大毘盧遮那成佛經疏 8.12

8.12

The sūtra says: "Having performed the protection for them, one should summon them and proclaim:", meaning that from their initial summons to enter onward, all has been an upāya of adhiṣṭhāna. Now, in order to arouse their minds, [the master] instructs them again, proclaiming: "'Now this supreme field of merit, taught by all Buddhas, is for the sake of broadly benefiting all sentient beings.'" This means the Bhagavat saw that sentient beings, from beginningless time, have always lacked internal and external wealth, have never been autonomous in whatever they do, and through these causes and conditions have fallen into the states lacking leisure, unable to swiftly reach unexcelled bodhi. Therefore, together by the supernatural power of adhiṣṭhāna, [the Buddhas] spoke of this unexcelled field of merit. Within this Mahākaruṇāgarbha, all the ocean-like assemblies of the universal gateway gather without exception. Since they now plant boundless good roots within it, from this life onward until the end of the future, they will constantly assume the body of a wish-fulfilling jewel and the body of Ākāśagarbha, capable of fulfilling all desires of self and others; hence it says "to broadly benefit all sentient beings." Furthermore, having already made offerings to the Sangha of ultimate truth and the transmitter of the Dharma, [the master] further instructs them to make offerings to the conventional harmonious Sangha. When offering to the harmonious Sangha, all ordinary and noble members of the Sangha throughout the ten directions all share in it; therefore this merit is like clouds and oceans in the sky, inconceivable. "They shall obtain great fruit" refers to the ultimate benefit. If one plants merit in this, it is like swallowing a vajra—it never digests, but abides only when reaching the vajra-earth realm. Thus Master Sengzhao said: "Even the finest hair of good all tends toward the Buddha-fruit." Next, to clarify worldly aspirations, worldly benefits are further expounded: "The so-called 'inexhaustible great wealth, the world says constantly follows one's births.'" This is the worldly siddhānta, hence it says "the world says." Just as Bakula, by offering a single harītakī to the Sangha, has been free from illness and never died an untimely death for ninety-one kalpas; and Aniruddha, by offering a single meal to a pratyekabuddha, has also been born together with a treasure trove for immeasurable kalpas. As is broadly expounded in the Jātaka, it is said to "constantly follow one's births." Furthermore, it is said in the Vinaya of the Sarvāstivāda: the four great disciples—Mahākāśyapa, Śāriputra, Maudgalyāyana, and Subhūti—are like auspicious vases; if a person makes offerings to them with a pure mind and seeks present worldly rewards, there are none not granted as wished. How much more so for one who makes offerings to the entire Sangha! One should know that all such virtuous persons of the worlds of the ten directions are included therein; even unlearning holy persons, when wishing to prolong their lifespan and remain in the world, still rely on the power of the Sangha. Therefore, now, for the sake of accomplishing the fruit of siddhi, you should cause the practice of your generosity to be complete and without deficiency, and further make offerings with a joyful mind to the conventional Sangha present before you. Because the Sangha of the ten directions cannot all be assembled, simply offering to those who are assembled at present within the boundary is indeed offering to the entire Sangha.