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毗摩質多羅阿修羅王，得示現無量劫解脫門。
某某人，你今天連講中文帶講英文，講兩種。（以下是弟子所講）毗摩翻譯叫「絲」，質多羅叫「種種」，這位阿修羅王能用一根絲線幻作種種的境界。這個阿修羅王得到的解脫門，是在很短的時間裡，能把無量劫這麼長的時間和無量諸佛的國土都現出來。他能縮無量劫為一念，又伸一念成無量劫；十方佛土能縮在一粒微塵裡，一粒微塵又能現出無量的佛土。他大能容小，小能容大；大小無礙，一多無礙。他得到這種示現無量無邊劫自在無礙的解脫門。
巧幻術阿修羅王，得消滅一切眾生苦令清靜解脫門。
這位阿修羅王，他的名字叫巧幻術，就是因為他是很聰明，他會變化，他變化的力量很大，所以他的名字叫巧幻術阿修羅王。他會用種種方法，利益眾生。他所得到的解脫門，是消滅一切眾生苦，令清淨解脫門。他明白佛無量無邊的境界，他所明白的，就是佛能消滅一切眾生苦，令他們清淨。為什麼佛要消滅一切眾生苦？就是因為佛是無我不二，他知道一切眾生和他自己沒有甚麼分別，一切眾生苦惱就是自己的苦惱。他不是說，那個眾生苦惱，我自己不管，因為佛看眾生和自己一樣，沒有甚麼分別，所以佛要消滅一切眾生苦，不但是要令眾生離苦，還要令眾生得樂。令清淨，令他們得到這個清淨境界，把他們一切的苦都消滅了，住到這個極樂光明的境界，這個解脫門是巧幻術阿修羅王所明白的。
大眷屬阿修羅王，得修一切苦行，自莊嚴解脫門。
還有一個阿修羅王，他的名字叫大眷屬，因為他有那麼大的功德，所以他的眷屬很大。為甚麼他的功德那麼樣大？因為他在因地所行所作的就是苦行，他所明白的就是苦行，所以他的眷屬很大。他得到甚麼解脫門？就是修一切苦行自莊嚴解脫門。他明白佛修行的時候，不是單單修一個苦行，不是單單修兩個苦行，他所修的就是一切苦行。最大的苦行就是忍辱，人不能忍的，你能忍，這就是苦行到極點，所以佛的苦行是無量無邊，他甚麼苦行都修，他用這個苦行來莊嚴自己的道場、自己的境界。所以佛是修一切苦行，把這個苦行自莊嚴，這個解脫門是大眷屬阿修羅王所明白的。
婆稚阿修羅王，得震動十方無邊境界解脫門。
婆稚阿修羅王，婆稚是梵語，翻譯成中文有兩個意思，一個是被縛，因為他被釋提桓因所縛，他的名字是這樣子。還有另外一個意思是力，因為這個阿修羅王是有力量的，有力的阿修羅王。他所得到的這個解脫門是震動十方一切剎土，因為他的力量那麼大，他明白佛的境界，佛的境界是能震動十方一切無邊那麼多的剎土，就是因為佛的境界無量無邊，所以沒有法子度量，沒有法子知道是多大。佛的境界是無量，所以他的力量也是遍十方世界。這個婆稚阿修羅王所明白關於佛的境界就是這樣子。
遍照阿修羅王，得種種方便，安立一切眾生解脫門。
這個阿修羅王的名字叫遍照，因為他這個智慧光明是遍照十方，他明白佛這種華嚴境界是得種種方便，安立一切眾生。佛因為他的智慧無量無邊，他的智慧那麼廣大，他會用種種方便法來教化眾生，所以佛的境界不是單單一百、一千，他什麼都會，他會用種種方便安立一切眾生，令眾生離苦得樂，這是遍照阿修羅王，他得到這一種的解脫門。
堅固行妙莊嚴阿修羅王，得普集不可壞善根淨諸染著解脫門。
還有一個修羅王，他的名字叫堅固行妙莊嚴，因為他所行所作，他的行為是堅堅固固的，他不會被境界轉，所以他的名字叫堅固行妙莊嚴。他所明白這個解脫門是得普集不可壞善根淨諸染著解脫門。甚麼叫不可壞善根？不可壞善根就是這個最上上的善根，就是把自己都忘了，只有利益眾生，他們行這個無上佛道，無上菩提道，要決定成佛，把一切眾生度出苦海到彼岸。他不是單單集不可壞善根，並且他自己沒有甚麼染汙心，沒有甚麼執著心。甚麼叫染汙？甚麼叫執著？染汙就是煩惱，煩惱的心就是染汙，你如果生出無明，就有很多煩惱，這個煩惱都是染汙。眾生本來清淨的自性染汙了，所以就分別這個境界是好的；那個境界是不好的，他們很歡喜這個世間的樂，受不了這個世間的苦，所以跑來跑去，不知道怎麼樣了這個苦，這個境界就是這個堅固行妙莊嚴阿修羅王他所明白的。
廣大因慧阿修羅王，得大悲力無疑惑主解脫門。
這個阿修羅王他所明白的就是因力，他知道種甚麼因，受甚麼果，他有了達因果的智慧，所以說廣大因慧阿修羅王。他得到甚麼境界？甚麼解脫門？得大悲力無疑惑主解脫門。這個佛、世尊，他是大慈大悲，他不是說我不管眾生，我不管他們是幹甚麼東西。他是要令一切眾生離苦得樂，所以他的慈悲心很大，他把自己都忘了，只想著怎麼樣幫助眾生，他得到一個大力，這個大悲力。佛也是沒有甚麼疑惑，他因為沒有一個思想，所以沒有疑惑，他甚麼都明白，他知道。主就是佛是大悲主，大悲力主，無疑惑主，這個阿修羅王他明白佛這種的境界。
