前期經文：佛告文殊師利。是經名大佛頂…
亦名救護親因。度脫阿難。及此會中。性比丘尼。得菩提心。入遍知海。
「亦名」：這部經又有一個名字，這個名字就叫「救護親因，度脫阿難」：救護佛的親戚，佛的親因；因為阿難是佛的堂弟，所以這叫親因。度脫阿難，來救度阿難脫離摩登伽女這種的難。「及此會中」：和現在在這個會中，「性比丘尼」：性比丘尼就是摩登伽女。摩登伽女現在已經證到四果阿羅漢了。「得菩提心」：他們兩個人都得到這個覺悟的心了。「入遍知海」：得到正遍知這個海，這也是個名字。正知，知道心生萬法，所以叫正知。遍知呢，萬法唯心，這是遍知。入遍知海，也就是入正遍知海。
亦名如來密因修證了義。
「亦名如來密因」：也有個名字叫密因––如來的密因、如來最祕密的這一種法門，「修證了義」：修行證果最徹底的一種道理。這又是一個名字。
亦名大方廣妙蓮華王十方佛母陀羅尼咒。
「亦名」：又有一個名字叫什麼呢？叫「大方廣」：大、方、廣，這是個法，這種法是最大的，又通達十方而廣大無邊的。「妙蓮華王」：這個《楞嚴經》就比方一個妙蓮華；這個〈楞嚴咒〉呢？也就是佛母陀羅尼咒。這《楞嚴經》是個妙蓮華王，所有十方的諸佛都是從〈楞嚴咒〉裡生出來的，所以說「十方佛母陀羅尼咒」。陀羅尼是梵語，翻譯成中文就叫「總持」。總，就是總一切法；持，是持無量義。又是總持身、口、意三業不犯，你這個身也不犯殺、盜、淫；意也不犯貪、瞋、癡；口也不犯綺語、妄言、惡口、兩舌。這十惡不犯，這叫總持身口意三業清淨。持無量諸佛的法門，這也叫總持。
亦名灌頂章句諸菩薩萬行首楞嚴。汝當奉持。
「亦名」：也有一個名字，叫什麼名字呢？叫「灌頂章句」：這個灌頂章句就是灌頂咒，你一誦這個〈楞嚴咒〉，就能令你很快業障就消滅了，很快就得到一種智慧了。所以前面那個偈頌阿難讚說：「妙湛總持不動尊，首楞嚴王世希有，銷我億劫顛倒想」，這個〈楞嚴咒〉可以給你默默中灌頂，就銷你無量劫的顛倒想。「不歷僧祇獲法身」，不需要經過三大阿僧祇劫這麼長遠的時間，就得到法身了，所以這叫灌頂章句。
「諸菩薩」：諸菩薩就是所有一切的菩薩，「萬行」：萬種的行門，所有菩薩一切行門都包括在這個經典以內了，「首楞嚴」：這是第一種的堅固法；首楞嚴就是第一種的堅固法。「汝當奉持」：阿難哪！你應該依這個法修行。
說是語已。即時阿難。及諸大眾。得蒙如來。開示密印。般怛囉義。兼聞此經了義名目。
「說是語已」：佛說這個經的名字之後，「即時阿難」：即刻阿難，「及諸大眾」：和在會的一切大眾，「得蒙如來」：都一同蒙如來，「開示密印」：祕密的這種印，「般怛囉義」：大白傘蓋這個妙義。「兼聞此經了義名目」：並兼聽見這個經了義的名目，最澈底、最究竟、最了義的這種名目，這個經的名字。
待續 |
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From last issue: The Buddha told Manjushri, “This Sutra is called ‘The Unsurpassed Precious Seal…of the Great Buddha’s Summit…’”
Sutra:
It is also called “The Cause for Saving a Relative”: to rescue Ananda and the Bhikshuni “Nature,” who is now in this assembly, so that they obtain the Bodhi mind and enter the sea of pervasive knowledge.
