仁王般若經疏 3.9

3.9

The text says, 'expound it twice a day': this means before noon and after noon. Fourth, it explains the benevolent spirits' protection of the state. As for the text's 'one hundred classes of ghosts and spirits', the Tripiṭaka Master says: this comes from the Sūtra on the Meaning of the Gold and Silver Ṛṣi; this sūtra has not arrived from foreign lands. This ṛṣi governs various ghosts and spirits. Fundamentally, there are ten classes of ghosts and spirits, and each and every class has ten classes; hence it says 'one hundred classes'. The ten fundamental ones are: 1. The Great Spirit, who can transform into various spirits. 2. The Child Spirit. The son of Maheśvara offended the ṛṣi. According to the ṛṣi's law, one does not kill a young child; therefore, the ṛṣi prophesied that upon reaching the age of sixteen and becoming a great ṛṣi, he would surely die. These words could not be avoided. By Maheśvara's power, this child was halted at constantly being fourteen years of age; taking young children as his band, he harms children in the world. If they reach fifteen years of age, this child harms them no longer. 3. The Mother Spirit, the wet nurse of the child. 4. The Brahmā Spirit, who is Maheśvara. On his face are three eyes, and he possesses all knowledge. If one loses an object, he incants over a child's face, and another eye grows; [the child] goes directly to retrieve the object, and once the object is retrieved, loses the eye again. 5. The Elephant-Headed Spirit, who is fond of obstructing all wholesome and unwholesome undertakings of others, wishing to make them fail. 6. The Deva-Nāga Spirit, who is full of greed and anger. 7. The Rala Spirit, who is fond of violating humans and devas, and has two stout fellows, one good and one evil. 8. The Sand Spirit, who eats flesh and has scant merit, with a body like sand and dirt. 9. The Yakṣa Spirit, who has great supernatural powers. 10. The Rākṣasa Spirit; translating its name is extremely difficult. The 'one hundred classes' refers to the kings of the ghosts and spirits. 'Each and every class further has one hundred classes of ghosts and spirits' refers to the retinues of those former spirit kings. All these ghosts and spirits desire that humans practice prajñā; if it is not propagated, they are fond of causing harm. Because this sūtra is expounded within the state, all these ghosts and spirits, in order to hear the Dharma, come to protect the state, causing it to be free of the seven disasters. Because there are no seven disasters, [the people] are able to expound and listen; hence it is said, 'delight in hearing this sūtra.' Explaining the ritual method of practice is concluded.