Đại Phương Quảng Bồ Tát Tạng Văn Thù Sư Lợi Căn Bổn Nghi Quỹ Kinh quyển 15

BRIEF EXPLANATION OF THE GREAT WHEEL OF THE SINGLE SYLLABLE — CHAPTER NINETEEN

At that time Śākyamuni Buddha, the Blessed One, again addressed the celestial luminaries and their retinues:

“Listen carefully! This is the homa rite within the Consecration Maṇḍala Dharma of the Mantra Ritual of the Youth Mañjuśrī. None of you may violate it. When a practitioner of recitation seeks accomplishment of vidyā according to this supreme ritual and encounters your courses of yin and yang, solar deities, constellations, and so forth, you celestial luminaries must not permit evil, ignorant hosts to obstruct him. Cause the Buddhadharma to be practiced in its entirety, and you celestial assemblies must protect him. All evil hosts must be subdued and expelled, given no opportunity to inflict harm, so that practitioners may abide according to the Dharma.”

Śākyamuni Buddha, the Blessed One, then entered the samādhi called Producing All Buddha-Crowns and Eliminating All Evil Obstructions and Adversities of Sentient Beings.

After the Blessed One Śākyamuni Buddha had entered this samādhi, all Tathagatas from worlds throughout the ten directions came to the Heaven of Pure Light. Having assembled, they all beheld the Blessed One Śākyamuni Buddha abiding in samādhi.

Then each Buddha approached the Blessed One Śākyamuni Buddha and praised and entreated him with one voice:

“The Blessed One possesses inconceivable great spiritual power. With great fearlessness he benefits the world and skillfully teaches every mantra ritual, without differing from what the Tathagatas have taught.

“Blessed One! That Great Wheel, Single-Syllable Vidyārāja of the Buddha-Crown possesses great vigor and mighty power and is most honored and supreme. During the final age of the Dharma it can greatly benefit the world and assuredly destroy every evil bhūta and constellation, even the mātṛs and other beings who produce evil intentions and create obstructions. It is fitting to proclaim it now, out of compassion for all sentient beings and also to protect practitioners of recitation so that their wishes may be fulfilled.

“We pray that the Tathagata, for the sake of benefit and happiness, will teach this Vidyārāja and its ritual.”

Having made this request, those Tathagatas remained silent. Then, through the Buddha’s spiritual power, the Buddha’s assembly and the great trichiliocosm emitted a great light like a vast mass of flame. Wherever this light shone throughout the world, no sentient being failed to experience joy.

The Blessed One Śākyamuni Buddha looked all around and addressed every celestial assembly, all śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas, the bodhisattva-mahāsattvas abiding in the Heaven of Pure Light, and the Tathagatas present in the assembly:

“Let the whole great assembly listen well! This ritual of the Great Wheel, Single-Syllable Vidyārāja of the Buddha-Crown is the Invincible, Supreme Great Wheel and Great Vidyārāja of the Boundless Spiritual Power of All Tathagatas. I shall now proclaim it.”

The Buddha then said:

“I am the Great Teacher of the three realms. In the final age of the Dharma I can tame those difficult to tame. I can cause practitioners to obtain all offerings and every kind of service from devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, kiṃnaras, mahoragas, all other classes of beings, and evil sentient beings. I teach the Great Wheel, Single-Syllable Vidyārāja of the Buddha-Crown so that, in the final age when the Dharma is about to perish, it may protect the Dharma. Even when the Dharma of the Tathagatas is about to perish, it can perform the Buddha’s work and protect the entire Dharma treasury of all Buddha-Tathagatas.

“You celestial assemblies and all sentient beings should listen carefully with profound minds and truly accept it.”

He then pronounced the Great Wheel, Single-Syllable Vidyā of the Buddha-Crown:

“Bộ Lâm”

*) Bhrūṃ

“O devas! This Great Wheel, Single-Syllable Vidyārāja is the mantra-sign of the wisdom of omniscience of all Buddha-Bhagavats. It abides in the practice of great compassion, is the teacher of all sentient beings, and is the lord of auspicious mantras.

