大毘盧遮那經供養次第法疏 1.40

1.40

From "Next, with the mantra-mudrā" onwards is the thirteenth, the Vajra Armor mantra gateway; it also has verses, a mantra, and a mudrā. The first two verses generally reveal the virtue of the mudrā. From "The secret mudrā characteristic therein" onwards, one and a half verses directly reveal the characteristics of the mudrā. The next two lines conclude what preceded and introduce what follows. "Stainless" refers to the letter RAṂ. Next, the Vajra Armor mantra is taught in order to adorn the body of Vajrasattva. The practitioner, having already made the vajra vow and wishing to crush and destroy all obstacles for all sentient beings, dons the vajra armor with firm vigor. For example, regarding the six pāramitās, each accords with dharmatā and each is like a vajra, indestructible. Moreover, within each single pāramitā the other five pāramitās are fully contained; therefore, being of one essence and tightly woven, there is no gap. Like the six pāramitās, the thirty-seven factors [of awakening], the eighteen emptinesses, the one hundred and eight samādhis, the five hundred dhāraṇīs, and so forth should all be explained extensively. By donning such vajra armor, revolving through the six destinies and coming and going through birth and death, none of the afflictions, karmas, and sufferings can harm him. If explained in a shallow and summary way: because the practitioner empowers himself with this mantra, all the devas, nāgas, and so forth behold him as identical to the body of Vajrasattva, his whole body clad in vajra armor, firm, tight, and limitless, radiant like a blazing flame; therefore none who create obstacles can harm him. Vajra is "adamantine" (vajra), and kavaca means "armor". The Tathāgata, observing sentient beings universally with the vajra eye, sees none who are not clad in this vajra armor; therefore he proclaims it with truthful words. Taking the initial letter VA as the essence of the mantra, VA signifies that all dharmas are free from verbal expression. If it is the domain of frivolous discourse and verbal expression, all can be broken and altered, having no firmness; therefore all are transformed and interpreted through the letter VA. Why are all dharmas free from verbal expression? Because arising is unobtainable. Why is arising unobtainable? Because their own-nature is pure. Purity of own-nature is itself the body of Vajrasattva. Next, the meaning of armor is explained. If a dharma is produced through conditioning, one should know that it has only a provisional name and alters according to conditions; it cannot even secure its own nature, so how could it ward off the sharp arrows of the six sense-objects? Now, contemplating this vajra essence and its inexhaustible adornments, they are entirely free from conditioned production; therefore they are firm, indestructible, and cannot be encroached upon by the hundred negations. Hence it is called "vajra armor". The final syllable HŪṂ is the sound of fearlessness, and also signifies sovereign power, and also signifies joy. Possessing both concentration and wisdom, when one realizes this gateway of the letter HŪṂ, one knows naturally that one can surely destroy all obstacles and universally protect sentient beings; therefore there is great joy.