大毘盧遮那成佛經疏 12.17

12.17

次如來答云「摩訶薩意處，說名漫荼羅」等者，心處亦可名為心位，即指此眾生自心之處，即一切佛大悲胎藏漫荼羅也。所以者何？一切眾生即是華臺之藏，然以四種煩惱常自生故，為彼自覆弊故，不能明了而自覺知。若能自覺心處者，即知此心自性常淨。如是淨無垢處，即是諸佛大圓滿實相之地也。是故佛答意言：若欲知真言行及果，當於心處求之。皆如是說者，謂十方三世佛亦皆如是說，一道無異，非獨我如是說也。真言諸心處，彼識知果受者，果謂諸佛無上菩提之果，受謂證得也。佛意言：若能入此阿字門者，即能識於心處。若知是處，即得真言果也。佛意又言：諸法盡猶心有。如人眼見色者，眼根與色對，不能了知青黃赤白等，次眼識即生，不定慮此青黃耶？次意識即分別分析，言此是青黃赤白等種種眾相，當知但由心分別而有也（更問）。決定悅心心處者（此心，梵云只多，是慮知心也。又次干栗太者，是處中心也）。如二乘入道，亦先須得決定心。此決定心，即三昧也。猶得決定心故，心得悅樂，即是內心自證現法之樂也。猶有定故，即生實知見。然三乘各有定，深淺不同。今此中意言，若能證此心處心中之心（此即干栗太），即是如來大決定心（謂三昧也），猶有此定故，得入阿字門。入阿字門故，即能了知真言行之與果也。若了知彼行及果，即是授得無上大果也。佛意言：猶心住定故，得究竟一乘如實之見，即能自知是事。不然，雖聞無益。故此已下正明習定初門也。如上執金剛所問：此真言之心，從何所來？去至何處？云何得果者。今者佛意答言：夫真言者從自心發，乃至欲識真言行及果報者，亦從心而現，出此心外無別法也。所以者何？此漫荼羅名之為淨，以一切眾生自心本來清淨，而以無明蔽覆不能了知。若淨此心，即是漫荼羅處，不從餘處來也。行及果報皆亦如是。以一切萬法乃至形顯等色萬類差別，莫不從心分別而有。今此阿字門亦不從外來，但從心生無別來處也。所以者何？以有方便修定故，其心漸淨。以心淨故，阿字現中。此阿字者，即是一切諸佛之心。從心輪淨故能現阿字，由入阿字門故即是成大果報相。故知此果亦心得，其實無人能授與者，由此自覺了而得之也。當引《央掘》不盜戒義。然此心源微妙寂絕，無名無相不可示現，以何方便而能得見耶？今諸佛為化真言行菩薩故，直從凡夫心處之心而作方便，亦不作餘對治行等也。此心之處，即是凡夫內心最在於中，是汗栗馱心也。將學觀者，亦於是處思蓮花之形。所以者何？一切眾生此心即是蓮華三昧之因，以未能令開敷故，為諸煩惱等之所纏繞，所以不能自了其心如實之相也。是故先當觀此心處作八葉蓮華，觀令開敷諸蘂具足。於此臺上思想阿字而在其中，從此字出無量光，其光四散而合為鬘，猶如花鬘。所以謂之鬘者，謂連多花貫穿相續不斷，由合多為一故名為鬘。此亦如是，合無量光以為一光之鬘也。何故須觀八葉不多不少耶？此有二義：一者一切凡夫心處雖未能自了，然其上自然而有八辯，如合蓮華形。今但觀照此心令其開敷，即是三昧觀而且便也。然其理者，若觀此八葉之花，即得與理相應。此八葉者，即是四方四隅也，四隅即是如來四智。初阿字門即是菩提之心，次暗字即是成無上菩提，次阿（長）字是行菩提之行，次惡字即是大涅槃。其餘四隅之葉即是四攝法（更問其相）。先從阿字門發菩提心（即是真言來處），次知彼果（更問次第之意），次由此是字輪四阿字義，欲成大果報故而修如來之行，以修行故而得證大涅槃，證大涅槃故能見心性，即知此心法界之體本來常寂滅相，故末後噁字門也。所以云蘂具足者，亦有其意，謂此蓮華三昧之心若開敷時，無量法門無不具足，謂六度、十八空、三十七品、禪定、解脫、百八三昧門、五百陀羅尼門，如是等無量無邊無不具足也。當知一切法門皆是從心而有也。「念彼蓮華處」，謂於彼蓮臺之上觀於阿字，故名坐上也。周遍普照明眾生類故者，觀此花鬘之光若現前時，即從此心生寂照之光，普照一切眾生之類。一切眾生亦有如是之性，但由無明覆故，不識自心之性，故不得如是自在之用。若自了心源之時，亦能如是普現色身十方教化，如佛無異也。云眾生者，謂彼以無明故乘業而生，即受四生之報，以乘業而生故名眾生也。今欲教彼眾生，令盡識心之實相，開彼華臺，令得佛之知見。知見者，如俗言心開意解。此意有理也，以心開故即入阿字門也。又言坐上者亦含多意，或言花坐、或言自身坐時、或是成就大漫荼羅者漫荼羅中作此觀行入阿字門，即能見光明普現色身，而作種種佛事也。然行者初學觀時，心未純熟未得現前，當先畫作妙蓮，如上所說極令微妙，兼置阿字常現前觀之。當於圓明中畫也。此圓明由如圓淨之鏡，其中極深阿字圓光，於中諦觀久久，即能現前分明見。既於外處見已，迴觀自心於圓明中而觀阿字。如阿字者，當知麼等諸字例可解也（更問）。行者內觀具足純熟見阿字時，其光從心中四散，普遍十方一切佛剎。此光從頂至足，周匝環繞行者之身，不可以喻言也。問？觀蓮華不觀餘花耶？此亦有意。如世蓮華出淤泥之中，生處雖惡，而蓮華體性清淨妙色無比，不為諸垢所染。凡夫亦復如是，雖種種不淨三毒過患無量無邊，亦此蓮華三昧甚深果實皆生其中，即是如來平等大慧之光也。千電集會者，如世間一電之光尚不可諦觀，以映奪人眼故，況無量電光聚集也。此釋光鬘四散威猛熾盛之意也。然此光從心遍此之時，即能普遍一切世界，一切眾生應度之者皆現其前，以其所喜見身，赴機演說妙法令其得度，皆實不虛矣。如世明鏡中現種種形，然有所不照不能普現。淨心之鏡則不如是，十方無礙圓現法界。但借以為譬，然實不可為比也。行者見圓明阿字時，能遍諸方而行佛事，然亦寂然無所動作，由如水月隨器不同一時頓能現也。然以智慧觀之，若水性不明，月亦不現；水雖澄淨，而無月者亦不能現。無有去來而現前明白，但緣合有耳。復次如月出時，雖能成就四天下萬物之類皆令得益，然亦不作是念：「能普照萬物而生長之。」行者觀於自心亦復如是，同彼水月而現眾像也。從此品以前說真言之果，從此品以後次第明修行入證之方便，從此為首也。此中復有坐起威儀眾多祕法，下別出之。此經聖者所祕，故不明白次第說也。如上觀八葉及阿字門，先用淨除自心華臺得現，今欲令彼長養滋茂成大果報，更明方便觀𭊭字門也。前入阿字門雖云了知心性，然亦未得究竟現前，是故更入𭊭字門。此是三昧，將用成就菩提心也。如世蓮華依水而長，若無水者不久枯朽。行者菩提之心亦復如是，若無三昧之水灌注其心，即亦不得滋榮開剖也。此𭊭字當觀在頂上骨縫四方會處，令字正面著之直立頭，後更有祕密觀，法又別也。觀字點為行者頭，餘為身分四支也（問：水從阿字下流入別字不）。以行者未識自心故，方便令識，先觀蓮華。又以定水滌淨其心，令此阿字明白徹見之時，六根諸垢皆總清淨。由六根純淨無垢故，心性無垢猶如水精淨月之光，當知此即名見。見者即是成就，成就者即是體同法界。當知此法界本來寂然，一切眾生世界之所依持。猶如有情依世界，乃至地輪依水，水依風，風依空，空為一切依止而無所依也。法界亦爾，以眾生無明垢故不能自了，今以六根淨故即明見也。未見時更有方便，亦在別品中，又非直觀此二字也。行者自觀時，更以諸字令普遍支分。明是作時事事明了，即成持明人也。以能自直用此諸字門故，成持明仙。又此法界云見者，非是有得見，以無垢故即能見，見即是法界體也。如鏡淨故萬像自現，而不作如是分別：「我能見彼，彼是所見。」亦不分別去來之相，但緣合見耳。一切眾生皆亦同此法界之體，若如是見之時，即是悉地之相，能普現色身，示無盡莊嚴藏也。行者由心淨故，非但具足妙天之樂，亦得大涅槃微妙之樂，亦見如來句。句是諸佛之坐處也（謂佛住處也）。如上見時，猶未名究竟成就之見也。

Next, when the Tathāgata responds, "The mahāsattva's mental locus is called the maṇḍala," and so forth: The mental locus can also be called the mental station; it directly points to the locus of this very mind of sentient beings, which is the mahākaruṇāgarbha-maṇḍala of all buddhas. Why is this? Sentient beings are themselves the receptacle of the lotus dais; however, because the four kinds of defilements constantly arise within them, being obscured and covered by these, they cannot clearly know and realize this on their own. If one can self-realize the mental locus, one knows that this mind's own-nature is constantly pure. Such a pure and unstained locus is indeed the ground of the buddhas' greatly perfected dharmatā. Therefore, the intention of the Buddha's answer is: if one wishes to know the practice and fruit of the mantras, one must seek them in the mental locus. "All speak thus" means that the buddhas of the ten directions and the three times all speak thus as well—it is a single path without difference, not something said by me alone. Regarding "in the various mental loci of mantras, that consciousness knows and receives the fruit": "fruit" refers to the fruit of the unexcelled bodhi of the buddhas, and "receives" refers to realization. The Buddha's intention is: if one can enter this syllable A gateway, one can recognize the mental locus; if one knows this locus, one attains the fruit of mantras. The Buddha's intention also is: all dharmas entirely exist through the mind. For instance, when a person's eye sees a visible form: when the eye sense-faculty confronts visible form, it cannot clearly know whether it is blue, yellow, red, white, and so on; next, the visual consciousness arises, but does it definitely conceptualize this as blue or yellow? Next, the mental consciousness discriminates and analyzes, saying, "This is blue, yellow, red, white," and various other distinct characteristics. One should know that they exist only due to the mind's discrimination. (Inquire further). Regarding "definitely gladdens the mental locus of the mind" (this "mind" in Sanskrit is *citta*, which is the conceptualizing and cognizing mind; next, *hṛdaya* is the center of the locus): Just as those of the two vehicles entering the path must also first attain a resolute mind. This resolute mind is indeed samādhi. Because of attaining a resolute mind, the mind attains joy and bliss, which is the bliss of immediately experienced dharmas self-realized in the inner mind. Because of having samādhi, true knowledge and vision arise. However, the three vehicles each have their own samādhis, differing in depth. The meaning here is: if one can realize this mind of the mind within the mental locus (this is indeed the *hṛdaya*), this is the Tathāgata's great resolute mind (meaning samādhi); because of having this samādhi, one attains entry into the syllable A gateway. Because of entering the syllable A gateway, one can fully understand the practice and the fruit of mantras. If one fully understands that practice and fruit, this is receiving and attaining the unexcelled great fruit. The Buddha's intention is: because the mind abides in samādhi, one attains the real vision of the ultimate One Vehicle, and can thereby know this matter for oneself. Otherwise, though one hears it, there is no benefit. Therefore, from here on, the initial gateway for practicing samādhi is properly explained. As asked above by the Vajradhara: "From where does this mind of mantras come? To where does it go? How is its fruit attained?" Now the Buddha's intended answer is: mantras arise from one's own mind, and even if one wishes to know the practice and fruit-retribution of mantras, they also manifest from the mind; outside of this mind there is no other dharma. Why is this? This maṇḍala is called pure because the own-mind of all sentient beings is originally pure, yet because it is covered by ignorance they cannot clearly understand it. If one purifies this mind, that is the locus of the maṇḍala; it does not come