現勝德阿修羅王，得普令見佛承事供養修諸善根解脫門。
這個阿修羅王叫現勝德阿修羅王，因為他的功德是最上上、最殊勝的，所以他會現一個殊勝的功德，他所明白的這個解脫門是普令見佛承事供養修諸善根。眾生遇見佛，他們很歡喜，沒有這個煩惱心；他們一見佛都要承事佛，都要供養佛，一切眾生一見佛，都要修一切善根，他們將來就可以證菩提果，所以他所明白的就是這個解脫門。
善音阿修羅王，得普入一切趣決定平等行解脫門。
這個阿修羅王，他的名字叫善音，因為他的音聲是很奧妙的、很不錯、很善的，所以他的名字叫善音，他所明白這個佛的境界，就是普入一切趣決定平等行解脫門。佛，他是普入一切趣，他不是說我不管這個修羅，不管他們成不成佛；不是說我不管這個天人生不生功德。佛是普入一切趣，地獄、餓鬼、修羅、畜生、人、天。他得決定平等行這種的解脫門，佛常入一切趣，一切這個六道，他對眾生是平等的，不是說這個眾生我很歡喜，我可以為他做一點；那個眾生很壞，我不要令他得到好處。佛是常常行這個平等法，這個境界就是這個善音阿修羅王所明白的。
爾時羅睺阿修羅王，承佛威力，普觀一切阿修羅眾，而說頌言。
已經講了這十位阿修羅王，他們所得到的解脫門。「爾時」，是講那個時候，當爾之時，「羅睺阿修羅王」他「承佛」的「威力」，得大安住，按照佛的威力，「普觀一切阿修羅眾」，他普遍觀察這個阿修羅王的大眾，「而說頌言」，他就說了偈頌。
待續
（編按：以上九個解脫門是弟子所講） |
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The Asura King Vemachitra obtained the liberation door of making appear limitlessly many kalpas.
So-and-so, today you can lecture first in Chinese and then in English. (The following prose section was lectured by a disciple.) Vemachitra is a Sanskrit compound made up of "vema" which means "silken thread" and "chitra" which means "various kinds." This Asura King, using a single silken thread, can create all kinds of states. The liberation door obtained by this Asura King is that of making limitlessly many kalpas and limitlessly many Buddhalands all appear within an extremely short interval of time. He can shrink infinitely many aeons into one instant of thought, and stretch out an instant of thought into infinitely many aeons. He can also make the limitlessly many Buddhalands of the ten directions appear within a particle of dust, each particle of dust also appearing within the infinitely many Buddhalands. The small can include the great, and the great can include the small, great and small being mutually non-obstructive; and one and many also being non-obstructive. This Asura King obtained this liberation door of unobstructed freedom and ease in displaying limitless and boundlessly many kalpas.
The Asura King Clever Magical Illusions obtained the liberation door of eradicating all living beings; sufferings and purifying them.
This Asura King's name is "Clever Magical Illusions" (Sanskrit: Shambara), because, being very intelligent, he can perform transformations. Since his power to transform is considerable, he has this name. He uses all kinds of methods to benefit living beings. The door of liberation which this Asura King obtained is that of eradicating all living beings' sufferings and making them pure. Of the limitless and boundlessly many states of the Buddha, what he understood was how the Buddha is able to destroy all beings' sufferings and purify them. Why does the Buddha wish to eliminate the sufferings of living beings? It's because the Buddha has no self and no duality. He knows there is no difference between all living beings and himself, so the sufferings and troubles of beings are just his own. He doesn't say he won't pay attention to the suffering of some living being—the reason being that the Buddha sees the living beings as the same as himself, with no distinction. That's why the Buddha wants to eradicate beings' sufferings. Not only does he wish to free them from suffering, he also wants to help beings achieve happiness and be pure. He enables them to reach that state of purity by eradicating their sufferings, so they reside in the state of radiance of ultimate bliss. This is the door of liberation which the Asura King Clever Magical Illusions understood.
The Asura King Great Retinue obtained the liberation door of adorning oneself through the cultivation of all ascetic practices.
There is also an Asura King named Great Retinue. Due to his great merit and virtue, he has a large entourage. Why is his merit and virtue so great? It's because on the causal ground all he practiced and understood was ascetic conduct with the result that his retinue became extremely large. He obtained the liberation door of adorning oneself through the cultivation of all ascetic practices. He realized that the Buddha while cultivating did not just maintain one or two ascetic practices, but all types of asceticism—the most ascetic of all being the practice of patience. He could bear what others cannot bear, which is asceticism to the utmost. The Buddha's ascetic practices were limitless and boundless. He could cultivate any ascetic conduct, and he used those ascetic practices to adorn his own Bodhimanda, his own state. The Asura King Retinue understood this door to liberation of how the Buddha cultivated all ascetic practices and used them as his own adornment.
The Asura King Balin obtained the liberation door of boundlessly many states of quaking of the ten directions.
This Asura King's name is a Sanskrit word, the Chinese for which can be interpreted two ways. One interpretation is that the Chinese stands for Bandhi, which means "tied up," because he was tied up by Lord God (Shakra), that is, the God Indra, who is a Dharma Protector within Buddhism. The second interpretation is that the Chinese stands for Balin (sometimes written Balika), which means "power", since this Asura King is strong. This mighty Asura King obtained the liberation door of boundlessly many states of quaking of the ten directions. Being so powerful himself, he understood how the Buddha's states can cause quaking in limitless and boundlessly many lands throughout the ten directions. Since the Buddha's states are infinite in extent, there is no way to describe them or know their magnitude. Since the Buddha's states are infinite, his power, too, extends throughout the world-systems of the ten directions. That is what the Asura King Balin understood concerning the Buddha's states.
The Asura King Pervasive Illumination obtained the liberation door of using all sorts of expedients to securely settle all living beings.
The name of this Asura King is Pervasive Illumination, because the light of his wisdom extends throughout the ten directions. The Flower Adornment state of the Buddha which he understood is how the Buddha has all kinds of expedient methods to securely settle and establish all living beings. Since the Buddha's wisdom is limitless and boundless, and his wisdom is so vast and great, he can employ an infinite variety of dharmas of skill-in-means to teach and transform living beings. From this we know the Buddha has not just a hundred or a thousand states: he is omnipotent. He can use every sort of expedient method to settle all living beings securely, enabling beings to leave suffering and attain bliss. That is the door to liberation obtained by the Asura King Pervasive Illumination.
The Asura King Wonderful Adornment with Solid Practice obtained the liberation door of universally amassing indestructible good roots and purifying all defiled attachments.
There is another Asura King, whose name is Wonderful Adornment with Solid Practice The reason for his name is that everything he does is durable and firm; he would not be turned by states. The liberation door which he understood are was that of universally amassing indestructible good roots and purifying all defiled attachments. What indestructible good roots? They are the most superior grade of good roots in which one forgets oneself and simply benefits living beings, so they cultivate the unsurpassed way to Buddhahood, the unsurpassed path of a Bodhisattva, and are sure to become Buddhas. He takes all living beings across the sea of suffering to reach the other shore. Accumulating indestructible good roots is not all he does. He furthermore has no defilements or attachment of mind. So, what is meant by defilement, and what is meant by attachment? Defilements are afflictions, and afflicted thoughts are defiled thoughts. If one gives rise to ignorance, there will be lots of afflictions, and those afflictions are defilements. The fundamentally pure self-nature of living beings becomes defiled, and so they discriminate one state as being good and another state as not good. They delight in the happiness of this world, but cannot stand this world's sufferings. Hence they run around to and fro, not knowing how to end suffering. This is the state which the Asura King Wonderful Adornment with Solid Practice understood.
The Asura King Vast Great Causal Wisdom obtained the liberation door of being a host with power of great compassion free from doubts.
What this Asura King understands is the power of causes. He knows that for whatever cause one plants, one reaps the corresponding result. He has the wisdom to comprehend cause and effect thoroughly, which is why he is called Vast Great Causal Wisdom Asura King. What state did he obtain, what door to liberation? He acquired the liberation door of being a host with power of great compassion free from doubts. The Buddha, the World Honored One, is greatly kind and greatly compassionate. He never says he won't pay attention to living beings and what they do. Rather he wishes to help all living beings leave suffering and attain bliss, and so his kindness and compassion are very great. He forgets himself, and just concentrates on helping others. He has obtained a great power which is the power of great compassion. Moreover, the Buddha has no doubts. Since he does not have thoughts, he knows and understands everything. "Being a host" refers to how the Buddha is a host of great compassion, great power of compassion--a host who has no doubts. This Asura King understood that kind of state of the Buddha.
The Asura King Displaying Supreme Virtue obtained the liberation door of causing beings everywhere to cultivate all good roots by seeing, attending upon and making offerings to Buddhas.
This Asura King is called Displaying Supreme Virtue, because his merit and virtue are supreme to the utmost, surpassing by far, which is why he can display merit and virtue of utmost supremacy. The liberation door which he understood was that of causing living beings everywhere to cultivate all good roots by seeing Buddhas, attending upon and making offerings to them. Living beings who see Buddhas are very happy, and don't have afflictions. As soon as they see a Buddha they wish to attend upon that Buddha and make offerings to him. Any being who sees a Buddha wishes to cultivate all good roots, and in the future can achieve the fruition of Bodhi. That's the liberation door which he understood.
The Asura King Good Sound obtained the liberation door of the practice of universally entering all destinies with absolute equality.
This Asura King is named Good Sound, because the sound of his voice is especially exotic and wonderful, quite good in fact. The state of the Buddha which he understood was the practice of universally entering all destinies with absolute sameness, total equality. The Buddha universally enters all destinies. He would never say, "It's no concern of mine whether that asura becomes a Buddha or not." Nor would he say, "I don't care whether that god creates merit and virtue." The Buddha goes into all paths of rebirth everywhere: those of hell-beings, hungry ghosts, asuras, animals, people and gods. This liberation door obtained is that of the practice of absolute equality. In entering all the destinies, the six paths of rebirth, the Buddha is totally the same towards living beings. It's not to say that he likes one living being and so does something for that being, but does not like another, and wants to prevent that being from obtaining advantages. The Buddha constantly practices the dharma of sameness. This is the state which the Asura King Good Sound understood.
At that time the Asura King Rahu received the Buddha's awesome might, universally contemplated all the multitudes of asuras, and spoke the following verses.
When the liberation doors obtained by the ten Asura Kings had been described, at that time the Asura King Rahu, availing himself of the great awesome strength of the Buddha, observed the great throng of asuras everywhere, and spoke verses.
to be continued
(Editor's Note: The preceding prose section was lectured by a disciple.)
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