大毘盧遮那成佛經疏 11.12

11.12

Next, he explains the division of four places within the Buddha's mind. The mantra begins by stating, "Homage to all Tathāgatas." In the next phrase, "manifold gateways," *viśva* has the meaning of "manifold" and also the meaning of "skillful." *Mukhebhyaḥ* has the meaning of "gateways"; that is, the gateways of skillful conversion through displaying manifold wondrous wisdom-actions via universal gateways. *Sarvathā* means "in every way"; it does not merely mean paying homage with body and speech, but rather paying homage completely with all three karmic modes, just as within the bodily manifestation, each and every part of the inner and outer body pays universal homage to all Tathāgatas. Next is the essence of the mantra: *a* (short), *ā* (long and drawn out), *aṃ*, *aḥ*. The meaning of these four syllables has already been explained. "Pervading from this, the mind of the fully and perfectly awakened one" (this is an inverted phrasing)—it pervades from this. "At once, all sound-gateways of the dharmadhātu [emerge] from the insignia-sounds of the fully and perfectly awakened one": that is, from the four virtues of this mantra, it pervades the minds of all Tathāgatas. Just as from one syllable arise two syllables, from two syllables arise four syllables, from four syllables arise eight, and from eight arise sixteen, in this way unfolding endlessly. Yet the first syllable is identical to the second syllable, and the second syllable is likewise identical to the third, being equal and without distinction. These four syllables are the authentic foundational essence of this entire scripture; all secret storehouses are born from them—they are the very mind of Vairocana Buddha. As for these insignia-sounds mutually emitting sounds: as mentioned above, from the one arise four, and from the four arise immeasurable syllables and sounds pervading the dharmadhātu, each syllable and sound mutually emitting sounds. From within this one syllable's sound, all other syllables' sounds emerge, and other syllables do likewise; this is the Tathāgata's insignia-function. These inconceivable sounds mutually penetrate, manifesting the immeasurable virtues of all Tathāgatas, both self and other. From within a single sound, immeasurable manifold sounds, phrases, and meanings each emerge; therefore it is said, "and they mutually emit sounds." "The bodhisattvas, having seen and heard this, attained what they had never had before"; hence it is called rare. "Opening wide their eyes": when the mind is in samādhi, the eyes are neither open nor closed. Now, seeing this matter and marveling at what they had never experienced, they open their eyes wide. My own personal reflection is that just as an unopened lotus blossoms due to sunlight, so too the eyes and minds of these bodhisattvas open due to the Buddha's adhiṣṭhāna-manifestation. "Emitting sweet and wondrous voices, before the Omniscient One who is free from fever, they spoke a verse, saying": that is, before the possessor of sarvajñajñāna who is free from the fever of afflictions, they praised him. "Marvelous is the mantra practice, capable of possessing vast wisdom!": they praise this mantra practice as exceedingly marvelous, for it can manifest four virtues from the Tathāgata's mind, and from these each emit immeasurable, inconceivable, secret, and wondrous sounds that pervade the dharmadhātu, each sound moreover mutually emitting all sounds without duality or difference, yet having distinct functions to accomplish the Buddha's work. This manifests that the Tathāgata's secret dharmakāya, the storehouse of wondrous adornment, possesses immeasurable adornments of merit; hence the phrase "capable of possessing vast wisdom." This wisdom has no boundaries, like the great void universally containing all phenomena; hence it is called "vast." Therefore, this vast wisdom is peerless wisdom, incomparable wisdom. By virtue of this wisdom-phrase, it can cause one to achieve Buddhahood. "If this pervades": that is, pervading all worlds by means of this mantra—this is precisely the syllable *A* gateway. "One accomplishes Buddhahood, the Two-Footed Honored One": within the mantra syllables, by means of this wondrous sound pervading the worlds, it can cause those who hear it to be definitively established in unexcelled bodhi; hence it says "accomplishes Buddhahood, the Two-Footed Honored One." "Therefore, be diligent and vigorous; regarding the heart of the Buddhas' speech, constantly cultivate it without interruption, purifying the mind and freeing it from the self": there are two kinds of diligence—the upper diligence is vigor without interruption, and the lower diligence is constant cultivation without interruption, because the Sanskrit terms are distinct. That is, regarding this heart of the mantra spoken by all Tathāgatas—which is the four syllables above—it encourages sentient beings that regarding the heart of the mantra thus spoken, they should diligently study the phrases without interruption, and constantly purify their minds by means of this. "Purifying" means purifying all karmic delusions and obstructions, both internal and external. "Freeing from the self" means becoming free from the two selves of persons and phenomena. One should know that this mind is the Buddha's mind, and the Buddha's mind is the mantra heart. "Then the Bhagavat again spoke this Dharma-phrase: In the mind of the fully and perfectly awakened one, one achieves siddhi": the previous chapter already explained worldly siddhi, guiding the practitioner to arrive at world-transcending siddhi; for this reason, he explains here using the Buddha's mind to perform the work of world-transcending siddhi. The Buddha's mind refers to the four syllables of the mantra above; whichever syllable one takes to practice with, all succeed. Practicing this to bear fruit, one will attain the fruit that transcends the world. The mind of the fully and perfectly awakened one is the mantra heart. One who wishes to achieve this siddhi must first choose a location. "Gardens and groves" refers to places where people plant, cultivate, and graft gardens. If it forms naturally without planting, it is an open wilderness, not a grove. "Monastery" is *vihāra*, translated