大毘盧遮那成佛經疏 20.16

20.16

'Lord of the Secret! The colors of these fires and what they hold follow oneself' refers to the color of the fire deity. 'Medicinal substances and the like correspond to them' means conforming to their respective colors and categories. The verse also states: 'And performing the external homa, siddhis are accomplished according to intent.' 'Furthermore, Lord of the Secret!' next clarifies the internal ritual: 'One nature possesses three; the three places merge into one. In the yogin's internal homa, a mind of great loving-kindness and great compassion is the rite for pacifying disasters. When this is additionally endowed with joy, it is called the rite for increasing benefit. Wrath proceeds from the womb-store to perform various activities. Moreover, Lord of the Secret! According to the places spoken of (meaning using them according to type), in accordance with the corresponding activities, one performs burning according to resolute faith.' One's own color and medicinal substances are identical to those in the external homa. 'Performing this, siddhi is achieved according to intent' means that regarding these twelve kinds of forms, colors, implements held, and so forth, one must recognize their natures. Previously, the internal and external were discussed together; now the external is explained. 'Union of the three' means that the fire is not different from the deity, and the deity is not different from one's own body. 'Corresponding to them' means that self and other are both identical. As for the internal performance, the primary deity is the fire, and the fire is one's own body. Now, to explain according to the principle: the primary deity is Vairocana; this Vairocana is not different from the innate fire of wisdom; this fire is not different from my own body. Thus, taking the one intrinsic nature as the union of the three is called the internal homa. 'Union' means that the primary deity is the fire, and the fire is identical to oneself; the three matters are equal. In the text above, 'siddhi according to intent' means that according to superior, middling, or inferior mundane affairs, accomplishment is achieved according to one's intent. If one does not comprehend this fire ritual, there is no way to achieve accomplishment. The internal ritual is also analogous to this. If one comprehends this fire of wisdom, according to superior, middling, or inferior supramundane accomplishments, they will be accomplished according to one's mind. Furthermore, 'union of the three' refers to body, speech, and mind: the body's mudrā, the speech's mantra, and the mind's primary deity. When these three matters unite and are ultimately equal, it is called the union of the three. If one can contemplate the primary deity, one's own body gradually becomes pure; when pure, it becomes identical to the primary deity. If one sees the single nature, then all three matters are completely pure and universally equal. Next, the ritual of the internal homa is explained. Within this equality of the three matters, when performing the pacification of disasters, one uses great loving-kindness and great compassion. When these three are equal and harmonize with great loving-kindness and great compassion, among all deities of pacification, compassion is foremost. If performing the rite of increasing benefit, compassion is harmonized with great joy. If wrathful, the fire serves as the womb to perform deeds, the womb being the mind. This means that when there is a circumstance requiring the performance of wrathful deeds to subdue someone, wrath arises from within one's mind. This wrath is not like mundane anger; rather, from within the mind of great compassion, one illumines and understands the true nature of wrath, and gives rise to it through upāya in order to subdue evil dharmas. In this way, merely performing the homa internally can accomplish all affairs. Therefore, the general meaning of homa is using the fire of wisdom to burn the firewood of afflictions so that it is consumed without remainder. However, here we have briefly explained the fire deities used and their internal and external characteristics; one should know that in all other teachings there are fire rituals and the like. Whatever activity is to be performed, one should follow this ritual, abide in samādhi, and enact it in accordance with what corresponds, and it will be accomplished. If not done thus, one merely burns firewood and fruitlessly exhausts offerings. Otherwise, it is confounded with external [non-Buddhist] rituals and cannot be accomplished. Moreover, what the sūtra refers to as 'substances' means the firewood, ghee, foodstuffs, and various implements associated with the fire ritual.