大毘盧遮那成佛經疏 8.5

8.5

經云「作寂然護摩，護摩依法住」者，上言護摩，謂應作此護摩之法。次云護摩者，是誡作法之人。若護摩時，當依法住，故重言之。此中以瑜伽法加持自身，乃至奉請結界等，皆依念誦方便，故云當依法住。「初自中胎藏，至第二之外，於漫荼羅中，作無疑慮心」者，上文密語，以釋迦眷屬院為第二，大壇之外令與中胎藏相當。阿闍梨又在其外，面向漫荼羅，於此二位之中而置火壇。梵文故為密語，云「阿闍梨漫荼羅中作護摩壇」。若不從師受者，多失其旨，或於漫荼羅院中而造作之也。今以灌頂壇，又須正對中胎，可移此壇令稍近南。乃至西南角以來，皆是三位相望，於理無失。不疑慮心，即是息災之意，應一緣不亂作之。若行者住奢字門而觀諸法常寂然，疑悔求盡、蓋障淨除，即是寂然護摩之本意也。作漫荼羅法，取自身肘量縱廣一肘，其深半之，周匝安緣，廣四指節，高亦如是。凡護摩壇，方圓三角隨事業而轉，但此中作法當用方壇耳。瞿摩夷、瞿摸怛囉塗，灑以香水。「中表金剛印」者，謂於鑪內當畫作拔折羅。所以然者？護摩是如來慧火，能燒業因緣所生一切災橫，廓然蕩盡無復遺餘。方壇名大因陀羅，是心王之義，明此慧火之印窮彼源底，從金剛性生，是故同於金剛不可破壞。至下〈世出世護摩品〉中，世尊自廣說因緣。若真言行者但作世諦護摩，不解此中密意，則與韋陀火祀豈不相濫耶？故譯者兼智之名，庶令淺深二釋義用兼舉。

The sūtra says: "Perform the peaceful homa; for the homa, abide in accordance with the Dharma." Above, "homa" refers to the practice of this homa ritual that should be performed. Next, "homa" is said as an admonition to the practitioner. When performing homa, one must abide in accordance with the Dharma, hence it is stated again. Here, empowering one's own body through the method of yoga, up to invoking deities and establishing boundaries, all rely on the upāya of recitation; hence it is said, "abide in accordance with the Dharma." "First, from the Garbhadhātu up to outside the second [enclosure], within the maṇḍala, generate a mind free of doubt and hesitation": this aforementioned esoteric phrase regards the court of Śākyamuni's retinue as the second, placing it outside the great altar aligned with the Garbhadhātu. The ācārya is further outside it, facing the maṇḍala; between these two positions, the fire altar is established. The Sanskrit text intentionally used esoteric phrasing, saying, "In the ācārya's maṇḍala, construct the homa altar." If one does not receive it from a master, one will mostly miss its intent, perhaps constructing it within the enclosures of the maṇḍala. Now, since the consecration (abhiṣeka) altar must directly face the central Garbha, one may shift this altar slightly southward. Up to the southwest corner, these three positions face one another, which is logically without fault. A mind free of doubt and hesitation means the intent of pacifying calamities (śāntika); one should perform it with single-pointed, undistracted focus. If the practitioner abides in the syllable ŚA gateway and contemplates all dharmas as eternally tranquil, seeking the cessation of doubt and remorse and purifying hindrances, this is the original intent of the peaceful homa. As for the method of constructing the maṇḍala: take one cubit (hasta) of one's own forearm for the length and width, half of that for its depth, and place a rim around it four finger-breadths wide and equally high. In general, homa altars vary as square, round, or triangular according to the rite; here, however, the ritual should use a square altar. Smear it with cow dung (gomaya) and cow urine (gomūtra), and sprinkle it with scented water. "The center indicates the vajra seal": this means that within the hearth, one should draw a vajra. Why is this so? Homa is the Tathāgata's fire of wisdom, capable of burning away all disasters and perils produced by karmic causes and conditions, sweeping them entirely clean without residue. The square altar is named Great Indra, which carries the meaning of the mind-king, clarifying that this seal of wisdom-fire plumbs the ultimate source and is born from the vajra-nature; therefore, like the vajra, it is indestructible. Later, in the "Chapter on Worldly and Transcendent Homa," the Bhagavān himself explains the causes and conditions in detail. If a mantra practitioner performs merely a worldly homa without understanding this esoteric meaning, how would it not be confounded with Vedic fire sacrifices? Therefore, the translator also applied the term for wisdom, hoping to present both the shallow and profound interpretations along with their functions.