大毘盧遮那成佛經疏 8.6

8.6

經云「師位之右方，護摩具支分」者，假令大漫荼羅門向西開，火壇當在大壇西，阿闍梨又在火壇之西，東面而坐。諸護摩所用具緣支分，當在師位之南也。護摩薪當用乳木，謂桑穀之類。或用牛膝莖截之，劑十二指量，皆須濕潤新採者，取其條理端直，當觀上下一向置之，以香水灑淨，令根本向身。若欲燃時，當於乳酪蘇蜜之中搵其兩頭擲置鑪內。或以沈水香，量長四節麁如拇指，搵蘇合香，作一百八遍，用之尤善。其應漫荼羅中所獻諸食及香花等，各各取之，用辨事真言如法灑淨置於座右。其閼伽器當置左邊。所獻諸食，當用蘇酪等調和共置一器。及諸五穀，亦以蘇油等潤之和合一處，置於別器皆令素辨。若作深祕釋者，此護摩支分是眾因緣義，由此因緣能生三有災患。今還以此為慧火之資，供養一切普門身，增益不思議勢力。經云「煩惱為薪，智慧為火，以是因緣成涅槃飯，令諸弟子悉皆甘嗜。」即是義也。又為弟子作法時，於阿闍梨北邊，籍以生茅，使蹲踞而坐。阿闍梨亦當坐於茅座，不得加以床褥之類也。然受用生茅略有三義：一者其性潔淨離處樂觸，可以蠲除行者昏怠恣慢之心。二者此是吉祥草，世尊以為敷坐而證菩提，是故能除一切諸障。三者以此吉祥茅表慧性也。此草兩邊多有利刺，若坐臥執持無方便者反為所傷，若順手將護之則不能為害。一切諸法亦如是，若順諦理觀之一切塵勞皆有性淨之用，若失方便則能損壞智身，故以為法門表像也。若於大石上作漫荼羅，或重閣上不可穿掘作鑪者，當用彩色畫之，極令分明嚴麗，便可充用，是名略作護摩處。若室中造漫荼羅隘迮者，當出外於望見道場處如法作鑪。鑪四面皆當周匝布以生茅皆令右旋，次第皆令相壓而出其頭，餘如〈護摩品〉中所說。又當周匝廣厚勿令露地，遍以香水灑之，當用成辨諸事加持，以上文所說灑地真言也。此中護摩行法，凡阿闍梨初於漫荼羅中供養持誦竟，次當出外而作火法。東向在吉祥座先取乳木乾薪置於鑪中，用蘇灑上燃之，後置濕薪，用辨事真言去垢辟除并灑淨已，當住瑜伽，以火天之種子轉作火尊，在三角漫荼羅中，如下品中所示十二火尊隨取其一事業相應者。既相應已，當觀火尊之身與己身無二無別，如火尊者，當知火漫荼羅亦然。當觀三處皆同一相，然後以火天真言而奉請之。蘇悉地云「欲奉請時先作是言：『我今奉請火天之首、天中之仙，梵行所宗敬者，唯願降臨此處受納護摩。』」次說火天真言曰：

The sūtra says: "To the right of the master's seat are the implements and requisites for homa." Suppose the gate of the great maṇḍala opens to the west: the fire altar should be to the west of the great altar, and the ācārya should be to the west of the fire altar, seated facing east. All requisites and implements used for the homa should be to the south of the master's seat. For homa firewood, one should use milky wood, such as mulberry or paper mulberry. Or cut stems of Achyranthes aspera (niúxī) to a measure of twelve finger-breadths; all must be moist and freshly gathered, choosing straight and well-formed branches. One should inspect their top and bottom, aligning them uniformly, sprinkle them clean with scented water, and have their base ends face oneself. When about to burn them, dip both ends into milk curds, clarified butter (ghṛta), and honey, and cast them into the hearth. Or use aloeswood, measuring four knuckles in length and as thick as a thumb, dipped in storax (suhéxiāng), performing this one hundred and eight times, which is especially good. Take each of the various food offerings, incense, flowers, and so forth meant for the maṇḍala, sprinkle them clean with the ritual-accomplishing mantra in accordance with the Dharma, and place them to the right of the seat. The argha vessel should be placed on the left side. For the offered foods, mix them together with clarified butter, curds, and the like in one vessel. The five grains should also be moistened with clarified butter, oil, and the like, combined in one place, and arranged in a separate vessel, all prepared plainly and properly. If interpreted according to the profound and esoteric meaning, these homa requisites signify the manifold causes and conditions; through these causes and conditions, the disasters and perils of the three realms of existence arise. Now, these are returned to serve as fuel for the fire of wisdom, offering them to all universal-gate bodies and augmenting inconceivable power. A sūtra says: "Afflictions are the firewood, wisdom is the fire; through these causes and conditions, the meal of nirvāṇa is prepared, causing all disciples to relish it." This is the meaning. Moreover, when performing the ritual for disciples, spread fresh kuśa grass to the north of the ācārya and have them squat or sit. The ācārya should also sit on a grass seat, and must not use couches, mats, or the like. Taking and using fresh kuśa grass has roughly three meanings: First, its nature is pure and free from luxurious comfort, which can eliminate the practitioner's torpor, indolence, and arrogance. Second, this is auspicious grass (kuśa), which the Bhagavān used as a seat upon which he realized bodhi; therefore, it can eliminate all obstacles. Third, this auspicious kuśa represents the nature of wisdom. This grass has many sharp prickles on both sides; if one sits, lies, or grasps it without skillful means (upāya), one will instead be harmed by it, but if handled with care following its grain, it cannot harm. All dharmas are likewise: if contemplated in accord with the true reality, all defilements possess the function of inherent purity; but if skillful means are lost, they can damage the wisdom-body. Therefore, it serves as a symbol for this Dharma-door. If constructing the maṇḍala upon a large rock or in an upper storey where one cannot dig to make a hearth, one should paint it with colored pigments, making it extremely clear, majestic, and beautiful, and it will serve the purpose; this is called the abbreviated homa site. If the maṇḍala constructed inside a room is cramped, one should go outside to a place where the bodhimanda can be seen and make the hearth according to the ritual. Around all four sides of the hearth, lay fresh kuśa grass clockwise in circles, each overlapping the next with their tips pointing outward; the rest is as explained in the "Chapter on Homa." Furthermore, make it broad and thick all around so that no bare ground is exposed, sprinkle it thoroughly with scented water, and empower it with the ritual-accomplishing mantra, which is the earth-sprinkling mantra mentioned above. In this homa practice, after the ācārya has initially performed offerings and recitation in the maṇḍala, he should next go outside to perform the fire ritual. Facing east on the auspicious seat, he first places dry firewood of milky wood into the hearth, sprinkles clarified butter on it, and ignites it; afterwards, he puts in moist firewood. Having removed impurities, dispelled hindrances, and sprinkled it clean with the ritual-accomplishing mantra, he should abide in yoga and transform the bīja of the fire deity into the Fire Deity within a triangular maṇḍala, selecting whichever of the twelve fire deities shown in the lower chapter corresponds to the rite. Once aligned, he should contemplate the body of the Fire Deity as non-dual and undivided from his own body; as is the Fire Deity, one should know that the fire maṇḍala is likewise. One should contemplate that these three places share the identical characteristic, and then invoke him with the fire deity mantra. The Susiddhi says: "When wishing to invoke, first speak these words: 'I now invoke the chief of fire deities, the rishi among the gods, whom those of pure conduct revere; may you descend to this place and accept the homa.'" Next, the fire deity mantra is spoken: