請觀音經疏闡義鈔 4.41

4.41

Second, the five-character verses of praise, in two parts: first, general praise. 'Equal to the path like the sun and moon' means breaking through the darkness of sentient beings' afflictions, like the sun and moon illuminating day and night. Moreover, the sun analogizes real wisdom, and the moon analogizes expedient wisdom. 'Flowing forth' and so on: the primary marks are general while the secondary marks are specific; if the marks lack the secondary marks, they are not complete. Wheel-turning kings, Śakra, and Brahmā also have marks, but because they lack the secondary marks, their marks are not subtly wondrous. Emerging from the general to the specific, it is said to flow forth. Thus, based on the body there are marks, and based on the marks there are secondary marks. The marks express virtue and cause people to revere virtue. By recollecting the Buddha's secondary marks to adorn the body, one causes people to delight in and wish to draw close to it. 'Mount Sumeru': properly called Sumeru, translated here as Wondrously High, also called Tranquil and Bright. It rises eighty-four thousand yojanas out of the water, composed of the four treasures. It means leaving behind the two kinds of three evil destinies. 'Beyond the realm' refers to the non-learners of seeing and cultivating. Second, from 'All' onward specifically praises this present sūtra, in two parts: first, praising the teaching master who can expound it. 'All Buddhas' means those of the ten directions and three periods of time, because all Buddhas praise Avalokiteśvara's great compassion. Second, from 'Praise' onward praises the person and Dharma that are expounded, revealing that all Buddhas expound this sūtra. Second, from 'At that time' onward expounds the dhāraṇī for protection, in three parts: first, narrating the intention; second, directly expounding the dhāraṇī. Searching across many ancient and modern editions, the words and phrases of this dhāraṇī are all identical, so it is not recorded here. Truly because practitioners do not recite it, it has been spared alterations. Third, explaining its efficacy.