PHẬT ĐẢNH QUANG TỤ MA HA TÁT ĐÁT ĐA BÁT ĐÁT RA THỦ LĂNG NGHIÊM THẦN CHÚ

Shurangama Mantra with Verses and Commentary

by Venerable Tripitaka Master Hsuan Hua

205. TỲ ĐẰNG BĂNG TÁT NA YẾT RA

毗騰崩薩那羯囉

VIDHVAM SANAKARA

Nhị chủng thần vương uy lực thâm

Phổ thành phá oán trừ tai tinh

Độ khử nhất thiết chư khổ ách

Quy mạng giáo chủ Thích Ca Văn.

二種神王威力深

普成破怨除災星

度去一切諸苦厄

皈命教主釋迦文

The two kinds of spirit kings have profound, awesome power.

They break through all hate and cast out calamities.

Saving all from suffering and misery,

They return their lives to the teaching host, Shakyamuni Buddha.

The various spirit kings among the yakshas and rakshasas have great, awesome spiritual power. They break up all hateful toxins and disasters. They get rid of all pain and adversity. They take refuge with the Buddha and offer their protection to every Way Place.

AUM! PHẬT ĐẢNH QUANG TỤ

MA HA TÁT ĐÁT ĐA BÁT ĐÁT RA

THỦ LĂNG NGHIÊM THẦN CHÚ

THẬP PHƯƠNG NHƯ LAI

NHÂN TỤNG TÂM CHÚ NÀY MÀ ĐƯỢC THÀNH PHẬT

A-nan, những câu nhiệm-mầu, những kệ bí-mật "Tất-đát-đa-bát-đát-ra" của hóa-thân nơi hào-quang đỉnh-Phật, sinh ra tất-cả chư Phật thập phương. Thập phương Như-lai nhân chú-tâm nầy, thành được Vô-thượng-chính-biến-tri-giác. Thập phương Như-lai nắm chú-tâm nầy, uốn-dẹp các ma, chế-phục các ngoại-đạo. Thập phương Như-lai vận chú-tâm nầy, ngồi hoa sen báu, ứng-hiện trong các cõi-nước như số vi-trần. Thập phương Như-lai ngậm chú-tâm nầy, nơi cõi-nước như số vi-trần, xoay bánh xe Pháp lớn. Thập phương Như-lai giữ chú-tâm nầy, có thể nơi mười phương xoa đỉnh thụ-ký, tự mình quả-vị chưa thành, cũng có thể nơi mười phương nhờ chư Phật thụ-ký. Thập phương Như-lai nương chú-tâm nầy, có thể nơi mười phương cứu-vớt các khổ như địa-ngục, ngạ-quỷ, súc-sinh, đui, điếc, ngọng, câm; các khổ oán-tăng-hội, ái-biệt-ly, cầu-bất-đắc, ngũ-ấm-xí-thịnh; những tai-nạn lớn nhỏ đồng-thời được giải-thoát; nạn giặc, nạn binh, nạn vua, nạn ngục, nạn gió, lửa, nước, cho đến đói-khát bần-cùng, liền được tiêu-tan. Thập phương Như-lai theo chú-tâm nầy, có thể nơi mười phương, phụng-sự thiện-tri-thức, trong bốn uy-nghi, cúng-dường được như-ý; trong Pháp-hội hằng-sa Như-lai, được suy-tôn là vị Đại-pháp-vương-tử. Thập phương Như-lai dùng chú-tâm nầy, có thể nơi mười phương, nhiếp-thụ các nhân-thân, khiến cho các hàng Tiểu-thừa nghe tạng bí-mật, không sinh lòng kinh-sợ. Thập phương Như-lai tụng chú-tâm nầy, thành-đạo Vô-thượng-giác, ngồi dưới cây Bồ-đề, vào Đại-niết-bàn. Thập phương Như-lai truyền chú-tâm nầy, sau khi diệt-độ rồi, phó-chúc Pháp-sự của Phật, được trụ-trì rốt-ráo; giới-luật nghiêm-tịnh, thảy đều trong-sạch."

"Nếu tôi nói chú "Phật-đỉnh-quang-tụ bát-đát-ra" nầy, từ sáng đến tối, các tiếng nối nhau, trong đó những chữ, những câu cũng không trùng-điệp, trải qua kiếp-số như cát sông Hằng, rốt-cuộc không thể hết được. Chú nầy cũng gọi tên là Như-lai-đỉnh."

"Hàng hữu-học các ông chưa hết luân-hồi, phát-lòng chí-thành tu chứng quả A-la-hán, nếu không trì-chú nầy, khi ngồi đạo-trường, mà khiến thân tâm xa-rời được các ma-sự, thì không thể được.

A-nan, nếu trong các thế-giới, có những chúng-sinh, tùy cõi-nước mình sinh ra, nào vỏ cây hóa, nào lá cây bối, nào giấy trắng, nào bạch-diệp, dùng để viết-chép chú nầy, đựng trong túi thơm; nếu người đó tối-tăm chưa tụng, chưa nhớ được, mà hoặc đeo trên mình, hoặc viết trong nhà ở, thì nên biết người ấy, trọn đời tất-cả các thứ độc không thể hại được.

A-nan, nay tôi vì ông tuyên lại chú nầy, cứu-giúp trong thế gian được đại-vô-úy và thành-tựu trí xuất-thế-gian cho chúng-sinh.

Nếu sau khi tôi diệt-độ rồi; chúng-sinh trong đời mạt-pháp, có người biết tự mình tụng, hoặc dạy người khác tụng-chú nầy, nên biết những chúng-sinh trì-tụng như vậy, lửa không đốt được, nước không đắm được, độc lớn, độc nhỏ không thể hại được, cho đến các hàng thiên, long, quỷ, thần, tinh, kỳ, ma, mị, có những chú-dữ, đều không làm gì được. Tâm người ấy được chính-thụ; tất-cả chú-trớ, yểm-cổ, thuốc-độc, kim-độc, ngân-độc và độc-khí muôn vật như cỏ, cây, sâu, rắn, vào miệng người ấy đều thành vị cam-lộ. Tất-cả ác-tinh với các quỷ-thần, lòng dữ hại người, đối với người ấy, cũng không thể khởi ra ác-niệm; Tần-na, Dạ-ca và các quỷ-vương dữ khác, cùng với quyến-thuộc, đều lĩnh-ơn sâu, thường gìn-giữ ủng-hộ.

