Shurangama Mantra with Verses and Commentary

by Venerable Tripitaka Master Hsuan Hua

15. NAM-MÔ LÔ KÊ A-LA-HÁN ĐA NẨM 

南無盧雞阿羅漢跢喃

Ứng cúng sát tặc kỵ vô sinh

Thế gian phước điền tu lực canh

Tài bồi vô thượng bồ đề quả

Hoặc tận chân thuần Phật đạo thành.

 

應供殺賊暨無生

世間福田須力耕

栽培無上菩提果

惑盡真純佛道成

NA MWO LU JI

E LWO HAN DWO NAN

One worthy of offerings, killer of thieves, reaches a state of no birth.

The field of blessings of the world must be plowed vigorously.

Tend with care the unsurpassed Bodhi fruit.

With delusion ended, in true purity the Buddha Way is accomplished.

Commentary:

LU JI means "the world. " E LWO HAN is the Sanskrit word Arhat. It has three meanings: 

1) "Worthy of offerings," 

2) "Killer of thieves," 

3) "Attainer of the state of non-birth." 

Arhat is the level of fruition for a Bhikshu. The three meanings of Bhikshu

are: 

1) "One who begs for food," 

2) "One who gets rid of evil," and 

3) "One who frightens Mara." 

The fruition of begging for food is to be worthy of offerings; the fruition of getting rid of evil is to be a killer of thieves; the fruition of frightening Mara is to be beyond birth.

One worthy of offerings, killer of thieves, reaches a state of no birth./ Worthy of offerings means that he should receive the offerings of people and gods. A killer of thieves means that he should kill the thieves of affliction in his own nature. As to being the attainer of no birth, it means that he no longer has to undergo birth and death. NAN, again means foremost. An Arhat is one in the world who is a field of blessings for people and gods. So all the living beings in the world can go and make offerings to the Arhat and plant the field of blessings.

The field of blessings of the world must be plowed vigorously./ You should use effort to cultivate and plow the field of blessings. Tend with care the unsurpassed Bodhi-fruit./ You should always be careful to water and cultivate the unsurpassed Bodhi-fruit. With delusion ended, in true purity the Buddha Way is accomplished/. "Delusions" refers to the delusions of views, the delusions of thought, and delusions like dust and sand. These delusions are exhausted. Once the coarse delusions like dust and sand are ended, the True Suchness of the self-nature will manifest.