungraspability, it manifests the form of the syllable Va. Or, because all phenomena are free from fabrication, it manifests the form of the syllable Ka. Or, because all phenomena are equal to space, it manifests the form of the syllable Kha. Or, because motion cannot be apprehended, it manifests the form of the syllable Ga. Or, because an aggregated characteristic in all phenomena cannot be apprehended, it manifests the form of the syllable Gha. Or, because all phenomena are free from arising and ceasing, it manifests the form of the syllable Ca. Or, because all phenomena have no reflected image, it manifests the form of the syllable Cha. Or, because the arising of all phenomena cannot be apprehended, it manifests the form of the syllable Ja. Or, because all phenomena are free from combatants, it manifests the form of the syllable Jha. Or, because all phenomena are free from conceit, it manifests the form of the syllable Ṭa. Or, because all phenomena are free from nurturing, it manifests the form of the syllable Ṭha. Or, because all phenomena are free from enmity, it manifests the form of the syllable Ṇa. Or, because all phenomena are free from calamity, it manifests the form of the syllable Ḍha. Or, because all phenomena are free from suchness, it manifests the form of the syllable Ta. Or, because all phenomena are free from an abode, it manifests the form of the syllable Tha. Or, because all phenomena are free from giving, it manifests the form of the syllable Na. Or, because the dharmadhātu cannot be apprehended in all phenomena, it manifests the form of the syllable Dha. Or, because the ultimate truth cannot be apprehended in all phenomena, it manifests the form of the syllable Pa. Or, because all phenomena are non-solid like a mass of foam, it manifests the form of the syllable Pha. Or, because all phenomena are free from bondage, it manifests the form of the syllable Ma. Or, because all viewings cannot be apprehended in all phenomena, it manifests the form of the syllable Bha. Or, because all vehicles cannot be apprehended in all phenomena, it manifests the form of the syllable Ya. Or, because all phenomena are free from all dust, it manifests the form of the syllable Ra. Or, because all phenomena are without characteristics, it manifests the form of the syllable La. Or, because all phenomena are free from quiescence, it manifests the form of the syllable Śa. Or, because all phenomena are inherently dull, it manifests the form of the syllable Ṣa. Or, because truth cannot be apprehended in all phenomena, it manifests the form of the syllable Sa. Or, because all phenomena are free from causes, it manifests the form of the syllable Ha.

6.36

"Guhyakādhipati, as one successively enters each of these samādhi-doors, Guhyakādhipati, observe how, up to the thirty-two marks of a great man, all emerge from within this, and Ṅa, Ña, Ṇa, Na, Ma, and so forth revolve sovereignly across all phenomena. As these manifest in succession, they accomplish the secondary marks of a samyaksaṃbuddha."

6.37

Chapter 23: The Hundred-Syllable Mantra Method

6.38

"Furthermore, Guhyakādhipati, in this samādhi-door, through the adhiṣṭhāna of emptiness, one sovereignly accomplishes supreme right awakening in all phenomena. Therefore, this syllable is itself the iṣṭadevatā." Then he spoke a verse:

6.39

"Guhyakādhipati, you should know / that the syllable A is the primary phrase; / its luminous Dharma is universally pervasive, / surrounded by a wheel of syllables. / That deity is without characteristics, / far removed from the characteristics of views; / the supreme deity of all the noble ones, without characteristics, / yet manifests within characteristics. / Sound emerges from the syllables, / syllables give birth to mantras, / and mantras establish their results: / thus have the world-saving Lords taught. / One should know that the nature of sound is empty, / produced precisely by emptiness; / yet all the varieties of sentient beings / falsely grasp it in accordance with words. / It is neither empty nor sound: / for practitioners it is taught that / entering into liberation through sound, / they immediately realize samādhi. / When arrayed in accordance with the Dharma, / illuminated by the syllables, / the syllable A and its classes thus yield / limitless mantra-conceptions."

6.40

Chapter 24: Expounding the Nature of Bodhi

6.41

"Just as the characteristic of space in the ten directions / is constantly pervasive everywhere without relying on anything, / so too the mantra-savior of the world / relies on nothing among all phenomena. / Furthermore, just as all visible forms in space, / though they can be seen, have no abode of reliance, / so too is the mantra-savior of the world: / he is not an abode of reliance for those phenomena. / The world establishes the measure of space / as being far removed from past, future, and present; / if one sees the mantra-savior of the world, / he likewise transcends the phenomena of the three times.

6.42

"Abiding solely in the realm of names, / far removed from an agent and the like: / the diverse designations of space / are proclaimed by the Guide. / Names have no reliance, / being just like space; / so too is the mantra-sovereign: / perceived directly, beyond verbal expression. / He is not fire, water, wind, and so forth, / not earth, not sunlight, / not the moon and the host of stars, / not day and not night, / not birth, old age, or sickness, / not death, and not injury, / not a moment or a division of time, / nor is he years and the like, / nor has he creation or destruction; / the count of kalpas cannot be apprehended. / He is not born from purity or defilement, / nor is a result produced. / When free from such / various worldly conceptualizations, / one constantly practices diligently therein, / seeking the state of omniscience."

6.43

Chapter 25: The Three Samayas

6.44

At that time, Vajrapāṇi Guhyakādhipati said to the Buddha: "The Lord has spoken of the three samayas. Why is this Dharma called the three samayas?" After he had spoken thus, the Lord said to Vajrapāṇi Guhyakādhipati: "Excellent, excellent, Guhyakādhipati! You ask me about this meaning. Guhyakādhipati, listen closely and reflect well; I shall now expound it." Vajrapāṇi said: "So be it, Lord! I desire to hear." The Buddha said: "There are three dharmas arising in succession and in conjunction with the elimination of obscurations, which are called the three samayas. How do those dharmas arise in succession? The so-called initial mind does not contemplate inherent nature; from this, wisdom arises, and true knowledge is born, free from the net of endless conceptualization: this is called the second mind, the phrase of non-conceptual right and full awakening of bodhi. Guhyakādhipati, having seen thus in accordance with reality, he observes the endless realm of sentient beings, and as compassion turns sovereignly in objectless contemplation, the bodhicitta arises. That is to say, being free from all conceptual elaboration, it establishes sentient beings, causing them all to abide in signless bodhi. This is called the phrase of the three samayas.

6.45

"Furthermore, Guhyakādhipati, there are three samayas: / the initial mind of right awakening; / the second is called the Dharma; / and arising in succession with that mind / is what is called the harmonious Saṅgha. / These three samayas / have been spoken by the Buddhas, the Guides. / If one abides in these three equalities / and cultivates the conduct of bodhi, / being the foremost among the doorways of guidance / for the benefit of all sentient beings, / one will attain bodhi, / the sovereign wheel of the three bodies."

6.46

"Guhyakādhipati, to establish the teaching, the samyaksaṃbuddha acts through the adhiṣṭhāna of one body, namely the initial nirmāṇakāya. Furthermore, Guhyakādhipati, he then manifests three kinds within one body, namely the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Saṅgha. Furthermore, Guhyakādhipati, from this he establishes and teaches the three vehicles, widely performing the Buddha's works, manifesting parinirvāṇa, and maturing sentient beings. Guhyakādhipati, look at those bodhisattvas cultivating the bodhi conduct in the mantra-naya: if they understand the three equalities, they achieve accomplishment in the mantra rituals. Without clinging to any false attachments, none can create obstacles for them—except for those who lack desire [for the Dharma], are indolent, engage in useless talk, lack faith, and hoard wealth. Furthermore, they should not do two things: drinking liquor and sleeping on a high bed."

6.47

Chapter 26: Expounding the Tathāgata

6.48

At that time, Vajrapāṇi Guhyakādhipati said to the Lord:

6.49

"What is meant by the Tathāgata? What is the Lord among Men? / What is called a Bodhisattva? What is a fully awakened one? / Guide, Great Sage, / I pray you sever my doubts. / Bodhisattvas of great renown / abandon doubt and hesitation / to cultivate the Mahāyāna, / the supreme king of practice."

6.50

"At that time the Bhagavat Vairocana, surveying the great assembly, said to Vajrapāṇi Guhyakādhipati: 'Excellent, excellent, Vajrapāṇi, that you can ask me about this meaning! Guhyakādhipati, listen closely and reflect well; I shall now expound the path of the Mahāyāna.' He spoke a verse:

6.51

"'Bodhi has the characteristic of space, / free from all conceptualization; / one who joyfully seeks that bodhi / is called a bodhisattva. / Accomplishing the ten stages and the like, / sovereignly and thoroughly penetrating them, / [knowing] all phenomena are empty like an illusion, / knowing that all these are identical, / and understanding the realms of all the worlds: / thus is one called a fully awakened one. / The Dharma has the characteristic of space, / non-dual and of solely one characteristic; / accomplishing the ten powers of a Buddha's knowledge: / therefore is it termed sambodhi. / Wisdom alone destroys ignorance; / its inherent nature is beyond verbal expression; / because it is the wisdom of self-realization, / it is therefore called the Tathāgata.'"

6.52

Chapter 27: The Worldly and Transmundane Homa Methods

6.53

"Furthermore, Guhyakādhipati, once in the past when I was a bodhisattva practicing the bodhisattva conduct, I dwelt in the Brahmā world. At that time, a Brahmā came and asked me: 'Great Brahmā, we wish to know how many kinds of fire there are.' Then I answered him thus:

6.54

"'[The first,] Mahābrahmā, is named Asmita-svayambhū;
Next is the son of Mahābrahmā, named Pāvaka.
The beginning of worldly fire, his son is named Brahmāndha;
His son is named Pitṛ, [and] Vaiśvānara.
Further are produced Havya, Havirvāhana,
Prasṛta-saṃbhūta, and Ātharvaṇa.
His sons are Patita [and] Puṣkalodāha.
In this way the fire gods are born successively.
Furthermore, for the deposition of the womb, one uses Māruta fire;
When one desires to bathe the body afterward, Vāhavāna fire;
Used for bathing the wife, Maṅgala fire;
After the child is born, one uses Pragābha fire;
For the first naming of the child, one uses Pārthiva fire;
When eating food, know it to be Śuci fire;
When making a topknot for the child, one should use Śāvi fire;
Next, when receiving the precepts, Sambhava fire;
When the vows are fulfilled and cows are given, use Sūrya fire;
When the youth is married, use Yojaka fire;
For accomplishing various undertakings, Pānayika fire;
For making offerings to the gods, Pāvaka fire;
For building a house, Brahmā fire; for bestowing gifts, Śānta fire;
Used for binding a goat, Āvāhana fire;
Used for contact with defilement, Vivici fire;
Used for cooking food, Sahasa fire;
Used when worshipping the sun god, Samvijaya fire;
Used when worshipping the moon god, called Nidhi fire;
Used for full-burning (pūrṇāhuti), Amṛta fire;
In pacification, one uses Dāruṇa fire;
When performing the rite of enrichment, Kṛtānta fire;
When subduing enemies, one should use Krodha fire;
For summoning all wealth, use Kāmana fire;
If burning woods and forests, one should use Dūta fire;
For digesting what has been eaten, use Jaṭhara fire;
When conferring fires, the so-called Bhakṣa fire;
In the ocean there is a fire named Vaḍavāmukha;
The fire when the kalpa is consumed by burning is named Yugānta.
For you noble ones, the fires have been briefly explained,
Which are practiced and studied by those of the Vedas and brahmacāryas.
These forty-four kinds I expounded at that time.'
Furthermore, Guhyakādhipati! In ancient times,
Not knowing the nature of fires, I performed homa rites;
Those were not homa practices, nor could they accomplish karmic fruits.
When I attained bodhi, I expounded the twelve fires:
Wisdom fire is the very first, named Fire Indra,
With the sublime mark of pure gold, enriching and bestowing majestic power,
Residing in samādhi with a garland of flames—know it to be the perfection of wisdom;
The second is named Cāritrapūrṇa, with universal radiance of the autumn moon and flowers,
Amid an auspicious circular disk, with a pearl garland and fresh white robes;
The third is Māruta, black in color with a wind-dried form;
The fourth is Rohita, colored like the rays of the morning sun;
The fifth is Mṛḍa, with much beard, light yellow in color,
A long neck and great majestic radiance, universally compassionate to all;
The sixth is named Krodha, with squinting eyes and the color of drifting smoke,
With bristling hair and a roaring roar, of great strength and displaying four fangs;
The seventh is Jaṭhara, swift and endowed with various colors;
The eighth is Kṣaya, like a mass of lightning flashes;
The ninth is named Manobhava, of great might and a skillful, colored body;
The tenth is Kravya, blackish-red with the Oṃ mudrā;
The eleventh fire deity (the Sanskrit manuscript lacks its name);
The twelfth is Mohana, by which sentient beings are bewildered.
Guhyakādhipati, these are maintained by the colors of the fire;
In accordance with their own shapes and colors, with herbs and the like matching them,
One performs the external homa, accomplishing siddhi as one wishes.
Furthermore, within the inner mind, one nature possesses three;
The three places are combined into one: this is the yogin's inner homa.
A mind of great benevolence and great compassion is called the rite of pacification;
When combined with joy, it is the rite of enrichment;
Wrath emerges from the womb-treasury to accomplish various undertakings.
Again, Guhyakādhipati! In accordance with the places explained,
Follow the corresponding undertakings, burning according to adhimukti."

