首楞嚴義疏注經 6

English (machine translation) 6

Language: English

6.1

Compiled by the Śramaṇa Zixuan of Changshui

Fifth, the true realization of turning hearing inward. In sequence, this section should properly follow Aniruddha, because it concerns the ear faculty among the six sense faculties. Here, because its meaning of perfect penetration is broad, its joyous expounding continues, and the imperial selection forms an unbroken chain, it is spoken of last to indicate that it has reached the utmost truth. If it had been spoken of previously, all the Buddhas would have emitted light to rejoice in and praise this gate, and then the other sages would seem devoid of merit. If they did not rejoice in and praise it, it would not manifest that this gate is true perfect penetration. Therefore, the present heading is 'the true [realization] of turning hearing inward.'

6.3

The text has two parts: first, directly setting forth cultivation and realization, which has three parts: first, directly recounting cultivation on the causal ground, which has two parts: first, encountering the Buddha and receiving the teaching.

6.4

At that time, Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva rose from his seat, bowed his head at the Buddha's feet, and addressed the Buddha, saying: "World-Honoured One! I recall that in the past, countless Ganges-sands of kalpas ago, at that time a Buddha appeared in the world named Avalokiteśvara. Before that Buddha I brought forth the bodhi-mind, and that Buddha taught me to enter samādhi through hearing, contemplation, and cultivation."

6.5

In Sanskrit, it is *avalokiteśvara*, which is translated here as Guan-shi-yin ('Perceiver of the World's Sounds'); its name is established based on subject and object, realm and wisdom. Meeting the Buddha and contemplating the Dharma both derived from his teacher; teacher and disciple succeeded one another without discrepancy. The wisdoms of hearing, contemplation, and cultivation are the common path for all practices; there is no Buddha who does not transform the masses through voice, and no capacity that does not awaken to understanding through hearing the teaching with the ear faculty. For this reason, that Buddha taught him to enter through this.

6.6

Second, cultivating contemplation according to the teaching.

6.7

"Initially, within hearing, I entered the flow and forgot the object. Once the entered [state] became tranquil, the two characteristics of movement and stillness did not arise at all. In this way, gradually increasing, the heard and the hearing were exhausted.

6.8

'Entering the flow' is like turning back against the flow. Initially contemplating the nature of hearing, turning the illumination inward and abandoning conditions, one does not follow previous sensory dusts in circulating, arising, and ceasing; hence it is said, 'entered the flow and forgot the object.' Because one does not follow it, the conditioned sound-characteristic is tranquil and does not arise; arising is movement, and once the characteristic of movement is forgotten, stillness also does not arise, because the realms of movement and stillness are objects grasped by the ear. Now contemplating that they lack intrinsic nature and are fundamentally non-existent, ultimately unobtainable, it is said that they 'did not arise at all'; that is, the grasped object has no characteristics. The *Sūtra of Complete Enlightenment* says: 'One should leave far behind all illusory, false states.' Further increasing the practice of contemplation: once the conditioned object is forgotten, the characteristic of hearing does not arise; this characteristic of being able to hear is itself the wisdom of hearing. Subject and object are both tranquil, so it says 'the heard and the hearing were exhausted'; this eliminates the wisdom of hearing. As it is with one sense faculty, so it is with the other faculties; this is also what the earlier text described as this faculty being first untied and first attaining the emptiness of person. The *Sūtra of Complete Enlightenment* says: 'A mind that is like an illusion is also left far behind.'

6.9

"Not abiding in the exhausted hearing, the awareness and the object of awareness became empty.

6.10

The state where hearing is exhausted takes the wisdom of contemplation as its essence, and is named 'awareness.' This wisdom of awareness belongs to the sixth consciousness; it means letting go of hearing and contemplating the meaning. Now, also not abiding in this state of exhausted hearing, one advances further in the practice of contemplation, contemplating and dismantling this awareness and the hearing that is aware of it, so that neither stands; hence it is called 'empty.' This eliminates the wisdom of contemplation; this is what the previous text meant by 'the nature of emptiness becomes perfectly luminous, achieving liberation of dharmas.' The *Sūtra of Complete Enlightenment* says: 'Leaving far behind is also illusory, and must also be left far behind.'

6.11

"Emptiness and awareness reaching ultimate perfection, the emptiness and the object of emptiness were extinguished.

6.12

In the state where awareness is empty, the wisdom of contemplation is already exhausted, and one is exclusively aligned with the wisdom of cultivation. The contemplative practice increases in subtlety, and the wisdom of cultivation becomes completely perfected; thus it is said: 'emptiness and awareness reaching ultimate perfection.' This wisdom of cultivation, which is capable of emptying, and the awareness that was emptied also both cease to persist; hence it is said: 'the emptiness and the object of emptiness were extinguished.' This eliminates the wisdom of cultivation; this is what the earlier text meant by, having liberated dharmas, both emptinesses do not arise. The *Sūtra of Complete Enlightenment* says: 'Leaving behind the leaving behind of illusions is also left far behind.'

6.13

"Arising and ceasing having been extinguished, quiescent extinction manifested before me."

