Shurangama Mantra with Verses and Commentary

by Venerable Tripitaka Master Hsuan Hua

16. NAM-MÔ TÔ LÔ ĐA BA NA NẨM

南無蘇盧多波那喃

Kim nhập Thánh nhân pháp tánh lưu

Bội nghịch phàm phu lục trần du

Kiến hoặc đoạn trừ chứng sơ quả

Kế tục tinh tấn đại từ châu. 

今入聖人法性流

背逆凡夫六塵遊

見惑斷除證初果

繼續精進大慈舟

NA MWO SU LU DWO BWO NWO NAN

 

Enter now the flow of the Sages' Dharma-nature,

And turn your back on the common people's wanderings through the six dusts.

With view delusions cut off, one is certified to first fruition.

Continue, in vigor and sail in the Great Compassion Boat.

 

 

COMMENTARY:

 

This line means to take refuge with the Sages of the first fruition, the Shrotaapannas. SU LU DWO means "enter," that is, to enter the Dharma-nature flow of a Sage. You become one with the Sages. BWO NWO means "oppose," that is, to oppose the flow of the six mundane "dusts"--sense objects of ordinary people.

 

Enter now the flow of the Sages' Dharma-nature, / And turn your back on the common people's wanderings through the six dusts. / To enter the flow of the Sages' Dharma-nature is to go against the six "dusts" of ordinary people. That is, do not follow along with the outflows of the six sense objects of ordinary people, which are, forms, sounds, smells, tastes, tangible objects, and dharmas. Don't go playing and traveling along with the six mundane dusts.

 

With view delusions cut off, one is certified to first fruition. / The Sages of the first fruition have cut off all eighty-eight sections of view delusions. Once these eighty-eight view delusions have been severed, one attains the first fruition. It is not possible to pretend one has attained the first fruition. That just doesn't work. The Sages of the first fruition have spiritual penetrations: they need not move from where they are and yet can teach and transform living beings. While sitting right where they are, without going somewhere else, they can teach and transform living beings in other places. For example, when a Sage of the first fruition walks on the road, it may look like his feet are on the ground, but actually they are separated from the ground; they're not right on the ground. They don't touch the ground. They don't tread the earth, and so they don't crush any bugs, ants, or any living creatures to death. This is one of the things a Sage of the first fruition is capable of. You can't just go and casually say you've attained this fruition. What fruition have you attained? You can't pretend about this.

 

Continue, in vigor and sail in the Great Compassion Boat. / Having attained the first fruition, you want to vigorously continue to cultivate. It should be just like you were sailing the boat of great compassion as you yourself progress.