顯密圓通成佛心要集 2.13

2.13

九、具自他力現成菩提門者，謂顯教中有自力他力二門，《十住論》、《念佛鏡》等說：一、自力門，謂修六度萬行等，名難行道，如人陸地步行千里程則遲到。二、他力門，謂念佛等名易行道，如人水路乘船行千里程則疾到。今真言中密具自他二力，謂《大乘寶王》等諸經中說：真言行者日日得具，六波羅蜜圓滿功德。又《佛頂》頌云：「不持齋者名持齋，不持戒者名持戒，僧破二百五十戒，比丘尼犯八波羅，聞念佛頂陀羅尼，便得具足聲戒。」（彼《佛頂疏》云：「菩薩行門隨行則具，今不行而備，蓋神呪之力具足萬行。」斯言不誣矣。）則是自力門。又真言中每一一字，皆是諸佛全身，《末法中一字呪經》云：「吾滅度之後，變身作此呪」等，即是他力門。又諸經說：真言行者現世能成無上菩提。故《樓閣經》云：「我與無量俱胝百千劫，雖行苦行猶不得菩提，由纔聞陀羅尼故，加行相應便成正覺。」又《五字陀羅尼》頌云：「諸佛本誓力，現成諸聖事，即於一坐中，便成最正覺。」又《陀羅尼．序》云：「若覺蘊於心，即凡夫三業成功德聚，只於此生便得菩提，何勞修進多劫？」又《神變疏》判陀羅尼為大不思議成佛神通乘，謂依餘門成佛，如乘羊馬行千里程，經久方到；依陀羅尼門成佛，如乘神通行千里程，舉意便到。所至處雖無異，所乘法有遲疾也。又餘門成佛，如磨黃石取如意珠；依真言門成佛，如神通力取如意珠。又云：「如餘菩薩為求菩提，雖難行苦行如救頭然，經無量劫尚不能得如是成就；真言行者不虧法則，只於此生得菩提也。」故《神變鈔》云：「頓超地位，譬之以神通；速離纏痾，喻之以呪術。」又《大教王經》云：「若不依祕密課誦修行，終不成於無上菩提也。」

Ninth, the gate of possessing both self-power and other-power to realize bodhi in the present life: This means that within the exoteric teaching there are the two gates of self-power and other-power. The *Daśabhūmika-vibhāṣā*, the *Mirror of Buddha-Recitation*, and other texts say: First is the gate of self-power, meaning the practice of the six perfections and myriad practices, which is called the difficult path—just as a person traveling a thousand li on foot over land arrives slowly. Second is the gate of other-power, meaning mindfulness of the Buddha and the like, which is called the easy path—just as a person traveling a thousand li by boat over water arrives swiftly. Now, within mantras, both self-power and other-power are esoterically possessed. That is, various sūtras such as the *Kāraṇḍavyūha Sūtra* say: The mantra practitioner day by day comes to possess the complete merit of the six pāramitās. Furthermore, the verse of the *Buddha Uṣṇīṣa* says: "Those who do not observe the purificatory fast are called observers of the fast; / Those who do not observe the precepts are called observers of the precepts. / If a monk breaks the two hundred and fifty precepts, / Or a nun violates the eight pārājikas, / Upon hearing and reciting the Buddha Uṣṇīṣa Dhāraṇī, / They immediately come to possess the voice and precepts." (The *Commentary on the Buddha Uṣṇīṣa* says: "The bodhisattva's gates of practice are fulfilled according to cultivation; here, they are fully provided without cultivating, because the power of the divine mantra fully possesses the myriad practices." These words are not false.) This, then, is the gate of self-power. Furthermore, every single syllable in a mantra is the entire body of the Buddhas. The *Sūtra on the One-Syllable Mantra in the Final Dharma Age* says: "After my nirvāṇa, I transform my body to become this mantra," etc., which is the gate of other-power. Moreover, various sūtras say: The mantra practitioner can achieve unsurpassed bodhi in the present life. Therefore the *Ratnakūṭa Sūtra* says: "Though I spent immeasurable koṭis of hundreds of thousands of kalpas practicing austerities, I still did not attain bodhi; yet having merely heard the dhāraṇī, through the correspondence of preparatory practice I immediately achieved right awakening." Furthermore, the verse of the *Five-Syllable Dhāraṇī* says: "Through the power of the original vows of all Buddhas, / All holy undertakings are realized in the present; / Right upon a single seat, / One immediately achieves the most correct awakening." Moreover, the "Preface to the Dhāraṇī" says: "If awakening is harbored within the mind, the three karmic actions of the ordinary person immediately become an accumulation of merit; in this very life one attains bodhi, so why labor through many kalpas of cultivation and progress?" Furthermore, the *Commentary on the Divine Transformations* classifies dhāraṇī as the great, inconceivable vehicle of spiritual penetrations for attaining Buddhahood, stating: Attaining Buddhahood relying on other gates is like riding a sheep or a horse to travel a thousand li, arriving only after a long time; attaining Buddhahood relying on the dhāraṇī gate is like riding spiritual penetrations to travel a thousand li, arriving as soon as the thought arises. Although the destination reached is no different, the methods ridden have slowness and swiftness. Also, attaining Buddhahood through other gates is like grinding yellow stone to extract a wish-fulfilling jewel; attaining Buddhahood relying on the mantra gate is like using the power of spiritual penetrations to obtain a wish-fulfilling jewel. It also says: "Just as other bodhisattvas, for the sake of seeking bodhi, though practicing difficult practices and austerities as if saving their heads from burning, still cannot attain such accomplishment after immeasurable kalpas; the mantra practitioner, without failing the ritual rules, attains bodhi in this very life." Therefore the *Subcommentary on the Divine Transformations* says: "Suddenly transcending the bhūmis is compared to spiritual penetrations; swiftly escaping entangling afflictions is analogized to spells." Moreover, the *Great King of Teachings Sūtra* says: "If one does not cultivate practice relying on secret recitations, one will ultimately never accomplish unsurpassed bodhi."