from anywhere else. Practice and fruit-retribution are also like this. Because all myriad dharmas, up to the myriad differences of visible forms such as shapes and colors, all exist from mental discrimination. Now this syllable A gateway also does not come from outside; it is produced solely from the mind, with no other place of origin. Why is this? Because through upāya one cultivates samādhi, one's mind gradually becomes pure. Because the mind is pure, the syllable A manifests within it. This syllable A is indeed the mind of all buddhas. Because the wheel of the mind is pure, the syllable A can manifest; by entering the syllable A gateway, this is the mark of accomplishing the great fruit-retribution. Therefore, know that this fruit is also attained by the mind; in truth, no one can bestow it upon you—it is attained through this self-realization. One should cite the meaning of the non-stealing precept in the *Aṅgulimāla-sūtra*. However, this source of the mind is subtle, marvelous, and quiescently beyond; without name or mark, it cannot be shown. By what upāya can it be seen? Now, in order to transform bodhisattvas of the mantra practice, the buddhas employ an upāya directly from the mind of the mental locus of ordinary beings, without employing other counteracting practices and the like. This locus of the mind is located innermost within the ordinary being's mind; it is the *hṛdaya* mind. One who is about to learn contemplation should also contemplate the shape of a lotus at this locus. Why is this? This mind of all sentient beings is the cause of the lotus samādhi; because they have not yet been able to make it blossom, it is entangled by the defilements, and therefore they cannot understand for themselves the real mark of their mind. Therefore, one should first contemplate this mental locus as an eight-petaled lotus, contemplating it so that it blossoms fully with all its stamens. On this dais, one contemplates the syllable A positioned in the center; from this syllable immeasurable light radiates, which scatters in the four directions and unites into a garland, like a flower garland. It is called a garland because many flowers are linked and strung together in continuous succession; because many are united into one, it is called a garland. This is also like that: immeasurable rays of light are united to become a single garland of light. Why must one contemplate eight petals, neither more nor fewer? This has two meanings: First, although ordinary beings cannot yet understand for themselves their mental locus, naturally upon it there are eight segments, like the shape of a closed lotus. Now one simply contemplates and illuminates this mind to make it blossom, which is the samādhi contemplation and is convenient. As for its principle: if one contemplates this eight-petaled flower, one attains accord with the principle. These eight petals are the four directions and the four corners; the four corners are the Tathāgata's four wisdoms. First, the syllable A gateway is the bodhicitta; next, the syllable Āṃ is the accomplishment of unexcelled bodhi; next, the long syllable Ā is the cultivation of bodhi practices; next, the syllable Aḥ is the great nirvāṇa. The petals of the remaining four corners are the four means of embracing (inquire further into their characteristics). First, one generates bodhicitta from the syllable A gateway (this is the place from which mantras come); next, one knows its fruit (inquire further into the meaning of this sequence); next, because this is the meaning of the four A syllables of the syllable-wheel, wishing to accomplish the great fruit-retribution, one cultivates the practices of the Tathāgata; through cultivation, one realizes the great nirvāṇa; because of realizing the great nirvāṇa, one is able to see the mind's nature, knowing that the essence of this mental dharmadhātu is originally and constantly quiescent in mark; therefore, at the very end is the syllable Aḥ gateway. As for why it says "fully endowed with stamens," there is also a meaning: when this lotus-samādhi mind blossoms, immeasurable Dharma gateways are all fully endowed—namely, the six pāramitās, eighteen emptinesses, thirty-seven factors [of awakening], dhyāna meditations, liberations, the one hundred and eight samādhi gateways, and the five hundred dhāraṇī gateways; immeasurable and boundless [dharmas] such as these are all fully endowed without exception. One should know that all Dharma gateways exist from the mind. "Recollecting that lotus locus" means contemplating the syllable A upon that lotus dais; hence it is called "seated upon it." Regarding "because it completely and universally illuminates the classes of sentient beings": when the light of this flower garland appears before one, a quiescent and illuminating light is produced from this mind, universally illuminating all classes of sentient beings. All sentient beings also possess such a nature, but because they are veiled by ignorance, they do not recognize the nature of their own mind, and thus cannot obtain such sovereign functioning. When they understand for themselves the source of the mind, they will also be able to universally manifest physical bodies in the ten directions to teach and transform, no different from a buddha. They are called "sentient beings" (born of many) because, due to ignorance, they are born through karmic momentum and receive retribution in the four modes of birth; because they are born through karmic momentum, they are called sentient beings. Now [the Buddha] wishes to teach those sentient beings so that they fully recognize the mind's dharmatā, opening that flower dais so they attain the Buddha's knowledge and vision. Knowledge and vision is like the worldly saying, "the mind opens and the intent is resolved." This meaning is reasonable: because the mind opens, one enters the syllable A gateway. Moreover, saying "seated upon it" also contains multiple meanings: it may mean seated on the flower, or it may mean when one's own body is seated, or it may mean that when an accomplisher of the great maṇḍala performs this contemplation in the maṇḍala and enters the syllable A gateway, he can see the radiant light universally manifest physical bodies to perform various buddha works. However, when a practitioner first learns the contemplation, before his mind is ripened and before it can manifest directly, he should first paint a wonderful lotus, making it extremely fine and subtle as explained above, and also place the syllable A upon it, constantly contemplating it before him. He should paint it within a circular illumination. This circular illumination is like a round, clear mirror; in its center, the circular light of the syllable A is extremely profound. Contemplating it intently within for a long time, it can then appear distinctly before him. Having seen it in an external place, he turns to contemplate his own mind, contemplating the syllable A within the circular illumination. As with the syllable A, one should understand that syllables such as Ma follow the same principle (inquire further). When