法苑珠林 20.48

20.48

述曰。今創發起一切恭敬者。一者謂普及為言。切者謂盡際為語。恭謂束身翹仰。敬謂心無異念。若不唱此恐心馳散。故勤情恭敬正觀現前也。敬禮常住三寶者。如涅槃經云。若有人聞常住二字。是人生生不墮惡趣。以法身凝然不變故常。報身相續不斷故常。化身作用無休故不變。又佛身體一隨義說三。故釋迦云。吾今此身即是法身。由是法身所依持故。如泥木靈像造有所表。敬誠殷禮獲福無量。輕心毀謗招罪彌殃。然後供養嚴持香華。運心周普作用佛事。現前不現前。常須普薦香華一切衣服飲食音樂等事。皆共眾生等心供養無令斷絕。故華嚴經中。諸菩薩等所行供養。隨心指相如見大山大雲大水大火。即以為香山香雲八功德水七淨妙華。運心作意無不成供。乃至華林菓樹例准行之。禮佛者。隨禮十方佛二十五佛三十五佛五十三佛賢劫千佛萬五千佛等。稱名用意具如前述。懺悔者。所有輕重自作教他。見作隨喜。義須披析。悔前所犯。慚愧慷慨銜悲滿目。若不蒙誨示則守死長苦。具明法用如下懺悔篇述。勸請者。至誠求願。諸佛觀諸眾生巨細無異。望得從願莫捨壽命。願住多劫度脫眾生。隨喜者。他人作福心生歡喜也。迴向者。迴諸福德向無上道。發願者。願是能引行是起作。若有願無行願則虛。若有行無願行則孤。由有行故願不虛。願行相扶證果不虛。故懺悔罪中亦兼有願。願於今身償不惡道受。即是通明也。自外臨時准用可思。

The commentary states: Now, in first giving rise to all-inclusive reverence: 'all' (yi) means comprehensive; 'inclusive' (qie) means reaching to the utmost boundary. 'Homage' (gong) means restraining the body and looking upward; 'reverence' (jing) means having no extraneous thoughts in the mind. If one does not chant this, one fears the mind will run scattered; therefore, with diligent devotion and reverence, the correct contemplation appears before oneself. Reverently worshipping the eternally abiding Three Jewels: as the Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra says, if anyone hears the two words 'eternally abiding,' that person will not fall into evil destinies in life after life. Because the dharmakāya is motionless and unchanging, it is eternal; because the saṃbhogakāya continues unbroken, it is eternal; because the nirmāṇakāya acts without ceasing, it does not change. Furthermore, the Buddha's body is one, yet according to meaning, three are spoken of; therefore Śākyamuni said, 'This present body of mine is itself the dharmakāya.' Because the dharmakāya is what is relied upon and maintained, just as miraculous images of clay or wood are made to represent something, reverent and sincere, earnest prostrations obtain immeasurable merit, whereas slighting thoughts and slander invite sin and heavy calamity. Thereafter, in making offerings, one solemnly holds incense and flowers, sending the mind out universally to perform the Buddha-work. Whether present or not present, one must always universally offer incense, flowers, and all manners of clothing, food, drink, and music, making offerings with an equal mind together with sentient beings, never letting them cease. Therefore, in the Avataṃsaka-sūtra, the offerings performed by all the bodhisattvas accord with the mind and point to characteristics: as when seeing a great mountain, a great cloud, great water, or a great fire, they immediately take them to be incense mountains, incense clouds, water of eight virtues, and seven pure, wondrous flowers; sending the mind out and directing the intention, there is nothing that does not become an offering; and so forth, taking flowering groves and fruit trees as parallel examples to practice. Worshipping the Buddha means worshipping according to the Buddhas of the ten directions, the twenty-five Buddhas, the thirty-five Buddhas, the fifty-three Buddhas, the thousand Buddhas of the Bhadrakalpa, the fifteen thousand Buddhas, and so forth; reciting their names and directing the intention is fully as stated before. As for deśanā, whether light or heavy, done by oneself or causing others to do it, or rejoicing upon seeing it done, its significance must be laid bare and analyzed, regretting what was previously committed with shame, anguish, and eyes full of tears. If one does not receive instruction and guidance, one will abide in death and endure perpetual suffering; its method and application are fully explained in the chapter on deśanā below. As for requesting [the Buddhas to stay], with utmost sincerity one seeks and vows; the Buddhas view all sentient beings without distinction of great or small, hoping that according to their vows they will not abandon their lifespan, vowing that they will remain for many kalpas to deliver sentient beings. As for rejoicing, it means giving rise to joy in one's mind when others create merit. As for dedication, it means dedicating all merit and virtue toward the unexcelled path. As for giving rise to vows, vows are what lead, and practice is what initiates action. If there are vows without practice, the vows are empty; if there is practice without vows, the practice is isolated. Because there is practice, vows are not empty; when vows and practice support each other, the realization of the fruit is not empty. Therefore, within the repentance of sins there are also vows: vowing to repay it in this present body and not receive it in the evil destinies—this is the comprehensive meaning. Anything beyond this may be reflected upon and applied according to the occasion.