The dharma-dhatu of this Single-Syllable Buddha-Crown is like a maṇi jewel, changing in accordance with various colors. The Buddha taught two kinds of dhatu: the conditioned, outflow realm and the unconditioned, outflow-free realm. The Tathagata’s body, complete with the marks and born in the world as the Venerable One possessing marks, is called the outflow portion of the form-body.

The signless dharma-dhatu is called supreme and is the signless realm. Because it abides in the practice of great compassion within the world, that dharma-dhatu is called the outflow-free portion.

“O devas! The sign of this mantra is no different from a maṇi jewel. The wisdom of omniscience is likewise so, and all Buddhas teach this mantra. It can accomplish every undertaking upon the great earth. I now explain it briefly: if one performs every rite according to the Dharma, everything sought will be obtained.

“Furthermore, after the Buddha’s nirvana, this Great Wheel, Single-Syllable Vidyārāja of the Buddha-Crown will circulate in the world during the final age of the Dharma. It is invincible, the lord of mantras, and is accepted and upheld by all Buddhas and bodhisattvas. It was transmitted and taught by Buddhas and bodhisattvas of the past. I shall now briefly teach this supreme ritual.

“If a practitioner remains in a place and single-mindedly recites this Great Vidyā, then within five yojanas of that place no evil celestial luminary will dare approach. No evil being will be able to cause harm; even devas and holy beings will not dare approach. The reciter will act freely according to his wishes.

“If another person seeks worldly or supramundane accomplishment, this practitioner can neutralize all that person’s rites and every kind of spell. He may take a handful of kuśa grass and recite the mantra eight hundred times over it. After completing the number, he cuts it with a knife or causes it to break by itself. If a spell has been performed, the grass will be severed. If he binds kuśa grass into a human figure and ties it with red thread, that person will assuredly be bound. If he empowers an earthen vessel eight hundred times and the earthen vessel is shattered, that person will likewise be destroyed.

“If he soaks mustard seeds in human blood, scatters them upon the ground, and strikes them with a Kābhira branch, that person is struck. All the previously taught rites of subjugation may be performed according to the Dharma.

“For pacification, perform homa with milk sap; ghee may also be used. The rite of increase is performed in the same way.

“By making a fist, one can restrain all mantras. When one wishes to release them, they are released merely by a thought. If someone wishes to accomplish a mantra, once this restraint has been successfully performed, all attainments may be accomplished. A separate ritual of accomplishment may likewise be performed in this way.

“When this mantra has been accomplished, it may be used for summoning or dismissal, and all forms of protection may be obtained. Even invisibility can be attained.

“If the prescribed command is not followed, the rite will not succeed. Combine ghee, honey, curds, and sesame and perform homa eight thousand times, three times daily. Within seven days accomplishment is assured, provided the prescribed command is followed.

“To attain the state of a deva, use eight hundred pieces of moist pinewood as fuel and perform homa for seven nights; accomplishment will be attained.

“To subdue a nāga, perform homa with ghee, honey, and curds; the nāga will come and submit.

“To subdue a yakṣa, perform homa with rice cooked in thick curds; the yakṣa will come and submit. The same materials are used to subdue a yakṣiṇī.

“To subdue all gandharvas, use Aśoka wood and Priyaṅgu wood as fuel together with flowers. The same rite applies to yakṣiṇīs and nāgīs.

“For planets and constellations, use white mustard seeds. The same applies for a king.

“For a brahmin, use flowers. For a vaiśya, use ghee, milk, and curds. For a śūdra, use husks and dust. For a woman, perform homa with salt.

“For a maiden, perform homa with porridge made from rice and mung beans.

“If grain, flowers, and sesame mixed with ghee are used in homa, all beings will be brought under control.

“If homa is performed three times daily for seven days and seven nights, every undertaking will be fulfilled according to one’s wishes.”

