大毘盧遮那成佛經疏 8.3

8.3

Regarding what the sūtra says, 'Or make all [offerings] by mental visualisation': as the bhagavat taught, among all offerings, mental visualisation is supreme. As with each and every offering object mentioned before, one should exercise the mind so that it pervades the dharmadhātu, maintaining it with mantras and secret mudrās, as explained at length in the ritual sequence for offerings. Or, one visualises the great jewel tree-king pervading and covering all worlds, endowed with the adornments of the Bodhi tree-king as in the Gaṇḍavyūha, from which whatever objects for use and enjoyment are needed all issue forth inexhaustibly, reaching everywhere before all the worthy and noble ones, making vast offerings and universally aiding all sentient beings. Having exercised the mind in this way, one should apply the Ākāśagarbha-vidyārājñī for adhiṣṭhāna, and accomplishments will naturally be achieved at will. Next, the method of the auspicious vases is explained: one should use treasures such as gold and silver. If these are lacking, one should make them of porcelain or pure earthenware, ensuring they are perfectly round, upright, and not leaking. In accordance with the upāya of inspecting and straining pure water in the Vinaya, fill them to the brim. Place inside the five treasures, the five grains, and the five medicines, as taught in the Guhyatantra. However, these five medicines all originate from the five regions of India and are not completely available in this land. Take the various powdered unguents mentioned before, mix them with water, and also add camphor and bezoar (gorocanā). Insert precious flowers into the mouth of the vase, or famed flowers found locally according to the region, taking those whose flowers, fruits, branches, and leaves are luxuriant, fine, complete, and intact, and arrange them hanging down in an orderly, interspersed manner so that they are exceedingly graceful and majestic. Wrap the neck with coloured silk, tie flower garlands around it, and smear it with various incenses. The upāya of sīmābandha and purification is also as explained in the ritual sequence for offerings. Five vases should be placed in the central garbha: the central Mahāvairocana vase is placed on the flower platform, and the rest are placed among the outer flower stamens. Whenever offering food in the central garbha, the four Buddhas and four bodhisattvas are each upon their own seat inside the flower platform; that offered to Vairocana is placed before the flower platform. If one has sufficient means, one vase is placed before each and every venerable one. If one cannot do so, place them before the principal venerable ones in accordance with the inner and outer directions. Place two vases at each of the four gates, one vase at each of the four corners, and another separate vase outside the shared gateway, consecrated with the Trailokyavijaya mantra and mudrā; this is intended for sprinkling on oneself for protection when entering and leaving, and is also used to sprinkle upon disciples when summoning them inside. At the homa site, another vase is placed separately, making roughly a hundred or more vases. When the sūtra speaks of six vases, this is the minimum limit: one should place one in each of the four cardinal directions of the central garbha, and the one outside the gate must certainly not be omitted. If using eighteen vases: place one vase in the central garbha; in the second enclosure, at the place of the Great Diligent One (Mahāvīra), the Lotus and Vajra lineage masters, and the gate, there are four vases in total; for the four great bodhisattvas of the second enclosure—namely Mañjuśrī and the others—place one vase each; [and for the rest,] the four gates, four corners, and outside the gate of the outer enclosure: using them in this way is sufficient. If there are many who wish to receive abhiseka, have one vase made for each person according to the number, and let none be lacking. As with the scented-water vases, so too are the various arghya vessels: one should use gold, silver, crystal, and so forth to make the bowls, or even conch shell (śaṅkha), refined copper, stone, and wood; or one may use tree leaves or new earthenware to hold various scented waters with assorted famous flowers placed in them, setting them out one by one wherever vases were placed before. Moreover, one should offer clean garments before each of the venerable ones. As explained earlier, the principal venerable ones also follow the method of food offerings by doubling [the quantities]; thus it is said: 'Each is also offered a second garment.' If one cannot manage this, simply place them before the principal venerable ones. Or, according to what is available, put them in chests and place them inside the central garbha enclosure, exercising the mind to offer them to all venerable ones. Whenever making offerings to the central garbha, they should be placed in the single-layer empty space outside the garbha; if making offerings to the nameless venerable ones, they should be placed within the boundaries of the triple enclosure. Furthermore, when making offerings, one should first present the arghya water, next offer powdered unguent, next offer flowers, burning incense, and food and drink, and finally offer lamps; the order in the sūtra text is not chronological. Furthermore, from the perspective of the profound, secret explanation: powdered unguent signifies purification; just as worldly powdered unguent can cleanse dirt and impurities and dispel burning fever, so now the practitioner uses the arghya that is like space to wash away the defilements of the one hundred and sixty kinds of prapañca within the bodhicitta, and smears it with the unguent of abiding in unconditioned morality, so that the burning fever of saṃsāra is extinguished and a cooling nature is attained; therefore it is called 'powdered unguent'. What is called 'flowers' signifies birth from loving-kindness and compassion; this very seed of the pure mind blooms forth into myriad practices within the womb of mahākaruṇā, adorning the tree of the Buddha's awakening; therefore it is called 'flowers'. Burning incense signifies reaching universally throughout the dharmadhātu; just as when the heavenly tree-king blossoms, its fragrance naturally spreads both against and with the wind, so too is the fragrance of awakening: corresponding to each and every merit, it is burned by the fire of wisdom and wafted by the wind of liberation, turning unimpeded according to the power of compassionate vows to universally perfume everything; therefore it is called 'burning incense'. Food and drink are the unexcelled amṛta, the flavour of neither birth nor death; if one partakes of this ripe fruit of merit, there is no higher flavour, and at that moment it is called entering realisation; therefore it is spoken of as 'food'. What is called 'lamps' signifies the Tathāgata's radiance dispelling darkness; this means that upon reaching the stage of fruition, the obstacles of the mind are completely exhausted, and inexhaustible wisdom revolves to illuminate sentient beings everywhere; therefore it is spoken of as 'lamps'. If explained vertically, each and every bhūmi possesses these five meanings; if explained horizontally, each and every gateway possesses these five meanings. For example, regarding the various foods explained above, although their suitability to the palate is one, there are different flavours according to the skill of the chef's hands; one should know that it is the same with the remaining incenses and flowers. If a practitioner is able to perform the vajra dance and play with the five-syllable gateway to respond universally to sentient beings, it is like blending the five flavours, laying out the five colours, harmonising the five notes, or compounding the five medicines: though their intrinsic portions do not exceed five kinds, their myriad changes and transformations turn skillfully without end. One should know that this person understands the meaning of the unguent samādhi, understands the meaning of the flower samādhi, the burning incense samādhi, and the food and lamp samādhi, and also understands the meaning of these five kinds of dhāraṇī. Offering such various Dharma gateways and offering implements to the Tathāgata who is the king of mind can cause all the venerable ones to rejoice, and whatever is sought will certainly be obtained. If, with the principle therein, one looks back upon worldly flowers, incenses, and so on, one will naturally know the proper applications of their forms, fragrances, and intrinsic portions, and innumerable upāyas will arise from encountering things.