大毘盧遮那成佛經疏 15.14

15.14

前問灌頂幾種，今次答之。佛子善聽者，准梵本正語當具慇懃諦聽。何以上來諸問不言善聽，至此方說耶？然餘法若不善聽致有妄失，其過猶小；若灌頂不成，則不合聞真言及印等，此日不得作，此過尤大，故慇懃戒之也。譬如世間剎利之種，謂欲紹其繼嗣，令王種不斷故，為其嫡子而作灌頂。取四大海水，以四寶瓶盛之，種種嚴飾。又嚴飾子身，眾物咸備。又飾大象，於象背上持瓶，令太子坐於壇中。所統畢集，於象牙上水令流注太子之頂。灌此水已，大聲三唱：「汝等當知，太子已受位竟。自今以後所有教勅皆當奉行。」今如來法王亦復如是，為令佛種不斷故，以甘露法水而灌佛子之頂，令佛種求不斷故。為順世法故，有此方便印持之法。從此以後一切聖眾咸所敬仰，亦知是人畢竟不退於無上菩提，定紹法王之位，諸有所作真言身印瑜伽等業皆不敢違越也。然灌頂有三種：一者但以印法作之，離諸作業，此是入祕密漫荼羅。謂有弟子誠心慇重，深樂真言行志求大乘，然資力乏少，若令一一具求眾事，反當於道有礙。如是之人，師當深起慈心，觀彼心行而攝引之。然但得為此人而作之，不得多為人作。何以故？恐彼資力能辦者生怠慢心，而不盡心，損眾德本故。作時，隨力令辦少供供養三寶，此第一最勝，謂本尊身語意三合為一，三俱淨故，以此印印之，此最勝也。師祕受其真言手印之類也（初但以手印二俱具法事三，在三昧灌頂也）。二者以作事業而灌頂者，即是師及弟子皆先作事業也。謂先令弟子七日以來誠心禮悔之類，師亦於七日以來為其持誦祕求感應。及令辦諸供養物香花之類，緣壇所須一一令作。然此之灌頂與前者不殊，但以有資力故，令盡其所有，於諸佛海會之中而作無盡供養。由此因緣，福施之果不可窮盡，故須勸彼令具作也。三者但以心而作灌頂。如是灌頂不擇時、不擇方，謂向東設位或向南等皆得也。由此弟子已修真言之行，於祕密藏中有所堪任，令師心悅，此又最勝也。師弟子俱得瑜伽，以心灌頂，猶如摩頂受記也。又能盡心承奉其師，於種種善事無有違越，以是因緣令尊歡喜，故為作心想灌頂。其灌頂法也，瑜伽阿闍梨先入淨室而住三昧，如前所說以身四分作四重漫荼羅位，亦如毘盧遮那所現之方位一一無異也。如是作已，以祕密加持故，令彼弟子先在外而待命者，自然而得金剛手威神加持引之令入，亦自然而解作印等一一如法。既入室已，以金剛手所加持故，現覩漫荼羅諸尊之位宛然現前，一一本尊尊形及印字等亦悉明了。爾時行者復以加持力故，手中自然蒙授妙花，而以供養大眾。隨所墮本尊之處，其尊即起，以妙音聲而安慰之為作攝授。爾時本尊取一一大會諸尊處甘露三昧之水，而為彼弟子現前灌頂。爾時阿闍梨但坐一處而入三昧寂然不動，而能成就如是勝事也。令尊歡喜相應，謂承事本尊，本尊歡喜。以行者現前而為灌頂。以遍數及行具作故也，承事念誦令尊歡喜。現前說法，如所說而作之也，准前例之。如弟子能事師令歡喜，師為灌頂教授也。

