觀音義疏 1.67

1.67

次明修諸善因，為三毒刀箭惡業破壞善心，割斷戒皮、定肉、慧骨，微妙心髓、法身慧命退失，墮落失人天道，乃至正命登難崩易，萬劫不復，起怖畏心，稱觀世音即蒙救護，三毒不傷，清昇受樂，即菩薩力也。次明聲聞人厭患生死，即時觀三界見思劇於刀箭，故《大經》云：「寧以終身近旃陀羅，不能暫時親近五陰愛詐、親善六拔刀賊，趣向正路如為怨逐。」《大論》云：「譬如臨陣白刃間，結賊未滅害未除，如共毒蛇同室居、如人被縛將去殺，爾時云何安可眠？」《五苦章句》云：「十二重城、三重棘舘、五拔刀人守門，爾時思惟：『如此怖畏何由得脫，著於正路？』須一心稱觀世音，三業至到，機成感徹，則能裂生死券、度恩愛河，不為煩惱刀杖所害，欲主魔王無如之何。」次明支佛，次明六度行，次明通別圓變易等，五住刀箭傷法身、損慧命者，若能稱名即蒙聖應，免離通別刀杖，脫二死地，豈非法身慈力耶？

Next, explaining the cultivation of various wholesome causes: when the swords and arrows of the three poisons and unwholesome karma destroy the wholesome mind, severing the skin of precepts, the flesh of concentration, and the bones of wisdom, so that the subtle mind-marrow, the dharma body, and the wisdom-life retreat and are lost, falling away and losing the human and deva paths, such that even with right life, ascension is difficult and collapse easy, unrecovered for ten thousand kalpas—arousing a fearful mind, if one calls upon Avalokiteśvara, one immediately receives rescue and protection; the three poisons cannot harm one, and one ascends purely to experience bliss. This is the bodhisattva's power. Next, explaining the śrāvaka: weary and disgusted with birth and death, they forthwith contemplate the seeing and thought [delusions] of the three realms as fiercer than swords and arrows. Therefore the Great Sūtra says: 'Better to spend one's whole life close to a caṇḍāla than for an instant to draw near the five aggregates' deceitful love, or be intimate with the six sword-wielding bandits; going toward the correct path is like being pursued by an enemy.' The Great Treatise says: 'Like facing the bare blades on a battlefield, when the fettering bandits are not yet destroyed and harm is not yet removed; like living in the same room with a venomous snake; like a person bound and about to be led off to execution—at such a time, how could one sleep in peace?' The Verses on the Five Sufferings says: 'Twelve concentric ramparts, three layers of thorn pavilions, and five sword-wielding men guarding the gate; at that time one reflects: "From such dread, by what means can one escape and set foot on the correct path?" One must single-mindedly call upon Avalokiteśvara. When the three karmas reach the utmost and the capacity matures so the stimulus penetrates, then one can tear up the contract of birth and death, cross the river of affectionate attachment, not be harmed by the swords and staves of afflictions, and the demon king, the lord of desire, can do nothing against one.' Next, explaining the pratyekabuddhas; next, explaining the practice of the six perfections; next, explaining the transformational [birth and death] of the Common, Separate, and Perfect teachings, and so on: when the swords and arrows of the five dwellings injure the dharma body and harm the wisdom-life, if one can call upon the name, one immediately receives the noble response, escaping and leaving behind the common and distinct swords and staves, escaping the ground of the two types of death. How could this not be the compassionate power of the dharma body?