大方廣佛華嚴經隨疏演義鈔 12.5

12.5

疏「故論云處夢謂經年，覺乃須臾頃」等者，二引證，便當合文。即無性《攝論》第六所引，但言如有頌云，斯即引經耳。案《西域傳》云「昔有隱士結廬併跡，博習伎術、究極神理，能使瓦礫為寶、人畜易形，但未能禦風雲陪仙駕，閱圖考古更求仙術。聞其方曰：『夫神仙者，長生之術也。將欲求學，先定其志。築建壇場，命一烈士執長刃立壇隅，屏息絕言，自昏達曙。求者中壇而坐，手按長劍，口誦神呪，收視反聽，達明登仙。』是人既得仙方，而訪烈士，營求曠歲未諧心願。後得烈士，先與人傭力艱辛五年，一旦違失遂被笞撻，又無所得，悲號巡路。隱士既見，命以同遊。來至茅廬，以術力故化具餚膳。已而令入池浴，服以新衣。又以五百金錢遺之曰：『盡當來求，幸勿外也。』自時厥後數加重賂。潛行陰德感激其心，烈士囑求効命，以報知己。隱士曰：『我求烈士彌歷歲時幸而會遇，奇貌應圖非有他故，願一夕不聲耳。』烈士曰：『死尚不辭，豈徒屏息。』於是設壇場，受仙法方行其事，坐待日昏。昏暮之後各司其務，隱士誦神呪，烈士案銛刃。始將曉矣，忽發聲大叫。是時空中火下煙焰雲蒸，隱士疾行，引此人入池避難。已而問曰：『戒子無聲。何以驚叫？』烈士曰：『受命後至夜分惛然若夢，變事更起。見昔事主人躬來慰謝，感荷厚恩忍不報語。彼人震怒，遂見殺害。更受中陰身，自顧歎息，猶願歷世不言以報厚德。遂見託生南印度大婆羅門家，乃至受胎，備經苦厄，荷恩荷德忍而不言。暨乎受業、冠婚、喪親、生子，每念前恩忍而不語，家中親戚眷屬咸見怪異。年過六十而有一男，妻謂曰：「汝可言矣。若不語者，當殺汝子。」我時惟念：已隔生世，自顧衰老，唯此穉子。因止其妻令無殺害，遂發叫耳。』隱士曰：『我之過也。此魔嬈耳。』烈士感歎，悲事不成，憤恚而死。」此即未經半宵已歷二生，況年月耶？此類甚多，故知時處等皆如夢自在。

Regarding the Commentary's stating, "Therefore the treatise says: 'In a dream one thinks years have passed, yet upon waking it has only been an instant,'" and so forth: secondly, this adduces proof, which then serves as the application of the metaphor. This is what was cited in fascicle six of Asabhāva's Mahāyānasaṃgraha-[śāstra], where it simply says "as a verse states"; hence it is indeed citing a sūtra. Examining the Records of the Western Regions, it says: "In the past, there was a recluse who built a hut and secluded himself. He broadly studied magical arts and plumbed the spiritual truths, being able to turn tiles and gravel into jewels and alter the forms of humans and animals. Yet he was not yet able to ride the wind and clouds to accompany the immortals. Reviewing diagrams and investigating antiquity, he further sought the arts of the immortals. He heard its method: 'The state of the spiritual immortals is an art of long life. When one desires to seek its study, one must first settle one's resolve. Construct an altar-precinct and order a courageous man of unbending will to hold a sharp blade and stand at the corner of the altar, holding his breath and severing speech from dusk until dawn. The seeker sits in the center of the altar, gripping a long sword with his hands and chanting spiritual mantras with his mouth, withdrawing sight and reversing hearing; when dawn arrives, he ascends to immortality.' Having obtained this immortal method, this man sought such a courageous man, searching for many years without fulfilling his wish. Later he found a courageous man who had previously labored bitterly for another person for five years; one day he committed a transgression, was immediately beaten and flogged, and received nothing, wandering the roads weeping aloud. Seeing him, the recluse invited him to travel together. Coming to the thatched hut, by the power of his arts he conjured an abundance of fine delicacies. Afterward, he ordered him to enter a pool to bathe, and clothed him in new garments. Furthermore, he gave him five hundred gold coins, saying: 'Whenever you run out, come and ask; please do not treat me as a stranger.' From that time forward, he repeatedly gave him generous gifts. Secretly practicing hidden benevolence, he stirred his heart; the courageous man begged to devote his life to repay him who recognized his worth. The recluse said: 'I have sought a courageous man for many years, and fortunately encountered you. Your extraordinary appearance corresponds to the diagram, for no other reason than that I wish you to remain silent for a single night.' The courageous man said: 'I would not decline even death, let alone merely holding my breath!' Thereupon they set up the altar-precinct, and, receiving the immortal method, were about to conduct their affair, sitting and waiting for dusk. After dusk, each attended to his duties: the recluse chanted the spiritual mantra, and the courageous man gripped the sharp blade. Just as dawn was about to break, he suddenly cried out loudly. At that time, fire fell from the sky, and smoke and flames billowed up like clouds. The recluse rushed swiftly and led this man into the pool to escape the disaster. Afterward he asked: 'I admonished you to make no sound. Why did you cry out in shock?' The courageous man said: 'After receiving your command, toward midnight I became dazed as if in a dream, and strange events arose anew. I saw my former master come in person to express gratitude; feeling indebted to his deep kindness, I endured it and did not speak to reply. That man became furious, and I was subsequently killed. I then took an intermediate state (antarābhava) body; sighing as I looked upon myself, I still vowed to remain silent across lifetimes to repay your deep virtue. I then saw myself being reborn into a great Brahmin family in South India, and up to taking rebirth in the womb, I experienced every suffering and adversity, yet bearing your kindness and virtue, I endured it and did not speak. When it came to receiving an education, capping, marriage, the death of parents, and giving birth to a son, each time I remembered your former kindness, I endured it and did not speak; my family members, relatives, and kin all regarded it as strange. Having passed the age of sixty, I had a single boy. My wife said to me: "You may speak now! If you do not speak, I shall kill your son." At that time, I considered: a lifetime has already separated us; seeing myself aged and frail, I have only this tender child. Wishing to stop my wife and prevent the killing, I spontaneously let out a cry.' The recluse said: 'It was my fault; this was harassment by māras.' The courageous man was moved to lamentation; grieved that the matter was unfulfilled, he died of rage and resentment." This, then, without even half a night passing, had already traversed two lifetimes, to say nothing of months and years! Cases of this kind are exceedingly numerous; hence we know that time, place, and so forth are all masterfully unhindered, just as in a dream.