大毘盧遮那成佛經疏 4.42

4.42

The first phrase means taking refuge in all buddhas. The meaning of the second and third phrases is to empower it through the adhiṣṭhāna of all tathāgatas. The intention of this is: just as all tathāgatas jointly empowered that vajra-bodhimaṇḍa through divine power, one now causes this ground to be likewise. Furthermore, I have already leveled and prepared the pure mind-ground of the disciples; this is the place where the Mind-King Tathāgata depicts the mahākaruṇāgarbha-maṇḍala. I now utter truthful words and protect it through the divine power of all tathāgatas, causing it to become firm and unshakeable. The fourth phrase says acale, which means unshakeable. The fifth phrase says vimale, which means stainless. The intention of this is: right empowerment through the divine power of all tathāgatas causes it to become stable and unshakeable; not only unshakeable, but also freed from all stains. It takes the initial syllable A of the fourth phrase precisely as the substance of the mantra. By what dharma does the Tathāgata empower, such that it can be utterly unshakeable? That is to say, because of this syllable A gateway, it possesses such power and function. The sixth phrase means recollecting and upholding. It is just like bhikṣus performing a karmavācanā rite, causing the saṃgha to receive and uphold it together with one mind and in harmony. Now this mantra is also like this: having empowered with the syllable A, one requests all tathāgatas to receive and uphold it together because they recollect their original vows. The seventh phrase means original pure nature; this further explains the preceding phrase. Why do all buddhas empower with unified mindfulness? Because their original nature is pure. If a dharma enters the syllable A gateway, it is from the origin unshakeable and stainless. Because of this principle, the buddhas of the ten directions and three times all share the same precepts and the same view; therefore, they empower it together. The final phrase says svāhā, which is like the conclusion of a saṃgha karmavācanā, appending a phrase of assent and confirmation: if the truthful words I have uttered are definitely without error, may the buddhas only make what is done complete, because they do not transgress their samaya. The meanings of the syllables contained herein should also be explained in detail. At that time, that ācārya should go outside the altar-seat of all tathāgatas in the east, face east, and recite and uphold the mantra three times or seven times, the more the better; next go to the south, next to the west, next to the north, reciting and upholding each with his back to the sandalwood seat. Having completed one circumambulation in this manner, he next goes to the seat of Gaganalocanā, and should face northeast with his back to the altar-seat to recite it; next to the southeast, next to the southwest, next to the northwest. Having completed another circumambulation, he should furthermore pay homage with utmost sincerity, make various offerings, go to the ācārya's seat, sit facing east, recite the mantra for upholding his own deity, and abide in the samādhi of the principal deity, all as explained in the sequence of offerings. Moreover, he should sequentially uphold the mantras of the various deities of the sandalwood seat and bind their mudrās. The ācārya said: 'First uphold the mantra of the division lord Mahāvairocana one hundred and eight times; for the remaining eight seats, uphold their mantras according to whether they are long or short. If one is able to recite even more, it is also permissible to additionally uphold the foremost deities such as the four bodhisattvas of the second court and Śākyamuni of the third court, or even to recite for all seats together.' As for that sandalwood seat, once the plastered mud is dry and scented water has been sprinkled, one can do it; it is not strictly restricted to the fourth day. After setting it up, one must always recite and uphold according to this. On the night of the ritual, it can also be known by analogy with this. On the night of receiving and upholding the ground, after the ācārya has recited and upheld according to the rules, he even praises all buddhas and bodhisattvas everywhere with vajra-hymns. When exhausted from meditation, he then protects his body according to the rules right in this place where the altar is established, and then lies down facing east. He should give rise to an attitude of utmost mahākaruṇā and pity toward the disciples who are to be saved. If it is according to the Guhyatantra, after receiving and upholding the ground, there is also the method of tying the sūtra and receiving and upholding the disciples' names. When he is resting peacefully, he should contemplate that within the lotus platform of the heart, all dharmas of the syllable Ma gateway are ungraspable to me, which is precisely the unobstructed bodhicitta. It is also like a wish-fulfilling jewel. It also says: this wish-fulfilling jewel is just the syllable A gateway. In his dreams, that ācārya may see immeasurable buddhas and bodhisattvas of great renown manifesting and performing various deeds—namely, guiding and transforming in accordance with the three wheels to suit various sentient beings to be saved, or personally arranging and establishing the Karuṇodbhava-maṇḍala, or comforting and exhorting with sublime voices, saying: 'Because you now pity sentient beings, you have made this maṇḍala. Excellent, mahāsattva! What you have depicted is exceedingly sublime.' Regarding such various realms, the ācārya should discern them well with a mind of wisdom. He should know that the assembly of noble ones has already jointly empowered this ground, and he may perform the ritual as he wishes. If there are obstacles, he should perform the corresponding homa upāya to purify and eliminate them, and should arouse a mind of great valor, determined to bring what is undertaken to completion. Furthermore, if he is an ācārya who sees truth, then within the wish-fulfilling jewel of the pure bodhicitta of lotus samādhi, he naturally sees clearly without obstruction the causes and conditions of there being obstacles or no obstacles; the Mind-Buddha manifests before him to give instruction and resolve what he doubts. If he becomes aware of māra-deeds, he should turn them around with great wisdom and great upāya to perform the homa method, determined to keep his upheld mind unshakeable and non-regressing, fit to establish the dharmadhātu-maṇḍala, and only then rest. Furthermore, from the initial alerting of the earth deity onwards, the ācārya should not abandon such a site of the bodhimaṇḍa, but constantly empower, recite, and scrupulously inspect within it, repairing and preparing whenever there is any uneven place. He should also contemplate that the various conditions and components are all prepared in advance, so that there will be no deficiency when the matter arrives, giving rise to doubts. After receiving and upholding the ground, he should immediately demarcate the boundary and set the orientations, creating the deities only on the night of abhiṣeka. If one cannot complete them quickly, there is no fault in preparing them gradually after upholding the ground.