[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [大毘盧遮那成佛經疏](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1796) › [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1796~en-mt) › 11.17 # 大毘盧遮那成佛經疏 11.17 English (machine translation) 11.17 - **Language:** English ### [11.17](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1796~en-mt.11.17) The sūtra says: "The four quarters are fully bounded." This has two meanings: it means that the altar is made exactly square, and also that the vajra mudrā is made in four directions, directly facing the four quarters. It says: "With one door and an entryway, / Connected with vajra fangs, / Harmonized with the vajra knot." As for the "vajra knot," just as vajras are placed all around as described above, mutually linked section by section, that is the meaning of the vajra knot. Placing one door together with its margin (the margin is, as explained above, an open pathway left empty as the outer border), "harmonized" means that this door is harmonized according to the endeavor: the door for superior accomplishment faces east, for middling accomplishment faces north and west, and for inferior accomplishment faces south. That the boundary vajras are mutually linked also represents the vajra meaning. As for "At each door are two guardians, / Impassable, facing each other, / \[…\] With vermilion eyes and wrathful forms": as the objects of accomplishment are produced, they are the supreme guardians. Because guarding the door is essential, these are the "Glory hard to behold, / Guardians facing each other at the doors" described above. Each form is a mudrā (the mudrās are explained below); both are red and white, displaying extremely wrathful forms. As for "Diligently draw at the corners / The blazing flame mudrā of the śūla," this refers to the single-pronged vajra; wherever there are corners, place them, having luminous flames. As for "In the center, an exquisite vajra seat, / Directly aligned with the cardinal directions, / Upon which is a great lotus / Blooming with eight petals, filaments, and anthers," in the very center of the maṇḍala, place a crossed karma-vajra seat, making it exactly square (made directly facing the four quarters); upon it make a great lotus with eight petals and anthers (made upon the vajra); this is the vajra seat, hence it says "identical to the vajra." As for "One should bind Vajrapāṇi’s / Wisdom mudrā of the vajra," this means one should bind Vajrapāṇi's five-pronged vajra mudrā; hence it is called the vajra-samādhi wisdom vajra mudrā. As for "Bow one's head to all buddhas," this means performing the protection of the substance and making it pure at that place. When bowing, one should generate the vast compassionate vows as described above. As for "Repeatedly make firm vows," this means one vows and directs one's mind, making vast and universal vows not for oneself, but for the sake of all sentient beings to accomplish this substance, praying that the power of adhiṣṭhāna will bring swift accomplishment, so that through this accomplishment one can benefit all sentient beings. As for "One should protect and sustain this place, / And purify the various substances," there are indeed many procedures for this, found in the expanded texts. Whenever gathering substances, one must understand the sequence of ritual procedures. For seeking and gathering them oneself, there are also standard rituals; even for performing protection, purification, and washing, there are sequential ritual practices. These are not fully detailed here and should be inquired into further (or perhaps the Susiddhi and other texts may be used in common). As for "Reciting throughout this night, / Pure and unimpeded," there are signs of accomplishment that are inferior, middling, and superior. If one achieves unimpeded accomplishment: superior accomplishment has three signs in succession—namely, warmth is produced in the first watch of the night, smoke arises in the middle watch, and flames burst forth at the fifth watch; middling accomplishment has two signs—namely, omitting the bursting of flames; inferior accomplishment has one sign—namely, only the production of warmth. "In succession" means progressing from lesser to greater, from warmth to flames, and so on. Once accomplishment is attained, as for "The mantrin takes it oneself / And roams in the great emptiness," one may consume it, smear it, or apply it as a tilaka, thereby freely roaming among all buddha realms, from one to the next. As for "Dwelling in longevity with great majesty," one directly attains a lifespan of immeasurable kalpas, with majesty and sovereignty. As for "Sovereignty over birth and death," it is because one attains various sovereignties over birth and death. Such a person is called a true son of the Buddha (walking upon the summit of the world means treading on the summit of the world). Once the substance is accomplished, one protects one's own body, protects the deity, and protects the substance with the vajra mudrā, and only then takes it and divides it into five portions: for the master, the previously accomplished ṛṣis, one's companions, oneself, and the Buddha. That substance is used according to the needs of sentient beings and the Three Jewels. For the previously accomplished substance, if a ṛṣi comes to take it, one should give it to him; if none comes to take it, divide it into two portions: give one to one's companion and keep one for oneself. For the master's portion, if the master is in another place, one should keep it in trust, waiting until he arrives to give it to him; if the master is no longer alive, one should generate merit on his behalf based on what arose through him. Swords and the like are not divided, but one also marks them mentally as portions. From beginning to end, one always uses the vajra to protect oneself, protect the substance, and so on up to taking it. As for "Walking upon the summit of the world, / Manifesting various physical bodies," this means performing great buddha-activities for the sake of sentient beings. There are also procedures for offering the substance, namely presenting it. - [Previous: 11.16](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1796~en-mt.11.16) - [Next: 11.18](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1796~en-mt.11.18) - [Up: 11](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1796~en-mt.11) ## Linked texts (1) - [大毘盧遮那成佛經疏](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1796.11.17) — Classical Chinese --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1796~en-mt.11.17](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1796~en-mt.11.17) · Pramāṇa