這四個比喻，舉出一個比喻怕他不知道。說你說牛奶好像貝似的，像貝那個顏色？它像貝的什麼樣子呢？像貝那麼硬嗎？那個貝是硬的，說是不是像貝那麼硬呢？那你又說這個牛奶的顏色好像稻米末似的，那麼像稻米末那麼柔軟嗎？你說像雪，這牛奶是不是像雪那麼凍呢？像雪那麼涼呢？又不知道。這雪又像什麼呢？說雪像那白鶴那麼白。白鶴又是個什麼呢？是不是像白鶴那麼動態的呢？結果舉出四個比喻，四個比喻都不懂，不知道是個什麼。這個盲的人不知道佛的涅槃四德，常樂我淨，也就好像瞎著的人不知道牛奶是個什麼顏色，舉出這四個譬喻他都不懂這樣子。
本來這貝，是表示一種「常」德；稻米末表示一個「樂」德；雪是表示「淨」德；鶴表示「我」德。這就是說一般愚癡的人不明白佛法，也不知道佛法是個什麼。你和他講一個出世法，他說出世法就是在世間法裡包括著。不錯，講得也對。在《六祖壇經》上說，「佛法在世間，不離世間覺；離世覓菩提，猶如求兔角。」那麼不明白佛法的人，他看了這幾句就以為沒有出世法。那個出世法，他根本就不知道是個什麼，只知道有世間法，出世法他就不知道。
六祖大師說這幾句話，就說你在這世間法裡頭就可以找出來出世法，並不是說沒有出世法。這個世間法一轉就是出世法，出世法你要是轉回來到世間法，那永遠你都找不著出世法。出世法，不錯，是在世間法裡包括著，但是你要瞭解它；你要不瞭解，那根本就沒有一個出世法。那麼明瞭了，即是出世，就在這個世間法就修出世法，這才是佛法的本來的道理，也就是六祖大師說的「佛法在世間，不離世間覺。」世間覺，主要是在這個世間覺；你世間要是不覺，根本就沒有佛法的。你要覺，就是有佛法了，就是瞭解出世法了，你不要離開這個世界再另外找一個覺去。所以說「離世覓菩提」，你離開這個世間法去找菩提去，猶如求兔角，猶如在兔子身上找犄角一樣。那麼這一位「淨光明身主城神」，他能開悟一切愚暗的眾生，令他們得到智慧光明，得到這種的解脫門。
香積莊嚴主城神，得觀如來自在力，普遍世間調伏眾生解脫門。
香積莊嚴是主城神的名字，又叫香幢莊嚴，又叫香積莊嚴，他管理這個城市的門。他得到佛的境界，觀察如來，觀看如來自在力。普遍世間，如來這個自在的力量，也就是自在神通的力量，普遍世間，遍滿十方一切世間，用這個自在的力量，自在的大威神的力量來調伏一切眾生。這一位主城神，他得到這種的解脫門。
寶峰光目主城神，得能以大光明，破一切眾生障礙山解脫門。爾時，寶峰光曜主城神，承佛威力，普觀—切主城神眾，而說頌言。
這一位寶峰光目主城神和寶峰光耀主城神一定是兩兄弟，所以名字只差一個字。他得到能以光明破一切眾生的障礙山，這種的解脫門。什麼是障礙山呢？就是貪瞋癡；愚癡黑暗這障礙山。那麼把這個障礙山破了就現出光明智慧來。爾時寶峰光耀主城神，他仰承著佛的威神力，普觀一切的主城神眾，而說頌言。
導師如是不思議。光明遍照於十方。
眾生現前悉見佛。教化成熟無央數。
導師是接引導師，接引眾生齊成佛道，給眾生做先覺者，做領路的人。因為佛是過來人，從他所修的行門成就佛果，也教化眾生成就佛果，所以叫導師。如是就包涵著很多的道理。什麼道理呢？就是修行用功的方法，也就是中道。
這個中道，你明白了就是「如是」，不明白，你就沒有「如是」。這個中道就是成佛的一個根本；這個中道就是不思議的；這個中道，它生出無量的諸佛，生出無量的菩薩，生出無量的阿羅漢，生出無量的祖師。
十方三世一切諸佛菩薩聖人都是從中道而生出來的，所以說不可思議。你沒有法子能講得完這個中道的妙處；你沒有法子能明白這個中道的妙處；你沒有法子能不修這個中道而成佛果的。所以這個中道也就是真空，也就是妙有。真空不空它才生妙有；妙有非有所以叫真空。這個中道是變化無窮，奧妙無比的，所以一切諸佛都修這個中道。因為修這個中道所以他有大定力，有大慧力。因為有大慧力了，所以他能光明遍照於十方。他因為這個中道的道理他修成功了，所以他有光明遍照於十方法界。「眾生現前悉見佛」：所有十方一切的眾生在他自己的面前，悉見佛，都見到佛。每一個眾生覺得佛是對他自己在那兒說法，所以悉見佛。「教化成熟無央數」：他教化一切的眾生，令一切眾生成就佛果。這樣的眾生，無央那麼多的數。無央數也就是不知道有多少數量，無量無邊，沒有一定的數目，所謂不可說不可說那麼多的數目。
諸眾生根各差別。佛悉了知無有餘。
妙嚴宮殿主城神。入此法門心慶悅。
如來無量劫修行。護持往昔諸佛法。
意常承奉生歡喜。妙寶城神悟此門。
「諸眾生根各差別」：眾生各有各的業，各種各的因，各結各的果。就拿人來講，沒有一個人的面目和另外一個人完全相同的。那麼面目既然不相同，所以這業報因果也都不同。眾生的根，根就是根性。諸眾生根有善根深厚，有善根淺薄的，有的修了很多的時候，有的就才開始。每一個眾生的根都不同，所以叫各差別，各有所差別，不相同。既然各有所差別，不相同，這是不容易知道眾生的根性了，可是「佛悉了知無有餘」。佛知道這一切眾生的根性，明明了了，清清楚楚，知道眾生的根性才能對機說法。「妙嚴宮殿主城神」：佛的境界，就是妙嚴宮殿主城神，他入這個法門。心慶悅，心裡很高興，很歡喜。「如來無量劫修行」：佛在往昔無量劫以來修行。他怎麼修行呢？他做佛教的護法。「護持往昔諸佛法」：他盡量想法子來護持佛法，在以前成佛的佛法他都護持、保護。護法，有種種的護法。「意常承奉心歡喜」：這個佛在護持佛法的時候他的心意常承奉。承就是仰承諸佛的法；奉就是信受奉行，照著佛法去修行，心裡生出一種歡喜。這個護法用種種方便法來教化眾生。
在佛的弟子中，迦旃延常常在夢中教化眾生，令眾生覺悟，發菩提心。怎麼樣證明他在夢中教化眾生呢？因為有一個時候他收了一個徒弟，這個徒弟是個國王出家的，叫西臘王。西臘王出家修行就在山裡邊修苦行，也是日中一食，樹下一宿，行頭陀行；頭髮也不剃，鬍子也不剃，是一個天然人的樣子，也就是現在這「嬉皮」的樣子。那麼在山裡頭修行，就另外有一個國王到山上去打獵，帶了一些個宮娥妃嬪最美貌的女人，帶了很多。國王打獵打得疲倦了就在山上睡了。這一睡，這一些個很漂亮的女人，沒有忍耐性陪他在那兒睡覺，就各處去走；一走就看見這麼一個怪物，就向他問法，請他給講佛法。他就給講佛法，正講佛法呢，這個國王就醒來了；一看他這些個女人都沒有了，就各處去找。一找，啊！他這一些個心愛的女人都在這兒和怪物在講話。
待續
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They used four analogies for fear that he might not understand. The person said, "If you say milk is like a shell, is it as hard as a shell? If you compare milk to rice flour, is it as soft as rice flour? If you say rice flour is the color of snow, is it as cold as snow? And what is snow like? If it is white like a white crane, does it move around like a crane?" Even with four analogies, the person still had no idea what people were talking about. Foolish people who did not understand the four virtues of the Buddha's Nirvana—permanence, bliss, true self, and purity—were like the blind person who did not know what color milk was even after being given four analogies. In the overall analogy, the shell represented the virtue of permanence, rice flour represented the virtue of bliss, snow represented the virtue of purity, and the crane represented the virtue of true self. Ordinary, ignorant people do not understand what the Buddhadharma is all about. If you explain the transcendental Dharma to them, they say, "Transcendental Dharma is included within the worldly dharma." What they say has some truth to it. As the
Sixth Patriarch Sutra says,
The Buddhadharma is here in the world.