Thus was the rite performed, in accordance with the instructions given by the Buddha-Crown Tathagata to the celestial assembly.

Then Śākyamuni Buddha taught the pure Dharma for the world and addressed the foremost and supreme Buddha’s child:

“O great bodhisattva Mañjuśrī! I have now taught one portion of the ritual of the Great Wheel, Single-Syllable Vidyārāja. Even if the Vast, Supremely Victorious Tathagata, the Deva above Devas, were to teach it throughout entire kalpas, it could not be exhausted. For the benefit of sentient beings, I have now proclaimed it briefly.”

Then the great bodhisattva Mañjuśrī and all the hosts of Tathagatas from the ten directions, there in the Heaven of Pure Light, entreated the Great Fearless One, the Completely Enlightened, the Supreme among Two-Footed Beings, to benefit all sentient beings during the final age of the Dharma by fully teaching the ritual procedures of this vast, fearless Great Vidyārāja Mantra, so that accomplishment might quickly be attained.

THE GREAT VAST BODHISATTVA PIṬAKA, ROOT RITUAL SŪTRA OF MAÑJUŚRĪ: BRIEF EXPLANATION OF THE PAINTED-IMAGE ACCOMPLISHMENT OF THE GREAT WHEEL, SINGLE-SYLLABLE VIDYĀRĀJA — CHAPTER TWENTY, PART ONE

Then Śākyamuni Buddha, the Blessed One, contemplated the Heaven of Pure Light and addressed the Youth Mañjuśrī:

“O Mañjuśrī, listen carefully! The ritual of the Supreme Great Wheel, Single-Syllable Vidyārāja has previously been taught extensively. Yet during the final age of the Dharma, sentient beings will be lazy, dull-facultied, and without wisdom, unable to cultivate the extensive ritual Dharma and seek accomplishment. Out of compassion for sentient beings, I shall therefore teach it briefly, and through this same supreme Dharma accomplishment will be attained.

“O Youth Mañjuśrī! If a practitioner of recitation seeks supreme accomplishment, he should first obtain a new piece of silk whose threads have not been cut, remove all dust, and make it completely pure. With the finest pigments he should paint the Jewel-Banner Tathagata, Lord of All Worlds, Supreme Dharma King, Guide of Men, Blessed One Supreme among Two-Footed Beings, in the posture of turning the Dharma wheel, adorned all around by a brilliant circular halo.

“Before the Buddha, on his left side, paint the noble bodhisattva Vajrapāṇi, and beside him Brahmā, the king.

“On the right side paint a deva-putra holding a flower garland, and beside him the practitioner of recitation.

“Before this image, three times daily, burn agaru incense and recite the mantra one million times. When the number is complete, the various rites may then be successfully performed.

“If a practitioner seeks accomplishment of a wheel, he should first make from tempered steel a wheel having twelve spokes. On an auspicious day during one of the three long months—the fifth, ninth, or first month—he begins the work. Before the image he burns agaru incense three times daily and recites the mantra one million times. When the number is complete, he presses the wheel with his hand and recites the mantra until light appears upon it. The accomplishment is then complete. Holding the wheel, that reciter becomes a Vidyādhara Wheel-Turning King. If another person sees the light when it appears, that person also obtains spiritual powers.

“If one seeks accomplishment of a parasol, make a wondrous, pure white parasol and place a golden wheel above it. Having made it according to the Dharma, sit beneath it before the image and recite the mantra until the parasol rises by itself. Each day, three times daily, burn agaru incense and recite the mantra one million times. When the number is complete, on the fifteenth day present every kind of offering, raise the parasol in the hand, and recite until a blazing light appears. Upon grasping it, one becomes a Great Wheel King among Vidyādharas.

“During any of the three long months, choosing either the fifth or fifteenth day, accomplishment may be attained. Through this accomplishment one clearly knows all dharmas, attains every spiritual power, is kept in mind and protected by all Buddhas, and is honored by every sentient being. Within the world, one thousand wheel-turning kings become one’s retinue.

“If one seeks accomplishment of the Buddha-Crown, make a staff one cubit long from gold, silver, copper, or maṇi stones. Press it with the hand and recite the mantra until light appears. By upholding it continually, one acts freely according to one’s wishes, teaches the Dharma to all sentient beings, and lives for one great kalpa.

“If one seeks accomplishment of an auspicious treasure vase, make the vase from gold and fill it with five jewels, five kinds of grain and beans, and five medicines. Cover its mouth with white silk. Begin the rite on an auspicious day of one of the three long months, and in the following month accomplishment is attained. Everything wished for is produced from that vase.

“If one seeks accomplishment of a wish-fulfilling jewel, make the jewel from gold or use a crystal jewel. Cover it with white silk and recite according to the ritual. When accomplishment is attained, everything wished for is fulfilled. One thereby comes to dwell among devas.

“If one recites the Buddha’s Invincible Mantra one koṭi times, one attains spiritual powers, acquires a body like that of beings in the Heaven of Pure Light, and lives for one great kalpa.

“Blessed One! If this White Parasol Buddha-Crown King group is recited one million times, every undertaking succeeds. Likewise, if the Invincible Buddha-Crown is practiced according to the rituals in other sūtras, everything done or sought is accomplished. Next, by reciting the Great Wheel of the Buddha-Crown one million times, one may accomplish every mantra and become a Great Wheel King of Vidyā.

“If one seeks accomplishment of a vajra, make a single-pronged vajra from red sandalwood. Having completed it, on the fifteenth day of one of the three long months, first bathe with the five purifying substances. Before the image present every kind of offering and light one hundred ghee lamps.

Wash the vajra with scented water. Offer one’s own body to all Buddhas and bodhisattvas, to this White Parasol Buddha-Crown King, and to the retinues of Tejoraśi and the others. Establish the maṇḍala boundary and protect oneself and one’s fellow practitioners.

Having completed the protection, hold the vajra in the right hand and sit before the image, making body and mind tranquil through the first watch of the night. During the second watch, concentrate sincerely and recite the mantra until light appears upon the vajra. All vidyādhara devas, nāgas, yakṣas, and every celestial being then assemble, praising and welcoming the practitioner to heaven.

He becomes a celestial wheel-turning king, with a body equal in strength to the Vajra-Power of the bodhisattva Vajrapāṇi. In a kṣaṇa or brief moment he ascends directly to the Akaniṣṭha Heaven, lives for one great kalpa, beholds the bodhisattva Maitreya, pays homage, and hears the Dharma. After death he is reborn according to his vow.

“If one seeks accomplishment of a sword, obtain the finest and most excellent sword, keen-edged and without defect. Holding it in the palm, first maintain the precepts. Then choose an auspicious day of an auspicious month and present great offerings before the Buddha. Holding it in the hand, recite according to the preceding method until light appears, whereupon accomplishment is attained. The practitioner and his assistants all obtain spiritual powers. His body becomes that of a youth of fifteen or sixteen; he flies freely and lives for one kalpa.

“If one seeks accomplishment of realgar, fearlessly purchase the finest realgar on a day governed by the Puṣya constellation. Do not bargain, but pay whatever is asked. Having obtained it, maintain pure precept-conduct for three days and nights. Offer a meal to the Sangha and request their compassionate blessings. Then present every kind of offering, light one thousand ghee lamps, maintain the fasting precepts for another three days and nights, and produce loving-kindness and compassion toward all sentient beings. Offer one’s body to the Buddhas and great bodhisattvas, and empower the realgar by reciting the mantra until one of three signs appears and the rite is accomplished: heat, smoke, or blazing fire. Contemplate the intended accomplishment as previously described.

“If the sign of heat is attained, use mustard seed to place a large mark between the eyebrows. All devas, nāgas, yakṣas, bhūtas, and piśācas dwelling in Jambudvīpa will constantly come to protect the practitioner like attendants, and he will live for one thousand years.