The previous question asked how many kinds of abhiṣeka there are, which is now answered next. 'Sons of the Buddha, listen well': according to the correct Sanskrit wording, one must listen attentively and carefully with earnest devotion. Why did the various preceding questions not say 'listen well,' and only say it upon reaching this point? It is because if other dharmas are not listened to well, leading to errors and oversights, the fault is still small; but if an abhiṣeka is not accomplished, one is not permitted to hear the mantras, seals, and so forth, and this may not be performed on this day—this fault is especially grave, hence he earnestly admonishes them. For example, in the case of the worldly kṣatriya clan: wishing to perpetuate their succession and ensure that the royal lineage is not broken, they perform an abhiṣeka for the eldest legitimate son. They take water from the four great oceans, hold it in four precious vases, and adorn them in various ways. They also adorn the son's body, fully equipping him with all items. They also adorn a great elephant, carry the vases on the elephant's back, and seat the prince within the maṇḍala. Those whom he governs assemble completely, and water is caused to pour onto the crown of the prince's head over the elephant's tusks. Having sprinkled this water, they proclaim aloud three times: 'You all should know that the prince has already received his accession. From this day forward, all his commands must be respectfully carried out.' Now, the Tathāgata, the Dharma King, is also like this: wishing to ensure that the Buddha lineage is not broken, he sprinkles the nectar-water of the Dharma onto the crown of the head of the son of the Buddha, seeking that the Buddha lineage not be severed. To accord with worldly dharma, there is this method of sealing and sustaining through upāya. From this time onward, all the holy assembly reveres and respects him, and also knows that this person will ultimately not regress from unsurpassed bodhi, is certain to succeed to the station of the Dharma King, and will not dare to transgress any performed actions of mantra, bodily mudrā, yoga, and so forth. However, there are three kinds of abhiṣeka: First is performing it solely through the mudrā method, devoid of various ritual actions; this is entering the secret maṇḍala. That is to say, there is a disciple whose sincere mind is earnest and deep, who takes profound delight in mantra practice and aspires to seek the Mahāyāna, yet their material resources are scarce; if one were to require them to fully procure all items one by one, it would conversely hinder the Path. For such a person, the ācārya should deeply give rise to a compassionate mind, observe their mental practice, and receive and guide them. However, one may only perform it for this [kind of] person, and may not perform it for many people. Why? For fear that those with material resources capable of providing [them] might give rise to lax and arrogant thoughts and fail to exert their utmost mind, thereby impairing their roots of manifold virtues. When performing it, in accordance with their capacity, one has them prepare a small offering to venerate the Three Jewels. This first one is the most supreme, meaning that the principal deity's three—body, speech, and mind—are united into one, and because the three are all purified, sealing them with this mudrā is the most supreme. The ācārya secretly confers upon them the mantras, hand mudrās, and the like (initially relying solely on hand mudrās, both possessing the ritual actions of the three, it is an abhiṣeka in samādhi). Second is receiving abhiṣeka through performing ritual actions, which means that both the ācārya and the disciple first perform ritual actions. That is to say, one first causes the disciple to sincerely prostrate, repent, and the like for seven days, and the ācārya also recites for them for seven days, secretly seeking a sympathetic response. And one causes them to prepare various offering items such as incense and flowers, having them prepare each and every thing required for the altar. However, this abhiṣeka is not distinct from the former, but because they possess material resources, one causes them to exhaust all they have to make inexhaustible offerings within the vast ocean-assembly of all Buddhas. Due to this cause and condition, the fruit of the bestowal of merit cannot be exhausted; therefore one must encourage them to prepare everything fully. Third is performing abhiṣeka solely by means of the mind. Such an abhiṣeka chooses neither time nor direction—meaning establishing the seat facing east or facing south and so forth are all permissible. Because this disciple has already cultivated the practice of mantras and is competent within the secret storehouse, causing the ācārya's mind to be pleased, this again is the most supreme. Both ācārya and disciple attain yoga, receiving abhiṣeka by means of the mind, just like having the crown of the head stroked to receive a prophecy. Furthermore, they are able to serve their ācārya with all their heart, without transgressing in manifold wholesome deeds; because of this cause and condition, they cause the deity to rejoice, and therefore the ācārya performs the mental-visualization abhiṣeka for them. As for the method of this abhiṣeka: the yoga ācārya first enters a pure room and abides in samādhi; as previously explained, using the four divisions of the body, he creates the fourfold maṇḍala stations, also exactly without difference from the positions manifested by Vairocana. Having performed this, by means of secret adhiṣṭhāna, he causes that disciple who previously waited outside awaiting orders to naturally obtain the adhiṣṭhāna of Vajrapāṇi's awesome spiritual power, leading them to enter, and naturally to understand how to form the mudrās and so forth, each in accordance with the Dharma. Having entered the room, because of Vajrapāṇi's adhiṣṭhāna, the positions of the various deities of the maṇḍala clearly appear directly before them, and the bodily form, mudrā, and syllables of each individual principal deity are also completely distinct. At that time, the practitioner, again by the power of adhiṣṭhāna, is naturally bestowed wondrous flowers in their hands to offer to the great assembly. At whichever location of a deity the flower falls, that deity immediately arises, consoles them with a wondrous voice, and receives and gathers them. At that time, the principal deity takes the nectar-samādhi water from the location of each deity in the great assembly and directly confers abhiṣeka upon that disciple. At that time, the ācārya merely sits in one place, enters samādhi, and remains silently unmoving, yet is able to accomplish such supreme matters. 'Causing the deity to rejoice in correspondence' means serving the principal deity so that the principal deity rejoices, directly conferring abhiṣeka upon the practitioner. Because the number of repetitions and the practices have been fully performed, serving and reciting causes the deity to rejoice. Manifesting directly to teach the Dharma, one performs it as taught; it should be modeled on the preceding cases. Just as a disciple is able to serve the ācārya to cause him to rejoice, the ācārya confers abhiṣeka and instruction upon him.