法華文句記 10.187

10.187

「總持」下二番云「其四」者，並是四悉。初約翻名，次「諸師」下約釋義，三「惡世」下總攬二重，以明來意。初又二：先正約四悉，次對諸經開遮以明四悉。初文者，善惡異故，即世界。次一番具二悉故，注「其二三」者，能持善邊即為人，能遮惡邊即對治，中善即第一義。故秖「遮持」二字四悉具足。生云：近識受持心薄，故敦之以呪術。注云：幽顯挾贊故曰陀羅尼。觀生公去注遠矣。本為弘經者護難，豈唯敦逼呪術，全濫矯俗，如藥王獻六十二億佛之所說，勇施恒河等佛之所說，況護國四王、羅剎七女皆為護法請佛印許，如何謂為呪術敦之耶？然呪之為義本不合翻，如〈勸發〉中云「菩薩得聞，當知普賢神通之力」，豈同術耶？若全不可翻，竺法護何故翻之？若其不曉不翻之意，移品何疑？「大明」等三者，通論秖是般若，般若總攝故名為呪，總用總持總破總安俱得名呪，別對三教思之可見。如此通別復名為通。今別在今經護法故也。他經隨事，禳災增益攝召不同，彼文亦各別有觀法，所以新譯並名真言及以明者，古人見祕密不譯，例如此土禁呪等法，便以呪名往翻。今言皆是如來難思祕密真言種子。注「云云」者，令說其意如向略知。

Regarding the two occurrences below 'Dhāraṇī' that state 'its four', both refer to the four siddhāntas. First, it is treated in terms of translating the name; next, from 'The various masters' downward, it is treated in terms of explaining the meaning; third, from 'In an evil age' downward, the two layers are brought together to clarify the purpose of coming. The first [part] also has two [aspects]: first, directly treating it in terms of the four siddhāntas; next, clarifying the four siddhāntas by contrasting them with the opening and restricting [teachings] of the various sūtras. In the first text, because good and evil differ, that is the mundane [siddhānta]. Because the next section possesses two siddhāntas, the commentary notes 'its second and third': the aspect of being able to uphold good is for the individual, the aspect of being able to block evil is the therapeutic, and the good of the middle is the supreme truth. Thus, in merely the two characters 'blocking' and 'upholding', the four siddhāntas are fully complete. Dao Sheng said: 'Those of shallow knowledge have weak minds of receiving and upholding, so they are urged with incantations.' The commentary notes: 'The hidden and manifest lend mutual aid; hence it is called dhāraṇī.' Viewed in this light, Master Dao Sheng is far from the commentary. Its original purpose was to protect those who propagate the sūtra from difficulties; how could it be merely pressing them with incantations, entirely confusing it with vulgar practices? For example, the Medicine King offered what sixty-two koṭis of buddhas taught, Courageous Giving [offered] what Gaṅgā-sand-like buddhas taught, not to mention that the Four Kings who protect the nation and the seven rākṣasī daughters all asked for the Buddha's approval in order to protect the Dharma; how could one call this pressing them with incantations? Moreover, the meaning of a mantra originally should not be translated, as in the 'Encouragement [of Samantabhadra]' chapter which states: 'If a bodhisattva gets to hear it, he should know this is through the supernatural power of Samantabhadra'—how could it be the same as an ordinary technique? If it were entirely untranslatable, why did Dharmarakṣa translate it? If one does not understand the meaning of not translating, why doubt the transposition of the chapter? The three terms 'Great Brightness' and so on, generally discussed, are simply prajñā. Because prajñā encompasses all, it is called a mantra (dhāraṇī); comprehensive function, comprehensive retention, comprehensive destruction, and comprehensive pacification may all be called mantras. By contrasting them separately with the three teachings, upon reflection this can be seen. Such general and particular [uses] are again called 'general', for now the particular [function] lies specifically in protecting the Dharma in this sūtra. In other sūtras, according to circumstances, warding off disasters, increasing benefits, and summoning differ, and their texts also each have their distinct methods of contemplation. Therefore, the new translations all call them 'true words' (mantra) and 'clarity' (vidyā). The ancients, seeing that they were secret and not to be translated, drew an analogy to this land's prohibitive spells and the like, and thus translated them using the term 'spell' (zhòu). Now we say that all of these are the seed syllables of the Tathāgata's inconceivable secret true words. The commentary note 'and so on' directs one to explain their meaning as briefly indicated above.