“If smoke appears, use mustard seed to mark between the eyebrows and attain invisibility. If one wishes to enter invisibly among devas or nāgas, one can immediately do so. One becomes king among all invisible beings and lives for three thousand years.

“If blazing fire appears, mark between the eyebrows and become a Vidyādhara Deva King. One’s body becomes like that of a divine youth, foremost in beauty, surpassing all celestial beings. One and one’s retinue obtain spiritual powers, live for one kalpa, and after death are reborn in Tuṣita Heaven.

“If one seeks accomplishment of a triśūla, make it from tempered steel. First recite and uphold the mantra for one year. Then erect a sand stūpa, present great offerings, and separately distribute food to sentient beings, giving to all so that they may receive it.

Sit cross-legged, hold the triśūla in the right hand, and recite until the place where one sits trembles and hundreds of thousands of lights appear. The rite is then accomplished. In a brief moment one’s body becomes like that of a second Maheśvara.

One becomes a Vidyādhara Deva King, with three eyes and great spiritual powers, sovereign in awesome virtue. Maheśvara and all celestial beings come and rain flowers as offerings. All vidyādhara devas and celestial beings likewise come and rain flowers.

Surrounded by these celestial beings, one lives for a great kalpa and after death is reborn in the Land of Ultimate Bliss, Sukhāvatī. Anyone who beholds this accomplishment and reverently pays homage also obtains spiritual powers; but those who produce evil thoughts withdraw of themselves at that very glance.

“If one seeks accomplishment through a corpse as a vetāla, select in a charnel ground an undamaged corpse, without scars anywhere upon its body and complete in all limbs. Fasten it with four stakes of khadira wood. The reciter sits upon the corpse and performs homa with precious powder, casting the powder into its mouth. A wish-fulfilling jewel appears from the corpse’s tongue. Upon seeing it, take it. Having obtained the jewel, one becomes a celestial wheel-turning king.

“Whatever bowls, implements, weapons, or other things one mentally desires can be obtained. The jewel’s light shines brilliantly for one hundred yojanas, and one enjoys great freedom. At the end of one’s life, one is reborn wherever one wishes. If born among humans, one attains the station of a fourfold wheel-turning king. After death one is reborn in the Stainless World.

“For another rite of accomplishment through a corpse as a vetāla, obtain an undamaged corpse as before and fasten it with four stakes of jujube wood. Cast powder into its mouth as homa. When its tongue protrudes, cut it off and take it. The practitioner and one hundred members of his retinue obtain spiritual powers, live for an intermediate kalpa, and enjoy great happiness upon the summit of Mount Sumeru. After death they are reborn among humans and obtain great sovereignty.

“If one seeks accomplishment of a hook, make a hook one cubit long from kuśa grass. Having made it, choose a day and night during the dark fortnight and wash it for one night with the five purifying substances. Once it is clean, present great offerings to the Buddha and the bodhisattva Vajrapāṇi and light one hundred ghee lamps.

The rite for a vajra hook is the same. First protect oneself with Tejoraśi and Sitātapatra, then establish the boundary according to the maṇḍala ritual. Empower four stakes by reciting seven times over them and drive them into the ground in the four directions.

Having established the boundary, during the second watch of the night sit cross-legged with single-minded concentration. Present the hook with incense, flowers, and every kind of offering, bow, and offer it to the Buddhas and bodhisattvas. Hold the hook in the right hand and recite the mantra until the sins and suffering of all sentient beings in the hells are extinguished; one then spontaneously obtains spiritual powers.

Again bow to the Buddhas and bodhisattvas. After bowing, take the sacred hook and depart. Like a celestial being, one is saluted from afar by all devas, nāgas, yakṣas, and others.

One lives for one kalpa; after death one beholds the bodhisattva Vajrapāṇi and dwells in Vajrapāṇi’s palace.

“If one seeks accomplishment of a painted cloth, when light appears one becomes a celestial wheel-turning king.