6.14

'Arising and ceasing having been extinguished' concludes the previous three wisdoms: the three emptinesses are fully exhausted. Since they are successively emptied, they all belong to arising and ceasing; having reached the utmost limit here, it is said 'having been extinguished.' The true principle of non-arising and the quiescent, permanent, wondrous nature clearly manifest; hence it is said, 'quiescent extinction manifested before me.' Thus the text above says: 'This is named the bodhisattva entering into the forbearance of non-arising dharmas from samādhi.' This is the perfect contemplation of the nature of hearing: with no sensory realms in front of one, gradually clarifying coarse thoughts, slightly eliminating subtle concepts, until reaching non-thought. As the above text says: 'Calm, deep, and unmoving, the sand and soil naturally sink, and pure water appears—this is called initially subduing guest-dust afflictions. Removing the mud to leave pure water is called eternally severing fundamental ignorance. The luminous appearance is purified and pristine; all transformations do not become afflictions, but all accord with the pure, wondrous virtues of nirvāṇa. This begins from contemplative practice up to resemblance awakening, named the stage of arising and ceasing. Entering partial awakening and realizing the forbearance of non-arising is named the non-arising stage.' Yet this state of initial realization is inconceivable and no different from the Buddha. Therefore the sūtra says: 'The initial mind and the ultimate mind are not two and not distinct; of these two minds, the former is difficult.' After entering this stage, thought after thought is quiescent and extinguished, naturally flowing into the ocean of sarvajñā. This gate of contemplation is the perfect cultivation of the threefold contemplation in one mind. Here, through hearing, contemplation, and cultivation, turning the illumination inward and abandoning conditions to reveal one's own nature of hearing, coarse thoughts do not stir and subtle thoughts do not arise, leading to quiescent extinction. Expounded together with the meaning of emptiness, this is: when one is empty, all are empty. Where the nature of hearing is revealed, the principle of the Middle Way appears; this is called 'quiescent extinction manifesting before me.'

6.15

Second, fully displaying the virtues of the fruit, in two parts: first, obtaining the virtues of the fruit.

6.16

"Suddenly, I transcended the worldly and the supramundane; throughout the ten directions, there was perfect luminosity, and I obtained two extraordinary supremacies: first, above, I united with the fundamentally wondrous enlightened mind of all Buddhas of the ten directions, sharing the same power of loving-kindness with the Buddha Tathāgatas; second, below, I united with all sentient beings of the six destinies throughout the ten directions, sharing the same sorrowful yearning with all sentient beings."

6.17

The preceding 'quiescent extinction manifesting before me' is the virtue of severance; the fundamentally enlightened wondrous mind is the virtue of wisdom; the two powers of loving-kindness and compassion are the virtue of benevolence. Since it is perfect cultivation, the three virtues are perfectly realized, thereby transcending worldly ordinary beings and supramundane followers of the three vehicles; this is the supreme vehicle, which only a Buddha and a Buddha can exhaustively fathom. 'Throughout the ten directions, there was perfect luminosity': realizing this realm, one sees that within the ten dharmadhātus and the three kinds of worlds, there is nothing that is not Thusness, nothing that does not become a Buddha. Because it is perfect, no virtue is lacking; because it is luminous, no obstacle is unexhausted. Unconditioned loving-kindness and compassion are the marks of the Buddha's mind; endowed with all virtues, they are foremost among virtues. Being supreme among supreme dharmas, they are called 'extraordinary supremacies.' The fundamentally wondrous enlightened mind is one's own mind, which is non-dual and perfectly complete with all Tathāgatas; realized directly today, it is called 'uniting.' Because of uniting, one attains bliss, and therefore shares the power of loving-kindness. All sentient beings are also this mind, without duality or difference, and thus one also unites with them. Because of uniting, seeing that they fundamentally attain the Buddha-path yet vainly drift in saṃsāra, they are deserving of sorrowful yearning. The subsequent manifestations to alleviate suffering both flow and unfold from these two.

6.18

Second, explaining the wondrous functions, with three parts: first, the thirty-two response bodies, with three parts: first, the initial presentation.

6.19

"World-Honoured One! Because I made offerings to the Tathāgata Avalokiteśvara, I received from that Tathāgata the vajra-samādhi of hearing-perfuming and hearing-cultivation that is like an illusion; because of sharing the same power of loving-kindness with the Buddha Tathāgatas, my body was enabled to achieve thirty-two response bodies and enter all lands."

6.20

Through the power of illusion-like [nature], one perfumes and cultivates the wisdoms of hearing, contemplation, and cultivation, achieving the vajra-samādhi, which can destroy beginningless subtle ignorance and perfectly realize the substance of the tathāgatagarbha. Arising in function based on the substance, responding in accordance with conditions, one's body enters Buddha-lands. The *Avataṃsaka Sūtra* says: 'The pure, wondrous Dharma-body serenely responds to all.' Now, mentioning thirty-two is because the categories of those capable of eliciting a response do not exceed this number, not that the manifested responses have a fixed limit.

6.21

Second, itemized explanation, in four parts: first, holy bodies, in four parts: first, the Buddha-body.

6.22

"World-Honoured One! If bodhisattvas enter samādhi, advance in cultivating what is outflow-free, and their supreme resolve is manifest and complete, I manifest a Buddha-body to expound the Dharma for them, causing them to attain liberation."

6.23

A bodhisattva of the tenth stage sits on the flower-king throne, on the verge of achieving correct enlightenment; they still require another Buddha to expound the teaching for them to hear and be perfumed by, enabling them to sever the final subtle ignorance. Therefore, Avalokiteśvara manifests the tenth-tier other-enjoyment body to expound the Dharma for them. 'Supreme resolve' (adhimukti) refers to giving assent and seal of certainty regarding a determined realm, not being diverted by other conditions; this refers to the moment when the utmost fundamental non-conceptual wisdom is about to become complete, hence called 'supreme resolve.' Yet once this bodhisattva ascends to the abodes, although in the causal stage, they can already manifest bodies of higher stages to expound the Dharma for them; because of this perfect realization, one stage is all stages without shallowness or depth, and hence they can manifest them.

