大毘盧遮那成佛經疏 3.28

3.28

Regarding the sūtra saying, "Then the Bhagavat again addressed the Secret Lord of Vajrapāṇi: 'Listen attentively, Vajrapāṇi! The primary ācārya of the maṇḍala position'": from this point onward up to the conclusion of the empowerment and admonitions, Vajrapāṇi asks how much of a mass of merit is gained, and addresses the Buddha: "From this day forward, I will make offerings to these good men and good women. Why? Because those good men and good women equally see the Buddha, the Bhagavat." This clarifies the many component members entering the maṇḍala. Furthermore, from the Great Power Vidyārājñī up to the end of the second chapter, it clarifies the mantras essential for rituals connected with the platform. Among the many component members, the component of the ācārya is clarified first. Why is this so? The Buddha taught that this sūtra must be received from a teacher and cannot be practiced arbitrarily. If there is no clear teacher, then what is transmitted has no foundation. However, by understanding two kinds of meaning, one obtains the title of ācārya: namely, the shallow-abridged and the profound-esoteric divisions. If one observes that the person before them lacks the capacity for profound understanding, one explains according to the text following the ordinary path; if they have already perfected keen-rooted wisdom, one should expound the profound secret to instruct them. Now we also use these two divisions to explain the meaning of an ācārya. If one thoroughly penetrates all the various parts of this maṇḍala, up to the mantras, mudrās, contemplative practices, and siddhis of all deities, and receives the empowerment for transmitting the teachings, this is called an ācārya. If one transcends the eight compliant and contrary minds and realizes the realm of tranquility, this is called an ācārya. If one's mind-king is already sovereign and one awakens to one's own mind as originally unborn, this is called an ācārya. If one gives rise to the mind of ultimate non-self-nature and attains entry into the oceanic assembly of the maṇḍala as described above, this is called an ācārya. From this, there are further ten levels of profound practice, up to being the foremost among those who understand the three mysteries, like Vajrasattva—this is called an ācārya. Furthermore, Vairocana is called an ācārya. Therefore, when undertaking the activities of the initial ācārya, one must contemplate one's own body as identical to Vajrasattva and Vairocana, performing adhiṣṭhāna through the secret seals of body and speech; only then is one called properly established in the master's position. If not, nothing can be accomplished. Other profound practices can be understood by extension. Next, the many virtues of the ācārya are explained.