大毘盧遮那經供養次第法疏 2.48

2.48

Sa has the meaning of firmness; still removing this solidity is therefore most supreme. The dot is samādhi. Knowing that the two vehicles enter into nirvāṇa—this is the meaning of firmness. Up to: if there is firmness, it is the characteristic of arising and abiding. All conditioned and unconditioned dharmas are unstable; still removing this gives the meaning of the samādhi of duplicate emptiness. Ha is practice, namely the practice of the Tathāgatas. That one will become equal to space refers to the space of principle. That it is also said to be so of all dharmas means that not only the syllable Gha, but all syllables are also like this. Within the head refers to the top of the brain within the skull. The initial syllable refers to the golden syllable A. The pure white one refers to the syllable A marked with a dot, the most supreme king among the hundred vidyās. The mind is the king among the supreme. The realm of the eyes refers to the locus of the eyes. The immaculate syllable refers to the syllable Raṃ, because it is placed at the locus of the eyes. Being present before oneself means seen simultaneously by eye and mind. The locus of that mind refers to the practitioner's own heart. Arising from this heart means that from the heart of the initial syllable A, the sound-syllables arise. Taking the syllable Ka as the head means the beginning. The beginning is the cause; the cause is the seed-syllable. As for the gates of other syllables, because the syllable-gates are distinct and the iṣṭadevatās are distinct, it says 'or also'. All should practice this dharma means taking the syllable Ka as the seed-syllable. Reciting with the true reality of sound refers to the principle being free of fabrication. Or the recited mantra refers to the mantra of one's own iṣṭadevatā. Arrayed in a circle refers to the extensive mantra. The round brightness refers to the round brightness of the mind. The single syllable is the seed-syllable. The cause of the phrase: three or more syllables constitute a phrase, because it expresses phenomena and causes beings to understand. The cause is because the syllables depend on and rely on one another. However, in the mantra method, each and every syllable completely expresses phenomena and causes beings to understand. Following the breath entering and exiting refers to one's own breath. Fifth, regarding or cultivating the dharma of the limb of the mind: the limb of the mind excludes external matters outside the mind. Conforming to principle means the mind reaching the principle. Just then refers to the time and place of recitation. Lax refers to fatigue. Again being an upāya is because from the cause up to Buddhahood one relies entirely on this method. Sixth, those who cultivate merit and wisdom refers to initial reciters of inferior wisdom and little merit. Seventh, if one delights in seeking the visible dharma refers to persons of profound wisdom and courage. The superior refers to Buddhas; the intermediate refers to bodhisattvas; the inferior refers to śrāvakas who sever afflictions. Holding in mind distinguishes and discriminates affairs; doing so according to one's capacity also attains it. One lakṣa means one hundred thousand; it is also called 'seeing'. If in each count one is not separated from the iṣṭadevatā and the mind is not distracted, it is called completing one lakṣa. For a distracted person, ten million lakṣas will still not bring success. One must attain a concentrated mind and attain sight of the iṣṭadevatā; thus it is called seeing. The sūtra's in the second month cultivate with complete limbs and upāyas means using the first day of the third month to begin the ritual of siddhi, waiting to receive the Buddha's pointing out of māras before performing it. Reciting with thought and mind means waiting until one sees light and so forth. In the eighth section, through one month means completing one lakṣa; it is also called one seeing. Next, explaining those upāyas refers to the time of recitation when desiring completion and desiring seeing. Should rely upon refers to the method on the left. The seed-mantra-hṛdaya gate of Mahāvairocana Tathāgata: regarding the syllable A being the original non-arising of all dharmas, the syllable A is the root of all dharmas and teachings. Every sound first uttered on opening the mouth contains the sound of A; if separated from the sound of A, there is no speech whatsoever, and therefore it is the mother of all sounds. All speech in the three realms relies on names, and names rely on syllables; hence the Siddhaṃ syllable A is also the mother of all syllables. One should know that the true meaning of the gate of the syllable A is likewise, pervading all dharmas and meanings. Why is this? Because there is no dharma that does not arise from conditions, and that which arises from conditions all has a beginning and an origin. Now observing these conditions that produce [them], they too arise from various causes and conditions; passing successively