請觀世音菩薩消伏毒害陀羅尼三昧儀 1.5

1.5

The Commentary on the Invocation of Avalokiteśvara, following former masters, clarifies the procedure in terms of ten intentions: first, strictly purifying the bodhimaṇḍa; second, making obeisance; third, burning incense and scattering flowers; fourth, fastening mindfulness and counting breaths; fifth, preparing willow branches and pure water; sixth, invoking the Three Jewels; seventh, reciting the dhāraṇī; eighth, disclosure and confession; ninth, bowing in homage; tenth, sitting meditation. The Commentary merely explains the sūtra and had no leisure to set forth the procedure in detail, so it temporarily followed the former enumeration. Since the Bailu properly clarifies the phenomenal rituals, its intention is slightly different. The former masters placed 'fifth, preparing willow branches' and 'sixth, beginning to invoke the noble ones'; the Bailu, following the sūtra, places the 'willow branch' after the 'invocation'. The former masters had 'tenth, sitting meditation'; the Bailu shifted this to 'reciting the sūtra', and took the fourth, 'counting breaths', to be meditation; the former 'sitting' was redundant while lacking 'chanting and recitation'. Therefore, although the number is ten here, it is based exclusively on the Bailu as the standard. However, these ten intentions each possess both phenomena and principle; all communicate with stimulus and response, all pervade the three karmas, all purify the three obstacles, and all converge in the three virtues. What a level and clear path of liberation! Thus, in terms of phenomena, they are the present ten categories of phenomenal practices. In terms of principle, there are only two: first, following the correct contemplation of the Middle Way of the dhāraṇī; second, cultivating contemplation through engagement with phenomena. These phenomena and principle must rely on the three karmas; when the three karmas constitute the capacity, in principle there is nothing that does not respond; when there is a response, karma is purified; when karma is purified, obstacles are eliminated; when obstacles are eliminated, virtues are converged with; and when virtues are converged with, there are neither phenomena nor principle, nor is there stimulus and response. Everything is tranquil—who could speak of ten intentions?