大毘盧遮那成佛經疏 4.33

4.33

The sūtra says: "First, the primary [seat of] my body"—that is, the station of Vairocana, because the five buddhas are to be placed together in a single altar. "Second, the saviours of the world"—these are the buddhas and bodhisattvas, likewise divided into two stations. "Third, their peer"—this is the Mother of Buddhas. The Tathāgata is termed "unequalled", and the perfection of wisdom (prajñāpāramitā) is equal to the unequalled; hence it says "their peer". Fourth is Padmapāṇi; fifth is the lord of the Vajra section; sixth is the Holy Lord Acala, by which Trailokyavijaya is also understood. These are all the vidyādharas who accomplish all undertakings. One should know that citing these six stations subsumes all the deities. Having completed this, one should set out incense, flowers, and offering implements in accordance with the ceremonial procedure of offerings. Thereafter, one visualises a jewelled lotus dais, a palace of jewel kings, in the midst of which a seat is spread; atop the seat is placed a white lotus dais. From the syllable A gateway, one transforms into the body of Mahāvairocana, colored like purple-sheened Jāmbūnada gold, shaped like a bodhisattva with a topknot on his head resembling a crown, his entire body emitting light of various colors, clad in gossamer silk garments. This is the emblem of attaining supreme complete enlightenment in the Śuddhāvāsa Heaven. The holy celestial assemblies of that realm have light and subtle clothing weighing less than a grain; their intrinsic nature is adorned and pure without recourse to external ornaments, and therefore the Bhagavat condescends to conform to their appearance. If interpreted according to the esoteric meaning: the Tathāgata's sublime adornments are inherently without diminish by their very nature (dharmatā) and are not produced through fabrication; hence he is not adorned with external jewels. Even the bodhisattvas of the ten abodes (daśavihāra) perceive the adhiṣṭhāna body only by receiving the Buddha's divine power; with respect to the eternally quiescent body, it is as if veiled behind gossamer silk, and this serves as a metaphor. Jāmbūnada gold is also naturally pure by nature and of the deepest color, illustrating that the body of the Buddha's vajra-wisdom is supremely profound and sublime. Emitting light of various colors from the entire body is the universal gateway revealing the brilliance of great wisdom. Next, upon the eight petals in the four cardinal directions, one visualises the buddhas of the four directions. In the east, one visualises the Tathāgata Ratnaketu, resembling the color of the morning sun as it first appears, radiating red and white mingled together. "Ratnaketu" (Jewelled Banner) has the meaning of generating the bodhicitta. For example, when a general commands a great army, he must obtain a banner and flag; only then are his divisions unified, capable of defeating enemy nations and accomplishing great renown. The myriads of practices of the Tathāgata are also like this: taking the vows of all-knowledge as his banner and flag, beneath the bodhi tree he subjugated the army of the four māras; hence he is given this name. His color resembling the morning sun also has this corresponding meaning. In the south, one visualises the Buddha Kusumapuspitasuvarṇaprabhāsa (Flower-Blooming King of Sāla Trees), his bodily form being golden and radiating light everywhere, like an emblem of abiding in the stain-free samādhi. Beginning from the seed of the bodhicitta and nurturing the myriads of practices of mahākaruṇā, he now accomplishes universal awakening with all virtues blossoming; hence he is given this name. "Stain-free" is the meaning of great emptiness. When one realizes this great emptiness, it is just like genuine gold refined a hundred times with all defilements entirely eliminated; hence the Buddha's bodily appearance is likewise. This is the sublime gold of the worldly realm; compared to Jāmbūnada gold, its color is lighter and somewhat less clear, unable to equal its natural, mirror-like, transparent clarity, because the buddhas upon the petals are generated through conditions of the mental measure, so there are differences and gradations. Next, in the north, one visualises the Buddha Acala, appearing free of heat, cool, and abiding in quiescent absorption. This is the Tathāgata's nirvāṇa-wisdom; therefore, in meaning, he is called Acala (Immovable), which is not his original name. His original name should be Tathāgata Dundubhisvara (Sound of the Drum), just as a celestial drum is completely without shape and without an abiding place, yet is able to expound the sound of the Dharma to awaken sentient beings. Great parinirvāṇa is also like this: not like the eternal quiescence of the two vehicles devoid of sublime function; hence this serves as an analogy. Next, in the west, one visualises the Buddha Amitāyus. This is the Tathāgata's upāya-wisdom. Because the realm of sentient beings is inexhaustible, the mahākaruṇā and upāya of the buddhas are likewise unending; hence he is named Amitāyus (Immeasurable Life). In Sanskrit, it is spoken thus, meaning "the Benevolent One". Moreover, having conquered the four māras, he is called "the Victor". Therefore, the verse fully translates its meaning, calling him the Benevolent Victor. These two buddhas are also rendered in genuine golden color, with eyes slightly closed and looking down, presenting the form of quiescent samādhi; all buddhas are by rule like this. In the four intermediate corners of the lotus dais are four bodhisattvas, as explained below in the text. For the stations of all tathāgatas, by simply visualising a single buddha in the golden altar, it is identical to the bodies of all buddhas. The others, each relying on their iconic stations in the sūtra, should all transform the syllables into their bodies, making each and every one distinct and clear. As a general rule for the method of transforming syllables in a maṇḍala, each and every deity uses their original bīja syllable, or uses the general syllables common to the other sections, such as A, SA, VA of the three sections. If one fears that an ācārya of shallow practice cannot rotate them so swiftly, he should simply visualise the syllable A gateway generating immeasurable light; wherever the light reaches, the body of that deity instantly appears. On the night of the ritual, it is also modelled on this. When practicing the contemplative practice, one must first sustain the body with the five syllables, as explained in the ritual of offerings; one then visualises one's own mind as an eight-petalled lotus. The ācārya said: "The hṛdaya-heart of ordinary people has an appearance like an unbloomed lotus bud, bound by sinews and veins to form eight divisions; it faces upward in men and downward in women." One first visualises this lotus, causing it to blossom into an eight-petalled white lotus seat. Atop this dais, one should visualise the syllable A in a vajra color, placing within its head the King of a Hundred Lights Universally Illuminating, and view it with the immaculate eye. By this self-adhiṣṭhāna, one instantly becomes the body of Vairocana. Through this upāya, one visualises the body of Vairocana, causing it to be non-dual and without difference from one's own body. Being between the two vidyārājas is called "abiding in the Buddha's chamber". When the drawing of the maṇḍala is completed, the ācārya moves his seat outside the altar's gateway, and in this station of the Buddha's chamber, he places the deity of his preference or places the Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra, contained in a golden or jewelled dish, adorned and worshipped. Or he places the rosary he holds, a vajra pestle, a vajra bell, or the like. Furthermore, whenever one wishes to select and clear the ground, one should visualise the wish-fulfilling jewel atop the lotus of one's own mind as clear and luminous within and without; when examining it attentively, all signs of good and bad will fully manifest within it. The ācārya should then use wisdom and upāya to select and clear it, making it firm, flat, and even; he visualises the disciple's mind in the same way. The profound and esoteric import herein can be grasped through the mind. The practitioner abides in the Buddha's chamber, and having thus visualised the holy deities as above, should transform A into VA, empower his own body with Vajrasattva, and offer smeared incense, flowers, and the like in accordance with the Dharma, all as explained in detail in the manual of procedures. Thereafter, raising a mind of great compassion with utmost sincerity and gravity, he recites the verse for petitioning the ṛṣis, as in the sūtra text.