through conditions, what is their root? When observing in this way, one knows that the limit of original non-arising is the root of the ten thousand dharmas, just as hearing all speech is hearing the sound of A. Seeing the arising of all dharmas in this way is seeing the limit of original non-arising. If one sees the limit of original non-arising, that is knowing one's own mind as it truly is. Knowing one's own mind as it truly is is the sarvajñajñāna; therefore Vairocana takes only this single syllable as the mantra. Yet worldly ordinary persons do not observe the original source of all dharmas and falsely believe there is arising, thereby following the flow of birth and death unable to emerge themselves. It is like an unwise painter who applies various colors himself to depict the terrifying form of a yakṣa, and upon completion looks at it himself, giving rise to fear in his heart and collapsing suddenly to the ground. Sentient beings are also like this: they apply the original source of all dharmas themselves to paint the three realms, and then submerge themselves within it, their bodies and minds blazing and undergoing all kinds of suffering. The Tathāgata, the wise painter, having understood this, can freely establish the maṇḍala of great compassion. Speaking from this, what is called the profound secret treasury is merely hidden by sentient beings themselves, not concealed by the Buddha. Question: This syllable A is the seed; earlier in the third chapter it was the seed of the Great Diligent One, which the commentary said is the seed of Mahāvairocana. What does it mean? Answer: The syllable A gives birth to the fruit of bodhi; the syllable Kha manifests the fruit of nirvāṇa. Therefore, both being seeds is without contradiction. The ūrnā-lakṣaṇa mantra gate of the Tathāgata: homage, as before. A-carya, ha-ra-i-ṇi-ya-ja-te: by means of this practice of non-arising, purify all causes. Ja means that arising is unobtainable. The single verse As previously, turning the syllable A and so forth generally praises the syllables capable of transformation. From Abiding in the yoga of the iṣṭadevatā onward, it elaborately explains adorning the practitioner's body in reliance upon the syllables capable of transformation. In the former, as previously turning the syllable A, using the five syllables of A and so forth to empower the practitioner's body, the five syllables empowered can transform, and thus it is called becoming the Lord Mahāvairocana. In the elaborate explanation, the single verse Abiding in the yoga of the iṣṭadevatā and so forth clarifies the places where the syllables are arranged. The single verse In samādhi and so forth clarifies the function of the mind capable of contemplation. The fivefold mantra-hṛdaya gate: taking the five syllables as the body, the ūrnā mudrā is placed between the eyebrows. Taking the syllable A as the fruit of a hundred rays, opening the immaculate eye to see the principle of pure nature, one sits in the palace of non-arising. The single verse The syllable A is universally golden and so forth clarifies the colors of the syllables and where they are placed. Here, using it as a vajra-wheel refers to the square vajra-wheel where the syllable is placed, which is slightly lighter than the color of the syllable. Empowering the lower body means at the mantrin's waist. Yoga means that the Buddha's body and one's own body are not different; hence it is called yoga. Seat is because of relying on the Buddha's sitting posture. The water yoga and so forth are understood. The single verse The syllable Vaṃ and so forth clarifies the yoga of the water of compassion. A mass of mist refers to the practitioner's own navel. Also, a mass of mist refers to the full-moon disc where the syllable is placed. The single verse The syllable Raṃ and so forth clarifies the yoga of the fire of wisdom. The triangle in the center clarifies where the syllable is placed, which is slightly lighter than the color of the syllable. The single verse The syllable Haṃ and so forth clarifies the yoga of sovereignty. The wind-wheel refers to the half-moon disc where the syllable is placed. The single verse The syllable Kha and so forth clarifies the yoga of the great space. Visualising it as becoming all colors means that not only does the syllable become all colors, the square locus where the syllable is placed also becomes all colors. The syllable and the loci are slightly lighter. The king of universally illuminating hundred rays refers to the syllable A with a dot. The immaculate one refers to the syllable Raṃ. The locus of the round brightness of the mind-moon refers to the locus of the iṣṭadevatā's heart seen by the reciter who has conceptualisation. If observed by a person of non-conceptual recitation, it is the locus of one's own heart. The sound-garland means placing the seed-syllable in the center with the other syllables encircling it all around. Holding it according to the locus refers to the mantra of one's own iṣṭadevatā.