“If one seeks accomplishment of a mantra, first recite this Great Wheel, Single-Syllable Vidyā one hundred thousand times. Then, for one night, purify body and mind without distraction and present great offerings. Kindle a fire with arka wood. Mix sesame with ghee, honey, and curds, form eight thousand pellets, and use them for homa. When the homa is complete, the Mantra King comes of itself and constantly remains like an attendant.

“If one seeks accomplishment involving Maheśvara, present great offerings before Maheśvara. Kindle arka wood and use eight thousand pieces for homa. Maheśvara will come. When he arrives, he will utter a terrible sound, but one must not be afraid. He will ask, ‘What does the practitioner seek?’ The reciter replies, ‘O Maheśvara, I seek accomplishment of every vidyā.’ The deity says, ‘Everything you seek shall be obtained,’ and then disappears. In the same manner, whatever is sought from Nārāyaṇa or Brahmā is fulfilled according to one’s wishes.

“The ritual for accomplishing those deities has already been taught. When performing it, first establish profound protection for oneself. To subdue a yakṣiṇī, recollect her name for seven nights and perform homa with Aśoka flowers; she will come and submit. After seven days and nights she must assuredly come. When she arrives, ask her to become one’s mother, sister, or wife. If she does not come, she falls ill and her head splits apart.

“The ritual for subduing a nāgī is the same as that for a yakṣiṇī.

“To subdue a yakṣa, during one of the three long months perform homa with rice cooked in thick curds. Then, for one night, purify body and mind without distraction, make great offerings to the Buddha, and set aside uncooked food from the great assembly as an offering to the yakṣa. Mentally resolve that the yakṣa must submit to oneself.

Mix ghee, honey, and other substances into eight thousand pellets and perform homa near a nyagrodha tree. Vaiśravaṇa and the other yakṣas will appear. Offer them arka flowers and argha water.

Vaiśravaṇa will ask, ‘What do you seek?’ The reciter says, ‘Cause one yakṣa to come to me every day and serve me. Within one hundred yojanas, let everything I need be supplied according to my wishes; wherever I wish to go, let me travel freely; and let every medicine required for accomplishment be prepared.’ That deity replies, ‘All shall be obtained.’

“If one seeks fulfillment of a vow by beholding the bodhisattva Vajrapāṇi, first become thoroughly proficient in recitation and then practice according to the Dharma for three or seven periods, seeking the accomplishment of the rite. On the fifteenth day of one of the three long months, make great offerings to the Tathagata and to the bodhisattva Vajrapāṇi and provide a meal for the Sangha. Having done so, pass through the first watch of the night. During the second watch, calm the mind and contemplate the bodhisattva Vajrapāṇi as if directly before one. Perform homa with pellets of gugguru incense as large as lotus seeds.

“During the first watch of the night, if the bodhisattva’s robe moves, the earth trembles, or thunder is heard, celestial beings first descend and rain flowers. Next, the bodhisattva Vajrapāṇi, together with every Vidyārāja, the retinues of the supreme Vidyārājas, and all devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, kiṃnaras, and others, comes to the place of recitation, surrounded before and behind. When the bodhisattva arrives, all sentient beings undergoing great torment in the hells are liberated in a single kṣaṇa.

Seeing the bodhisattva’s auspicious signs, the reciter bows, presents argha water, and requests the bodhisattva to remain. The bodhisattva asks the reciter, ‘What do you seek?’ The reciter may ask to become a celestial wheel-turning king, to enter an asura cavern, to become a wheel-turning king among all celestial beings, or even to obtain a vajra body and the bodhisattva’s dwelling place. Whatever implement or weapon of Vajrapāṇi is sought arises within a thought.

One lives for a great kalpa and after death is reborn in the Vajra World. Whatever is sought from the devas and others is likewise fulfilled according to one’s wishes.

THE GREAT VAST BODHISATTVA PIṬAKA, ROOT RITUAL SŪTRA OF MAÑJUŚRĪ — VOLUME FIFTEEN (End)