6.24

Second, pratyekabuddha (solitarily enlightened).

6.25

"If any who are still in training are tranquil, wondrous, and luminous, and their supreme wondrousness is manifest and complete, I manifest a solitary-buddha body before them to expound the Dharma for them, causing them to attain liberation."

6.26

The rhinoceros-like enlightened ones awaken alone, appearing in worlds where there is no Buddha; disliking clamour and delighting in tranquility, they dwell alone in mountains and forests. The two stages of provision and application are called 'those still in training'; after this, severing delusions, they realize the stage beyond training. According to the principle of their own vehicle, their wisdom being about to realize but not yet realized is called 'tranquil, wondrous, and luminous.' The bodhisattva manifests a body of their own kind, first according with their fundamental habitual practice, and later leading them close to the Buddha.

6.27

Third, pratyekabuddha (condition-enlightened).

6.28

"If any who are still in training sever the twelve causal conditions, and the supreme nature of the severed conditions is manifest and complete, I manifest a condition-enlightened body before them to expound the Dharma for them, causing them to attain liberation."

6.29

*Pratyekabuddha* is translated as solitarily enlightened, and also as condition-enlightened. The former awakens purely on his own, whereas this one awakens relying on teaching. Contemplating the twelve causal conditions, they practice the two kinds of contemplation of origination and cessation, taking the truth of origination as the initial gate. Before bringing forth reality, they are called 'those still in training.' When their principle and wisdom are about to become complete, the bodhisattva takes on an identical body and will surely entice them to advance.

6.30

Fourth, śrāvaka.

6.31

"If any who are still in training attain the emptiness of the four truths, cultivate the path, enter cessation, and their supreme nature is manifest and complete, I manifest a śrāvaka body before them to expound the Dharma for them, causing them to attain liberation."

6.32

Because they awaken by hearing the voice and teaching of the four truths, they are called 'śrāvakas' (voice-hearers). After bringing forth reality, the three fruits and three directions are all named 'those in training' (śaikṣa). Prior to bringing forth reality, while in the stage of forbearance, one uses defiled wisdom to condense the contemplation on the four truths, producing thirty-two mental aspects; when the sixteen minds of the path of seeing arise as the undefiled path, one severs the eighty-eight entanglements of discriminative defilements under the four truths and realizes the principle of the emptiness of persons, which is called 'the emptiness of the four truths'. Progressing after the first fruit to sever the innate [defilements] and realize the principle of the truth of cessation is called 'cultivating the path and entering cessation'. Being about to ascend to non-training (aśaikṣa) is called 'the superior nature becoming manifest and complete'. Appearing in bodily form to expound the Dharma causes them to swiftly attain realization, and thereafter guides them not to linger in the transformed city, causing them to advance toward the great fruit.

6.33

2. Deva dispositions, in two parts: first, the pair of Śakra, Brahmā, and [devas of] mastery.

6.34

"If there are living beings who wish for their minds to be luminous and awakened, do not transgress with the dusts of desire, and wish for their bodies to be pure, I appear before them in the body of a Brahmā king and expound the Dharma for them, causing them to attain liberation."

6.35

If any have the aspiration that their minds become luminous and awakened, their bodily radiance pure, to be born in the four dhyānas and not be defiled by the dust of afflictions of the desire realm, [the Bodhisattva] appears for them as a Brahmā king and expounds the teaching of the four dhyānas, the sequence of cultivating and realizing entering and emerging from the dhyāna factors, causing them to transcend desire and be born in the Brahmā world.

6.36

"If there are living beings who wish to be lord of the devas and lead all devas, I appear before them in the body of Śakra and expound the Dharma for them, causing them to achieve [their wish]."

6.37

Living beings love to lead all devas; the Bodhisattva appears as Śakra and expounds the superior ten virtues, causing their root of precepts to be pure, so that they are born atop the terrestrial abode, reside in the Palace of Good Sight (Sudarśana), and become king of the Trāyastriṃśa heaven.

6.38

"If there are living beings who wish for their bodies to have mastery and to roam through the ten directions, I appear before them in the body of an Īśvara deva and expound the Dharma for them, causing them to achieve [their wish]."

6.39

Wishing for the body to have mastery and roam through the ten directions, [the Bodhisattva] appears in the body of two devas to expound the Dharma and transform them: namely, the Yāma and Tuṣita devas. As for being named 'mastery' (īśvara), Ci'en says: 'Having attained the fruit of maturation, [manifesting objects] according to whatever they mentally intend, they surpass the lower two heavens. The fruits of the lower two heavens are obtained dependent on trees; now, being obtained according to desire, it is named mastery.'

6.40

"If there are living beings who wish for their bodies to have mastery and fly through empty space, I appear before them in the body of a Maheśvara deva and expound the Dharma for them, causing them to achieve [their wish]."

6.41

The Heaven of Delighting in Transformations (Nirmāṇarati) and Mastery over Transformations by Others (Paranirmitavaśavartin) are called Maheśvara (Great Mastery). Not delighting in the fruit of maturation, but delighting in transforming implements of pleasure for one's own enjoyment or others' enjoyment and experiencing them, is called Maheśvara. However, if one only correlates this with the two heavens of Nirmāṇarati and Paranirmitavaśavartin, the intended meaning is not exhausted; therefore, following Ci'en, it subsumes the four heavens.

