金光明最勝王經疏 2.340

2.340

Regarding the rationale for establishing them: fascicle three of the Dharmasaṃgītisūtra and fascicle six of the Satyakanirgranthasūtra both state that it is in order to counteract the ten terrors. According to this, it is precisely in order to counteract the ten terrors that one seeks the ten masteries. The Satyakanirgranthasūtra states: 'Great King, you should know: because one attains mastery over life, one counteracts all terrors of birth and death. Because one attains mastery over mind, one counteracts all terrors of defilements. Because one attains mastery over requisites, one counteracts all terrors of poverty. Because one attains mastery over karma, one counteracts all terrors of the miserable realms.' In the Dharmasaṃgītisūtra, it is counteracting the terror of evil conduct; that text is based on removing the cause, whereas this text is concerned with removing the result. In the Dharmasaṃgītisūtra, it mentions removing the terror of the miserable realms; that text speaks based on the result, whereas this text is spoken in contrast to bondage. If one does not attain mastery over birth, one is bound by birth; because one attains mastery over birth, one counteracts all terrors of bondage. Because one attains mastery over wish-fulfillment, one counteracts all terrors of seeking. Because one attains mastery over faith, one counteracts all terrors of slandering the Dharma. Because one attains mastery over vows, one counteracts all terrors of the bondage of mental intentions. Because one attains mastery over knowledge, one counteracts all terrors of the thorn of doubt. Because one attains mastery over phenomena, one counteracts all terrors of assemblies.' Another interpretation says: Mastery over phenomena refers to mastery in preaching the Dharma. Since it says below, 'according with the minds of sentient beings' up to 'manifesting diverse bodies concordant with preaching the Dharma,' we know that manifesting bodies is for preaching the Dharma to sentient beings so that they obtain benefit. This is just what the Lotus Sūtra calls 'solely for the sake of the one great cause.' Mastery in preaching the Dharma has fourteen types: first, mastery in preaching the Dharma; second, purity; third, delightful eloquence; fourth, knowledge; fifth, birth; sixth, samādhi; seventh, sustenance; eighth, retinue; ninth, seeing; tenth, hearing; eleventh, smelling; twelfth, tasting; thirteenth, body; fourteenth, mind. Fascicle seven of the Dharmasaṃgītisūtra states: 'What is mastery in preaching the Dharma? It is because one does not cling to any speech.' This is non-attachment to the taught Dharma. 'What is purity mastery? It is because one is unstained in all places.' Not only regarding the taught Dharma, but regarding everything one is free from attachment. 'What is delightful eloquence mastery? It means relying on the words and phrases of a single phenomenon without resting.' Because in hundreds of thousands of myriads of kalpas one's teaching is inexhaustible, it is eloquence that is uninterrupted and inexhaustible. 'What is knowledge mastery? It means being able to preach on the words and phrases of each and every phenomenon.' Because of hundreds of thousands of Dharma gates, it is eloquence rich in meaning and flavour. 'What is birth mastery? Wherever there is a place for benefiting sentient beings, one takes birth in each of those places, manifesting bodies according to the place.' The repetition of 'wherever' clarifies that it is not just one place. The rest should be understood in accordance with this. 'What is samādhi mastery? It is because in thought after thought, if one wishes to enter samādhi, one is immediately able to enter samādhi. What is sustenance mastery? It is because according to wherever it is sustained and empowered—whether it be deer, birds and beasts, grasses and trees, or rocks and walls—because they are enabled to preach the wondrous Dharma of the Buddhas, one sustains them and enables them to preach the Dharma. What is retinue mastery? It refers to having an immeasurable retinue, an indestructible retinue. What is seeing mastery? It refers to seeing wondrous forms. What is hearing mastery? It refers to hearing wondrous sounds. What is smelling mastery? It is because smelling all fragrances is solely the fragrance of the wondrous Dharma. What is tasting mastery? It refers to eating the flavour of the Dharma and not eating the flavour of food. What is body mastery? It refers to accomplishing the Dharmakāya, not a body sustained by food. What is mind mastery? Even regarding mosquitoes, gnats, and ants, one knows their behaviour and knows their minds, because the six sense faculties seen below possess superior functions.' Among these, the first two concern non-attachment to what is preached; the next two concern the ability to preach; the next one concerns manifesting the body; the next one concerns the eight absorptions; the next one concerns bestowing empowerment upon others; the next one concerns adapting to those who receive transformation; the next six manifest the sense faculties. The former, birth, is the conventional body of general characteristics; these six are the real bodies of specific characteristics. In this sūtra below, 'according with the minds of sentient beings, according with the actions of sentient beings' is mind mastery; 'according with the realms of sentient beings' uses 'limited realms' to encompass both senses, causing them to grasp objects, hence it says 'limited realms.' That is, manifesting diverse bodies according to the places where sentient beings are benefited means manifesting bodies in accordance with those places. 'Concordant with place' and 'not waiting for time' are subsumed under samādhi mastery. 'Concordant with action' is subsumed under mind mastery. Fascicle nine of the Mahāyānasaṃgraha states: 'Furthermore, by how many masteries does the Dharmakāya attain mastery? Briefly, by five kinds: first, by mastery over the marks and characteristics of the Buddha lands and one's own body, boundless sounds, and the unseeable uṣṇīṣa mark, through the transformation of the basis of the form aggregate; second, by mastery over unhindered, immeasurable, vast, blissful abidings, through the transformation of the basis of the sensation aggregate; third, by mastery over the eloquent expression of all word-collections, phrase-collections, and syllable-collections, through the transformation of the basis of the perception aggregate; fourth, by mastery over manifestation, transformation, attracting assemblies, and attracting one's own Dharma, through the transformation of the basis of the formation aggregate; fifth, by mastery over the mirror-like, equality, observing, and all-accomplishing wisdoms, through the transformation of the basis of the consciousness aggregate.' The detailed explanation is as found there.