Commentary:
It is also called “The Cause for Saving a Relative”: to rescue Ananda. The Buddha was related to Ananda; they were cousins. He wanted to save Ananda from the difficulty he got into with Matangi’s daughter. He also rescued the Bhikshuni “Nature,” who is now in this assembly. The Bhikshuni Nature was Matangi’s daughter. She was, by now, a fourth-stage Arhat in the assembly. They obtain the Bodhi mind and enter the sea of pervasive knowledge. These two people have attained levels of enlightenment. “Pervasive knowledge” is as in “One of Proper and Pervasive Knowledge,” one of the titles of the Buddhas. “Proper knowledge” is knowing that the mind gives rise to the myriad dharmas. “Pervasive knowledge” is knowing that the myriad dharmas are only from the mind. The “sea of pervasive knowledge” actually means the “sea of proper and pervasive knowledge.”
Sutra:
It is also called “The Tathagata’s secret cause, and his cultivation of and certification to the complete meaning.”
Commentary:
It is also called “The Tathagata’s secret cause.” It has another name, which indicates that it is the most secret Dharma door of the Thus Come One. It is also “his cultivation of and certification to the complete meaning,” which refers to the most fundamental principle of his cultivation and certification to the fruition. This is another name for this Sutra.
Sutra:
It is also called “The Great Pervasive Method of the Wonderful Lotus Flower King, with the Dharani Mantra which is the Mother of All Buddhas of the Ten Directions.”
Commentary:
It is also called “The Great Pervasive Method.” This is a Dharma. It is the greatest Dharma; it pervades the ten directions and is boundlessly vast. “The Wonderful Lotus Flower King” is an analogy for the Shurangama Sutra. “The Dharani Mantra which is the Mother of All Buddhas of the Ten Directions” refers to the Shurangama Mantra. All the Buddhas of the ten directions are born from the Shurangama Mantra. “Dharani” is a Sanskrit word which means to “encompass and hold.” It encompasses all dharmas; it holds limitless meanings. Another meaning is that it encompasses the three karmas of body, mouth, and mind so that no violations are made by them. With your body you do not kill, steal, or lust. With your mind you should be devoid of greed, anger, and stupidity. With your mouth you do not indulge in loose speech, harsh speech, lying, or gossip. You do not commit any of these ten evil deeds. And it holds the limitless Dharma doors of all the Buddhas. That’s another way to explain “Dharani.”
Sutra:
It is also called “The Foremost Shurangama, Sections and Phrases for Anointing the Crown of the Head, and All Bodhisattvas’ Myriad Practices.” Thus should you respectfully uphold it.
Commentary:
“The Foremost Shurangama”: This is the first and foremost of durable dharmas. It is a strong and firm dharma. Sections and Phrases for Anointing the Crown of the Head refer to the Shurangama Mantra. If you recite it, your karmic obstacles will very quickly be eradicated. Very soon you will obtain wisdom. Earlier, in his verse, Ananda said of it:
The wonderfully deep dharani,
the unmoving honored one,
The foremost Shurangama King
is seldom found in the world.
It melts away my upside-down thoughts
gathered in a million kalpas.
So I needn’t endure asamkhyeya aeons
to obtain the Dharma Body.
The Shurangama Mantra can invisibly anoint you on the crown of the head and thereby eradicate your upside-down thoughts that have gone on for limitless aeons. There is no need to have to pass through three great asamkhyeya aeons before you obtain the Dharma body. All Bodhisattvas’ Myriad Practices are contained within this Sutra. Ananda, you should rely on this Dharma in your cultivation. Thus should you respectfully uphold it.
Sutra:
After this was said, Ananda and all in the Great Assembly immediately received the Thus Come One’s instruction in the secret seal, the meaning of bo da la, and heard these names for the complete meaning of this Sutra.
Commentary:
After this was said, after the Buddha finished explaining the names of this Sutra, Ananda and all in the Great Assembly immediately received the Thus Come One’s instruction in the secret seal. Everyone simultaneously took in the Thus Come One’s teaching about the secret seal, the meaning of bo da la. “Bo da la,” again, is the Great White Canopy. They fathomed its wonderful meaning. And they heard these names for the complete meaning of this Sutra. These names were the most comprehensive, the most ultimate, the most thoroughly meaningful titles.
To be continue |
