顯密圓通成佛心要集 2.9

2.9

Fifth, the portal of benefiting sentient beings and delivering spirits of the deceased: more than fifteen scriptures, such as the Mahāmaṇivipulavimāna Sūtra, the Mahākaruṇācitta Sūtra, and the Mauli Dhāraṇī, all state: “If sentient beings catch sight of the person holding the mantra, hear the sound of their speech, or pass through their shadow, their sins of the ten non-virtuous actions and the five heinous crimes will be entirely extinguished, and in the next life they will be born in the lands of the Buddhas. Furthermore, those sentient beings seen by the eyes or touched by the body of the person holding the mantra will likewise extinguish all sins, and in the next life be born in the lands of the Buddhas. Moreover, when the mantra-holder walks upon the road and the wind blows across their clothes, those upon whom this departed wind blows; or when they bathe in a river, those who are drifted upon by this departed water; or when rain falls from heaven and they look up toward the sky reciting the mantra, those moistened by the raindrops; or when they recite the mantra atop a mountain peak, as far as the eye can see—sentient beings such as these mentioned above shall all have all their sins extinguished, and in the next life will be born transformed upon lotuses in the pure lands of the Buddhas. Just as in the world there are poisons such that those passing downwind who are touched by the wind suffer injury—these even possess such unfathomable power, how much more so the inconceivable dhāraṇī-mantras!” Furthermore, the Amoghapāśa Sūtra states: “If one hears the dhāraṇī and gives rise to slander, one still attains benefit. It is like a person who, with malicious intent, enters a forest of camphor, sandalwood, and the like, chopping, felling, and trampling upon the camphor trees; that person’s body will still catch the fragrance.” Therefore, the Uṣṇīṣa verse states: “Supernormal powers and supreme transformations are inconceivable; the gate of dhāraṇī is foremost.” Furthermore, the Vimaloṣṇīṣa Sūtra, the Meghapāśa Sūtra, the Uṣṇīṣavijayā Sūtra, the Pratisaṃvid Sūtra, and others all state: If a deceased person has extensively committed evil deeds and upon death falls into the three evil paths, the mantra practitioner simply invokes the name of the deceased and recites the mantra with single-minded focus; the deceased will immediately be freed from the evil destinies and born in heaven. Moreover, if one empowers soil, sand, or lotus flowers with the mantra and scatters them over the deceased’s grave or corpse, the deceased will immediately attain rebirth in the pure lands of the Buddhas. Furthermore, if the clothing, articles, or bodily bones and flesh of the deceased are illuminated and touched by the shadow of the mantra-holder, they will also attain birth in the lands of the Buddhas. Furthermore, if one writes down the dhāraṇī and places it upon the bones or corpse of the deceased, the deceased will immediately attain birth in heavenly palaces. Therefore, the wise of old said: “When dust floats and shadows glance, the spirit wanders through heavenly palaces; when soil is scattered and water moistens, consciousness parts from the evil destinies.” Question: “Once the deceased’s karma has already been formed and they have fallen into the three evil paths, how can a mantra practitioner, simply by calling the deceased's name or empowering sand and soil placed upon the corpse or tomb, cause the deceased to turn away from the suffering of the bad paths and obtain the joy of the Buddha lands? Not only do laypeople harbor doubts, but even the monastic community finds this hard to believe.” Answer: “The wise gain understanding through metaphors; now let us illustrate this with metaphors. For instance, in the world, those who use incantations can forbid fire from burning, forbid knives from cutting, and forbid snakes from biting, and can even transform what is poisonous into what is non-poisonous. How much more so could the Tathāgata’s dhāraṇī-mantras not transform suffering into the attainment of joy? Moreover, as recorded in the book of Liezi: Shiwen was skilled at playing the zither; in the midst of spring, he struck the shang string to summon the nanlü tone, and cool winds arrived all around, causing the grasses and trees to bear fruit. (The shang note belongs to metal and autumn; nanlü is the tone of the eighth month; by obtaining the qi of autumn, the grasses and trees bore fruit.) In the midst of autumn, he struck the jiao string to stimulate the jiazhong tone, and cool breezes gently returned, causing the grasses and trees to flourish. (The jiao note belongs to wood and spring; jiazhong is the tone of the second month; by obtaining the qi of spring, the grasses and trees blossomed and flourished.) In the midst of summer, he struck the yu string to summon the huangzhong tone, and frost and snow fell mingled together, suddenly freezing the rivers and pools. (The yu note belongs to water and winter; huangzhong is the tone of the eleventh month; obtaining the qi of winter, the yin congealed and froze.) And in winter, he struck the zhi string to stimulate the ruibin tone, and the sunlight blazed fiercely, melting and dispersing the hard ice. (The zhi note belongs to fire and summer; ruibin is the tone of the fifth month; obtaining the qi of summer, the hard ice melted and dispersed.) If such worldly arts of playing the zither can still transform autumn into spring and alter winter into summer, how could the Tathāgata's great, inconceivable dhāraṇī-mantras not alter the suffering of evil paths into the attainment of the bliss of Buddha lands? Furthermore, Zhuangzi says: ‘Beyond the six directions, the Sage acknowledges existence but does not debate.’ The Avataṃsaka Sūtra states: ‘The measure of wisdom and merit when a bodhisattva of the tenth bhūmi lifts a single foot cannot be known by a bodhisattva of the ninth bhūmi.’ How much more so is our Tathāgata the king among all sages; how could his secret mind-seal be reckoned by the deluded sentiments of ordinary beings? It is like a fish in a well-bottom: how could it know the depth and breadth of the Eastern Sea? One ought only to believe in it with earnest truth.” Therefore, the Secret Treasury Dhāraṇī-Mantra Sūtra of Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva states: “If there are those who uphold the dhāraṇī-mantra, whatever they undertake will surely be accomplished; one must only have deep faith and not give rise to doubt.” (Since the mantra-holder can benefit sentient beings and deliver spirits of the deceased, in accordance with the Thousand-Armed and Thousand-Eyed Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva Mahākaruṇācitta Dhāraṇī Sūtra, it is said: “That mantra-holder will not suffer fifteen kinds of bad deaths: first, they will not die of starvation or destitution; second, they will not die from shackles, imprisonment, or flogging; third, they will not die at the hands of enemies or adversaries; fourth, they will not die in battle arrays slaying one another; fifth, they will not die from the mauling of tigers, wolves, or fierce beasts; sixth, they will not die struck by poisonous snakes, vipers, or scorpions; seventh, they will not die swept away by water or burned by fire; eighth, they will not die struck by poison; ninth, they will not die harmed by sorcery poisons; tenth, they will not die from madness or loss of mindfulness; eleventh, they will not die falling from mountains, trees, cliffs, or precipices; twelfth, they will not die from bewitchment by evil persons; thirteenth, they will not die at the mercy of evil spirits or malevolent ghosts; fourteenth, they will not die engulfed by evil diseases; fifteenth, they will not die from suicide out of bounds.” Furthermore, the Amoghapāśa Dhāraṇī-Hṛdaya Sūtra states: “The person who recites the mantra will obtain eight kinds of victory and benefit at the time of death: first, at the time of death they will see Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva manifesting in the form of a monk before them, joyfully consoling them; second, they will die in peace without any pain; third, when about to relinquish life, their eyes will not roll upward, their mouth will not yawn, their hands will not flail, their feet will not twitch, they will not discharge excrement or urine, and they will not tumble from the bed; fourth, when about to relinquish life, they will abide in right mindfulness without confused thoughts in mind; fifth, when dying, they will not die facing downward; sixth, when about to relinquish life, they will obtain inexhaustible eloquence; seventh, having relinquished life, they will be reborn in the pure lands of the Buddhas according to their wishes; eighth, they will never be separated from good spiritual companions.” Furthermore, the Eleven-Faced Avalokiteśvara Dhāraṇī Sūtra states: “The person who recites the mantra obtains four kinds of merit: first, at the time of death they will behold the Buddhas; second, they will never fall into the evil destinies; third, they will not die due to perils and distress; fourth, they will attain rebirth in the Land of Ultimate Bliss.”) [2.8]