6.55

Then Vajrapāṇi said to the Buddha: "Lord, what is the hearth samādhi? How is sprinkling performed? How is the auspicious grass spread in order? How are the various requisite implements arranged?" Having spoken thus,

6.56

"Then Vajrapāṇi / Said to the Buddha, 'Lord! / What is the hearth samādhi? How is sprinkling performed, / Spreading the auspicious grass in order? How are the various implements arranged?' / The Buddha told the Guhyakādhipati, / The vajradhara: / 'The hearth is a cubit in size, / Square and equal on all sides, / With four sections as its borders, / Circled round with the vajra-mudrā. / Matting it with fresh kuśa grass, / Circumambulate the hearth clockwise; / Do not place tip over root, / But place root over tip. / Next, holding the auspicious grass, / Sprinkle clockwise according to the rite; / With scented ointment, flowers, and lamps, / Next present offerings to the fire deity. / The practitioner, with a single flower, / Offers to Mṛḍa, / Places him on the seat, / And should again sprinkle him. / One should perform the full offering, / Holding it with the primary mantra; / Next is the pacifying homa, / Or the rite of enrichment. / Such worldly homa / Is named an external matter. / Furthermore, the inner homa / Destroys rebirth through karma, / Fully knowing one's own manas, / Far removed from form, sound, and the like. / Eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, / As well as deeds of speech and mind, / All arise from the mind / And rely upon the mind-king. / Discriminations such as the eye arise, / Together with sense-objects such as forms; / The obstacles of unarisen wisdom / The wind-drying fire can extinguish. / Burning away false discriminations / Accomplishes the pure bodhicitta: / This is named the inner homa, / Spoken for the bodhisattvas.'"

6.57

Chapter 28: Expounding the Samādhi of the Iṣṭadevatā

6.58

Then the vajradhara Guhyakādhipati said to the Buddha: "Lord, we pray that you expound the manifested forms and majestic verification of the deities, so that bodhisattvas practicing the bodhisattva path through the mantra-naya, by contemplating and taking as object the forms of their iṣṭadevatās, may take the iṣṭadevatā's body as their own body and attain siddhi without doubt." Having spoken thus, the Buddha told the vajradhara Guhyakādhipati: "Good indeed, good indeed, Guhyakādhipati! You are well able to ask me about such meaning. Listen well and attentively, bring it most properly to mind, and I will now expound it." Vajrapāṇi said: "So be it, Lord! We wish and desire to hear." The Buddha said: "Guhyakādhipati, the deities have three kinds of bodies, namely: syllable, mudrā, and physical form. Those syllables are of two kinds, namely: sound and bodhicitta. The mudrās are of two kinds, namely: with form and without form. The body of the iṣṭadevatā is also of two kinds, namely: pure and impure. That verified pure body is free of all characteristics; the impure body with ideation has manifest shapes and various colors. Those two kinds of deity forms accomplish two kinds of matters: because there is ideation, siddhi with characteristics is accomplished; because there is no ideation, siddhi without characteristics arises accordingly." And he spoke a verse:

6.59

"The Buddha says: because there is ideation, / One desires to accomplish [siddhi] with characteristics; / By abiding in non-ideation, / One obtains siddhi without characteristics. / Therefore, in all modes, / One should abide in non-ideation."

