請觀世音菩薩消伏毒害陀羅尼三昧儀 1.32

1.32

(The Commentary says: "Fastening mindfulness is an invocation that admonishes the mental karma and silently contemplates. ... Those of lower capacity immediately attain concentration of mind and cessation of distraction; those of middling capacity immediately attain fine abiding; those of upper capacity immediately attain dhyāna of the unarrived stage. This is the joyful arising of the dhyānas and the undefiled. Seeing the Buddhas of the ten directions, the buddhānusmṛti-samādhi, and all dhyānas. These ten mindfulnesses differ in how breath is counted and where the mind is lodged according to the ten classes of practitioners. If breath-counting is regulated and harmonized, body and mind become peaceful, and the four great elements are balanced, then the poison and harm upon the karmic retribution are eliminated and subdued. If, when counting breaths, the wholesome mind is developed, evil karma is stilled, and mundane goodness is perfected, this is the breath-counting of humans and devas. If one contemplates the breath as wind-vapor, wind is form; the contemplating king of the mind is consciousness; receiving this breath is sensation; directing thought to this breath is perception; the remainder is the breath of formations. Perfecting the five skandhas is the four applications of mindfulness, called the śrāvaka breath. If one contemplates the breath as past causes and conditions of ignorance producing the breath of present karmic retribution, the causes and conditions of the three periods of time, this is the pratyekabuddha breath. If one contemplates the breath without clinging or attachment, it is called dāna; not giving rise to unwholesomeness is called śīla; enduring this counting is called kṣānti; mindfulness succeeding mindfulness continuously is called vīrya; knowing the count without confusion is called dhyāna; illuminating wind and panting, wrong and right, is prajñā. This is the breath of the phenomenal six pāramitās. If one contemplates the breath to achieve markless wisdom, it is called the breath of the Shared Teaching. If one contemplates the breath as neither empty nor conventional, the Buddha-nature of the Middle Way, contemplating them sequentially, it is called the breath of the Distinct Teaching. If one contemplates this breath perfectly, the three truths in one mind, without sequence or before and after, it is called the breath of the Perfect Teaching." As for mindfulness of the Buddhas, the sūtra text instructs one to be mindful of the seven Buddhas and so forth. The Fuxing quotes the Vibhāṣā as saying: "All dharmas are originally without arising and without ceasing. Because the bodhisattva faithfully delights in the two bodies of form and Dharma as being like empty space, he attains unobstructedness in all places. The so-called obstructions are Mount Sumeru and the like. This person has not yet attained the divine eye; by contemplating Buddhas of other realms and attaining the dharma of dhyāna-concentration, he sees the Buddhas according to his wish." One should also examine this in detail according to the ten modes of practice; the Commentary says: "The Buddhas of the ten directions are the ten dharmadhātus, all having Buddha-nature. The seven Buddhas are the seven limbs of enlightenment." As for being mindful of sentient beings, one should take the realm of the four noble truths as condition and arouse benevolence and compassion as expedient. Because the text is extensive it is not quoted here, but can be inferred through contemplation. One should know that in fastening mindfulness one must not take it lightly, treating it merely as collecting thoughts. One must know that the capacities of practitioners vary; within three seven-day periods, or seven seven-day periods, profound realizations will emerge. Therefore, the Commentary extensively clarifies their characteristics according to the three capacities and ten classes of practitioners, making the profound intent far-reaching; let the practitioner reflect deeply! Breath-counting being such, all other categories follow this pattern, clarifying the meaning of eliminating and subduing according to each of the ten classes of practitioners.)