6.42

Second, the pair of commanding and gathering ghosts and spirits.

6.43

"If there are living beings who love to command ghosts and spirits and rescue and protect the country, I appear before them in the body of a great celestial general and expound the Dharma for them, causing them to achieve [their wish]."

6.44

A great celestial general is a general commanded by the celestial sovereign; they are distributed to reside across the thirty-two heavens, each leading ghosts and spirits to guard and protect the four quarters.

6.45

"If there are living beings who love to govern the world and protect living beings, I appear before them in the bodies of the Four Heavenly Kings and expound the Dharma for them, causing them to achieve [their wish]."

6.46

The Four Heavenly Kings are the foremost of ascending [realms] and the first heaven of the lower realm; they each reside on one ledge of Mount Sumeru. As for the ghosts and spirits they command, each king has two divisions, making eight classes of beings in total, who rescue and protect the borders of the realms.

6.47

"If there are living beings who love to be born in celestial palaces and drive ghosts and spirits, I appear before them in the body of a prince of the realm of the Four Heavenly Kings and expound the Dharma for them, causing them to achieve [their wish]."

6.48

A prince of a heavenly king is of the kind like Nata. Assisting governance and taking command, grasping and controlling ghostly beings, they protect the world and benefit people. The Bodhisattva assumes the same body, first causing them to achieve [their wish], and later making them weary [of it] and renounce it.

6.49

3. Human statuses, in three parts: first, the pair of monarchs, ministers, and aides.

6.50

"If there are living beings who delight in being masters of men, I appear before them in the body of a king of men and expound the Dharma for them, causing them to achieve [their wish]."

6.51

'King' (wang) means 'to turn toward' (wang): everyone turns toward him. The four wheel-turning kings and the millet-scattered petty kings are all kings of men; transforming those below from above, there is no creature that does not comply.

6.52

"If there are living beings who love to be heads of clans and deferred to by the world, I appear before them in the body of an elder (śreṣṭhin) and expound the Dharma for them, causing them to achieve [their wish]."

6.53

An elder possesses ten virtues: noble ancestry, high position, great wealth, imposing valor, profound wisdom, advanced age, pure conduct, complete propriety, praise from above, and allegiance from below. Possessing these ten virtues, one is called a great elder.

6.54

"If there are living beings who love to discourse on terms and expressions and dwell in pure self-containment, I appear before them in the body of a householder (gṛhapati) and expound the Dharma for them, causing them to achieve [their wish]."

6.55

Wide in learning and strong in memory, not seeking official posts, endowed with great wealth while living [at home], and upholding an upright and incorruptible will, such a person is therefore called a householder.

6.56

"If there are living beings who love to govern territories and adjudicate states and districts, I appear before them in the body of an official magistrate and expound the Dharma for them, causing them to achieve [their wish]."

6.57

'Guo' means territory; a large one is called a 'bang'. 'Bang' means fief, where those of merit were enfieffed. 'Yi' means a county. The five bureaus or six ministries each have their charge, and all are official magistrates. These repair and govern state and family, shift and instruct customs, and adjudicate with clear decisions, so that the people suffer no distortion or grievance.

6.58

"If there are living beings who love arts of reckoning and maintain hygiene in self-containment, I appear before them in the body of a brāhmaṇa and expound the Dharma for them, causing them to achieve [their wish]."

6.59

A brāhmaṇa is said to be one of pure conduct. Spells and prohibitions, calculations and arts, and regimens of nourishment are all arts of reckoning. The Bodhisattva accords with the opportunity to manifest the likeness and encourage their accomplishment; what creature would he not transform?

6.60

Second, the pair of monastic and householder.

6.61

"If there are men who are fond of learning to leave the household and uphold the precepts and vinaya, I appear before them in the body of a bhikṣu and expound the Dharma for them, causing them to achieve [their wish]."

6.62

'Śīla' is called precepts, and 'vinaya' is called discipline. Because one relies on the rules of discipline to guard against wrongs and cease evils, it is called precepts—namely, the two hundred and fifty precepts.

6.63

"If there are women who are fond of learning to leave the household and uphold the restrictive precepts, I appear before them in the body of a bhikṣuṇī and expound the Dharma for them, causing them to achieve [their wish]."

6.64

'Ṇī' is a feminine ending, meaning a female bhikṣu, who upholds five hundred precepts. Since her virtue of precepts is strictly maintained and forms a model to transform creatures, her advancement is ever more swift, departing far beyond the three realms.

6.65

"If there are men who delight in upholding the five precepts, I appear before them in the body of an upāsaka and expound the Dharma for them, causing them to achieve [their wish]. If there are women who abide in the five precepts, I appear before them in the body of an upāsikā and expound the Dharma for them, causing them to achieve [their wish]."

6.66

The five precepts mean: not killing, not stealing, not committing sexual misconduct, not lying, and not drinking intoxicants. After the Buddha conferred the three refuges upon the lay congregation such as the elder Trapuṣa, he conferred the five precepts on them as upāsakas. The sūtra states that the five precepts are the great taboos under heaven: if one violates these five, in heaven it contravenes the five stars, on earth it contravenes the five sacred peaks, in the directions it contravenes the five emperors, and in the body it contravenes the five viscera; worldly transgressions such as these are boundless. If spoken of supramundane-wise, it destroys the fivefold dharmakāya and all buddha-dharmas, because the five precepts are the foundation of both great and small śīla. For those who are fond of learning this, [the Bodhisattva] appears as a pure man and expounds this Dharma to them. 'Upāsikā' means a pure woman, or an attendant woman.

6.67

Third, the pair of female rulers and youthful bodies.

6.68

"If there are women who establish themselves through inner governance to regulate house and state, I appear before them in the body of a queen, imperial consort, noble dame, or matriarch, and expound the Dharma for them, causing them to achieve [their wish]."

6.69

Managing the inner governance of the king is called inner stewardship. 'Governance' (zheng) is that by which one rectifies (zheng) what is not upright. Ministers and grandees are called 'houses'; the Son of Heaven and feudal lords are called 'states'. The empress and consorts of the Son of Heaven are called 'female rulers'; those of feudal lords are called 'consorts of state'. As for 'mandate' (ming), the husband is exalted at court, and the wife honored in the chambers; receiving a mandate from the empress and consorts, they are called 'mandated dames'. 'Matriarch' (dagu) refers to a woman whom the empress and consorts take as a teacher, like Cao Huiji. Within palace confines and state compounds, sights and sounds increase self-indulgence; if not aided by holy transformation, how could they yearn for pure chastity?

6.70

"If there are living beings who do not destroy their male faculty, I appear before them in the body of a maiden boy and expound the Dharma for them, causing them to achieve [their wish]. If there are virgins who delight in maintaining maidenhood and seek no violation or ravishment, I appear before them in the body of a maiden girl and expound the Dharma for them, causing them to achieve [their wish]."

6.71

Maiden boys and maiden girls have chastity that surpasses worldly norms, serving as exemplars for people. The Bodhisattva abides among them, encouraging and exhorting ever more earnestly.

6.72

4. Ghosts and spirits, in three parts: first, the classes of devas, nāgas, yakṣas, and music spirits.

6.73

"If there are devas who delight in escaping their celestial species, I appear in the body of a deva and expound the Dharma for them, causing them to achieve [their wish]. If there are nāgas who delight in escaping their nāga species, I appear in the body of a nāga and expound the Dharma for them, causing them to achieve [their wish]. If there are yakṣas who delight in transcending their own species, I appear before them in the body of a yakṣa and expound the Dharma for them, causing them to achieve [their wish]. If there are gandharvas who delight in casting off their species, I appear before them in the body of a gandharva and expound the Dharma for them, causing them to achieve [their wish]."

6.74

Devas can tire of pleasure, nāgas can dread suffering, music spirits are licentious and unrestrained, and yakṣas are courageous and robust; each yearns to transcend their species, and none but a sage can pull them out.

6.75

Second, the classes of alcohol-free beings, doubtful spirits, and python forms.

6.76

"If there are asuras who delight in casting off their species, I appear before them in the body of an asura and expound the Dharma for them, causing them to achieve [their wish]. If there are kiṃnaras who delight in casting off their species, I appear before them in the body of a kiṃnara and expound the Dharma for them, causing them to achieve [their wish]. If there are mahoragas who delight in casting off their species, I appear before them in the body of a mahoraga and expound the Dharma for them, causing them to achieve [their wish]."

6.77

Asuras are ugly in form and full of arrogance. Doubtful spirits (kiṃnara) resemble humans while bearing horns. Python forms (mahoraga) are of the kind that crawl on their bellies like field crickets. Because they often violated precepts while practicing slight generosity, they fell into these destinies. Each vows to transcend their class, and all are accorded with their desires.

6.78

Third, the miscellaneous destiny classes of humans and non-humans.

6.79

"If there are living beings who delight in humans and cultivate human [conduct], I appear in the body of a human and expound the Dharma for them, causing them to achieve [their wish]. If there are non-humans—whether having form or formless, whether with thought or thoughtless—who delight in transcending their species, I appear before them all in their bodily forms and expound the Dharma for them, causing them to achieve [their wish]."

6.80

A human body is difficult to obtain, enabling one to see the Buddha and receive transformation. Unlike the attachment to pleasure of devas, or the preponderance of suffering among the rest, they therefore delight in cultivating it. 'Having form' means having the skandha of form, like the auspicious and ominous luminaries below. 'Formless' means lacking the skandha of form, like the empty, dispersed, sunken, and vanished below. 'With thought' means having four skandhas, like ghosts, spirits, essences, and souls below. 'Thoughtless' means lacking four skandhas, namely those whose spiritual essence transforms into earth, wood, metal, and stone below. All the above are non-humans. Thus, diverse classes of form and thought, all wriggling creatures, receive benefit; [the Bodhisattva] necessarily matches their bodies, transforming them on the spur of the moment.

6.81

3. Concluding summary.

6.82

"These are called the thirty-two responsive bodies of wonderful purity entering realms, all achieved with mastery through the uncreated wonderful power of hearing-perfuming and hearing-cultivating samādhi."

6.83

Using illusion-like power to perfume hearing, contemplation, and cultivation, one accomplishes the vajra samādhi; realizing reality and giving rise to functioning, mastery is like this.

6.84

2. The fourteen [types of] fearlessness. Whenever there is distress, it must be aided; whenever there is danger, it must be rescued; when terror is turned into security, it is comprehensively designated 'fearlessness', taking great compassion as its essence. The text has three parts:

6.85

First, the heading.

6.86

"World-Honoured One, because I further used this uncreated wonderful power of the vajra samādhi of hearing-perfuming and hearing-cultivating to share the same sorrow and aspiration with all living beings of the six destinies across the ten directions and the three times, I cause all living beings to obtain fourteen kinds of meritorious virtues of fearlessness in my body and mind."

