觀音義疏 1.40

1.40

As for following the text: "upholding" means reciting and upholding with the mouth, and grasping and upholding with the mind; grasping and upholding means not losing the principle. Although not an oral upholding, investigation and reflection can also be oral activity, so it is broadly subsumed under the capacity of oral karma. Phrases such as "if there are," "supposing there are," and "furthermore if there are" are all expressions indicating uncertainty and unforeseen occurrence. In all the rest, the disaster arises and only then does one recite the name; here, one upholds the name beforehand and then encounters the disaster—this is perhaps an alternating presentation of before and after. Now, because the disaster of fire is sudden and violent, one must remember and uphold [the name] beforehand; if one remembers and upholds, one will certainly not have this disaster. Supposing one encounters it, this is entirely due to relinquishing what was upheld, turning one's back on good and following evil, and is termed "supposing." As in the story of the maiden Maitrīkanyakā: if she had been able to cultivate filial piety with supreme sincerity, she would not have encountered the iron wheel of fire; because she disobeyed her mother and tore her hair, she suffered the agony of hell. This was holding to filial piety without purity, as fully explained in the story. A practitioner upholding the name should not originally encounter disaster, but through discordant conditions suddenly forgets; supposing they enter a great fire, if they can recall what was previously upheld, they will immediately escape disaster. Since the disaster of fire is severe, the capacity must also be profound; hence upholding first and escaping later, the meaning of which can be seen. "Majestic spiritual power" concludes the disaster of fire.