首楞嚴義疏注經 10.376

10.376

問：極重罪人極少時分為人演說，未足可稱。何以滅業得福如此殊勝耶？答：此有多義，故獲勝報：一所弘之經是佛極談，教理行果皆不思議故。謂顯如來藏心法法皆是，有情無情、有性無性齊成佛道，此理不思議也；佛頂心呪因人、果人皆依此法滅惡生善，入理化他，防邪護正，進行彌速，能成菩提，此教不思議也；圓通行門二十五聖，觀音為最，此行不思議也；六十聖位第三漸次便證無生，復說乾慧能超因位，直入果海，此果不思議也。二末世多障，能於此時弘此極談，信解真正，實希有故。三施福唯得生死之報，仍但自利；弘經法利能至無漏，能令聞者信解無謬，展轉利樂無窮盡故。由是一念雖少，其利博哉！是故能勝前寶施福。

Question: When a person with the gravest offenses expounds [the sūtra] for others for the briefest moment, it hardly seems commendable. Why is the eradication of karma and the obtaining of blessings so extraordinarily superior? Answer: There are many reasons for this, and thus he obtains superior retribution: First, the sūtra propagated is the Buddha’s ultimate discourse, and its teaching, principle, practice, and fruit are all inconceivable. That is, it reveals the tathāgatagarbha mind wherein each and every phenomenon is identical to it, and the sentient and the insentient, those with Buddha-nature and those without, together realize the Buddha path—this principle is inconceivable. Both causal beings and fruition beings rely on this Dharma of the Buddha-Crest Heart Dhāraṇī to eliminate evil and bring forth good, enter into principle to transform others, ward off the heterodox and protect the correct, advance with ever greater speed, and realize bodhi—this teaching is inconceivable. Among the practice gates of perfect penetration of the twenty-five sages, Avalokiteśvara is foremost—this practice is inconceivable. In the third gradual stage of the sixty holy stages, one immediately realizes the forbearance of non-arising, and it is further said that the dry-wisdom stage can transcend causal positions and enter directly into the ocean of fruition—this fruit is inconceivable. Second, in the final age there are many obstacles; that one can propagate this ultimate discourse at such a time with genuine faith and understanding is truly rare. Third, the blessing of material giving only yields retribution within saṃsāra and still only benefits oneself; the benefit of the Dharma from propagating the sūtra can reach the undefiled state, can cause listeners to have faith and understanding without error, and confers benefit and joy progressively without end. Therefore, though a single thought-moment is brief, its benefit is immense! For this reason, it can surpass the previous blessing of giving jewels.