6.87

Due to the previous contemplative practice realizing reality and being endowed with virtues, giving rise to functioning from the essence, he causes living beings to obtain the fourteen kinds of meritorious virtues of fearlessness.

6.88

Second, itemized explanation, in four parts: first, hearing the sound and leaving suffering.

6.89

"First: because I did not contemplate the sound myself, but used contemplation to contemplate the contemplator, I cause those suffering and afflicted living beings of the ten directions to contemplate their sounds and immediately attain liberation."

6.90

Because I did not observe the sound that was heard, but only observed the nature of hearing, sound spontaneously fell silent, the characteristics of hearing were free of arising, and unconstrained by the realm of dust, there was spontaneous liberation. Since I myself was like this, I cause all sentient beings in the ten directions, upon hearing my voice, immediately to obtain deliverance from suffering.

6.91

Second, the dispelling of distress upon encountering peril, with three parts: first, the peril of the three disasters and evil lands.

6.92

"Second, perception revolving back to its source causes all sentient beings, even if they enter a great fire, not to be burned by the fire."

6.93

Originally, caused by the four great elements dividing the limpid clarity, this revolved and gave rise to awareness and knowing. Now, returning to the original hearing, perception returns to limpid clarity; the limpid nature is perfectly pervasive, and no dust is to be found. Once the dust-fire has subsided, what thing could burn? Therefore, it causes sentient beings not to be destroyed by great fires.

6.94

"Third, observing and hearing revolving back to their source causes all sentient beings carried away by great waters not to be drowned by the water."

6.95

Sound can drift and toss like water surging in waves. When observing and hearing revolve back to truth, the characteristics of dust do not arise. Emptily luminous, silent, and limpid, what thing could drift? Therefore, it causes those who remember me not to drown in great waters.

6.96

"Fourth, severing and eliminating false thinking so that the mind is free of killing and harming causes all sentient beings, upon entering ghost realms, not to be harmed by ghosts."

6.97

The arising and ceasing of false thoughts can kill the Dharma-body and destroy the life of wisdom. If delusions are severed, the true nature suffers no injury; therefore, upon entering ghost realms, ghosts cannot harm them.

6.98

"Fifth, perfuming hearing to accomplish hearing, the six faculties dissolve and return, becoming identical with the hearing of sounds; this can cause sentient beings, when about to be harmed, to have the knives break into pieces, rendering their weapons like slicing through water or blowing on light, the nature having no agitation."

6.99

Perfuming and cultivating false hearing accomplishes the true nature of hearing; when one faculty loses its counterpart, all faculties are also dissolved. The mind-water is emptily luminous, the light of wisdom is unmoving—who is self and other to suffer harm? Therefore, encountering objects without obstruction, the blade plays with room to spare.

6.100

Second, the peril of ghosts, prisons, and evil bandits.

6.101

"Sixth, hearing perfuming [the mind into] essential clarity, whose light pervades the dharmadhātu, so that all obscure darkness cannot retain its nature; this can cause sentient beings, though yakṣas, rākṣasas, kumbhāṇḍa ghosts, piśācas, pūtanas, and the like approach their side, to be unable to see them with their eyes."

6.102

The contemplation-gate of hearing-perfuming accomplishes essential clarity; once the illumination of wisdom is fused, it perfectly pervades the dharmadhātu, and the evil darkness of ignorance can never arise. Classes such as yakṣas all partake of murky breath; light can destroy darkness, and therefore evil ghosts are made unable to see with their eyes.

6.103

"Seventh, the nature of sound having completely dissolved, observing and hearing return within, separated from all dust and falsehood; this can cause sentient beings not to be bound by confinements, fetters, or pillories."

6.104

The entanglements of defiling dusts are like confinement; the material obstructions of the six faculties are like fetters and pillories. Once one enters the flow and loses the object, bondage and obstruction cannot be established; therefore, those who remember [me] are liberated from fetters and pillories.

6.105

"Eighth, extinguishing sound and perfecting hearing, the power of compassion arises everywhere; this can cause sentient beings passing through dangerous roads not to be robbed by bandits."

6.106

Sound can rob the mind; harming goodness acts as a bandit. When sound dissolves and mind is pure, the power of compassion perfuses everywhere. With equanimity cherished within, good and evil are equally embraced; therefore, when treading danger, bandits cannot rob them.

6.107

Third, the peril of the three poisons and evil minds.

6.108

"Ninth, perfuming hearing to separate from dust, so that forms cannot plunder; this can cause all sentient beings with excessive lust to leave behind craving and desire."

6.109

Once the dust of sound is gone, the realm of form fades away; from where could thoughts of craving and desire arise? Therefore, it causes sentient beings to leave behind craving and desire.

6.110

"Tenth, pure sound without dust, faculties and objects perfectly fused with nothing opposed to what opposes; this can cause all sentient beings of resentment and hatred to leave behind all anger."

6.111

Distinctions of sounds are made pure through samādhi; since dust does not arise, the faculties have no counterpart. Realms agreeable or contrary cannot be found, and the mind of anger naturally vanishes; therefore, it causes those who remember [me] to leave behind all anger.

6.112

"Eleventh, dissolving dust and revolving back to clarity, the body and mind within the dharmadhātu are like lapis lazuli, brightly transparent without obstruction; this can cause all dull-witted and obstructed ātyantikas to leave doubt and darkness forever behind."