Enlightenment is not apart from the world.
To search for Bodhi apart from the world.
Is like looking for a hare with horns.
When people who do not understand the Buddhadharma see this verse, they think it means there is no transcendental Dharma. They have no idea what transcendental Dharma could be. They are only familiar with worldly dharmas. The meaning behind the Sixth Patriarch's words is that the transcendental Dharma can be found right within worldly dharmas. He was not stating that there was no such thing as transcendental Dharma. Worldly dharmas, when turn around, become transcendental Dharma. But if you turn transcendental Dharma back into worldly dharmas, you will never find the transcendental Dharma. The transcendental Dharma can be found within worldly dharmas, provides you understand it. If you lack understanding, then there is neither worldly nor transcendental Dharma. Once you understand, then the worldly is itself transcendental. Right within the mundane, you can cultivate the transcendental Dharma. This is a fundamental principle of the Buddhadharma, which the Sixth Patriarch expressed in his verse, "The Buddhadharma is here in the world. Enlightenment is not apart from the world." You have to attain enlightenment in the world. If you are not enlightened in the world, there is no Buddhadharma to speak of. If you are enlightened, then the Buddhadharma—the transcendental Dharma— exists. Don't seek to find some other enlightenment apart from this world. "To search for Bodhi apart from the world / Is like looking for a hare with horns." To seek Bodhi outside of worldly dharmas is like looking for horns on a rabbit.
The City-Ruling Spirit Body of Pure Radiance is able to enlighten all foolish and dim-witted living beings. He obtained this liberation door of wisdom and light.
Sutra:
The City-Ruling Spirit named Fragrant Cowl Adornment obtained the liberation door of contemplating the Thus Come One's sovereign power which pervasively tames living beings in all worlds.
Commentary:
The City-Ruling Spirit named Fragrant Cowl Adornment is also known as Fragrant Banner Adornment. He rules over a city.
He obtained the state of the Buddha,
liberation door of contemplating the Thus Come One's sovereign and awesome
power of spiritual penetrations
which pervasively tames living beings in all worlds throughout the ten directions. That's the door of liberation of this city-ruling spirit.
Sutra:
The City-Ruling Spirit named Jeweled Peak Bright Eyes obtained the liberation door of using brilliant light to smash the mountain of all living beings' obstructions.
At that time, the City-Ruling Spirit named Jeweled Peak Illumination received the Buddha's awesome might, contemplated all the multitudes of city-ruling spirits, and spoke the following verse.
Commentary:
The City-Ruling Spirit Jeweled Peak Bright Eyes and the City-Ruling Spirit Jeweled Peak Illumination are probably brothers, for their names' differences by only one word.
He obtained the liberation door of using brilliant light to smash the mountain of all living beings' obstructions. What is the mountain of obstructions? It is formed of greed, anger, stupidity, and darkness. When the mountain of obstruction is smashed, the light of wisdom appears.
At that time, the City-Ruling Spirit named Jeweled Peak Illumination received the Buddha's awesome spiritual might, contemplated all the multitudes of city-ruling spirits, and spoke the following verse.
Sutra:
The Guiding Master is thus inconceivable.
His light pervasively illumines the ten directions.
Every living being sees the Buddha appear before him.
Innumerable beings are taught, transformed and brought to maturity.
