顯密圓通成佛心要集 2.13

2.13

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."