Shurangama Mantra with Verses and Commentary

by Venerable Tripitaka Master Hsuan Hua

539. BÀN ĐÀM CA LÔ DI

槃曇迦嚧彌

 

 

Đại quang minh pháp kết giới thành

Đảnh lễ từ bi Chúng Trung Tôn

Sở tác giai biện tà quy chánh

Bồ đề đạo quả bất giảm tăng.

 

大光明法結界成

頂禮慈悲眾中尊

所作皆辦邪歸正

菩提道果不減增

English Translated by the International Translation Institute

Revised by Bhikshu Heng Shun

 

539. Pan Tan Jia Lu Mi

 

Verse:

 

The Dharma of Great Brilliant Light establishes the boundary.

We bow in reverence to the Kind and Compassionate Ones who are honored amongst the assembly.

All that’s to be done has been accomplished, and the deviant have returned to the proper way.

The fruition of the Bodhi Path only increases and never decreases.

 

 

Commentary:

 

The Dharma of Great Brilliant Light establishes the boundaries.

 

Once this Dharma is carried out, all the strange demons and ghosts have to behave themselves and cannot make mischief. Once the boundaries are established, great brilliant light is emitted throughout all of space and the Dharma Realm. Because this great light is emitted by means of the Buddha’s awe-inspiring virtue, the boundaries have been established. And all within these boundaries, must be well-behaved. One does not try to manage those outside the boundaries. These boundaries can extend as far as twelve large yojanas (a large yojana is eighty li, a medium yojana is sixty li, and a small yojana is forty li). Twelve large yojanas is equivalent to a circle with a diameter of 960 li. Within the circumference, all strange demons and ghosts have to be well behaved. This is because this is the area where the boundaries have been set up.

 

We bow in reverence to the Kind and Compassionate Ones who are honored amongst the assembly.

 

This refers to the Sangha Jewel upholding the Dharma. The Buddha’s past vows state, “If there are Sanghans who uphold the moral precepts purely and strictly, and act as true Buddhist disciples, then they will have the authority to carry out the Dharma and to establish the boundaries.” Therefore, the Honored Ones amidst the assembly simply refers to the Sangha Jewel.

 

All that’s to be done has been accomplished, and the deviant have returned to the proper way.

 

Whatever they (the Sangha Jewel) wanted to be done has been accomplished. Therefore, “the deviant have returned to the proper way.” All the evil demons, strange ghosts, and those of heterodox paths have taken refuge with the proper Dharma.

 

The fruition of the Bodhi Path only increases and never decreases.

 

Through cultivation, one establishes merit and virtue. In this way, one can help others, subdue the celestial demons, manage those on heterodox paths, and rescue all living beings. Thus, “the fruition of the Bodhi Path only increases and never decreases.” There is no way it would ever become less and less each day. Rather it will only increase! Therefore, this is a very good method to create and establish merit and virtue.