顯密圓通成佛心要集 2.7

2.7

Third, the approach of eliminating physical and mental illnesses and increasing merit and wisdom: More than fifteen sūtras, including the *Arya-ṣaḍ-akṣara-dhāraṇī-sūtra*, the *Samantabhadra-dhāraṇī-sūtra*, and the *Mañjuśrī Single-Syllable Mantra*, all state that a mantra practitioner can eliminate all kinds of suffering from physical and mental illnesses. As for physical illnesses, they refer to all fever illnesses, cold illnesses, wind illnesses, malaria illnesses, eye illnesses, ear illnesses, nose illnesses, tongue illnesses, mouth illnesses, tooth illnesses, lip illnesses, throat illnesses, facial illnesses, head illnesses, neck illnesses, chest illnesses, flank illnesses, belly illnesses, hand illnesses, back illnesses, waist illnesses, navel illnesses, thigh illnesses, knee illnesses, foot illnesses, hemorrhoid illnesses, dysentery illnesses, phlegm illnesses, qi illnesses, numbness illnesses, boils, swelling illnesses, rash illnesses, scabies illnesses, blister illnesses, leprosy illnesses, tinea illnesses, itch illnesses, sore illnesses, madness illnesses, epilepsy illnesses, and illnesses caused by demonic apparitions. In brief, whether they are various illnesses of the four great elements, various illnesses of the five viscera, various illnesses caused by ghosts and spirits, or various illnesses induced by past karma—all such illnesses can be completely cured by the inconceivable power of the dhāraṇī-mantra. Therefore, both the *Dhāraṇī-sūtra on Upholding the Phrases* and the *Dhāraṇī-sūtra of Great Compassion* state that dhāraṇīs can make withered trees bloom and bear fruit again; how much more so then could the illnesses of sentient beings fail to be removed? (Question: "Is a mantra practitioner permitted to invoke spirits through adhiṣṭhāna to heal others' illnesses?" Answer: "The *Subāhu-kumāra-sūtra*, the *Susiddhi-sūtra*, and others all say: If one seeks the highest grade of great accomplishment, one must not use mantras to invoke spirits through adhiṣṭhāna, to banish snakes and insects, or to heal others' illnesses; doing so can hinder the great undertaking. Later students should rely on the Buddha's words and take care, take care! If one truly possesses great compassion, deep and vast, and embraces the bodhisattva mind, it is not forbidden. Thus the *Amoghapāśa-sūtra* says: 'To eliminate illnesses caused by spirits, one must have pure actions of the three karmas and possess a compassionate mind; only such bodhisattvas are able to do it.'") Moreover, all mental illnesses of greed, hatred, and delusion are naturally extinguished. Hence the *White Umbrella Dhāraṇī Sūtra* says: "If there are those who cannot eradicate greed and other afflictions due to past habits, they should single-mindedly recite my dhāraṇī-mantra. It is like the Mātanga woman and Ānanda, who had romantic affection from previous kalpas; by the power of my mantra, her lustful mind was severed forever, and she became an arhat." She was a courtesan who had no intention of practicing; the dhāraṇī-mantra invisibly assisted her to swiftly realize the state of no-learning—how much more so for one whose original intention is to seek bodhi! Furthermore, the *Great Compassion Sūtra* says: "Reciting the dhāraṇī with the utmost sincerity, the fire of lust is extinguished, and the depraved mind is eliminated." In addition, dhāraṇī sūtras such as the *Cintāmaṇicakra* state: "A mantra practitioner is presently able to increase all merit and wisdom; whenever they speak, everyone believes and accepts it; whatever clothing, wealth, and jewels they need will follow their thoughts; and they can cause humans, devas, ghosts, and spirits within five hundred yojanas to all come and take refuge in them." Furthermore, they will naturally understand all sūtras, vinayas, and treatises, as well as worldly texts, or obtain dhāraṇī and never forget, memorizing a thousand verses a day. Therefore, the *Śūraṅgama-sūtra* says: "If there are those who read and recite this dhāraṇī, even if these sentient beings do not cultivate meritorious karma by themselves, all the merits of the Tathāgatas of the ten directions will be granted to them." It also says: "If one upholds this dhāraṇī-mantra without generating doubt or regret, yet this good man, in this very body born of parents, fails to attain mental superknowledges, then the Buddhas of the ten directions would be speaking falsehoods." It also says: "It causes those who are not vigorous to become vigorous, and causes those who lack wisdom to attain wisdom, and so forth." If worldly medicines can already cause people to eliminate drowsiness and increase vigor, how could the dhāraṇī-mantra fail to give rise to wisdom? (Also, the *Amoghapāśa-dhāraṇī-hṛdaya-sūtra* says: "If members of the fourfold assembly uphold the precepts of fasting, and single-mindedly recite the dhāraṇī-mantra seven times without mixing in other speech, know that this person will certainly attain twenty kinds of triumphs in the present life. What are the twenty? First, the body is free from illnesses, tranquil, and joyful; second, although illnesses may arise due to previous karma, they are swiftly cured; third, the body is supple, the skin lustrous, and the complexion bright and clear; fourth, all people love and respect them; fifth, their faculties are secretly protected; sixth, they acquire much wealth and jewels to enjoy at will; seventh, all their wealth and jewels cannot be harmed or destroyed by kings, thieves, water, or fire; eighth, whatever undertakings they pursue are successfully accomplished; ninth, whatever they plant does not fear wicked dragons, frost, hail, wind, or rain; tenth, if crops are afflicted by disasters, chanting the dhāraṇī-mantra to empower ashes or water with adhiṣṭhāna seven times, and then scattering and sprinkling them in the eight directions, above and below, within that field, the disasters will immediately be eradicated; eleventh, they will not have their vital energy drained by violent, evil ghosts, spirits, rākṣasas, and the like; twelfth, all sentient beings rejoice upon seeing and hearing them, loving, revering, and respecting them without ever tiring; thirteenth, they are never frightened by any enemies; fourteenth, even if there are enemies, they will naturally and quickly vanish; fifteenth, humans, non-humans, and the like cannot harm them; sixteenth, black magic, curses, and gu poison cannot touch them; seventeenth, afflictive entanglements and defilements do not frequently manifest; eighteenth, weapons, poisons, water, and fire cannot harm them; nineteenth, devas and good spirits constantly follow and protect them; twentieth, life after life, they are never separated from loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity." Also, the *Eleven-Faced Avalokiteśvara Dhāraṇī Sūtra* says: "If good men and good women of pure faith recite and uphold this dhāraṇī-mantra, they will obtain ten triumphs in this present body. What are the ten? First, the body is constantly free of illness; second, they are always embraced by the Buddhas of the ten directions; third, their enjoyment of wealth, jewels, clothing, and food is inexhaustible; fourth, they can subdue enemies without fear; fifth, they cause the noble and venerable to revere them and believe their words; sixth, gu poison, demonic apparitions, and spirits cannot strike or harm them; seventh, all knives and clubs cannot harm them; eighth, water cannot drown them; ninth, fire cannot burn them; tenth, they will not meet with an untimely death in winter.")