大毘盧遮那成佛經疏 18.13

18.13

"At that time, Vairocana Buddha observed the great assembly and taught the unfailing siddhi. At that time, Vairocana the World-Honoured One observed the great gathering and spoke the unfailing teaching, fulfilling everything according to inclinations. Sovereign of mantras, king of mantras, guide of mantras endowed with great majesty, abiding in the three samayas, because it fulfills the three dharmas (this state of abiding is like sitting, lying down, or standing when riding in a chariot), with exquisite speech he addressed the mighty Vajrapāṇi, saying: 'O diligent hero, listen single-mindedly! The guide of mantras of all mantras, immediately abiding in the samādhi of the arising of wisdom, according to inclinations, the sovereign of all mantras, king of mantras, guide of mantras of great majesty spoke; because the three samayas are fulfilled, he addressed [him] saying.'" The above is the text of the sūtra. Although various upāyas of mantras have been spoken above, they were not yet complete, and therefore they are spoken further. The reason he observed the great assembly once more to discern their mental capacities was that throughout this assembly everyone was truly capable of being a vessel for the Dharma; thus he spoke it again for them. Furthermore, in order to empower them with inconceivable divine power so that they would obtain the power of the Dharma and be capable of hearing this exquisite Dharma, he observed them. The mantras have already been explained extensively above. This is the syllable AṂ, the heart of all mantras and the foremost of all mantras; one should know that this is indeed the mantra of the unfailing teaching. "Unfailing" means that whenever all sentient beings see, hear, touch, or know it, none passes in vain; all are assured of reaching unexcelled bodhi, hence it is called unfailing. Furthermore, it can fulfill all their wholesome vows, up to and including the great bodhicitta vows of sentient beings, just as a great wish-fulfilling jewel atop a high banner satisfies all; hence it is called unfailing. "Sovereign of all mantras" means that just as the Tathāgata is the king of all dharmas and is sovereign in dharmas, this mantra is likewise sovereign among all mantras. For this reason, it is also called the king of mantras. It is also called the guide of mantras: just as many people entering the ocean rely on a guide so that they advance, obtain a great hoard of treasures, and return to enjoy them, this king of mantras is likewise the guide of all mantras. The guide of mantras is indeed the savior of the world, meaning that this mantra is identical to the Buddha. Furthermore, it possesses great majesty; the Tathāgata's sovereign, secret, and supernormal powers all arise from this. If a practitioner is able to practice according to the Dharma, they will likewise become identical to this mantra and obtain these qualities. "Seated in the three samayas" refers to the three samayas of body, speech, and mind: speech is the mantra, body is the mudrā, and mind is the deity (the meaning of "seat" should be asked about further); here it is understood to be the vajrāsana. "Fulfillment of the three dharmas" refers to principle, practice, and fruit. The teaching is what has been spoken above; now, under this teaching, these three dharmas are fulfilled completely and without remainder. The Buddha emitted an exquisite voice and addressed Vajrapāṇi: "I speak this Dharma; you, mighty hero, listen single-mindedly!" It should have been spoken earlier in the chapter on mantras; why was it not spoken then, but only here? It was to bewilder those who merely search through the scripture text. If the Buddha possesses great compassion, why did he not speak it plainly instead of bewildering sentient beings? The answer is: It was not out of stinginess. It is merely that in the world there are treatises-masters who, with their own sharp faculties of discrimination, explain the characteristics of dharmas by the power of intellect and penetrate the written words, yet out of arrogance do not rely on an ācārya, rashly searching the scriptures with the intent to practice on their own. Yet this Dharma is subtle and wondrous; if one does not rely on a clear guide, one will never succeed. Moreover, it was feared that practicing errantly would harm both oneself and others. If the text is concealed and interwoven so that they cannot attain understanding merely through their own intellect, they will abandon arrogance and rely on an ācārya. For this reason, causes and conditions for destroying the Dharma will not arise; hence it had to be so. When the Buddha was about to speak this guide of mantras, he immediately abided in the samādhi of the arising of skillful wisdom, which is so named because this samādhi can generate the Tathāgata's all-sided skillful wisdom. "Spoken as the mantra of a hundred lights shining everywhere" means that from this single syllable, the light of a hundred dharmas radiates and flows forth everywhere. If this syllable is translated as "everywhere," it does not fully fit its principle; if translated as "emitting light," the meaning of emitting light is also incomplete; generally, it means flowing forth everywhere. A hundred rays of majestic light emerge from this. This mantra is spoken after first taking refuge in all the Buddhas. "Vajrapāṇi, this mantra, the mantra-savior of the world, of great majesty, the Buddha himself, is the Muni sovereign in all dharmas." The Buddha told Vajrapāṇi: "This all-mantra, mantra-savior of the world, accomplishing great majesty, is indeed the Samyaksaṃbuddha, the Muni sovereign in dharmas (meaning sovereign over all dharmas). Dispersing the darkness of all ignorance, appearing everywhere like the disk of the sun, it is empowered by the Great Muni of my own essence, manifesting transformations (the root text says 'transformation,' creating transformations), benefiting sentient beings according to desires (benefiting them according to what they desire), up to causing all to arise according to what thoughts and vows are formed (meaning causing them to arise according to whatever their minds think and vow). Fully capable of performing this supreme phrase of transformations, therefore among all supreme kinds (meaning among all that is desired, among all desires), meaning among all matters, none is like seeking this phrase of the Fully Awakened One. Therefore in all manners, with a pure body free from all obstacles, one should constantly and diligently cultivate and seek the phrase of the Fully Awakened One according to principle." "Purifying the body and freeing it from obstacles" means that the practitioner purifies their own body, freeing it from all obstacles to cultivate it. "All manners" means cultivating in all upāyas and categories. "Dispersing all the darkness of ignorance, seen together like the sun's disk appearing, it is indeed my adhiṣṭhāna. The Great Muni manifests transformations to benefit sentient beings, up to causing whatever these sentient beings think to arise, constantly performing this supreme phrase of transformations; therefore, with all manners of upāyas, one should diligently cultivate with desire, and properly make oneself pure." The above is the text of the sūtra. This mantra is identical to the savior of the world, which is the Buddha. "Possessing great majesty" refers to the Tathāgata's majestic divine power. "This mantra is the Muni sovereign in all dharmas" is an epithet for Vairocana. The light of this mantra's wisdom and upāya can disperse all darkness of ignorance, just as when the great sun rises, all darkness naturally disappears; "everywhere" means suddenly dispelling all darkness of ignorance for all sentient beings. One should know that this syllable is empowered by me, is identical to me, and is no different from me. I am the Buddha's own essence. By means of this mantra gateway, I manifest physical forms everywhere according to kind. For all classes of sentient beings throughout the dharmadhātu, according to the various forms they delight in seeing, I am able to simultaneously manifest their forms everywhere, appearing according to the desires of their minds. Not only does it manifest bodies; sentient beings' mental vows and thoughts are immeasurably different, yet in a single instant immeasurable inclinations can all be satisfied; thus it says "wisdom arises from thought." Furthermore, it arouses their capacity to enter the path; thus it says "arising of wisdom." "Abiding state" means abiding in this supreme phrase. Therefore, one should diligently cultivate and learn these phrases of various upāyas. If one cultivates, one will obtain the pure self. The "pure self" here is Vairocana. At the very center of this syllable wheel, one places this mantra king. On the next outer wheel there are twelve syllables, from I to AU, being twelve samādhi vowels in all. On the next outer wheel are arranged the hundred syllables: first twenty-five beginning with KA, next twenty-five with KĀ, next twenty-five with KAṂ, and next twenty-five with KAḤ. Because among these the five syllables ṄA, ÑA, ṆA, NA, and MA are the dots of great emptiness pervading everywhere, they are arranged together (another explanation from another time says: these five syllables are arranged in a circle together on another outer ring of twelve syllables; this should be asked about further). If arranged in five layers, the twenty-five syllables beginning with KA form the first wheel, KĀ and so on form the second wheel, KAṂ and so on form the third wheel, and KAḤ and so on form the fourth wheel; this is also permissible (ask further about this; the meaning is not fully exhausted). The sequence of arranging the syllables follows the sun, turning clockwise. The next chapter explains the fruit of this mantra king.