釋摩訶衍論 9.9

9.9

Having explained the portal of the practice of penetrating the antidote, next is explained the portal of specific characteristics of functions performed. Within this portal there are eight portals. What are the eight? First, the portal of appearing in human forms to induce faith; second, the portal of appearing with speech to disorder consciousness; third, the portal of attaining knowledge of the three times to delude people; fourth, the portal of not departing from worldly fetters; fifth, the portal of the nature of the mind being impermanent and producing confusion; sixth, the portal of causing one to attain false concentration that is not real; seventh, the portal of exhorting practitioners to leave evil behind; eighth, the portal of discerning the true and false to cause understanding. These are named the eight. Their characteristics should be contemplated in accordance with their sequence. Within the first portal, there are three kinds of persons. What are the three? First, heavenly persons; second, bodhisattva persons; third, tathāgata persons. These are named the three. If heterodox non-Buddhists make the three images, how many portals do they each use? They each use six portals. What are the six? First, the portal of fashioning images; second, the portal of sacrificial prayer; third, the portal of divine mantras; fourth, the portal of reciting sūtras; fifth, the portal of ah-hu; sixth, the portal of beseeching. These are named the six. As for the portal of fashioning images, it means making images of that person wherever their image is needed. As for the portal of sacrificial prayer, it means performing sacrificial rites with various food and drink and the life of various sentient beings. As for the portal of divine mantras, it means reciting dhāraṇīs in the appropriate places. As for the portal of reciting sūtras, it means reciting sūtras such as the *Bhādrata* (*Baduotuo jing*). As for the portal of ah-hu, it means that whatever is done requires no other speech, merely saying 'Ah-hu-a.' As for the portal of beseeching, it means beseeching divine power from one's own World-Honoured One. As for fashioning images, what is its characteristic? First, when fashioning a heavenly image, what should be done? That is to say, on these nine parts—head/face, eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, hands, and feet—one recites a dhāraṇī mantra eighteen thousand times at each of these nine places to establish this place. That is to say, when fashioning the image of the eyes, one recites the mantra: