大毘盧遮那成佛經疏 5.3

5.3

The verse states, "the practitioner who upholds the mantra," explaining the expedient methods of protection and establishment among the branch elements pertaining to the disciple. When the sixth night arrives, master and disciples alike bathe and purify themselves, put on fresh and clean clothes, and holding the offerings, proceed to the white sandalwood maṇḍala previously prepared, where [the master] should empower his own body, the place of practice, and all the disciples in accordance with the method. The expedient method for protecting the disciples is as explained below where entering into the consecration is discussed. At that time, the ācārya performs the offerings comprehensively in sequential order, visualizing that the various deities situated in the white sandalwood [positions] correspond with their secret mudrās, and upholding their mantras. The Guhyakā says: "Pressing the center-womb maṇḍala with the hand, recite the mantra once; in this manner, recite once and press once up to seven times, and it is the same for the remaining positions." Next, he should teach the Dharma for the disciples appropriately to open up and guide their minds, instructing them to take the three refuges and confess their past sins. Once they have confessed, their bodies and minds are pure like a bright pearl, capable of truly giving rise to the mind [of awakening]. Therefore, he next causes them to produce the bodhicitta, all as explained in the offering methods. Next, he should bestow perfumed paste, flowers, and the like, instructing them to direct their minds to make offerings to the deities, and afterwards bestow upon them the precept of wisdom unhindered throughout the three times. This ritual of receiving the bodhisattva precepts has a distinct protocol. The reason a bodhisattva generates the resolve and takes up the expedient trainings is entirely to accomplish the pure wisdom of the Tathāgatas, penetrating all phenomena of the three times in a single thought without obstruction. When someone abides in this precept, even at the time of first beholding the path of mental illumination, they possess such an inconceivable degree of power. Because this precept directly gives rise to the Buddha's wisdom and stands in contrast to the limited moral rules of the two vehicles, it is named after the wisdom unhindered throughout the three times. Next, he should bestow the tooth-wood, instructing the disciples to chew it, thereby observing whether the person possesses the signs of being a fit or unfit vessel. The reason for performing this ritual is also to accord with the worldly conventions of that region, using it as an occasion to effect empowerments through secret expedients. Whenever the people of India invite the saṅgha to a meal or even when worldly people invite one another, they always first send tooth-wood, adorning and offering it with various fragrant flowers, whereby it is known that they are invited to a meal on the following day. The reason for doing so is to demonstrate a mind of affectionate respect; fearing that [the guest] might have phlegm-accumulation or indigestion which might be stirred up and cause discomfort if they receive the offering, they first courteously protect and alert them, causing them first to purify the vessel of the body or take harītakī and the like, so that the next day they may drink and eat as they wish without offense or harm, with body and mind at ease. Now the ācārya acts likewise: when bestowing the willow branch upon the disciple, he takes this expedient as the vehicle to expound the profound Dharma: "I am now about to bestow upon you the ghee of the Buddha-nature, the unsurpassable savor of salvation; having already instructed you to produce the bodhicitta and cleanse the past hindrances of the three karmas, and having ground down the defilements with the teeth of discipline that is the unhindered wisdom of the three times, I now wish to cleanse away the faults of body and mind through this secret empowerment. You must also purify the faults of the mouth, and wherever you travel, do not recklessly proclaim [this teaching]. Tomorrow I shall bestow upon you the immortal nectar, causing all to be fully satisfied." One should take the wood of an udumbara or aśvattha that is straight, fine, and shapely, neither thick nor thin, measuring twelve finger-widths. For all measurement methods, one presses side to side the upper joint of the thumb; that is the correct measure. These two trees are the bodhi-trees of past Buddhas; if unavailable, one should seek a tree with milky sap, such as mulberry or paper mulberry. To mark the distinction between the top and bottom of the wood, the branch-tip is always the top and the root-base the bottom; wash it with scented water, and further anoint and fumigate it. At its lower end, wrap it with white thread and flowers for ornamentation and to serve as a mark, making top and bottom easy to recognize. One should press it with the hand and empower it with the Acala mantra, either a hundred times or a thousand times, preparing it in advance with solemnity. After the precepts have been received, the master should take one piece of tooth-wood and offer it to the deities, distributing the rest among the disciples, and have them exit outside the altar facing east or north to squat and chew it properly. Having chewed it, they should throw it straight in the direction they are facing to examine its omens. If the chewed end faces outward, that person's siddhi will not be accomplished; if it faces toward oneself, siddhi will be accomplished; if thrown far it rebounds close to oneself, it is a sign of accomplishing it before long; if the top stands straight upright, accomplishment is even swifter; if the top points downward, that person will enter the palaces of the asuras or nāgas; if it remains suspended in the air, know that this person has already attained accomplishment in the past. Furthermore, facing north and east signifies superior accomplishment; west signifies middling accomplishment; south signifies inferior accomplishment. Even so, if a person previously threw it facing east, but the chewed end faces east, it is turned away from the body, and accomplishment is likewise not attained; the rest can be known by inference according to this principle. The rest is as explained in the Guhyakā.