A-nan, nên biết chú nầy, thường có 84.000 na-do-tha hằng-hà-sa câu-chi chủng-tộc Kim-cương-tạng-vương Bồ-tát, mỗi mỗi đều có những chúng Kim-cương làm quyến-thuộc, ngày đêm theo hầu. Giả-sử có chúng-sinh, với tâm tán-loạn, chứ không phải Tam-ma-đề, tâm nhớ niệm-trì chú nầy; thì các Kim-cương-vương đó, cũng thường theo bên thiện-nam-tử kia, huống nữa, là những người có tâm Bồ-đề quyết-định; đối với những người nầy, các vị Kim-cương-tạng-vương Bồ-tát đó, dùng tịnh-tâm thầm xúc-tiến, phát-huy thần-thức; người ấy liền khi đó, tâm nhớ lại được 84.000 hằng-ha-sa kiếp, rõ-biết cùng khắp, được không nghi-hoặc. Từ kiếp thứ nhất cho đến thân cuối-cùng, đời đời người ấy không sinh vào các loài dược-xoa, la-sát, phú-đan-na, ca-tra-phú-đan-na, cưu-bàn-trà, tỳ-xá-già, vân vân..., cùng các loài ngạ-quỷ, có hình, không hình, có tưởng, không tưởng và những chỗ dữ như thế. Thiện-nam-tử đó, hoặc đọc, hoặc tụng, hoặc viết, hoặc chép, hoặc đeo, hoặc giữ, hoặc cúng-dường nhiều cách chú nầy, thì kiếp kiếp không sinh vào những nơi bần-cùng hạ-tiện, không thể ưa-thích.

Các chúng-sinh đó, dù cho chính mình không làm việc phúc, thập phương Như-lai có các công-đức đều cho họ hết, do đó, họ được trong những kiếp hằng-sa vô-số, không thể nói, không thể nói hết, thường cùng chư Phật đồng sinh một chỗ; vô-lượng công-đức nhóm-lại như trái ác-xoa, đồng một chỗ huân-tu, hằng không phân-tán. Vậy nên, có thể khiến người phá giới, mà giới-căn cũng được thanh-tịnh; người chưa được giới, khiến cho được giới; người chưa tinh-tiến, khiến cho tinh-tiến; người không trí-tuệ, khiến được trí-tuệ; người không thanh-tịnh, mau được thanh-tịnh; người không giữ trai-giới, tự thành có trai-giới. A-nan, thiện-nam-tử ấy, khi trì-chú nầy, giả-sử có phạm cấm-giới khi chưa thụ-trì, thì sau khi trì-chú, các tội phá giới, không luận nặng nhẹ, một thời, đều tiêu-diệt, dù đã uống rượu, ăn thứ ngũ tân và các thứ không sạch, tất-cả chư Phật, Bồ-tát, Kim-cương, Thiên-tiên, Quỷ-thần không cho là có lỗi; dù mặc y-phục rách-nát không sạch, thì một cái đi, một cái đứng, thảy đồng như thanh-tịnh; dù không lập đàn, không vào đạo-trường, cũng không hành-đạo mà tụng-trì chú nầy, thì công-đức cũng như vào đàn, hành-đạo, không có khác vậy; dù gây những tội nặng ngũ-nghịch, vô-gián và phạm những tội tứ-khí, bát-khí của tỷ-khưu và tỷ-khưu-ni, thì khi tụng-chú nầy rồi, cũng như gió mạnh thổi-tan đống cát, những nghiệp nặng như vậy, đều diệt-trừ hết, không còn chút mảy-may.

A-nan, những câu nhiệm-mầu, những kệ bí-mật "Tất-đát-đa-bát-đát-ra" của hóa-thân nơi hào-quang đỉnh-Phật, sinh ra tất-cả chư Phật thập phương. Thập phương Như-lai nhân chú-tâm nầy, thành được Vô-thượng-chính-biến-tri-giác.

Sutra:

Ananda, this cluster of light atop the crown of the Buddha's head, the secret gatha, Syi Dan Dwo Bwo Da La, with its subtle, wonderful divisions and phrases, gives birth to all the Buddhas of the ten directions. Because the Thus Come Ones of the ten directions use this mantra-heart, they realize unsurpassed, proper, and all-pervading knowledge and enlightenment.

Commentary:

Ananda, this cluster of light atop the crown of the Buddha's head, the secret gatha, Syi Dan Dwo Bwo Da La, is again, the great white canopy, which can cover over the entire system of three thousand great thousand worlds to protect all the living beings in it. "Gatha" is a Sanskrit term which means "repetitive verses." The mantra is secret, and since some of its lines are repeated, it is referred to as the "secret gatha." These "divisions and phrases" which comprise the mantra are extremely rare and miraculous. This mantra, with its subtle, wonderful divisions and phrases, gives birth to all the Buddhas of the ten directions. Therefore, the Shurangama Mantra can be called the "Mother of Buddhas."

Because the Thus Come Ones of the ten directions use this mantra-heart, they realize unsurpassed proper and allpervading knowledge and enlightenment. It is by means of the Shurangama Mantra that the Buddhas realize proper and allpervading awareness. "Proper knowledge" means they know that the mind gives rise to the myriad dharmas; "all-pervading knowledge" means that they know that the myriad dharmas come only from the mind.

Thập phương Như-lai nắm chú-tâm nầy, uốn-dẹp các ma, chế-phục các ngoại-đạo.

Sutra:

Because the Thus Come Ones of the ten directions take up this mantra-heart, they subdue all demons and control all adherents of outside ways.

Commentary:

The "mantra-heart", the Shurangama Mantra, was spoken by a transformation body Buddha seated upon a jeweled lotus amidst a thousand rays of light at the crown of the Buddha Shakyamuni's head. Because the Thus Come Ones of the ten directions take up this mantra-heart, they subdue all demons and control all adherents of outside ways. It is the heart of mantras, and it is a mantra-heart of the Buddhas. Therefore, what the heavenly demons and adherents of outside ways fear most is the Shurangama Mantra.

Thập phương Như-lai vận chú-tâm nầy, ngồi hoa sen báu, ứng-hiện trong các cõi-nước như số vi-trần.

Sutra:

Because the Thus Come Ones of the ten directions avail themselves of this mantra-heart, they sit upon jeweled lotus flowers and respond throughout countries as numerous as motes of dust.

Commentary:

Because the Thus Come Ones of the ten directions avail themselves of this mantra-heart. They borrow the mantra; as it were, they ascend the mantra-heart, and they sit upon jeweled lotus-flowers; huge blossoms and respond throughout countries as numerous as motes of dust. Their response-bodies are able to go throughout lands as numerous as fine motes of dust, due to the power of the Shurangama Mantra-heart.

Thập phương Như-lai ngậm chú-tâm nầy, nơi cõi-nước như số vi-trần, xoay bánh xe Pháp lớn.

Sutra:

Because the Thus Come Ones of the ten directions embody this mantra-heart, they turn the great dharma wheel in lands as numerous as fine motes of dust.

Commentary:

When the Thus Come Ones of the ten directions turn the great dharma wheel in lands as numerous as fine motes of dust, they also base themselves on this mantra. They embody this mantra-heart.

Thập phương Như-lai giữ chú-tâm nầy, có thể nơi mười phương xoa đỉnh thụ-ký, tự mình quả-vị chưa thành, cũng có thể nơi mười phương nhờ chư Phật thụ-ký.

Sutra:

Because the Thus Come Ones of the ten directions hold this mantra-heart, they are able to go throughout the ten directions to rub beings on the crowns of their heads and bestow predictions upon them. Also, anyone in the ten directions who has not yet realized the fruition, can receive a Buddha's prediction.

