大毘盧遮那成佛經疏 5.7

5.7

The sūtra says: 'Seeing in a dream a dwelling place for monks' means that what is seen is pure, subtle and wonderful, adorned in various ways, and one enters therein to prostrate, kneel, and circumambulate, meeting with various auspicious and felicitous matters. 'Gardens and groves' means that what is seen is flourishing and luxuriant, unique with an abundance of flowers and fruits, where one either picks them personally or climbs trees and treads through the open air. 'Halls and chambers' means various chambers with fine latticework, extraordinarily splendid and fine, wherein one freely enjoys them and is physically and mentally delighted. 'Towers and belvederes' means multi-storied terraces that are bright and spacious, looking far out toward the four quarters, seeing various supreme sights, with one's spirit happy and unconstrained. All such cases as these are auspicious. The Dharma gateways symbolized therein are also as explained under the selection of the site. If it is contrary to this—such as seeing stūpas or monasteries burned, destroyed, desolate, or defiled—then it is not a good dream. 'Banner' means that a pennant or jewel banner stands high, grand, and beautiful before one, or one uses it to direct the multitude and none fail to obey; this is the image of establishing the tracks of the great bodhicitta and accomplishing the myriad practices. 'Parasol' means interlaced with the five colors of peacock feathers and the like, either overhead in the sky shading from above, or someone confers it and one holds it as one travels; this is the image of the universally sheltering vow of compassion. 'Mani jewel' also means round, luminous, and brilliantly transparent, or able to produce various items to bestow in charity to the multitude; this is the image of the pure mind's jewel of awakening and the four means of embracing to benefit others. 'Sword' means polished and reflective, refined, hard, and sharp, either conferred by someone or held by oneself; this is the image of the accomplishment of the nature of prajñā. 'Pleasing flowers' means various flowers growing on water or land, having superior, middling, and inferior grades according to their types; for instance, pure white is superior among colors, and sweet and mellow is superior among flavors; these are all omens of the blossoming of good sprouts, which should be discerned with the mind. A woman is an image of samādhi, and a man is an image of prajñā, also taking those who are upright, dignified, and revered and loved by others. 'Close relatives' means parents and the like. 'Good friends' means the masters who transmit the Dharma, spiritual friends (kalyāṇamitra), and the like. Or seeing a herd of cows grazing with an abundance of delicious milk, and someone milks them or one drinks and sips it oneself—these are all images of the superior flavor of ghee of the mahākaruṇā-maṇḍala. Or seeing sūtra pothi quires that are pure white and stainless, neat and well adorned with characters clear in color, recording and expounding various extraordinary matters, which is an auspicious sign; if the scrolls are soiled and damaged, or the characters and meanings incomplete and truncated, know that it is not good. Or seeing the buddhas personally rub one's crown, granting a prophecy right before oneself, consoling and encouraging with subtle voices, or seeing śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, and so on, up to dwelling in the open sky manifesting boundless vikurvita—in all such cases one should discern according to the matter and recognize the underlying causes and conditions. 'Various fruits' means rare and wondrous fruits seldom seen in the world, either conferred by someone or descending from the sky; these are all images of siddhi. Or crossing rivers, ponds, or the great ocean, or even dreaming that one drinks it all up in an instant—these are all auspicious; if one drifts, floats, and drowns with none to rescue, know that it is not good. Or hearing various pleasant sounds in the sky, singing Dharma tones, playing various instrumental music, or praising the merits of the Three Jewels, delightful to the mind to hear; or saying 'auspicious', or saying 'one shall give you the fruit of your heart's desire'—all such as these are good dreams, which should be distinguished into superior, middling, and inferior classes. Just as with monasteries and dwellings, there is the distinction between relying on the ground or being in the sky. Among the persons seen, there is also the difference between male and female, holy and ordinary. Therefore, the sūtra says: 'One should carefully distinguish them.' If contrary to the previous good signs—such as dreaming that one's body is pursued by a mad elephant or the like, terrified in dire peril, or riding a camel or donkey, or seeing a detestable, wicked person with tattered and ruinous clothing, or seeing one's own body rolling and lying in blue mud, excrement, and filth, or various impurities falling from the sky—these are all contrary signs. If one is an ācārya of profound practice, one will naturally know completely in yoga the matters dreamed by them and their causes and conditions. When the disciple rises at dawn and reports to the master, the master should encourage and inspire them according to their capacity, cutting through their web of doubts for them. If one observes that that person has no reason to attain success, one should not fully transmit the Dharma to them, fearing that without efficacy for a long time they might give rise to doubt and slander. Or, as explained in the Guhyatantra, perform a śāntika-homa for them to become free from all obstacles, and only then invite them to enter. If they see various extraordinary states, one should console and encourage them with Dharma words to cause them to be joyful. What is called 'well abiding in the precepts' is in Sanskrit called suvrata, which is a praiseful appellation for a disciple, like saying 'child of the Buddha' and the like. The gāthā spoken in the sūtra is also an ārṣa verse; it is even better to recite it along with the Sanskrit text, which is also preserved in full below: