金光明經文句 6.13

6.13

From 'At that time, in the place of enlightenment' downward is the second part, doubt regarding the prophecy. This is again divided into two: first, questioning in doubt; second, the Buddha's answer. As for the doubt: moving mountains and filling oceans is not the work of a single day, and the consummate fruit of bodhi can only be attained through accumulating practices. Having descended only briefly from Trāyastriṃśa, without the toil of prolonged listening, nor having heard that they possessed unfathomable practices in the past—their practice being shallow yet their prophecy profound—therefore they were doubtful. As for other bodhisattvas: the bodhisattvas of the six perfections, where a needle might be pointed at the ground, there is nowhere that was not a place of relinquishing their bodies and lives, fulfilling three asaṃkhyeyas of precepts, patience, meditation, and wisdom. If they are bodhisattvas of the common teaching, entering emptiness from the conventional is not the cultivation of a single life, and entering the conventional from emptiness easily surpasses dust-mote kalpas. If they are bodhisattvas of the distinctive teaching, even directly practicing a single practice easily takes immeasurable asaṃkhyeya kalpas, not to mention practicing all the myriad practices. Even with an unreckonable measure [of practice], they still do not obtain a prophecy, yet [here] hearing the sūtra for a short time they receive such determination. The assembly at that time all doubted, and therefore the tree spirit posed the question. The Buddha's answer is divided into two: first, citing present practice; second, citing distant conditions. As for present practice: they relinquished the pleasures of the heavenly palace to come and listen to the sūtra; hearing the three Great Beings receive the prophecy of bodhi; and my own past original vow to give them the food of the Dharma—because these three matters conjoined, the prophecy was given to them. The intent here is to verify that at the beginning of the Chapter on Ghosts and Spirits, making the sublime offering to the Buddhas of the three periods of time, and desiring to know the sphere of activity of all Buddhas, they resolutely and with utmost sincerity listened to this sublime scripture. Although such intent existed, the persons had not yet been seen; now these ten thousand are those very persons. Hearing the prophecy of their future fruit: the fruit must have a cause; because of the Suvarṇaprabhāsa they produced a profound mind and gave rise to the body of merit; their minds being without defilements or entanglements, they gave rise to the body of wisdom (prajñā); and like empty space, they gave rise to the Dharmakāya—listening within a single mind, the three virtues were perfectly consummated. There are further immeasurable merits that cannot be fully spoken; if these [devas] did not obtain a prophecy, to whom would the prophecy be given? The intention to verify the merit of listening lies here. 'Cultivating in accord with marks' refers to the present practice: practice is cultivated in accord with the true mark. 'Possessing sublime good roots' refers to the distant conditions: planting good roots by taking the distant true mark as condition. From 'also by virtue of the past' downward is the answer citing distant conditions. The text is divided into two: first, brief; second, extensive. The short text here is the brief; the two chapters, 'Curing Illness' and 'Jalavāhana', are the extensive answer.