6.60

Chapter 29: Expounding the Samādhi without Characteristics

6.61

Furthermore, the Bhagavat Vairocana told the vajradhara Guhyakādhipati: "Guhyakādhipati, those bodhisattvas practicing the bodhisattva path through the mantra-naya who desire to accomplish the samādhi without characteristics should contemplate thus: 'From where does ideation arise? Does it arise from one's own body, or from one's own mind and intellect? If it arises from the body, the body is like grass, trees, tiles, and stones; its intrinsic nature is like this: free from construction, devoid of consciousness, born of karma; one should contemplate it equally as identical to external things. Furthermore, it is like a constructed image, which is not injured or destroyed by fire or water, by blades or poison, by vajras and the like, nor can angry, coarse words move it in the slightest. Even if devas and worldly people revere and provide for it with food, clothing, scented paste, flower garlands, or scented paste of sandalwood, camphor, and such various excellent requisites of enjoyment, it also does not give rise to joy. Why is this? Ignorant children and ordinary persons divide and produce an ego in an image that is empty of intrinsic nature, giving rise to inverted and unreal discriminations, either making offerings or inflicting harm.' Guhyakādhipati, one should abide thus in practicing mindfulness of the body, observing its emptiness of intrinsic nature.

6.62

"Furthermore, Guhyakādhipati, the mind has no intrinsic nature, because it is free of all ideation; therefore, one should contemplate its emptiness of intrinsic nature. Guhyakādhipati, the mind cannot be found in the three times, because it transcends the three times; such intrinsic nature is far removed from all characteristics. Guhyakādhipati, one who has ideation of mind is discriminated by ignorant children and ordinary persons; because they do not understand, they have such false, arbitrary imputations. Contemplate thus: that which is unreal does not arise. Guhyakādhipati, when those bodhisattvas practicing the bodhisattva path through the mantra-naya realize the samādhi without characteristics, by abiding in the samādhi without characteristics, the true words spoken by the Tathāgata will constantly appear directly before that person."

6.63

Chapter 30: Worldly and Transcendent Recitation

6.64

"Furthermore, Guhyakādhipati, I will now explain the secret method of reciting mantras.

6.65

"With each and every mantra, / Perform mental recitation in the mind; / Inhalation and exhalation make two, / Ever in the foremost correspondence. / If one receives and holds it otherwise, / The mantra lacks its limbs. / Correspondence of the internal and external / I say is of four kinds. / That worldly recitation / Has continuous focus on an object, / Abiding in the syllables and phrases of the bīja, / Or the mind follows the iṣṭadevatā; / Hence it is said to have grasping; / Inhalation and exhalation are supreme. / Know that the transcendent mind / Is far removed from syllables; / Oneself and the deity have one characteristic, / Non-dual and without clinging, / Not destroying the mental image of form; / Do not diverge from the rule. / The three hundred thousand [recitations] spoken of / Comprise many kinds of holding mantras, / Until all sins are eliminated / And the mantrin is purified; / In accordance with the count of recitation, / Do not deviate from such teaching."

6.66

Chapter 31: Entrustment

6.67

Then the Lord told the entire assembly: "You should now abide in heedfulness. In this Dharma teaching, if you do not know a person's capacities, you should not bestow it on others, except for my disciples who possess the distinguishing marks. I will now explain them; you should listen with one mind. If someone is born under an auspicious planet or lunar mansion, aspires to supreme matters, possesses subtle wisdom, constantly remembers kindness, gives rise to a thirsty and yearning mind, and abides rejoicing in hearing the Dharma; whose appearance is bluish-white or white, with a broad head, long neck, wide and flat forehead, straight nose, full cheeks, and well-proportioned, dignified features: to such a son of the Buddha, you should diligently teach it." Then all the majestic ones were filled with joy; having heard it, they received it on their crowns and upheld it with one mind. That assembly, having made vast offerings with various adornments, bowed their heads at the Buddha's feet, joined their palms reverently, and spoke these words: "We only pray that regarding this Dharma teaching, you will proclaim the adhiṣṭhāna-phrases for saving the world, causing the path of the Dharma-eye to pervade everywhere and abide long in the world." Then the Lord, regarding this Dharma teaching, spoke the adhiṣṭhāna-phrase mantra, saying:

6.69

When the Buddha had spoken this sūtra, all the vajradharas, and the foremost bodhisattvas such as Samantabhadra, hearing what the Buddha had spoken, rejoiced greatly and received it in faith and put it into practice.

6.70

The Sūtra of the Divine Transformations and Adhiṣṭhāna of Mahāvairocana's Attainment of Buddhahood, Fascicle Six

Translations (1)

The Vairocanābhisaṃbodhi Sutra — Rolf W. Giebel 2005, English

Linked texts (1)

大毘盧遮那成佛神變加持經 (Śubhakarasiṃha & Yixing 724) — Classical Chinese