the practitioner's inner contemplation is complete and mature and he sees the syllable A, its light radiates outward from his heart in the four directions, pervading all the buddha-lands of the ten directions. This light extends from the crown of his head to his feet, encircling the practitioner's body all around, beyond all metaphor. Question: Why contemplate a lotus and not other flowers? There is also a meaning to this. Just as a worldly lotus emerges from the mud: though its birthplace is foul, the lotus's essential nature is pure, its marvelous color incomparable, undefiled by any stains. Ordinary beings are also like this: although their various impurities and faults of the three poisons are immeasurable and boundless, this lotus samādhi's profound fruit also grows within them, which is indeed the light of the Tathāgata's universal great wisdom. Regarding "gathering a thousand lightning flashes": just as a single flash of lightning in the world cannot yet be looked at steadily because it dazzles people's eyes, how much more so when immeasurable lightning flashes gather together! This explains the meaning of the garland of light scattering in the four directions with fierce and blazing majesty. When this light radiates from the heart and pervades everywhere, it can pervade all worlds; all sentient beings who are receptive to liberation will have him manifest before them, appearing in forms they delight in seeing, expounding the wonderful Dharma according to their capacities so that they attain deliverance—all true and not in vain. It is like various forms appearing in a clear worldly mirror, yet there is that which it does not illuminate and cannot universally manifest. The mirror of the pure mind is not like this: without obstruction in the ten directions, it fully manifests the dharmadhātu. This is merely borrowed as a metaphor, but in truth nothing can compare to it. When the practitioner sees the syllable A in the circular illumination, he can pervade all directions to perform buddha works, yet he remains quiescent without any activity, just as the moon in water simultaneously manifests in diverse vessels according to their differences. Yet when viewed with wisdom: if the nature of water is not clear, the moon will not appear; though the water is clear and still, if there is no moon, it also cannot appear. Without coming or going, it appears clearly before one, existing solely through the conjunction of conditions. Furthermore, when the moon rises, though it can bring all kinds of things in the four continents to completion and benefit them, it does not form the thought: "I can universally illuminate all things and cause them to grow." The practitioner's contemplation of his own mind is also like this, manifesting diverse images just as the moon does in water. Up to this chapter, the fruit of mantras has been explained; from this chapter onward, the upāyas of practicing to enter realization are explained in succession, beginning from this point. In this, there are also many secret dharmas of sitting, rising, and deportment, which are set forth separately below. Because the holy one kept this sūtra secret, they are not explained clearly in sequence. As described above regarding contemplating the eight petals and the syllable A gateway, this is first used to purify one's own mind so that the flower dais can appear; now, wishing to nourish and flourish it to accomplish the great fruit-retribution, the upāya of contemplating the syllable Vaṃ gateway is further explained. Although entering