顯密圓通成佛心要集 2.11

2.11

Seventh, the gate of easy practice for the four assemblies and protection by vajra [beings]: This means that any member of the four assemblies who merely understands language can easily recite and practice [the mantras] amid the four deportments of walking, standing, sitting, and lying down. Moreover, merely reciting with the mouth is itself true practice, which can eliminate afflictions and bring ease to the dharmakāya without requiring a comprehensive mastery of the scriptural teachings. Just as a sick person who obtains medicine and takes it can thereby eliminate disease and make the body well without needing an extensive understanding of medical texts, so the *Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra* says: "Dhāraṇī is like a wondrous medicine, and also like divine amṛta; it can cure the diseases of all delusions, and whoever takes it is always at ease." The *Commentary on the Uṣṇīṣa Dhāraṇī* says: "The purificatory fasting and precepts are spontaneously fulfilled without being [formally] received; the realization of the fruit is not distant and cannot be obstructed; dispelling disasters and gaining benefits, practicing for oneself and transforming others—there are none among practitioners at the cause stage or beings at the fruit stage who do not accomplish their affairs through this." Furthermore, the *Commentary on the Maṇḍala* says: "Reciting the divine mantra of the Tathāgata, mind after mind implicitly accords with the Tathāgata's mind; chanting the secret words of the bodhisattva, vow after vow secretly tallies with the bodhisattva's vows. What birth and death can one not escape? What nirvāṇa can one not attain?" If one relies on other schools for practice, one must broadly understand the sacred teachings and clearly awaken to the true mind, after which practice is then correct practice; if one practices without awakening, none of it is correct practice. Just as in the world, a sick person would have to understand medical texts extensively and be thoroughly familiar with the nature of medicines before being able to cure a disease, which would make success barely one in ten thousand. Thus we know that the practice gate of the divine mantra is concise while its merit is profoundly deep, universally leading the seven assemblies to swiftly arrive at bodhi; it is the most essential path. Therefore Tripiṭaka Master Yijing said: "Ascending to heaven, riding dragons, and employing the hundred spirits—for the path of benefiting beings, only mantras are most intimate." Question: "Now, relying on the exoteric teaching, one must generate faith based on the teaching, generate understanding based on faith, initiate practice based on understanding, and attain the fruit once practice is accomplished. Now the divine mantras of the esoteric school do not require one to generate understanding, but by merely reciting and holding them one attains the fruit of the Way. Since this departs from the normal rule, it is difficult to give rise to faith." Answer: "Just as a worldly patient who does not understand medical prescriptions takes a wondrously efficacious medicine upon encountering it and thereby has the disease cured and the body made well—since that person did not understand the nature of the medicine, how could the disease be cured and the body made well? If even worldly medicines are like this, how much more so the Tathāgata's inconceivable mantras? Furthermore, the Tathāgata's teachings cannot be inferred by a single principle; since it is said that the exoteric and esoteric differ, there is no need to obstinately insist on understanding." The *Subcommentary on the Awakening of Faith* says: "Gluing the bridge while tuning the strings belongs entirely to the foolish; guarding a tree stump waiting for a hare is certainly not the act of a wise person. One should only have faith and uphold it, swiftly attaining the fruit of the Way; if one does not produce faith, one will vainly obtain nothing." The *Sūtra of the Great Compassionate Mind* states: "For one who recites and upholds the mantra, all that is sought shall bear fruit and be fulfilled, with the sole exception of giving rise to doubt regarding the mantra." It also says: "If there is one who gives rise to doubt and does not believe, that person, for millions of kalpas, will constantly abide in the evil destinies and never hear of the Three Jewels." Furthermore, various sūtras state: For the mantra practitioner, amid the four deportments, there are immeasurable gods, dragons, and the eight classes, as well as hosts of vajra [guardians], who constantly protect them. Therefore the *Sūtra of the Vast, Perfect, Unhindered Great Compassion Heart Dhāraṇī* says: "One who recites and upholds the dhāraṇī is a treasury of fearlessness, because good spirits of dragons and gods constantly protect and maintain them." It also says: "If one can recite the mantra in accordance with the Dharma, then all good spirits, dragon kings, and Vajradharas will constantly follow and guard them without leaving their side, just as they protect their own eyes or protect their own lives. Furthermore, if the mantra-reciter sleeps alone in empty mountains or vast wildernesses, these good spirits will take turns guarding during the night to ward off calamities and hindrances. If they lose their way in deep mountains, the king of good spirits will transform into a good person to show them the correct path. If they encounter a band of bandits and are plundered or fall into another country, the good spirits and dragon kings will escort them back to their native land. If they lack water or fire in mountain forests or vast wildernesses, the dragon kings, out of protection, will conjure water and fire." Therefore its verse says: "The hosts of holy ones among dragons and gods together protect with compassion; / Hundreds of thousands of samādhis are suddenly cultivated." Moreover, the *Great Buddha Uṣṇīṣa Dhāraṇī Sūtra* states: "Suppose there is a sentient being who, with a scattered mind, orally recites the divine mantra. There are constantly eighty-four thousand nayuta koṭis of Gaṅgā sands of the kinsmen of Vajragarbharāja Bodhisattvas, each possessing hosts of vajra [guardians] as their retinue, who day and night constantly follow, attend, and guard this person. Even if the Demon King seeks an opportunity [to harm them], it will ultimately be impossible to find; all petty ghosts and spirits will keep ten yojanas away from this good person. If the retinue of Māra wishes to come and trouble this good person, the hosts of vajra [guardians] will shatter their heads into fine dust with their jeweled vajra-clubs, constantly causing this person's undertakings to be fulfilled as wished." Therefore its verse says: "Eighty-four thousand vajra hosts, / Constantly follow the body in walking, standing, sitting, and lying down." The various sūtras of the esoteric division speak extensively of protection; those who recite mantras and wish to know about it, please consult the scriptural canon.