Commentary:

Because the Thus Come Ones of the ten directions hold this mantra-heart, they receive and uphold this mantra-heart, and so they are able to go throughout the ten directions to rub beings on the crowns of their heads and bestow predictions upon them. They bestow predictions of Buddhahood on other living beings. Also, anyone in the ten directions who has not yet realized the fruition, can receive a Buddha's prediction. If you have not realized the fruition, the Buddhas may still rub the crown of your head and bestow a prediction on you.

Thập phương Như-lai nương chú-tâm nầy, có thể nơi mười phương cứu-vớt các khổ như địa-ngục, ngạ-quỷ, súc-sinh, đui, điếc, ngọng, câm; các khổ oán-tăng-hội, ái-biệt-ly, cầu-bất-đắc, ngũ-ấm-xí-thịnh; những tai-nạn lớn nhỏ đồng-thời được giải-thoát; nạn giặc, nạn binh, nạn vua, nạn ngục, nạn gió, lửa, nước, cho đến đói-khát bần-cùng, liền được tiêu-tan.

Sutra:

Because the Thus Come Ones of the ten directions are based in this mantra-heart, they can go throughout the ten directions to rescue beings from such sufferings as being in the hells, being hungry ghosts, being animals, or being blind, deaf, or mute, as well as from the suffering of being together with those one hates, from the suffering of being apart from those one loves, from the suffering of not obtaining what one seeks, and from the raging blaze of the five skandhas.

They liberate beings from both large and small accidents. In response to their recitation, difficulty with thieves, difficulty with armies, difficulty with the law, difficulty with imprisonment, difficulty with wind, fire, and water, and difficulty with hunger, thirst, and impoverishment are all eradicated.

Commentary:

Because the Thus Come Ones of the ten directions are based in this mantra-heart, they can go throughout the ten directions to rescue beings from such sufferings as the eight sufferings:

1. birth,
2. old age,
3. sickness,
4. death,
5. being apart from those one loves,
6. being together with those one hates,
7. being unable to obtain what one seeks,
8. the raging blaze of the five skandhas.

There are also eight difficulties:

1. the difficulty of the hells,
2. the difficulty of hungry ghosts,
3. the difficulty of animals,
4. the difficulty of being blind, deaf, or mute,
5. the difficulty of being in Uttarakuru,
6. the difficulty of being born at a time when there is no Buddha in the world,
7. the difficulty of having worldly intelligence and powers in debate,
8. the difficulty of being reborn in the long-life heavens.

The beings in the northern continent, Uttarakuru, have a very long lifespan. They live an average of a thousand years. Life on that continent is extremely blissful; the difficulty is that the beings there have no opportunity to see the Buddha, hear the Dharma, or meet the Sangha. Therefore, living there is included among the eight difficulties. The same is true for beings in the heavens; although the lifespan is long, they have no chance to encounter the Triple Jewel. So that, too, is a difficulty.

"Having worldly intelligence and powers in debate" refers to different branches of mundane knowledge, such as the fields of science. They try to express principles where there are no principles and to give reasons when there aren't any.

Being in the hells, being hungry ghosts, being animals, or being blind, deaf, or mute, are among the eight difficulties. Then there is the suffering of being together with those one hates. This is when you move to get away from someone you can't stand, only to find that when you get to the new place, there's a person just like him there! There is also the suffering of being apart from those one loves. You love someone especially, but circumstances force you to be apart. Again, there is the suffering of not obtaining what one seeks. When you don't have something that you want, you seek for it. But if you encounter this suffering, you fail to get what you seek. The raging blaze of the five skandhas, form, feeling, thought, activity, and consciousness, the five skandhas, burn like fire.

They liberate beings from both large and small accidents. This can refer to untimely deaths, such as being killed in an automobile accident, being crushed by a falling building, or any other fatal accident. They can also liberate beings from difficulty with thieves, difficulty with armies, difficulty with the law, difficulty with imprisonment, difficulty with wind, fire, and water, and difficulty with hunger, thirst, and impoverishment. In response to their recitation, all these difficulties are eradicated.

Thập phương Như-lai theo chú-tâm nầy, có thể nơi mười phương, phụng-sự thiện-tri-thức, trong bốn uy-nghi, cúng-dường được như-ý; trong Pháp-hội hằng-sa Như-lai, được suy-tôn là vị Đại-pháp-vương-tử.

Sutra:

Because the Thus Come Ones of the ten directions are in accord with this mantra-heart, they can serve good and wise advisors throughout the ten directions. In the four aspects of awesome deportment, they make wish-fulfilling offerings. In the assemblies of as many Thus Come Ones as there are sands in the Ganges, they are considered to be great Dharma princes.

Commentary:

Because the Thus Come Ones of the ten directions are in accord with this mantra-heart, they can serve good and wise advisors throughout the ten directions. They respectfully offer up their services to good and wise advisors. In the four aspects of awesome deportment, they make wish-fulfilling offerings. In the ceremony of offering to the Triple Jewel, their conduct is perfectly appropriate. In the assemblies of as many Thus Come Ones as there are sands in the Ganges, they are considered to be great Dharma princes. They are the foremost disciples of the Buddha.

Thập phương Như-lai dùng chú-tâm nầy, có thể nơi mười phương, nhiếp-thụ các nhân-thân, khiến cho các hàng Tiểu-thừa nghe tạng bí-mật, không sinh lòng kinh-sợ.

Sutra:

Because the Thus Come Ones of the ten directions practice this mantra-heart, they can gather in and teach their relatives in the ten directions. Causing those of the small vehicle not to be frightened when they hear the secret treasury.

Commentary:

Because the Thus Come Ones of the ten directions practice this mantra-heart, they can gather in and teach their relatives in the ten directions. Buddhas have the six kinds of close relatives, too, and they first gather in and teach those of their relatives who draw near to them. Why was it that when Shakyamuni Buddha became a Buddha, he went first to the Deer Wilds Park to take across the five bhikshus? It is because those five bhikshus were his relatives in that present life and had been his relatives in lives past. They can teach them, causing those of the small vehicle, that is, their relatives who have fallen into studying the small vehicle dharmas, not to be frightened when they hear the Secret Treasury. When they hear the treasury of secrets told by the Buddha, the great vehicle dharma they are not afraid.

Thập phương Như-lai tụng chú-tâm nầy, thành-đạo Vô-thượng-giác, ngồi dưới cây Bồ-đề, vào Đại-niết-bàn.

Sutra:

Because the Thus Come Ones of the ten directions recite this mantra-heart, they realize unsurpassed enlightenment while sitting beneath the Bodhi tree, and they enter parinirvana.

Commentary:

Because the Thus Come Ones of the ten directions recite this mantra-heart. How do the Thus Come Ones in the ten directions become Buddhas? It is also because they recite this mantra-heart. "Recite" means to repeat from memory without looking at the book. They realize unsurpassed enlightenment while sitting beneath the Bodhi tree, and become Buddhas because they recite this mantra. And they enter parinirvana.

Thập phương Như-lai truyền chú-tâm nầy, sau khi diệt-độ rồi, phó-chúc Pháp-sự của Phật, được trụ-trì rốt-ráo; giới-luật nghiêm-tịnh, thảy đều trong-sạch."

Sutra:

Because the Thus Come Ones of the ten directions transmit this mantra-heart, those to whom they have bequeathed the Buddhadharma can, after their nirvana, dwell in it completely and uphold it. Being strict and pure about the precepts and rules, they can all obtain purity.

Commentary:

Because the Thus Come Ones of the ten directions, transmit this mantra-heart, those to whom they have bequeathed the Buddhadharma can, after their nirvana, dwell in it completely and uphold it. After the Buddhas go to nirvana, people who inherit the dharma from them know how to cultivate and to receive and uphold the Buddhadharma. Being strict and pure about the precepts and rules, they can all obtain purity. It is because of the power of the mantra that they obtain purity and perfection.

Sutra:

If I were to explain this mantra, Bwo Da La, of the cluster of light atop the crown of the Buddha's head from morning till night in an unceasing sound, without ever repeating any syllable or phrase, I could go on for as many kalpas as there are sands in the Ganges and still never finish.

Commentary:

If I were to explain this mantra, Bwo Da La, of the cluster of light atop the crown of the Buddha's head from morning till night in an unceasing sound, without ever repeating any syllable or phrase. The "mantra Bwo Da La" refers to the Shurangama Mantra, the "durable mantra," the mantra of the great white canopy. I could go on for as many kalpas as there are sands in the Ganges and still never finish. I would never come to the end of my explanation of the Shurangama Mantra-heart's merits and virtues and wonderful functions.

Chú nầy cũng gọi tên là Như-lai-đỉnh."

Sutra:

I also will tell you that this mantra is called "The Crown of the Thus Come One."

Commentary:

I also will tell you that this mantra is called "The Crown of the Thus Come One." That's another name for it.

Sutra:

All of you with something left to study who have not yet put an end to the cycle of rebirth and yet have brought forth sincere resolve to become arhats, will find it impossible to sit in a Bodhimanda and be far removed in body and mind from all demonic deeds if you do not hold this mantra.

Commentary:

All of you with something left to study who have not yet put an end to the cycle of rebirth are still caught in the turning wheel of the six paths. And yet you have brought forth sincere resolve to become arhats. You would like to attain the fruition of arhatship. But you will find it impossible to sit in a Bodhimanda and be far removed in body and mind from all demonic deeds if you do not hold this mantra. If you want to become an arhat and yet do not hold this mantra, or if you want to sit in a Bodhimanda and become a Buddha, and yet have part in demonic activities, either physically or mentally, you are attempting the impossible. In other words, you must recite this mantra to be free of demonic doings. If you don't hold this mantra, you cannot sit in the Bodhimanda, nor can you stay away from the deeds of demons.

Sutra:

Ananda, let any living being of any country in any world copy out this mantra in writing on materials native to his region, such as birch bark, pattra, plain paper, or white cotton cloth, and store it in a pouch containing incense. If that person wears the pouch on his body, or if he keeps a copy in his home, then you should know that even if he understands so little that he cannot recite it from memory, he will not be harmed by any poison during his entire life.

Commentary:

The functions of the mantra are discussed here. Ananda, let any living being of any country in any world, this means that in this world or another world or in any one of limitless worlds, a person may copy out this mantra in writing on materials native to his region. The person could be American, English, French, German, Japanese, Chinese, Indian, Thai, Burmese, Ceylonese, or a citizen of any other country at all.

Perhaps he writes on birch bark or on pattra, which are palm leaves, on plain paper, or white cotton cloth. Whether he writes it out on paper or cloth or some other material that can be written on doesn't matter. And he can copy it carefully and respectfully, or write it out casually in longhand. Let him store it in a pouch containing incense. If that person wears the pouch on his body, or if he keeps a copy in his home, then you should know that even if he understands so little that he cannot recite it from memory, he will not be harmed by any poison during his entire life.

If the person doesn't have a good memory or if he is muddle-headed and can't recite the mantra well, he can write the mantra out and wear it in a little bag, or he can write it out and hang it on the wall of his house. If someone does that, he will go through his entire life without being poisoned. There are strong and weak poisons, but no matter what kind it is, it cannot harm him.

A-nan, nay tôi vì ông tuyên lại chú nầy, cứu-giúp trong thế gian được đại-vô-úy và thành-tựu trí xuất-thế-gian cho chúng-sinh.

Sutra:

Ananda, I will now tell you more about how this mantra can rescue and protect the world, help people obtain great fearlessness, and bring to accomplishment living beings' transcendental wisdom.

Commentary:

Ananda, I will now tell you more about how this mantra, the Shurangama Mantra, can rescue and protect the world, help people obtain great fearlessness, and bring to accomplishment living beings' transcendental wisdom. It can fulfill any wishes living beings might have, but most importantly, it can reveal their transcendental wisdom.

Sutra:

You should know that, after my extinction, if there are beings in the Dharma-ending Age who can recite the mantra themselves or teach others to recite it, such people who recite and uphold it cannot be burned by fire, cannot be drowned by water, and cannot be harmed by mild or potent poisons.

Commentary:

You should know that, after my extinction, if there are beings in the Dharma-ending Age, this includes you and me, who can recite the mantra themselves or teach others to recite it, such people who recite and uphold it cannot be burned by fire. Perhaps one can recite the mantra from memory or teach others to recite it from memory. People who can recite the mantra from memory or can read it will not be burned by fire, and they cannot be drowned by water, nor can they be harmed by mild or potent poisons.

Cho đến các hàng thiên, long, quỷ, thần, tinh, kỳ, ma, mị, có những chú-dữ, đều không làm gì được. Tâm người ấy được chính-thụ; tất-cả chú-trớ, yểm-cổ, thuốc-độc, kim-độc, ngân-độc và độc-khí muôn vật như cỏ, cây, sâu, rắn, vào miệng người ấy đều thành vị cam-lộ.

Sutra:

And so it is in every other case, such that they cannot be possessed by any evil mantra or any heavenly dragon, ghost, or spirit, or by any essence, weird creature, or demonic ghost. These people's minds will attain proper reception, so that any spell, any paralyzing sorcery, any poison or poisoning gold, any poisoning silver, any plant, tree, insect, or snake, and any of a myriad kinds of poisonous vapors will turn into sweet dew when it enters their mouths.

Commentary:

And so it is in every other case, such that they cannot be possessed by any evil mantra or any heavenly dragon, ghost, or spirit, or by any essence, weird creature, or demonic ghost. All these kinds of ghosts and demons use evil spells. The five phrases of the mantra I told you about recently,

Chr Two Ni
E Jya La
Mi Li Ju
Bwo Li Dan La Ye
Ning Jye Li

represent the five directions, the five divisions, and the five Buddhas. They are known as the "Five Great Heart Mantras." You should not regard them as ordinary. Together they comprise the Heart-mantra of the Buddhas of the five directions. The function of this Heart-mantra is to destroy the mantras and spells of demons. It doesn't matter what kind of evil spell they are weaving; you can smash through it with this mantra. Their mantras lose all their effectiveness.

They are rendered useless. These evil mantras cannot possess you, because the "Five Great Heart Mantras" destroy them. These people's minds will attain proper reception. If you recite the Shurangama Mantra, you can obtain proper concentration, so that any spell, any devious mantra of the heavenly demons or of adherents of externalist ways, cannot harm you. Any paralyzing sorcery.

There is a lot of sorcery in southern China, also in Southeast Asia, such as Burma, Korea, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, and such places. The kind of sorcery they use, called ku is also based on mantras and spells. If you eat something poisoned by them, you are forever under their spell; you must do as they command. If you don't, you die. In Australia, in the mountain regions, there is a religious sect that uses mantras to shrink people's heads to the size of chicken eggs. And then they put them on display as sorcerer's charms.

In a world as large as this, there's every kind of weird thing imaginable. You shouldn't have the attitude that if you haven't seen it, you don't believe it exists. If you don't believe it, you're just plain stupid. Why do I say that? There are lots of things you've never seen, and if you go on with the idea that you must see them before you believe them, you'll never finish in your entire life.

Before America was discovered, before anyone knew it existed, if you had approached someone and tried to convince him that there was, in fact, another continent with mountains and all the rest, he very likely would not have believed you. But, though he may have denied the existence of America, would that have meant that America did not, in fact, exist? Was it there before it was discovered? Whether or not he admitted its existence, it still existed.

By the same token, whether or not you believe that the strange things being discussed here exist, they exist nonetheless. So if you deny the existence of a thing just because you haven't seen it yourself, you basically don't have a grasp of the way the world really is.

If someone sinks some ku in you, if they apply their sorcery to you, you are forever their slave. If you oppose them, you die. In addition to ku poison, if any poison or poisoning gold, any poisoning silver, any plant, tree, insect, or snake, or any of a myriad kinds of poisonous vapors enter the mouth of people who recite the Shurangama Mantra, it will turn into sweet dew. "Suppose I test this," you suggest. "Suppose I experiment." You still haven't perfected your recitation of the Shurangama Mantra. When you've got it down to the point that it's efficacious and magical, then you can experiment. Before you reach that stage, don't play around with it.

104. SẤT ĐÀ NỂ

叱陀你

CCHADANA

105. A CA RA

阿迦囉

ĀKALA

106. MẬT RỊ TRỤ

密唎柱

MRTYU

107. BÁT RỊ ĐÁT RA DA

般唎怛囉耶

PRA'SAMANA

108. NẢNH YẾT RỊ

儜揭唎

KARĪ

PHẬT ĐẢNH QUANG TỤ

MA HA TÁT ĐÁT ĐA BÁT ĐÁT RA

THỦ LĂNG NGHIÊM THẦN CHÚ

Ngũ-Đại Tâm Chú

SẤT ĐÀ NỂ, A CA RA MẬT RỊ TRỤ, BÁT RỊ ĐÁT RA DA NẢNH YẾT RỊ

Tất-cả ác-tinh với các quỷ-thần, lòng dữ hại người, đối với người ấy, cũng không thể khởi ra ác-niệm; Tần-na, Dạ-ca và các quỷ-vương dữ khác, cùng với quyến-thuộc, đều lĩnh-ơn sâu, thường gìn-giữ ủng-hộ.

Sutra:

No evil stars, and no ghost or spirit that harbors malice in its heart and that poisons people can work its evil on these people. Vinayaka as well as all the evil ghost kings and their retinues will be led by deep kindness to always guard and protect them.

Commentary:

The previous section of text said that any kind of poisonous thing that enters the mouth of a person who recites and upholds the Shurangama Mantra will turn into sweet dew. These things are basically poisonous, but their composition changes. And the change comes about because one recites and upholds the Shurangama Mantra.

No evil star refers to evil constellations and such things as Tai Sui and the White-tiger Star, which is terrible. And there is the star Sang Men, which is extremely inauspicious and can kill people. But none of these kinds of stars can harm one, nor can any ghost or spirit that harbors malice in its heart and poisons people.

Some people say they don't believe in ghosts or spirits. They have never seen a ghost, and so they don't believe there are any. If they saw one, they'd have no way not to believe in it, even if they didn't want to. "Malice" is also a kind of poison, like arsenic. That drug is fatal if more than a little is taken. But someone with even that much poison in his heart still cannot harm a person who recites and upholds the Shurangama Mantra. He cannot work his evil on these people. Rather, the poison in their own hearts is transformed.

Vinayaka was mentioned in the description of setting up the Bodhimanda. He is a protector with the various transformations which often show a boar or an elephant head with a trunk on a human body. In general, he is extremely ugly. He as well as the evil ghost kings and their retinues will be led by deep kindness to always guard and protect them. Having been influenced by the profound compassion of the Buddha in the past, these ghost kings and dharma protectors have resolved to always guard and protect those who recite and uphold the Shurangama Mantra. The advantages of reciting the Shurangama Mantra are truly inconceivable.

Sutra:

Ananda, you should know that eighty-four thousand nayutas of Ganges' sands of kotis of Vajra Treasury-King Bodhisattvas and their descendants, each with vajra multitudes as retinue, are ever in attendance, day and night, upon this mantra.

Commentary:

"Nayuta" is one of the fourteen large numbers in Sanskrit. Some say it represents one trillion; others say ten trillion. In general, it's a big number. "Ganges' sands of kotis" is said to be equivalent to a trillion. Not only are the Vajra Treasury-King Bodhisattvas in attendance on the mantra, those of their lineage are also present. And each member of the entire lineage is accompanied by a retinue of Vajra beings. Day and night, they are always present wherever the Shurangama Mantra is being upheld.

These Bodhisattvas are the ones praised in the section above:

Namo Buddhas of the ten directions,
Namo Dharma of the ten directions,
Namo Sangha of the ten directions,
Namo Shakyamuni Buddha,
Namo Foremost Shurangama atop the Buddha's summit,
Namo Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva,
Namo Vajra Treasury Bodhisattvas.

The eighty-four thousand are referred to in the last line. But actually, it's not only the Vajra Treasury Bodhisattvas who are so numerous. The retinues of all Bodhisattvas are that numerous.

Giả-sử có chúng-sinh, với tâm tán-loạn, chứ không phải Tam-ma-đề, tâm nhớ niệm-trì chú nầy; thì các Kim-cương-vương đó, cũng thường theo bên thiện-nam-tử kia, huống nữa, là những người có tâm Bồ-đề quyết-định; đối với những người nầy, các vị Kim-cương-tạng-vương Bồ-tát đó, dùng tịnh-tâm thầm xúc-tiến, phát-huy thần-thức.

Sutra:

If living beings whose minds are scattered and who have no samadhi remember and recite the mantra, the Vajra Kings will always surround them. Therefore, good men, that is even more true for those who are decisively resolved upon Bodhi. All the Vajra Treasury-King Bodhisattvas will regard them attentively and secretly hasten the opening of their spiritual consciousness.

Commentary:

If living beings whose minds are scattered, their thoughts go every which way and are not the least bit concentrated. They also have no samadhi power, but they remember and recite the mantra. They remember the Shurangama Mantra spoken by the Buddha. The Vajra Kings, the Bodhisattvas, will always surround them, that is, those with scattered minds, if they uphold the Shurangama Mantra.

Therefore, good men, that is even more true for those who are decisively resolved upon Bodhi. You people who have firmly brought forth the Bodhi mind will also be protected by these Vajra Treasury-King Bodhisattvas, who will regard you attentively and secretly hasten the opening of your spiritual consciousness. With close regard for you, they will help you in hidden ways. What will they do? They will help you increase your wisdom, your spiritual consciousness. Little by little they will help those who have scattered minds to become concentrated. Gradually they will obtain samadhi-power. Invisibly they will help those who hold the mantra to open their wisdom and become single-minded.

Người ấy liền khi đó, tâm nhớ lại được 84.000 hằng-ha-sa kiếp, rõ-biết cùng khắp, được không nghi-hoặc.

Sutra:

When that response occurs, those people will be able to remember the events of as many kalpas as there are grains of sand in eighty-four thousand Ganges Rivers, knowing them all beyond any doubt.

Commentary:

When the Vajra Treasury-King Bodhisattvas invisibly open their spiritual awareness, when that response occurs, those people will be able to remember the events of as many kalpas as there are grains of sand in eighty-four thousand Ganges Rivers, knowing them all beyond any doubt. They know very clearly about everything that took place throughout such a long period of time. They have wisdom that has gone beyond doubt. This means they obtain the penetration of past lives. They know the things that happened in the past.

Từ kiếp thứ nhất cho đến thân cuối-cùng, đời đời người ấy không sinh vào các loài dược-xoa, la-sát, phú-đan-na, ca-tra-phú-đan-na, cưu-bàn-trà, tỳ-xá-già, vân vân..., cùng các loài ngạ-quỷ, có hình, không hình, có tưởng, không tưởng và những chỗ dữ như thế.

Sutra:

From that kalpa onward, through every life until the time they take their last body, they will not be born where there are yakshas, rakshasas, putanas, kataputanas, kumbhandas, pishachas and so forth; where there is any kind of hungry ghost, whether with form or lacking form, or with thought or lacking thought, or in any such evil place.

Commentary:

From that kalpa onward, through every life until the time they take their last body, that is, when they become a Buddha, they will not be born where there are yakshas. They will be born and die again and again, but they will not be born in bad paths, such as that of the yakshas, "speedy ghosts". Nor will they get born where there are rakshashas, "terrifying ghosts" that eat people.

When a person dies, this kind of ghost uses a mantra to change the flesh of the decaying corpse back into fresh meat and eats it. Nor will they have to be around putanas, "bad-smelling ghosts", which are both evil and foul-smelling. If you encounter such a ghost, you will contract a fever. "Putanas" are also known as "bhutanas." Nor will such people be born where there are kataputanas, "strange smelling ghosts."

The other one smelled bad, but this one smells weird, an odor you've never smelled before, one that is incredibly strong. That's what's referred to by the phrase: "It smelled so strange one could not bear to breathe." If you get a whiff of this odor, it will make you vomit on the spot. It connects with the bad smelling stuff inside you, so that you have to regurgitate. You spit your insides out. It's that strong. This ghost causes fevers to an even greater degree of intensity. Your entire body burns with fevers up to l20 degrees and more; it simply burns your bones to ashes. Violent, wouldn't you say?

They won't be born where there are kumbhandas. Actually, all these ghosts have been mentioned before. The kumbhandas are "barrel-shaped ghosts." These ghosts paralyze people. They come on you in your sleep and paralyze you. You open your eyes to find that you can't move. Nor can you speak. At its fiercest, it can kill people with the paralysis. If a person has yang energy, then the paralysis won't hold. It only is effective on those who have excessive yin energy.

What is meant by yang? It means always being happy, truly happy in your self-nature, that is, not just laughing it up on the surface of things, "ha, ha, ha." It refers to the extreme bliss experienced in your inherent nature. If in your self nature you are always worried and depressed, being afflicted, upset, and distressed all day long, that belongs to yin. Those belonging to yin are the ones that ghosts can possess.

Yang belongs to the spirit. Predominance of yang is a spirit; predominance of yin is a ghost. People who cultivate the Buddha Path and have pure yang energy, also have light. But if one is totally yin, there is a black energy present. So, it can be told if a person is good or not just by looking at him or her. Good people have white energy around them; bad people have a mass of black energy, demonic energy.

They also will not be born where there are pishachas and so forth. Pishachas are "essence and energy-eating" ghosts. These ghosts sap the energy from things as well as from people. This kind of ghost is terrible and not at all good. For the most part, ghosts are bad, but among the path of ghosts are also Bodhisattvas who compassionately and deliberately manifest as ghost-kings in order to take ghosts across.

Nor will they be born where there is any kind of hungry ghost. There are many types of hungry ghosts. Some have huge stomachs. Some have throats as skinny as needles. Whether with form or lacking form. Some have bodies, and some are invisible, they have no physical form. But, just because you can't see something, don't assume it isn't there. Invisible creatures may lack form, but they have consciousness. You cannot see them with the ordinary eyes but if you have the five eyes and six spiritual penetrations, it is easy to see them.

With thought or lacking thought. Some have the capability of thought, while others have not thought; they are like dirt, wood, metal, and stone. But a person who upholds the Shurangama Mantra will not be born in any such evil place. Life after life, they will not be born in places where there are hungry ghosts or where there are any other kinds of evil.

Thiện-nam-tử đó, hoặc đọc, hoặc tụng, hoặc viết, hoặc chép, hoặc đeo, hoặc giữ, hoặc cúng-dường nhiều cách chú nầy, thì kiếp kiếp không sinh vào những nơi bần-cùng hạ-tiện, không thể ưa-thích.

Sutra:

If these good people read, recite, copy, or write out the mantra, if they carry it or treasure it, if they make offerings to it, then through kalpa after kalpa they will not be poor or lowly, nor will they be born in unpleasant places.

Commentary:

If these good people read the mantra from a book, or recite it from memory; if they copy it out respectfully, or casually write it out; if they carry it on their person, or treasure it, store it in their homes; if they make offerings to it of all kinds of incense and flowers, lamps, candles, and fruit, the Shurangama Mantra was spoken by a transformation body of the Buddha, so it is worthy of offerings, then through kalpa after kalpa they will not be poor or lowly, nor will they be born in unpleasant places.

I've told you that if you can memorize the Shurangama Mantra to the point that it flows forth from your mind and heart, then you have obtained the samadhi of holding the mantra. Once you obtain that, if you can recite it like flowing water which never ceases, then at the very, very least, you can be fabulously wealthy for seven lives. If you continue reciting it in this way for life after life, you can be wealthy for seventy or seven hundred or seven thousand or seven million lives; there's nothing fixed about it. As long as you want to be a wealthy person, you can be one.

But some day you may have had your fill, because even billionaires have their problems. You may get disgusted. Then you can become a Buddha. Once you become a Buddha, there are no more problems. At that point,

In a state of unmoving suchness,
You are ever bright and clear.

So, I'll give you a tip ahead of time. Being a billionaire is not as good as becoming a Buddha. People who uphold and venerate the mantra in these various ways will not be born in places that are worrisome and devoid of bliss. You could not go to those places even if you wanted to. Why? The Shurangama Mantra is pulling at you, telling you not to go. It will be impossible for you to go.

Các chúng-sinh đó, dù cho chính mình không làm việc phúc, thập phương Như-lai có các công-đức đều cho họ hết.

Sutra:

If these living beings have never accumulated any blessings, the Thus Come Ones of the ten directions will bestow their own merit and virtue upon these people.

Commentary:

If these living beings who recite and uphold the Shurangama Mantra, have never accumulated any blessings, they've never done any good deeds or earned any blessings, then the Thus Come Ones of the ten directions will bestow their own merit and virtue upon these people. Why do they do that? Because these people recite the Shurangama Mantra, or read it, copy it, or write it out. They have no blessings, but the Buddhas of the ten directions give them blessings. A real bargain, wouldn't you say? All one must do is recite the Shurangama Mantra.

Do đó, họ được trong những kiếp hằng-sa vô-số, không thể nói, không thể nói hết, thường cùng chư Phật đồng sinh một chỗ; vô-lượng công-đức nhóm-lại như trái ác-xoa, đồng một chỗ huân-tu, hằng không phân-tán.

Sutra:

Because of that, throughout asamkhyeyas of ineffable, unspeakable numbers of kalpas, as many as the Ganges' sands, they are always together with the Buddhas. They are born in the same place, due to their limitless merit and virtue, and, like the amala fruit-cluster, they stay in the same place, become permeated with cultivation, and are never parted.

Commentary:

Because of that, throughout asamkhyeyas of ineffable, unspeakable numbers of kalpas, as many as the Ganges' sands, they are always together with the Buddhas. "The Ganges' sands" indicates a large number. "Asamkhyeya" is also a large number; it means "limitless number" in Sanskrit.

This refers to kalpas greater in number than could ever be expressed. They are born in the same place, due to their limitless merit and virtue, and, like the amala fruit-cluster, they stay in the same place, become permeated with cultivation, and are never parted. "Born in the same place" refers not so much to having the same birthplace, as to being born in the same generation. That is, they are always born at a time when there is a Buddha in the world.

We are born at a time when there is no Buddha in the world. This is one of the eight difficulties: the difficulty of being born before or after the time of a Buddha. Those who are born when a Buddha is in the world are endowed with limitless merit and virtue. The amala fruit-cluster has three fruits on one stem. The fruits themselves are as if three and yet as if one. They cannot be separated one from the other. So, too, these people reside where the Buddha is and become infused with cultivation. They never have to be apart from the Buddha.

Vậy nên, có thể khiến người phá giới, mà giới-căn cũng được thanh-tịnh; người chưa được giới, khiến cho được giới; người chưa tinh-tiến, khiến cho tinh-tiến; người không trí-tuệ, khiến được trí-tuệ; người không thanh-tịnh, mau được thanh-tịnh; người không giữ trai-giới, tự thành có trai-giới.

Sutra:

Therefore, it can enable those who have broken the precepts to regain the purity of the precept-source. It can enable those who have not received the precepts to receive them. It can cause those who are not vigorous to become vigorous. It can enable those who lack wisdom to gain wisdom. It can cause those who are not pure to quickly become pure. It can cause those who do not hold to vegetarianism to become vegetarians naturally.

Commentary:

Therefore, it can enable those who have broken the precepts to regain the purity of the precept-source. Even those who have broken the precepts can regain the precepts if they genuinely recite and uphold the Shurangama Mantra every day. Basically, someone who has violated the precepts cannot be saved, but if that person recites the Shurangama Mantra, it's possible for them to regain the purity of the precepts. Reciting doesn't just mean a casual recitation; you have to obtain the samadhi of holding mantras, as I just described. Then the mantra wells up from your heart and returns to your heart. That's what's meant by,

The Mantra-heart,
The Heart of the Mantra.
The Heart of the Mantra,
The Mantra-heart.

The mantra and your heart become one. There is no distinction between them. You cannot forget it; it recites itself. You are not reciting it, but it is being recited; you are reciting it, but it is as if you were not. Even if you don't want to recite it, it goes on being recited. Right now we recite the mantra before the sutra lecture, but that's just a way of preparing the ground for you. It's just pointing out the way for all of you.

It's certainly not that it's only appropriate to recite the mantra at lecture time. You can recite it anywhere at any time. To know it by heart and to recite to the point that all other false thoughts and scattered thoughts are wiped away, and all that remains is your mind's recitation of the Shurangama Mantra: that's what is called concentration. The recitation comes together and there are no other thoughts. It's like flowing water that goes on and on, coming from afar and rolling by in wave after wave. It's like the blowing wind which comes up invisibly but makes its presence known.

The water flows, the wind blows
Proclaiming the Mahayana.

The sounds of the water and wind speak the great vehicle dharma; they are all the heart of the Shurangama Mantra.

When recitation reaches that state, it can enable those who have broken the precepts to regain the purity of the precept source. It can cause those who have not received the precepts to obtain them. It can cause those who are not vigorous to become vigorous. People who aren't inclined to progress, who don't investigate the Buddhadharma, can spontaneously give rise to vigor from reciting the Shurangama Mantra over a long period of time. It can enable those who lack wisdom to gain wisdom. Just look at this: it can enable stupid people to open their wisdom. It can caus those who are not pure to quickly become pure.

If you cultivate and yet are not pure; if you violate the precepts, break the practice of pure eating, and get muddled and unclear for a long time; still, if you don't forget the Shurangama Mantra, you can quickly gain purity. Once you want to change, you can very quickly return to purity.

For instance, I know there are those among you here who would like to study the Buddhadharma, but whose bodies and minds are not pure. But it doesn't matter if you lack purity; it's just to be feared you won't study. Because if you study, the day will come when you'll suddenly become pure. You will soon understand.

But if you don't study, and you say, "I don't want to become pure; I don't want to be vigorous. I like being lazy. I'd rather not know anything" then with that attitude there's nothing that can be done for you. It can cause those who do not hold to vegetarianism to become vegetarians naturally.

If you recite the Shurangama Mantra until it comes together in a concentrated recitation, then the wind can't blow through, and the rain can't penetrate. Then, even if you don't hold to vegetarianism, you will automatically do so. Why? Because you won't have any false thoughts, you won't have any greed or desires. You won't be thinking about wanting to eat meat or fish or delicious foods. It won't enter your mind.

A-nan, thiện-nam-tử ấy, khi trì-chú nầy, giả-sử có phạm cấm-giới khi chưa thụ-trì, thì sau khi trì-chú, các tội phá giới, không luận nặng nhẹ, một thời, đều tiêu-diệt.

Sutra:

Ananda, if good men who uphold this mantra violated the pure precepts before they received the mantra, their multitude of offenses incurred by violating the precepts, whether major or minor, can simultaneously be eradicated after they begin to uphold the mantra.

Commentary:

This passage gives a clearer explanation. Ananda, if good men who uphold this mantra violated the pure precepts before they received the mantra, if they uphold the mantra now, but violated the pure precepts in the past, breaking them before they received them, their multitude of offenses incurred by violating the precepts, whether major or minor, can simultaneously be eradicated after they begin to uphold the mantra.

All their offenses of breaking the practice of pure eating and of violating the precepts can be eradicated, even the four parajika offenses: "parajika" means "cause for dismissal" meaning that they cannot be repented of. But if you recite the Shurangama Mantra, then all the offenses you have committed, no matter how serious, will be made clean; it is like pouring boiling water over snow.

Dù đã uống rượu, ăn thứ ngũ tân và các thứ không sạch, tất-cả chư Phật, Bồ-tát, Kim-cương, Thiên-tiên, Quỷ-thần không cho là có lỗi.

Sutra:

Even if they drank intoxicants or ate the five pungent plants and various other impure things in the past, the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Vajras, gods, immortals, ghosts, and spirits will not hold it against them.

Commentary:

The "five pungent plants" are leeks, garlic, shallots, scallions, and onions. These are the ones common to our area. Asafoetida, common in India and often found in curries is another pungent plant included in this list. Since these hot, pungent plants have unpleasant odors, they are prohibited in Buddhism for people who hold to pure eating practices. These are unclean kinds of things to eat and cause desire and anger.

But, even if they, the holders of the mantra, drank intoxicants or ate the five pungent plants and various other impure things in the past, the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Vajras, gods, immortals, ghosts, and spirits will not hold it against them. If you can constantly recite and uphold the Shurangama Mantra, the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Dharma protectors will not blame you for your former impure habits. "If they won't hold it against me, then I can use these things as I please," you may reason. It's still best not to use them.

Dù mặc y-phục rách-nát không sạch, thì một cái đi, một cái đứng, thảy đồng như thanh-tịnh; dù không lập đàn, không vào đạo-trường, cũng không hành-đạo mà tụng-trì chú nầy, thì công-đức cũng như vào đàn, hành-đạo, không có khác vậy.

Sutra:

If they are unclean and wear tattered, old clothes to carry out the single practice and single dwelling, they can be equally pure. Even if they do not set up the platform, do not enter the Bodhimanda, and do not practice the Way, but recite and uphold this mantra, their merit and virtue will be identical with that derived from entering the platform and practicing the Way.

Commentary:

If they are unclean and wear tattered, old clothes to carry out the single practice and single dwelling, above, when the platform was described, the Buddha said that one should put on new clothes, but here he says one doesn't necessarily have to wear new clothes. If you don't have new clothes, old ones will do. When you go through the three weeks of practice, you can become pure just the same. Because of the power of the mantra, it makes no difference if the clothes you wear are new or old. The purity obtained is the same.

You may wonder why he said to wear new clothes in the first place. We wear new clothes to signify our respect, out of utmost reverence and absolute purity. Even if they do not set up the platform, do not enter the Bodhimanda, you don't necessarily have to be inside the Bodhimanda. Any place at any time is a place of practice. If they do not practice the Way, even if they don't cultivate, but recite and uphold this mantra, that's all they are able to do in the way of practice, their merit and virtue will be identical with that derived from entering the platform and practicing the Way.

If you can recite the Shurangama Mantra, your merit and virtue are no different from one who can set up the platform and enter the Bodhimanda to practice the Way. There is no distinction. Truly, the virtue of the Shurangama Mantra is inconceivable!

Dù gây những tội nặng ngũ-nghịch, vô-gián và phạm những tội tứ-khí, bát-khí của tỷ-khưu và tỷ-khưu-ni, thì khi tụng-chú nầy rồi, cũng như gió mạnh thổi-tan đống cát, những nghiệp nặng như vậy, đều diệt-trừ hết, không còn chút mảy-may.

Sutra:

If they have committed the five rebellious acts, grave offenses warranting unintermittent retribution, or if they are bhikshus or bhikshunis who have violated the four parajikas or the eight parajikas, such heavy karma as this will disperse after they recite this mantra, like a sand dune that is scattered in a gale, so that not a particle remains.

Commentary:

If they have committed the five rebellious acts, grave offenses warranting unintermittent retribution, the five rebellious acts are the most serious offenses in all of Buddhism.

They are:

1. killing one's mother;
2. killing one's father;
3. killing an Arhat;
4. causing schisms in the harmonious Sangha;
5. shedding the Buddha's blood.

If you deliberately injure the Buddha's body with a knife or some such weapon, or if in some other way you draw blood on the Buddha's body, you have committed this offense.

"I've never even encountered a Buddha. The Buddha left the world, so I have no chance of committing this offense," you say. Not so, because to deface a Buddha image or break it is also called shedding the Buddha's blood. Even prints and paintings of Buddhas are included in this. To destroy images of the Buddha when he is not in the world is also included in this offense.

"Uninterrupted retribution" refers to the consequence of these offenses. Committing the ten evils brings a bad retribution, but committing the five rebellious acts results in a more severe punishment. If you commit the five rebellious acts, you will certainly fall into the Relentless Hell. This hell has been described before. It's full, whether there is one person in it or many people in it. Therefore, it is also called "unspaced," since there is no space in it. It's called unintermittent because the suffering never slacks off even for a second nor does it ever end. It goes on interminably. If they are bhikshus or bhikshunis who have violated the four parajikas or the eight parajikas. "Bhikshu" has three meanings:

1. mendicant;
2. frightener of Mara;
3. destroyer of evil.

A "bhikshuni" is a female member of the Sangha. The four
parajikas are:

1. sexual misconduct;
2. killing;
3. stealing;
4. making false claims.

These are the four fundamental precepts: "parajikas" in Sanskrit, "causes for dismissal" in English. If you commit any of these four, then you are dismissed from the Sangha of Buddhism. You are cast out of the great sea of the Buddhadharma. And you cannot re-enter. The four parajikas are for bhikshus. Bhikshunis have eight parajikas. They include the four for the bhikshus, plus:

5. touching;
6. the eight things;
7. covering;
8. not following.

The parajika offense of "touching" is described in the vinaya as "making contact with a woman while harboring thoughts of sexual desire." So whether it be a man, a woman, a bhikshu, or a bhikshuni, or a layperson, physical contact between people when there are thoughts of sexual desire is a violation. If one does not have thoughts of sexual desire, there is no violation of the precepts.

The parajika of "the eight things." A bhikshuni must always be in an open public place when she converses. She cannot go to a concealed place to talk or in a room where she would be alone with a man. In general, a man and woman alone cannot be alone together, be they bhikshuni or bhikshu. For a bhikshu this is a lighter offense; for a bhikshuni it is a heavy one. It is forbidden that a bhikshuni talk alone with a man.

"Covering" means concealing another's offenses. You hide someone else's grave offenses and are not frank and open about them. You don't tell anyone. That's also a parajika offense for bhikshunis.

"Not following" refers to the recitation of precepts which takes place twice a month on the first and fifteenth of the lunar calendar. When bhikshus are present in a place where bhikshunis are, the bhikshunis must follow along with the recitation of the precepts by the bhikshus. They cannot recite the precepts themselves and take personal offerings. If they don't accord with this method, they violate this precept of not following. These are the eight parajikas for bhikshunis.

But even for people who have committed such serious violations, such heavy karma as this will disperse after they recite this mantra like a sand dune that is scattered in a gale, so that not a particle remains. Even the five rebellious acts and the four and eight parajikas can be blown away by the recitation of the mantra, just as a strong wind blows away a sand dune so that it totally disappears. Not a hair's breadth of offense remains. This again shows the inconceivable power of the Shurangama Mantra.

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