the syllable A gateway earlier is called fully understanding the nature of the mind, it has not yet attained ultimate manifestation before one; therefore, one further enters the syllable Vaṃ gateway. This is samādhi, which will be used to accomplish the bodhicitta. Just as a worldly lotus depends on water to grow, and without water it will soon wither and rot; the practitioner's bodhicitta is also like this: if the water of samādhi does not irrigate his mind, it also cannot flourish and open. This syllable Vaṃ should be contemplated at the intersection of the four cranial sutures on the crown of the head, causing the front of the syllable to adhere upright on the head; later there is an even more secret contemplation, whose method is also distinct. One contemplates the dot of the syllable as the practitioner's head, and the remainder as the parts of the body and the four limbs. (Question: Does water flow down from the syllable A into other syllables, or not?) Because the practitioner does not yet recognize his own mind, as an upāya to make him recognize it, he first contemplates the lotus. Further, using the water of samādhi to wash and cleanse his mind, when this syllable A is seen clearly and thoroughly, all stains of the six sense faculties are completely purified. Because the six sense faculties are purely clean and unstained, the nature of the mind is unstained like the light of a clear crystal moon; know that this is called "seeing." Seeing is itself accomplishment; accomplishment is itself identity of essence with the dharmadhātu. One should know that this dharmadhātu is originally quiescent, that upon which all sentient beings and worlds rely. Just as sentient beings rely on the world, and further the earth-wheel relies on water, water relies on wind, wind relies on space, and space serves as the reliance for all while having nothing to rely on. The dharmadhātu is also like this: because of the defilement of sentient beings' ignorance, they cannot understand it for themselves; now, because the six sense faculties are purified, they see it clearly. When not yet seeing it, there are further upāyas, which are also in other chapters, and it is not simply contemplating these two syllables. When the practitioner contemplates himself, he further causes the syllables to pervade his limbs and body. When clearly doing this, everything is distinct, and he becomes a vidyādhara. Because he is able to directly employ these syllable gateways for himself, he becomes a vidyādhara-ṛṣi. Furthermore, what is called "seeing" this dharmadhātu is not an attained seeing: because it is free of stains, one can see; this seeing is itself the essence of the dharmadhātu. Just as because a mirror is clean, the myriad images appear on their own, yet it does not form such discriminations as "I can see that, and that is what is seen," nor does it discriminate marks of coming and going; it is seen solely through the conjunction of conditions. All sentient beings are also identical with the essence of this dharmadhātu; when seen like this, this is the mark of siddhi, able to universally manifest physical bodies and display the inexhaustible treasury of adornments. Because the practitioner's mind is pure, he not only fully possesses the bliss of the wondrous heavens, but also attains the subtle bliss of the great nirvāṇa, and also sees the Tathāgata-pada. Pada is the seat of the buddhas (meaning the dwelling place of the buddhas). When seeing as described above, it is not yet called the vision of ultimate accomplishment.