佛頂尊勝陀羅尼經教跡義記 1.15

1.15

蓋聞：妙途凝邃，理出於有無；至道希夷，像超於視聽。然昏衢積闇，資慧炬以開冥；苦海橫流，假慈舟而拯溺。是知，三千世界俱霑有漏之津，百億諸天希出無明之境。粵有天子其名善住，三歸果滿十善因圓，怡神勝殿之中，縱寶華園之上，雖朝觀妙樂，千齡之積慶未窮；夜聽空聲，七日之餘殃已近。既迫將危之命，旋驚向受之軀，爰投喜見之尊，式敘憂聞之懼，遂得桓提降念、帝尺主垂矜，俯寶池以求乞希方、仰金山之請救我。世尊大悲拯物、弘道濟生，俄現笑於丹唇、遽流光於紺頂，滅禍銷殃之祕法妙旨爰創，延齡益壽之奇方吉祥斯闡，故使憍尸獲利，一時聞四辨之音；善住蒙恩，六日發三希之歎。居寶宮而讚德，既賀全軀；樹金地以酬恩，更欣摩頂。題稱佛頂尊勝陀羅尼者，蓋當部之都名，則此經之別目也。其為文也，雖辭約而理繁；其為用也，實功深而利大。何則？骸霑呪土，天宮之樂果必登；體拂遺塵，地獄之苦報斯斷。故使摩尼淨寶擬妙力於華編，閻浮檀金抵神功於葉偈。初稱佛號，先標兩足之雄名。次說頂言，方敘一身之貴相。尊以彌高立稱，彰教體之彌高。勝以至妙受名，表佛心之至妙。陀羅尼者梵語，此翻名曰總持，包四義之幽宗，括一經之極指。經者常也，亦曰轉也，八十八恒之眾聖同演說之，通稱常；三十三類諸天共流通之，別號轉。因此義故，遂曰佛頂尊勝陀羅尼經也。

We have heard: The sublime path is profound and serene, its principle transcending existence and non-existence; the supreme Dao is subtle and imperceptible, its form surpassing seeing and hearing. Yet the dark road gathers obscurity, requiring the torch of wisdom to open the gloom; the sea of suffering overflows, relying on the vessel of compassion to rescue the drowning. Thus we know that the three-thousandfold world is entirely soaked in the river of defilements, and the hundred hundred-million devas rarely emerge from the realm of ignorance. Formerly, there was a deva-son named Susthita whose fruits of the Three Refuges were replete and whose causes of the Ten Virtues were perfected; while relaxing his spirit in a magnificent palace and disporting atop gardens of precious flowers, though he observed sublime joy by morning, the accumulated blessings of a thousand years were not yet exhausted; hearing a voice in space by night, the lingering disaster of seven days was already imminent. Since his life was about to be imperiled, he was instantly alarmed at the body he had hitherto possessed; he thereupon threw himself before the Lord of Sudarśana to recount the terror of what he had sorrowfully heard. Thereupon, Hante bestowed his attention and the Lord Śakra extended his pity; looking down into the jeweled pool, he sought a rare method, and looking up to the golden mountain, he begged, 'Save us!' The World-Honoured One, with great compassion rescuing beings and propagating the Way to deliver the living, suddenly showed a smile on his vermilion lips and swiftly emitted light from his azure uṣṇīṣa. The secret method and sublime purport for eliminating disasters and dissolving misfortunes were thus originated; the extraordinary prescription and auspiciousness for extending years and increasing life were thereby expounded. Thus Kauśika obtained benefit, hearing all at once the sound of the four unhindered analytical knowledges; Susthita received grace, giving voice in six days to sighs of the three rare things. Dwelling in the jeweled palace to praise virtue, he rejoiced at the preservation of his body; standing upon the golden ground to repay kindness, he was further delighted by the touching of his head. The title reads 'Uṣṇīṣavijayā Dhāraṇī': this is the general name of the entire division, and thus the specific designation of this sūtra. As for its text, though the words are concise, the principles are manifold; as for its function, its efficacy is truly deep and its benefits great. Why is this? If one's bones are moistened by consecrated soil, the joyful fruit of the celestial palace is surely attained; if one's body is brushed by dust blown [from a pillar], the painful retribution of hell is severed. Thus, pure maṇi jewels cannot match its sublime power in the flowery book, and jambūnada gold cannot equal its divine efficacy in the leaf-gāthās. First uttering the Buddha's name, it initially sets forth the grand title of the Two-Footed Honored One. Next speaking the word 'uṣṇīṣa', it then recounts the noble mark of the single body. 'Honored' (vijayā) is established as an appellation on account of being exceedingly exalted, manifesting that the teaching essence is exceedingly exalted. 'Supreme' (vijayā) receives its name on account of being utmost sublime, expressing that the Buddha's mind is utmost sublime. 'Dhāraṇī' is Sanskrit; here it is translated as 'retention' (zǒngchí), encompassing the profound宗旨 (central themes) of the four meanings and embracing the ultimate intent of the entire sūtra. 'Sūtra' (jīng) means constant, and it is also said to mean turning: the multitude of sages across eighty-eight Ganges sands expound it together, so it is generally called 'constant'; the thirty-three classes of devas circulate it together, so it is specifically named 'turning'. By virtue of these meanings, it is therefore called the Uṣṇīṣavijayā Dhāraṇī Sūtra.