廣弘明集 15.52

15.52

Mañjuśrī is a bodhisattva who roams the regions. He obtained this title due to the words of abandoning defilement, yet this was not his original designation. Tracing the origin of how titles arise, they probably correspond to the supreme Way and its appearance. Why is this so? His nature of empty attraction is manifested in the five virtues; his model for the world is heard in the Kumārabhūta. When the mores of pure modesty shift, then the instruction responding to the times arises; hence he is called Ruoshou, and is also named Dharma Prince. Now, those who wish to fathom his profound import must first contemplate his vast greatness. The antiquity is distant; how could words and forms exhaust it? Across incalculable eons, his merits tower over accumulated dust; vast and far-reaching, how could it be spoken? Let me briefly narrate the outline. When this person first appeared, he came from imperial lineage and had the honorable title of Dharma King. The supreme mind was presaged in solitary awakening; the inner resonance did not fail to arise. Once he encountered the Rightly Awakened One, the spiritual pearl shone within; before the dark shadow had moved, he swiftly ascended to the position of the Way. Thereupon, the deep root was eternally laid in the empty soil, the divine branches flourished monthly with leaves and wings, the breath of compassion was fanned along with the wind of grace, and the brightness of the three knowledges shone together with the sun and moon. Embodied in all parts though in miniature, his merits were already equal to the dharmakāya. When the heavenly mechanism is about to turn, he takes spiritual penetrations as his mansions. Perfectly responding and secretly meeting, he takes non-haste as his reflection and traces. This is the reason why his motion does not depart from tranquility while encompassing the universe, and why, swiftly without constant realm, his name is foremost among those who roam the regions. When the World-Honoured One arose, he granted him the brilliance of leaping forward, revealing his hidden virtue in Gandhamādana. Relying on auspicious clouds, he went west; then, dragon-like, he appeared in this realm. Once the Dharma wheel turned, the mysterious sound was repeatedly chanted; facing the profound ultimate, he unreservedly gave voice to deep words. His path shone upon the great beings, wherefore all Buddhas praised his name; his substance transcended the dusty world, wherefore those washing their hat-strings regarded his traces as lofty. Were it not for harmonizing with heavenly concord to stand upright, inhaling the serene ether to become spiritual, unfurling the deep night to return shade, and giving utterance to virtuous sound to spread renown, who could take part in this? Wishing to stir the nature of all beings, he made his dwelling in the ultimate ancestor and attained it; laying a grand foundation with a single basket of earth, he made the sands of the Ganges into a single dwelling. If one were not to delight in the wind of Mañjuśrī in this manner, then one has not attained the infinite measure, and will forever be laughed at by the tranquility of the great expanse. Since the World-Honoured One entered nirvāṇa, it has been nearly a thousand years; his flowing light and sheltering blessings have again risen and fallen with the times. For this reason, those who darkly cherish the ancestral ultimate grieve at the loss of the source of the long ford, fearing that the wind and sun will silently damage it. Thereupon, they jointly manifested his likeness in metal and stone, continuing with written eulogies, each person wishing to exhaust themselves, hoping that clouds and dew would increase moisture. What is encountered today is that, several centuries ago, there was a wheel-turning king who ruled over Jambudvīpa, named Aśoka. Looking up to model the transcendent traces, he represented them in an image. Though the true ruler does not reside in forms, the spiritual seat seems to have a master; though the hidden officials are not sought through passion, when resonance arrives, response follows. The marvels of divine transformations have repeatedly altered the people's hearing; awakened by adversity according to the times, there truly is a source from which this comes. In my estimation, sustaining the fortunes of decadent decline is truly due to the work of the mysterious fabric; clearing the customs of darkness and obstruction is certainly not something a single principle can broaden. Therefore, the virtuous who entrust their thoughts have that upon which to lodge their reverent sincerity. Longing to reconnect the thread about to snap, drawing forth heroic minds to mark the station, they modelled afar the primal craftsman, picturing that which is pictured. The resonance coming from within, unawares they joyfully chanted in unison: