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A Translation of the 密

Sokushin-Jobutsu-gi 教

文

Stephan Beyer 化

[I. INTRODUCTION: TEXTUAL SOURCES] Question: Many and sastras say that it takes three kalpas to become a ; on what grounds do you base the principle you have now set up that one may become a Buddha in this very body? Answer: The Tathagata has spoken in this way in the esoteric collection. Question: What are the sutras which say this? Answer: The Vajrasekhara- says: One who cultivates this immediately realizes the enlightenment of the Buddha. ('This samadhi' means the samadhi of Mahavairocana, the noble monarch crowned by the single letter [bhrum].) And it says further: If there is a being who receives this teaching and diligently cultivates it during the four watches of the day and of the night, then in the present world he will realize and attain the pramudita-bhumi and, after sixteen lives, complete enlight- enment. (When this says 'teaching', it indicates the king of great teachings, the samadhi wherein one realizes the dharmakaya within oneself. ' Pramudita-bhumi' is not what. the exoteric schools explain as the first bhumi, but is rather the first bhumi in the Buddha- of our own school, as is fully explained in the Bhumi-varga. 'Sixteen lives' indicates the lives of the sixteen , as the Bhumi-varga also fully explains.) And it says further: If one is able to cultivate in accordance with this sovereign principle, then in this present world one attains the highest perfect enlightenment.

-96- It also says: You should know that your own body is the [vajradhatu]; your own body being diamond, it is firm and truly indestructible: 'Mine is the diamond body!' The Mahavairocana-sutra says: Without rejecting this body, while attaining spiritual penetration of the sense-field [visaya] one roams in the stage of the great Emptiness and perfects the secrets of the body.' And it says further: If one wishes to enter into accomplishment [siddhi] in this life, then let one reflect in accordance with what should be thought, love what the dryas accept as the method of vidyd and meditate on the which perfects the accomplishment. (And so on...) What this sutra means by 'accomplishment' is the accomplishment of vidyd and as well as the accomplishment of the dharmakdya. As for the 'stage of the great Emptiness', we say ' great Emptiness' because the dharmakdya is the same as [empty] space, without hindrance, constant and embracing all representations; and because it is that whereon all rest and rely it is designated a ' stage'. The 'secrets of the body' refers to the fact that even the omniscient find it hard to see the three secrets of the dharmakdya; how could those on the ten bhumis catch a glimpse of them? Therefore we call them the 'secrets of the body'. Further, the -sdstra of Nagdrjuna- says: Because it is in the - that one becomes a Buddha in this very body it is called the samddhi-dharma; and this is missing and not written in the other teachings. (What this means by 'samddhi-dharma' is the samddhi wherein one realizes the dharmakdya within oneself. The 'other teachings' are all the exoteric teachings which were preached in the parasambhogakaya.) And it says further: If a man searches for the wisdom of the Buddha and attains an enlightened mind, then it is the body born of mother and father which speedily realizes the stage of great enlightenment. [II. THE GATHAS] Thus, in accordance with literary authority and the basis [pramdna]

-95- of teachings of this sort, we have established this principle. But how do we discriminate the meaning of tha words of sutras and sastras such as these? The gathas say: 密 The six elements are unobstructed and constantly intermixed, 教 (Essence)

The four are not separate from each other, (Marks) 文 The union [adhisthana] of the three secrets quickly reveals, 化 (Function) So that we call this very body ''s net', because [it reflects] again and again. (Non-obstruction) Inherently having all , (Becoming a Buddha by the dharma- kaya) The mind and its qualities surpasses the countlessness of the dust; (Numberlessness) Each having the five , the limitless jnanas, (Complete ) Because of the power of the mirror [adarsa] is truly enlightened. (Reason) We may interpret that these two gathas in eight lines praise the four characters 'becoming a Buddha in this very body', and these same four characters hold limitless meanings: so, because none of the Dharma of the Buddhas is left out of this one phrase, we have outlined it by establishing these two gathas to reveal its limitless virtues. The gathas may be divided into two: the first gatha praises the two characters 'in this very body', and the second gatha praises the two characters 'becom- ing a Buddha'. The first, moreover, is in four parts: the first line deals with essence, the second deals with marks, the third deals with function, and the fourth deals with non-obstruction; the second gatha likewise has four parts: the first line indicates becoming a Buddha by the dharmakaya, the second expresses numberlessness, the third reveals the complete mandala, and the last sets out the reasons. [A. THE PRAISE OF 'IN THIS VERY BODY'] [1. ESSENCE: THE SIX ELEMENTS] What we mean by 'the six elements' is the five elements plus consciousness. As the Mahdvairocana-sutra says: My enlightenment [consists in] the original non-arising [of

-94- dharmas]: it surpasses the way of words and speech, it attains liberation from all errors, it is far from causes and conditions, and it knows that Emptiness is the same as space. His meaning is the bija-mantra which reads buddha-bodhi-a-vi-ra- hum-kham-hum. The letter 'a', which has the meaning of the original non-arising of all dharmas, is the element earth; the letter 'va', which describes being separate from words and speech, is the element water; the letter 'ra', indicating purity and non-defilement, is the element fire; the letter 'kha', indicating the unattainability of causes, is the element wind; and the form of the letter 'am', indicating equality with space, is the element akasa. 'My enlightenment' is the element of consciousness: in the state of cause it is called 'consciousness', and the state of effect it is called 'knowledge', because knowledge is the same as enlightenment: that is, in , the words 'buddha' and 'bodhi' are [derived from] transformations of one word [the root lbudh], 'buddha' being the name of the Enlightened One and 'bodhi' being what we call his knowledge. Thus, what the sutras call 'samyaksambodhi' used to be translated as 'universal knowledge' and is now translated as ' universal enlightenment', because the meanings of 'knowledge' and ' enlightenment' are inextricably co-involved. This sutra designates consciousness 'enlightenment' only to insist on getting across this meaning of the distinction between cause [consciousness] and effect [enlightenment], the difference between the root and the branch. In this way, then, the verse from the sutra explains the samadhi of the five Buddhas. Further the Vajrasekhara-sutra says: All dharmas are originally unarisen, their essences are separate from words and speech, they are pure and undefiled, and as causes are the same as [empty] space. This accords with the Mah-avairocana-sutra. 'All dharmas' means all the mental dharrnas; it says 'all' because the mind and its qualities are measureless in number. Note that 'mind' and 'consciousness' are two words with the same meaning: thus and his followers could base their principle of 'consciousness only' on [the agama of] 'only mind in the three realms'. All the rest is the same as was explained above. -93- The Mahavairocana-sutra further says: I am just the same as the stage of mind, everywhere sovereign, omnipresent among all the sentient and insentient. The letter, 密 ' a' is the supreme decree; -the letter 'va' is called water; the letter 教 ' ra' is called fire; the letter 'hum' is called wind; the letter 'kha' is the same as space . 文 When the first sentence in this sutra says 'I am just the same as the stage of mind', what it means by 'mind' is 'consciousness' or 化 ' knowledge'. The last five sentences are the five elements; the middle three phrases indicate both the function of sovereignty and the quality of non-obstruction of the six elements. The -sutra, the Ying-lo-ching, etc., all similarly explain the meaning of the six elements. Thus the six elements are the constructors of all the Buddhas, as well as of the sattva- and bhajana-lokas: that is, of the four kinds of dharmakaya and of the three kinds of lokadhatu. This is why Arya- Mahavairocana, explaining the production of the Tathagata, spoke these verses: They are the producers of all dharmas and dharma-laksanas in forms according to their kind, Of the Buddhas, the sravakas and, enlightened in order to save the world, The host of zealous bodhisattvas, as well as the humane aryas; The sattva- and bhajana-lokas also are established in due order; All dharmas which arise, abide [and decay] are constantly produced in this manner. What meaning does this verse reveal? We say that it indicates that the six elements are the producers of the four kinds of dharmakaya and mandala as well as of the three kinds of lokadhatu. What it means by 'all dharmas' is mental dharmas; 'dharma-laksanas' are material dharmas. Again, 'all dharmas' expresses a common name; 'dharma-laksana' reveals their differences, as when the following sentences say 'Buddhas', ' sravakas', 'enlightened bodhisattvas' and 'sattva- and bhajana-lokas also are established in due order.' Again,'alll dharmas' refers to the dharma- mandala; dharma-laksanas refer to the samayakaya; from 'Buddhas' up to 'sattva-' refers to the mahamandalakaya. 'Bhajana-loka' indicates all which rests on the earth; this 'bhajana-loka' is a general name for the -92- -mandala. Again, 'Buddhas', bodhisattvas' and the 'second vehicle? [srdvakas and pratyekabuddhas] indicate the realm of enlightenment. 'Sattva -' means 'sattva-loka' , and 'bhdjana-loka' is our very own. bhdjana-loka. Further, 'producers' refers to the six elements; 'in forms according to their kind' refers to the dharmas which are produced: that is, the same four kinds of dharmakdya and three kinds of lokadhdtu. This is why it says further: , there are constructed in the mandala places allotted to the dryas, their bijas and symbols; listen attentively to what. I shall now explain. And this verse was spoken: The mantrin first sets up a mandala in his own body: From the feet to the navel he completes the great vajra-wheel; From there to the heart he should meditate upon the water-wheel; Above the water-wheel the fire-wheel; above the fire-wheel the: wind-wheel. By 'vajra-wheel' is meant the letter 'a', which is the earth. 'Water', ' fire' and 'wind' should be understood as before. 'Mandala' refers to. Emptiness. 'Mantrin' refers to the element of mind. What is called ' drya' in the prose refers to the mahdkdya; 'bija' refers to dharmakdya; ' symbol' refers to samayakdya; and the karmakdya completes each of the other three kdyas. All these matters should be known by approaching the extensive explanations in other commentaries. It is further said: Arya-Mahdvairocana said: Vajrapani, the thoughts of all the Tathdgatas bring forth the of their deeds as joyous sport, and dance practiced extensively according to their classes; and he who grasps the four realms and peacefully settles his mind into equality with space extensively accomplishes great effects, visible and invisible, and gives rise to all the stages of srdvaka, pratyekabuddha and bodhisattva. What meaning do these words reveal? We say that they indicate that the six elements are the producers of everything. How do we know this? When it says 'mind', it means the element of consciousness; ' grasping the four realms' refers to the four elements; and 'equality with space' refers to the element of dkdsa: these six elements are the producers. 'Visible and invisible' refers to the kdma- and rupa-dhdtus and to the -dhdtu [respectively]; the rest, as before, refers to the

-91- dharmas which also are produced. All these sutras consider the six elements to be the producers and the four dharmakdyas and three lokadhdtus to be the produced. No 密 dharma which is produced, from the dharmakdya all the way down to 教 the six gatis, whether it be coarse or fine, great or small, is different

from the six elements; and this is why the Buddhas have expounded 文 the six elements as the essence of the . Among the exoteric teachings, the four elements are considered to be insentient; but the 化 esoteric teaching expounds these as the samayakaya of the Tathagata. The four elements are not separate from the element of mind: even though mind and matter are different, their essence is the same. Matter is mind, and mind is matter, with neither partition nor obstruction. Knowledge is the sense-field [visaya], the sense-field is knowledge; kno- wledge is its basis [], its basis is knowledge, with no obstruction between them. Though there is the active ['producer'] and the passive ['produced'], in their source the active and the passive are annulled: for according to our [sunyavadin] doctrines how can there be something constructed? The names 'active', 'passive', etc., are all esoteric desig- nations. Let us not indulge in all sorts of profitless argument by clinging to ordinary shallow meanings. Thus, those bodies which are perfected by the six elements-which are the essence of the dharmadhdtu are unobstructed, unhindered, co-involved, permeating and uniting, constant, unchanging and equally dwelling in the region of Reality. And this is why the gdthd said:'The six elements are unobstructed and constantly intermixed'. We may interpret 'unobstructed' in the meaning of 'mutually co-involved and permeating'; 'constant' in the meaning of 'unmoving and undestroyed'; 'intermixed [Sanskrit yoga]' is translated as 'united'. That all is united, co-involved and interpenetrated is the meaning of ' becoming a Buddha in this very body'. [2. MARKS: THE FOUR MAN DALAS] [The gdthd said:] 'The four mandalas are not separate from each other'. The Mahat'airocana-sutra says: All the Tathdgatas have three kinds of secret body; and these are letters [aksara], signs [] and representations. ' Letters' refers to the dharmamandala; 'signs' means all the different kinds of symbols and refers to the samayamandala; 'representation'