Commentary:
The Guiding Master is one who guides living beings to the attainment of Buddhahood. As one who first became enlightened himself, he leads the way for living beings. The Buddha has already gone through the experience. Based on the practices he cultivated, he realized Buddhahood and then set about to teach living beings to attain Buddhahood as well. Hence, he is called "Guiding Master." He is thus inconceivable. The word "thus" contains many principles. It refers to the method of cultivation—namely, the Middle Way. Those who understand the Middle Way are "thus," while those who do not understand arc not "thus." The Middle Way is that basis for the achievement of Buddhahood. It is inconceivable. The Middle Way gives birth to innumerable Buddhas, innumerable Bodhisattvas, innumerable Arhats, and innumerable Patriarchs.
All the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Sages were born from the Middle Way. And so it is said to be inconceivable. You can never finish describing the wonders of the Middle Way, nor can you ever fully understand them. You cannot attain Buddhahood without cultivating the Middle Way. The Middle Way is just true emptiness and wonderful existence. True emptiness is not empty, which is why it can produce wonderful existence. Wonderful existence does not exist, which is why it is called true emptiness. The changing transformations of the Middle Way are infinite, its esoteric mystery is incomparable. All Buddhas cultivate the Middle Way, and because of that, they have great samadhi power and great wisdom power. Because of his great wisdom power and his successful cultivation of the Middle Way, his light pervasively illumines the ten directions of the Dharma Realm. Every living being in the ten directions sees the Buddha appear before him and feels that the Buddha is speaking Dharma directly to him. Innumerable beings are taught, transformed and brought to maturity. The Buddha has taught and transformed living beings beyond number, leading them to attain Buddhahood. "Innumerable" means their number cannot be known; it is unspeakably, unspeakably many.
Sutra:
Every living being's disposition is unique.
The Buddha understands them all without exception.
The City-Ruling Spirit Wondrously Adorning Palaces
Entered this Dharma door and rejoiced in his heart.
The Thus Come One cultivated through measureless eons,
Protecting and upholding the Dharma of past Buddhas.
Constantly focusing on reverent practice brought him joy.
The City Spirit Wondrous Jewels awakened to this door.
Commentary:
Every living being's disposition is unique. Every living being has his own individual karma. Each one plants his own causes and reaps his own results. Consider human beings, for example. No two people have identical faces. Just as their faces are different, so are their karmic retri- butions and causes and effects. There are living beings with deep good roots, and those with shallow good roots. Some have already cultivated for a very long time, whereas others have just started. Therefore, living beings each have distinct dispositions. This makes it difficult to know all their dispositions. Nevertheless,
the Buddha understands them all very, very clearly
without exception. Knowing their temperaments, he can speak the appropriate Dharma for them.
The City-Ruling Spirit Wondrously Adorning
Palaces attained this state of the Buddha. He
entered this Dharma door and rejoiced in his heart. He was very happy.
The Thus Come One cultivated through measureless eons in the past. How did he cultivate? He acted as a Dharma protector,
protecting and upholding the Dharma of past Buddhas. He did his best to protect the Buddhadharma. Dharma protectors are of various kinds. In protecting the Dharma, the Buddha was constantly
focusing on reverent practice which
brought him joy. He revered the Dharma and cultivated in accord with it, and this made him very happy. Those who protect the Dharma use all sorts of expedient means to teach and transform living beings. One of the Buddha's disciples, the Venerable Mahakatyayana, often taught and transformed living beings by appearing in their dreams to cause them to become enlightened and bring forth the Bodhi resolve. What proof is there that he taught through dreams? He once accepted a disciple who was a king named Xila. After King Xila left the home-life, he went to the mountains and engaged in dhuta or ascetic practices, eating one meal a day and not sleeping under the same tree two nights in a row. Not bothering to cut his hair or shave, he assumed a very "natural" appearance comparable to that of modern- day hippies. As he was cultivating there, another king went to the moun- tains to hunt, accompanied by a large entourage of lovely concubines. Tired out from hunting, that king fell asleep. Meanwhile, his beautiful women grew restless and decided to take a walk. They happened upon the ascetic King Xila, who looked like a freak. The ascetic explained the Buddhadharma for them. When the other king woke up and found his women gone, he searched around and found them chatting with a freak.
To be continued
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