大毘盧遮那成佛經疏 4.29

4.29

「爾時薄伽梵」以下，世尊偈答。初云「善聽法之相」者，以諸法實相義甚深難見，是故誡令善聽也。夫法常無性，從眾緣生，即是八心之相，越諸戲論。汝欲更於何處求覓無相無為之法耶？故次句云「法離於分別，及一切妄想」等。若了知諸法本無相如是，則照見心之實相，從本初以來常自不生，爾時一切身口意業皆如虛空不可盡，故云「我成最正覺，究竟如虛空」也。然一切愚童凡夫，以不如實知故，邪倒妄執種種境界，所謂「時方諸相貌」等。「樂欲無明覆」，常為愛水所潤、無明所覆。若我捨於方便，直為眾生說如是自證之法，彼等云何悟解而能進趣耶？故偈次明設教之意，云為度彼等故，隨順方便說也。佛意言：我以甚深法相不可直宣說，故以方便力寄此漫荼羅具緣支分，令初業者措心有地所作不空。即以此蒙佛加持，兼得觀察十緣生句故，能不動實相遊戲神通，普觀一切善知識、莊嚴一切諸佛土，不欲令諸行人放捨諸行住於無相，又不令執著諸行住於有相，故云雖說時方所作業，「而實無時方，無作無造者，彼一切諸法，唯住於實相」也。若一切有為之法皆悉住於實相，豈得如彼癡人，或欲逃避虛空、或欲貪著虛空乎？復次阿闍梨於此中廣說《法花經》三車譬喻。如彼長者諸子幼小無知，雖種種善言勸誡欲令出於火難，終不能得。時長者觀彼深心所著唯在嬉戲，即以方便而告之言：「今此門外有三種妙車。汝等當往取之，可自娛樂。」時彼諸子以聞遊戲之名，適其願故，情皆勇銳奔競而出，及其等獲寶乘莊嚴第一，乃非彼等宿心之所圖之。此漫荼羅法門亦復如是，如來以世間因緣事相，擬儀況喻不思議法界，以俯逮群機。若可承攬，便能普門信解勇進修行。及以蒙三密加被，自見心明道時，乃知種種名言皆是如來密號，亦非彼常情之所圖也。如言三月持誦，乃是性淨圓明中三轉方便，豈可但作九旬解耶？又如東方寶幢佛，乃是初發淨菩提心義，豈得但作四方解耶？以此例之，則諸餘法門皆可意領，故云「而實無時方，乃至唯住於實相」也。復次世尊大悲無限，哀愍諸未來世障重根鈍眾生不能頓入法界，故於此深祕藏中，以旋轉總持兼存淺略方便，設於事相之中思惟修習，亦成世間悉地功不唐捐，三密冥資終成佛果。故次偈云「復次祕密主！於當來世時，劣慧諸眾生，以癡愛自蔽，唯依於有相，恒樂於斷常，時方所作業，善不善諸相，盲冥樂求果，不知解此道。為度彼等故，隨順方便說」也。是故傳法之人，當善識根緣又知法門分劑，應病授藥勿使差機。若著相之人，而輒爾為說甚深空義，則令怖畏疑惑增其不信。若利根深智，而輒授以淺略法門，則以為不順無為正道而生輕慢。既於他無益，又自犯三昧耶，故應先住瑜伽觀彼本末因緣。善了知已，當觀此問答中施權顯實之意，散入一切諸方便門而教授之，則能多所饒益，故不生障難也。

