大方廣圓覺修多羅了義經 1.14

1.14

於是普眼菩薩在大眾中即從座起，頂禮佛足右遶三匝，長跪叉手而白佛言：「大悲世尊！願為此會諸菩薩眾及為末世一切眾生，演說菩薩修行漸次，云何思惟？云何住持？眾生未悟作何方便普令開悟？世尊！若彼眾生無正方便及正思惟，聞佛如來說此三昧心生迷悶，則於圓覺不能悟入。願興慈悲，為我等輩及末世眾生假說方便。」作是語已五體投地，如是三請終而復始。

Bodhisattvas As well as sentient beings in the final age Should always transcend illusion. Being utterly free of illusions Is like wood generating fire: When the wood is exhausted, the flames are then extinguished. In enlightenment there is thus no gradual progress, Nor are there any expedient methods.

Universal Eyes Bodhisattva

Then Universal Eyes Bodhisattva arose from his seat within the great assembly, bowed with his head at the feet of the Buddha, circumambulated him three times, knelt before him with hands clasped at his breast, and addressed the Buddha, saying, “Great Compassionate World-honored One, I pray that for the sake of the bodhisattvas in this assembly as well as for all sentient beings in the final age you will explain the gradual course of the bodhisattva’s practice. How should they think about it? How should they uphold it? What expedient methods [of practice] have you devised for those sentient beings who are not yet enlightened so as to universally enable them to awaken their understanding? World-honored One, if those sentient beings lack the proper expedient methods and the proper way of thinking, when they hear the Buddha Tathāgata set forth this samādhi, their minds will give rise to delusion and distress, and they will not be able to enter enlightened understanding in regard to perfect enlightenment. I pray that you will bestow your compassion both on us and on sentient beings in the final age and provisionally set forth the expedient methods [of practice].” Having spoken these words, he prostrated himself fully. He made his request in this way three times in succession.

At that time the World-honored One addressed Universal Eyes Bodhisattva, saying, “Excellent! How excellent, son of good family, that for the sake of the bodhisattvas and sentient beings in the final age you are thus able to inquire about how one should think about and uphold the Tathāgata’s gradual course of practice, as well as ask me to provisionally explain the various expedient methods [of practice]. Now listen carefully to what I shall expound to you.” Then Universal Eyes Bodhisattva, delighted to receive the teaching, listened silently along with the great assembly.

“Son of good family, if those novice bodhisattvas and sentient beings in the final age want to seek the Tathāgata’s pure, perfectly enlightened mind, they must properly direct their thought and transcend all illusions. First, relying on

the Tathāgata’s śamatha practice, they must firmly uphold the prohibitory

precepts, peacefully abide within the assembly at large, and sit in medita-

tion in a quiet room.

“They should constantly reflect: this present body of mine is a coming

together of the four great elements. That is to say, hair, nails, teeth, skin, flesh,

sinews, bones, marrow, brains, and all such filthy matter derive from the ele-

ment of earth; spittle, mucus, pus, blood, sweat, saliva, phlegm, tears, semen,

excrement, and urine all derive from the element of water; bodily warmth

derives from the element of fire; and bodily movement derives from the ele-

ment of wind. Since the four great elements are independent of one another,

where could the delusory body exist right now? Thus we know that in the end

this body is without substance, a coming together [of various components]

to take on form, and that in reality it is tantamount to an illusory projection.

“When the four elements provisionally combine, the six senses delu-

sively appear. When the six senses and four great elements internally and

externally combine together, cognized objects delusively appear. When they

conglomerate within, a cognizing subject seems to exist, which is provi-

sionally designated as mind.

“Son of good family, this unreal mind would not be able to exist were

it not for the six types of sense objects. When the four great elements break