into Chinese as "dwelling place." "Caves" are natural stone caves in mountains, or those excavated by human labor. Or again, a place pleasing to the practitioner's mind—one may also cultivate the path in it. If explained according to the esoteric sense, "gardens and groves" refers to the great bodhicitta: this place is vast and open, with nothing it does not contain; relying on this to cultivate the path is the foremost and supreme place. "Dwelling" refers to the four brahmavihāras, or it is said to be mahākaruṇā, because all bodhisattvas always delight in dwelling therein. "Cave" refers to a secluded and tranquil place; that is, the cave of profound dhyāna-samādhi, in which the lion king of beasts also dwells. "A place pleasing to the mind" means, according to the suitable time among all Dharma gateways, focusing the mind and practicing in accordance with each individual gateway—namely, the six pāramitās and so forth, as explained in the *Prajñāpāramitā*, cultivating within them as one's mind pleases. "Contemplate that bodhicitta, up to its initial abiding, without giving rise to doubts or anxieties": that is, using the mind to contemplate one's own bodhicitta, which is the primary practice of world-transcending siddhi. Abiding in this without extraneous conditions is samādhi. Because one is constantly self-aware in this contemplation, all webs of doubt will gradually be cleared away, until arriving at the state of no doubt where no doubts arise; this is true abiding in bodhicitta. At that time, when manifold signs appear, do not harbor doubts or anxieties, and one will gradually see the true suchness. However, when practicing here, there are broadly two stages: the first is the non-samāhita stage, and [the second] is the samāhita stage (translated as *dengyin* [equipoise]). Before achievement, there must first be the signs of achievement; up to when achievement is about to occur, there are also signs of impending achievement: these are all the non-samāhita stage. When one first attains worldly siddhi, the consecrated medicines and so forth all have inconceivable power and function, extending even to the ability to roam the Buddha lands; these are signs prior to achievement, yet one attains such verifiable inconceivable phenomena. The mind gains firm faith and increases in excellence, gaining entry into the stage of equipoise. When the practitioner initially cultivates the skillful means of world-transcending contemplation, he first contemplates the principal deity; having contemplated well based on a painted image, at first he attains clarity with closed eyes, and thereafter he gradually sees with open eyes as well, appearing distinctly clear without obscurity: this is the not-yet-equipoised state. If, because of attaining such results, his mind redoubles in faith and joy, his mind becomes pure through this faith, and gradually he does not grasp at them, the mind being non-dual; this non-duality is also eliminated, leaving no views of distinction between middle and extremes. Dispelling all mental conditions, the myriad dharmas are equal; at that time, it is named the sign of samāpatti. Although one has not yet attained siddhi when the manifold signs appear, because of this one can gradually attain it; therefore, it is called the not-yet-equipoised stage (my personal reflection: this is like the worldly threshold concentration). "Taking whichever single mind, placing mind upon mind, one realizes the utterly pure phrase; undefiled, stable, and immovable, non-conceptualizing like a mirror, appearing extremely subtle before one. If one constantly contemplates, cultivates, and accords with it, up to the image of the principal deity and of one's own body all appearing": when one has first contemplated the principal deity and it appears clearly, one takes any one among the four syllables and places it on the principal deity's heart; this is what the scripture calls "according with the mind." That is, placing this syllable of the Buddha's mind upon the principal deity's heart ("taking the mind" means taking the syllable of the Buddha's mind; "placing on the Buddha's heart" is called "giving to the mind"). One takes any mantra heart and visualizes placing the heart mantra on the principal deity's heart. Or, one's own body becomes the principal deity, and one places the heart syllable upon the heart; hence it says "placing mind upon mind," and so forth. When contemplating in this way, one performs the contemplation of utmost purity and freedom from defilement, because the mind of all principal deities is always thus. When contemplating purity in this way, because one does not relate to external conditions, one abides stably and immovably; not conceptualizing the characteristics of any phenomena and not giving rise to false thoughts, at that time one corresponds with the contemplation of the Buddha samādhi and the like, just as a clear-eyed person faces a bright mirror. The "mirror" here is the contemplation of the circular, bright, pure, and undefiled state upon the principal deity's heart. "Extremely subtle" means that when first contemplating the bīja syllable, one makes it extremely fine and small, because it is the heart bīja. Having previously contemplated and seen the form of the principal deity, one contemplates this bright, pure mirror upon the principal deity's heart; this syllable is within the mirror, and when one contemplates this syllable single-mindedly, within it one comes to see the true form of the principal deity, and also sees one's own body within the circle; this is still the sign of the not-yet-equipoised state. Abiding solely in this single realm without being shaken by defilements and obstructions, because one constantly cultivates like this, when one's own reflection appears, upon the heart there are also the bright circle and the syllable. At the time of initial contemplation, whenever one sees a single syllable, the three matters appear naturally. Later, one sees the principal deity upon the bright circle in the heart, and upon the principal deity's bright circle one again sees one's own body; thus they illuminate each other without obstruction. This is called reflection siddhi; this too is the non-equipoised stage.