法苑珠林 60.7

60.7

The commentary says: Mantras are taught by all Buddhas of the three periods of time. If one can receive and uphold them with utmost sincerity, there is none that does not prove efficacious. Of late, I have seen both clerics and laypeople who, although they recite and uphold them, have little efficacy. Having no genuine sincerity themselves, they slanderously say there is no verification. In some cases, the characters are corrupted and omitted; or the phonetic rhythms are not standard; or they drink wine and eat meat; or they intermix alliums and pungent roots in their food; or their rooms are filthy and impure; or they indulge in idle talk and worldly speech; or their garments are defiled; or the place is not solemn. Consequently, ghosts and spirits take advantage of this, and [the practitioners] instead suffer calamities. If one wishes to perform deśanā, one should first establish a place of practice, hang silk banners and canopies, and burn various renowned incenses. The four gates should guard cleanliness, prohibiting unpurified persons. As they enter and leave, they must bathe each time; seek out abundant blended incense and constantly hold it in their mouths; with utmost sincerity and profound gravity rebuke their own persons; and with shame apologise to all the worthy and noble ones of the ten directions. Thereafter, [pray] universally on behalf of the four modes of birth (catur-yoni) and the six destinies (ṣaḍgati), with mind continuing upon mind without flagging for a single moment. Once one is earnest in this way, verification will be certain and beyond doubt. Therefore, the Bodhisattva-śīla-sūtra states: 'Bodhisattvas receive and uphold divine mantras in order to destroy the various evils of sentient beings. For this reason, there are five practices they must not perform: first, they must not eat meat; second, they must not drink wine; third, they must not eat the five pungent roots; fourth, they must not engage in sexual misconduct; fifth, they must not dine in households of impurity. A bodhisattva endowed with these five rules can greatly benefit immeasurable sentient beings; there are no evil ghosts or spirits, and no evil poisonous diseases, that they cannot cure.'