金光明經文句 2.4

2.4

Third, breaking the karma obstacle: this begins from 'evil stars and ominous calamities' downward. Because karma is about to incur its retribution, its signs manifest beforehand; the signs indicate what is arising—the intention lies in this. 'Evil stars' refers to other guest stars. They are also the five planets and the twenty-eight lunar mansions, seven in each quarter, four times seven making twenty-eight. They deviate from their proper degrees and lose their assigned astrological realms. If Mars moves erratically or comets suddenly appear, these are guest stars. 'Ominous calamities' refers to winds, rains, snow, and frost out of their proper seasons, and the like. 'Various evils' are threefold: human evils, ghostly evils, and doctrinal evils. 'Insect witchcraft' refers to venomous spirits; it is also said that the three poisons are insects. 'Monstrous anomalies' refers to strange portents, meaning ugly shapes and sounds of birds and beasts, and the like. 'Bad dreams' refers to when the mental spirit is quiet and karma manifests within it, dreaming of disagreeable things. Indeed, all karmas that portend retributions do not exceed the five transgressions: if an evil star portends loss of body and life, it is a karmic sign of taking life; if an evil star portends being abandoned by spirits and reduced to distress, it is a karmic sign of theft; if an evil star portends separation from relatives and confinement, it is a karmic sign of sexual misconduct; if an evil star portends false accusations and slanders, it is a karmic sign of false speech; if an evil star portends loss of wealth and property, it is a karmic sign of drinking liquor. The other calamities, strange birds, bad dreams, and so forth, each portend something according to their time and season; if examined carefully and thoroughly, they do not exceed the retributions of the five transgressions. If a practitioner understands and deduces this, what need is there to split bamboo or bore tortoise shells to consult Guan Gongming? From 'should bathe and cleanse oneself' downward: second, presenting the method capable of rendering evil empty. Previously, the karmic signs were manifested outwardly, and the retribution was near at hand; if there were no internal method, how could one ward it off? Setting forth the method of the three virtues in relation to the three modes of action, physical matters are used to express the principle. Bathing the foul body is intended to correspond to the Dharma-body; sealing the lips and restraining the ears is intended to correspond to listening to prajñā; making the mind utmost in purity is intended to correspond to liberation. First one is told to bathe the internal body, and then further exhorted to purify the external garments—internal and external complete each other. First one is merely told to listen, and then admonished to listen single-mindedly, carefully sealing the mouth. First one is told to maintain the utmost mind, and then shown the realm of the utmost mind, completing the method. Indeed, the human body originates in impurity, and the lotus flower originates in mud; just as candana grows among eraṇḍa, this is seen directly in the world. Now, if the proximate cause is the rules of the three modes of action and the distant result is the wondrous meaning of the three virtues, how could one not have faith? Bathing the Dharma-body can ward off the retribution obstacle; restraining the ears and sealing the mouth can ward off the affliction obstacle; the utmost mind can ward off the karma obstacle (and so forth). From 'the awe-inspiring power of this sūtra' downward: fourth, conclusion. 'Capable of entirely eliminating' clarifies the transformation of the three obstacles. 'Causing them to be tranquil and extinguished' means the three virtues are accomplished. Tranquil extinction is simply nirvāṇa; nirvāṇa is simply the three virtues. Since the previous methods of the three modes of action have been accomplished, the three obstacles should logically be transformed. Once the three obstacles have been transformed, they logically accomplish the three virtues: the retribution obstacle transforms into the virtue of the Dharma-body, the affliction obstacle transforms into the virtue of prajñā, and the karma obstacle transforms into the virtue of liberation. Previously, concrete phenomena were relied upon, using the shallow to express the profound; later, tranquil extinction is clarified, using the profound to conclude the shallow. The sūtra's text is intricately embroidered, yet few perceive it (and so forth). From 'the four kings who protect the world' downward: narrating the chapters in the transmission section, all are as explained above.