6.113

Eliminating the darkness of dust and revolving back to true clarity, the world, body, and mind are transparent without obstruction. Everything is solely awareness; what could be foolish darkness? Therefore, it causes icchantikas all to give rise to genuine faith.

6.114

Third, fulfilling wishes in response to prayers.

6.115

"Twelfth, dissolving form and returning to hearing, without moving from the bodhimanda one traverses and enters the worldly realm; without destroying the worlds one can pervade the ten directions to make offerings to atom-like tathāgatas and buddhas, serving beside each buddha as a Dharma Prince; this can cause childless sentient beings throughout the dharmadhātu who wish for a boy to give birth to a boy of blessing, virtue, and wisdom."

6.116

Melting and penetrating the obstructions of form, revolving back to true hearing, one therefore traverses and enters the worlds without moving from the bodhimanda; one's body, without limit, pervades the ten directions, carrying on the lineage of the Dharma King without interruption. Because blessings and wisdom are complete through the power of samādhi, those who seek a boy have no prayer in vain.

6.117

"Thirteenth, the six faculties having perfect penetration, illuminated and clearly aware without duality, containing the realms of the ten directions, establishing the Great Perfect Mirror empty tathāgatagarbha, serving atom-like tathāgatas of the ten directions, receiving and holding their secret Dharma gates without loss; this can cause childless sentient beings throughout the dharmadhātu who wish for a girl to give birth to an upright, blessed, virtuous, gentle, and compliant daughter of auspicious marks who is loved and respected by all."

6.118

The six faculties are perfectly pervasive, fusing, penetrating, illuminating, and containing the ten directions without duality or distinction—only the one precious awareness, which is named the Great Perfect Mirror. Furthermore, being able to serve atom-like buddhas, receiving and containing immeasurable Dharma gates without loss or destruction, it is called the empty treasury. Because female virtue reflects the earth's pattern—supporting life, yielding and following, gentle and bright, chaste and upright, with auspicious marks fully complete—it is through this remembrance and seeking that one can give birth.

6.119

Fourth, obtaining blessings by reciting the name.

6.120

"Fourteenth, in this trichiliocosm, the Dharma Princes residing in the world under its ten billion suns and moons are sixty-two times the sands of the Ganges in number; cultivating the Dharma to set an example and teaching and transforming sentient beings, their skillful means and wisdom in according with sentient beings are each different."

6.121

This is the multitude to be compared. Skillful means is the provisional; wisdom is the real. Below, the comparison is made to the single name.

6.122

"Because of the original faculty of perfect penetration obtained by me, opening the wondrous ear gate, my body and mind subsequently contained [all things] with subtle wonder, fully pervading the dharmadhātu."

6.123

First is stated the reason. Avalokiteśvara's cultivation enters from the three wisdoms; this is the root of all practices. Buddhas after buddhas expound the teachings all by means of sound; capacities after capacities attain awakening all by means of the wisdom of hearing. Who can go out except by the door? Why would anyone not follow this path? How much more so when one can lose what is apprehended in the dust of sound, untie the knots of the faculties, and return to the limit of reality! The original clarity of the mind is wondrous, the realms of one and many fuse and penetrate; original limpid awareness is perfect, and the names of self and other are equal. Because all bodies are just the one body, it says 'contained with subtle wonder'; because the one body is just all bodies, it says 'fully pervading the dharmadhātu'. This is precisely the reason their blessings are equal.

6.124

"I can cause sentient beings who uphold my name to have blessings and virtue precisely equal to and no different from another person who together upholds [the names of] those Dharma Princes [as numerous as] sixty-two Ganges sands. World-Honoured One! My single name is no different from those many names, because through my cultivation I attained true perfect penetration."

6.125

Directly comparing their equal blessings. This means that because of one's own realization of the principle of equality, one thereby causes others to obtain equal blessings. From 'Because of my...' onward concludes with the reason.

6.126

Third, conclusion.

6.127

"These are called the fourteen powers of bestowing fearlessness, with which blessings are provided to sentient beings."

6.128

As in the text.

6.129

Third, the four inconceivable virtuous functions are exceedingly extraordinary, beyond the reach of speech and intellect; they reveal the characteristics of the merit of the Great Perfect Mirror's substance. However, the substance of merit, power, and function is one: what is harboured within is called virtue, and what is applied outwardly is called function. Although previously responding according to capacities, governing things in a timely manner, pulling out suffering and giving joy, their numbers were still limited, and the virtue of freely manifesting transformations without limitation was not yet fully expounded; exceedingly wondrous beyond compare and difficult to conceive, it is therefore related now. The text has two parts:

6.130

First, raising the topic.

6.131

"World-Honoured One! Because I also attained this perfect penetration and cultivated and realized the unsurpassed path, I was further able skillfully to obtain four inconceivable, unconditioned wondrous virtues."

6.132

If inner virtue is not abundant, outer function does not arise. Using the vajra-samādhi to perfume the original four immeasurables, through this fruition-realization, true virtue appears before one; hence four things are accomplished, all manifesting without contrivance as inconceivable.

6.133

Second, itemized explanation, in four parts: first, manifesting forms and expounding the Dharma.

6.134

"First, because I initially attained the wondrously wondrous hearing mind, the mind-essence abandoned hearing, so that seeing, hearing, perceiving, and knowing could not be separated, becoming one harmonious, pure, precious awareness."