From "At that time the Bhagavat" onward is the Bhagavat's verse reply. First, stating "Listen well to the marks of dharmas" is because the meaning of the dharmatā of all dharmas is extremely profound and difficult to see, and therefore he admonishes him to listen well. Now, dharmas are eternally devoid of intrinsic nature and arise from a multitude of conditions; this is the mark of the eight minds, transcending all prapañca. Where else would you seek the unconditioned dharma that is free of marks? Thus the next line says: "Dharmas are free from conceptual differentiation and all false discrimination," and so forth. If one understands that all dharmas are fundamentally devoid of marks in this way, one clearly sees the dharmatā of the mind, which from the beginningless origin has always been unborn of itself; at that time all karmas of body, speech, and mind are like space, inexhaustible, and so it says: "I have attained the most perfect awakening, which is ultimate like space." However, all foolish common persons, because they do not know in accordance with reality, harbor perverse, deluded attachments to various realms, namely "times, directions, and various marks," and so forth. "Overcome by desire and ignorance," they are constantly moistened by the water of craving and covered by ignorance. If I were to abandon upāya and directly explain such a dharma of self-realization for the sake of sentient beings, how could they awaken and understand so as to be able to make progress? Therefore the verses next clarify the intention in establishing the teachings, stating that for the sake of saving them, he speaks in accordance with upāya. The Buddha's meaning is: Because the extremely profound marks of dharmas cannot be directly proclaimed, by the power of upāya I entrust them to this maṇḍala with its requisite components, so that beginners have a ground on which to place their minds and their actions are not in vain. By means of this, receiving the Buddha's adhiṣṭhāna and concurrently coming to contemplate the phrases of the ten conditioned arisings, they can playfully manifest supernormal faculties without moving from dharmatā, universally contemplate all spiritual friends, and adorn all buddha fields. He does not wish practitioners to discard all practices and dwell in the signless, nor does he wish them to cling to all practices and dwell in signs. Therefore it says that although he speaks of the deeds performed according to time and direction, "Yet in reality there are no times or directions, nor any maker or creator; all those dharmas abide solely in dharmatā." If all conditioned dharmas abide entirely in dharmatā, how could one be like that foolish person who either wants to flee from space or wants to greedily cling to space? Furthermore, in this context the ācārya extensively explains the parable of the three carts from the Lotus Sūtra. Just as the elder's sons were young and ignorant, and though he admonished them with various good words wanting them to escape the peril of the fire, it was utterly impossible; at that time, the elder saw that in their deep minds their attachment was solely on playing, and so through an upāya he told them: "Now outside this gate there are three kinds of wonderful carts. You should go take them, and you can amuse yourselves." At that time, because those sons heard the name of play, it suited their wishes, so with eager enthusiasm they vied with one another in rushing out. When they all obtained the precious vehicle, supremely adorned, it was something their past minds had never imagined. This maṇḍala dharma gateway is also like this: the Tathāgata uses worldly conditioned phenomena to delineate and illustrate the inconceivable dharmadhātu, in order to reach down to the capacities of the multitudes. If it is accessible to them, they can then universally believe, understand, and vigorously practice; and when, blessed by the adhiṣṭhāna of the three mysteries, they see the luminous path of their own mind, they then know that the various names and words are all the secret designations of the Tathāgata, something that ordinary sentiments could never have imagined either. For example, when it says reciting for three months, this is the upāya of the three turnings within the naturally pure, fully luminous nature; how could one interpret it merely as ninety days? Again, for example, the Buddha Ratnaketu in the east means the initial arising of the pure bodhicitta; how could one interpret it merely as the eastern direction? Reasoning by this analogy, all the remaining dharma gateways can be grasped by the mind; hence it says: "Yet in reality there are no times or directions [...] they abide solely in dharmatā." Furthermore, the Bhagavat's mahākaruṇā is limitless; pitying the sentient beings of future eras whose obstacles are heavy and faculties dull, unable to suddenly enter the dharmadhātu, he therefore within this profound, secret treasury provides shallow and brief upāya alongside the revolving dhāraṇī, so that if they contemplate and practice among these phenomenal matters, their worldly siddhis will also be achieved and their efforts not in vain, and with the secret aid of the three mysteries they will ultimately achieve buddhahood. Therefore the next verse says: "Furthermore, Lord of Secrets! In future times, sentient beings of inferior wisdom, self-shrouded by folly and craving, rely solely on signs, constantly delighting in annihilation and permanence. The deeds performed according to time and direction, the various marks of good and unwholesome, they blindly and dimly delight in seeking the fruits thereof, not knowing or understanding this path. For the sake of saving them, I speak in accordance with upāya." Therefore, one who transmits the Dharma should skillfully recognize the capacities and conditions, know the bounds of the dharma gateways, and prescribe medicine according to the illness so as not to misjudge the capacity. If one hastily speaks the profound meaning of emptiness to someone attached to signs, it will cause fear, doubt, and an increase in their lack of faith. If one hastily confers shallow and brief dharma gateways upon those of sharp faculties and deep wisdom, they will consider them not in accord with the unconditioned correct path and give rise to disdain. Since this brings no benefit to others and also breaches samaya oneself, one should first abide in yoga and contemplate their root-and-branch causes and conditions. Having thoroughly understood them, one should contemplate the intention of presenting the provisional to reveal the real in this dialogue, disperse into all gates of upāya, and instruct them; then it can bring great benefit, so that no obstacles or difficulties will arise.