6.135

This relates the root of the virtue. The nature of hearing is originally true, neither coarse nor wondrous; because it transcends opposites, it is called 'wondrously wondrous'. Being non-coarse is called 'essence'; being free from characteristics is called 'abandoned'. Once one faculty returns, the six faculties are all released; therefore without separation they become one precious awareness. Below it lists what is manifested:

6.136

"Therefore I can manifest numerous wondrous forms and can utter boundless secret divine dhāraṇīs."

6.137

Raising the point. Wondrous forms manifest in great numbers, unconstrained by physical limits. Secret dhāraṇīs are boundless, not graspable by speech. This is due to the power of samādhi perfuming the original immeasurable loving-kindness, manifesting various forms and uttering various dhāraṇīs to cause all who see and hear to obtain wondrous joy.

6.138

"Among these, I may manifest one head, three heads, five heads, seven heads, nine heads, eleven heads, and so forth up to a hundred and eight heads, a thousand heads, ten thousand heads, or eighty-four thousand cakra heads; two arms, four arms, six arms, eight arms, ten arms, twelve arms, fourteen, sixteen, eighteen, twenty, up to twenty-four, and so forth up to a hundred and eight arms, a thousand arms, ten thousand arms, or eighty-four thousand mudrā arms; two eyes, three eyes, four eyes, nine eyes, and so forth up to a hundred and eight eyes, a thousand eyes, ten thousand eyes, or eighty-four thousand pure precious eyes; sometimes compassionate, sometimes awesome, sometimes in samādhi, sometimes in wisdom, rescuing and protecting sentient beings to attain great mastery."

6.139

The head emerges above the sages—this is the Dharma-body. The arms can lift and receive—this is the transformation-body. The eyes guide with illumination—this is the wisdom-body. Nothing is seen in vain; seeing brings certain benefit; hence one can rescue and protect.

6.140

Second, sentient beings [rendered] fearless.

6.141

"Second, because my hearing and reflection broke free from the six dusts, like sound passing through a wall without hindrance, I can wondrously manifest each and every form and chant each and every dhāraṇī; those forms and dhāraṇīs can bestow fearlessness upon sentient beings, and therefore lands [as numerous as] dust motes in the ten directions all call me the Bestower of Fearlessness."

6.142

Through illusion-like power perfuming original equal compassion, one can manifest immeasurable bodies from one body, and manifest one body from immeasurable bodies; there is no kṣetra among the dust motes of the ten directions where one does not manifest. Uttering each dhāraṇī, pulling out all pain and distress, fearless sentient beings attain great mastery.

6.143

Third, relinquishing treasures to seek pity.

6.144

"Third, because I cultivated the original wondrous perfect penetration and the pure original faculty, in whatever worlds I travel, I cause sentient beings to relinquish their bodies and precious treasures, seeking my pity."

6.145

Through the power of samādhi perfuming the original joyful mind, in whatever worlds one travels, sentient beings who see one all give rise to joy, not sparing body or wealth to seek pity.

6.146

Fourth, whatever is sought accords with wishes.

6.147

"Fourth, having attained the buddha-mind and realized the ultimate, I can use various precious treasures to make offerings to the tathāgatas of the ten directions, extending down to sentient beings of the six destinies in the dharmadhātu: those seeking a wife obtain a wife, those seeking a child obtain a child, those seeking samādhi obtain samādhi, those seeking long life obtain long life, and so forth up to those seeking great nirvāṇa obtaining great nirvāṇa."

6.148

Because the power of perfect illumination perfumes the fundamental mind of equanimity, once the fruit is realized, one is able to give precious gems above to all buddhas and below to sentient beings, and also to cause all that is sought among mundane and supramundane dharmas to be granted according to their wishes. In these two sections above on joy and equanimity, each mutually implies the other's attainment. Furthermore, to synthesize the preceding passages with respect to the three contemplations: by the contemplation that dissolves marks and clears the spirit, quiescent cessation manifests before one; by the contemplation that arises as illusion and disperses dust, one obtains the two superior excellences; by the contemplation of the non-dual luminous mind, the four inconceivables [arise]. These are also the contemplations of the identical-with-emptiness, identical-with-provisionality, and identical-with-the-middle, as is evident from the detailed text.

6.149

Three, concluding summary and explanation of accomplishment, in two parts: 1. Concluding answer to what was asked.

6.150

“The Buddha asked about perfect penetration. Through the ear-gate, by means of the samādhi of perfect illumination, my conditioned mind became free. Due to entering the flow of the faculty, I attained samādhi and accomplished bodhi. This is foremost.”

6.151

The “samādhi of perfect illumination” is the one-practice samādhi. That is, initially conditioning upon the true mark, the realm one encounters is immediately the middle, and nothing is not true reality. Fastening the mind to the dharmadhātu, a single thought is the dharmadhātu; hence it is said, “my conditioned mind became free.” This is the Śūraṅgama concentration that is the central theme of the entire sūtra, the true perfect penetration praised by Mañjuśrī, which all buddhas celebrated together with interlocking rays of light upon this explanation. Later students reaching this point should, fortunately, pay close attention and not consider it of slight consequence.

6.152

2. Recounting the praise and receiving the name.

6.153

“World-Honoured One, that Buddha Tathāgata praised me for having skillfully attained the Dharma-gate of perfect penetration, and in the great assembly conferred upon me the designation Avalokiteśvara (Contemplator of the World's Sounds). Because my contemplating and hearing was perfectly luminous throughout the ten directions, the name Avalokiteśvara pervades all worlds in the ten directions.”

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首楞嚴義疏注經 — Classical Chinese