-90- means the body with all its [thirty-two] marks [laksana-vyanjana] and refers to the mahamandala. The awe-inspiring phenomenal deeds of each of these three bodies is called the karmamandala. These are thus the names of the four kinds of mandala. According to the explanation in the Vajrasekhara-sutra, (1) the mahamandala is described as the body of each Buddha and bodhisattva complete with all the [thirty-two] marks; a colored picture of their forms is also called a mahamandala, or it may also refer to the accomplishment of yoga with one's personal deity [satyadevata] by means of the contemplation of the five stages in . This is also called the maha-jnanamudrd. (2) The samayamandala is that class which bears symbols, such as swords, wheels, jewels, vajras, lotuses, etc., or a picture of their shapes; it may also refer to the derived from the vajrabandhana [-mudra]- that is, both hands clasped before one. This is also called the samaya- jnanamudra. (3) The dharmamandala consists of the various bijamantras of the deities, or the various kinds of seed-letters each painted in its proper position; it may also refer to the dharmakdya-samddhi as well as to the meanings of all the sutras. This is also called the dharma- jnanamudrd. (4) The karmamandala is described as all the different awe-inspiring phenomenal deeds of the Buddhas and dodhisattvas, or to cast or moulded [images of them]. This is also called the karma-jndna- mudra. Thus, the f our kinds of mandala, or four kinds of jnanamudrd, are measureless in number: the measure of each one is the same as space. That one is not separate from this one, and this one is not separate from that one, just as light in [empty] space is neither obstructed nor opposed. Thus it has been said that the four mandalas are not separate from each other: 'not separate' is the meaning of 'in this very' [in the phrase 'becoming a Buddha in this very body']. [4. FUNCTION: THE THREE SECRETS] [The gatha said:] 'The union [adhisthana 加持] of the three secrets quickly reveals'. What this means by the three secrets' is (1) the secret of body, (2) the secret of speech, and (3) the secret of mind. They are called 'secrets' because the three secrets of the dharmakdya are so very profound and subtle that even the omniscient, even those on the ten bhumis, are unable to see, or hear them. Each one of the aryas has -89- these three secrets, countless as the dust, conferring strength upon [加] and upholding [持] one another; this is also the case with the three secrets of all beings, and this is therefore called the union [adhisthana 密 加持] of the three secrets. Should a practitioner of mantra contemplate 教 this meaning, performing mudras with his hands, uttering with his mouth and with his mind dwelling in samadhi, then, because of the 文 yoking [yoga]-that is, the union [adhisthdna]-of the three secrets, he quickly attains to great accomplishment [siddhi]. Therefore the sutra 化 says: The three-lettered secret speech of Vairocana is all one measureless letter. If, with mudras and secret speech, one should seal his heart, then he perfects ddarsa-, and he quickly attains bodhicitta and a body hard and firm as diamond; should he seal his forehead, you should know, then he perfects samatd-jnana, and he quickly attains the stage of consecration [abhiseka] and a body which is adorned with blessings; when he seals his throat with the secret speech, then he perfects pratyaveksana-jnana, and he is able to turn the wheel of the Dharma in a body of Buddha-wisdom; should he seal the top of his head uttering the secret speech, then he perfects kriydnusthdna-jnana, and he realizes the Buddha's nirmdna-kaya, able to discipline those who are hard to tame. So, finally, from the union of the mudras and secret speech in his own body, he perfects the dharmadhdtusvabadva-jnana [and attains] the spacelike dharmadhdtu body of Vairocana Buddha. It has been further said: Entering the reality of the dharmakdya, one meditates on the oneness and equality [of everything] as like [empty] space. If one is able to cultivate this single-pointedly and without interruption, then he enters the first stage; and [to him] there instantly arises the treasure [sambadra] of blessing and knowledge of an entire great measureless eon [asainkhya-]. Because of union with the vast host of the Tathagatas, he reaches even beyond the enlightenment of the ten bhumis to the wondrous enlightenment of all wisdom [sarva-prajnd]. [Having seen] the equality of himself and others, he is the same as the dharmakaya of all the Tathagatas; and with his great , dependent upon nothing external, he con- stantly benefits and gives joy to limitless beings and does great Buddha deeds. It has been further said: If, in accordance with what Vairocana -88- Buddha, in his svasambhogakaya, preached as the Dharma of realizing enlightenment and noble wisdom withim oneself, and with the wisdom [preached by] Maha-Samanta-bhadra-Vajrasattva, one in his present life receives the mandala from his preceptor [dcarya], enters the mandala, performs all ritual acts [karma] with the samddhi of and introduces the diamond-beings [vajraasttva] into his body, then, by the awe-inspiring power of this union, he instantaneously realizes the measureless assembly [samaya] and the measureless teachings of the dharani: and with this inconceivable Dharma [the preceptor] can transform all the seeds in his disciple which produce clinging to self, and immediately cause to arise within his body the meritorious virtues and wisdom which would normally arise only in the course of a great measureless eon. This is birth into the household of the Buddha: this man is born from the mind of all the Tathdgatas, he is born from the mouth of the Buddha, he is born from the Dharma of the Buddha, he is born from the transforming power of the Dharma and attains the tresures of the Buddha's Dharma. The 'treasures of the Dharma' are the three secrets, the bodhicitta and [the ability to] teach the Dhama. (This shows forth for the first time the benefits which are attained through union-by the skillful means [updya] of the preceptor-at the time of the bodhicitta-vow.) As soon as he looks at the mandala, he is able instantaneously [to attain] pure faith; and because he gazes thereon with a joyful mind he plants the seeds of the diamond realm [vajradhdtu] in his alayavijnana. (This sentence shows forth for the first time what benefits are received by seeing the assembly of all the aryas in the mandala.) When he accepts consecration [abhiseka], he accepts a vajra-name; and hence- forward, having gained the broad, great, very profound and inconceivable Dharma, he is exempt from the second vehicle and the ten bhumis. Should he, by the Dharma-gate of the five secret with the great diamond beings [vajrasattva], uninterruptedly meditate and cultivate- in the four watches, in the departments [prabadva] of walking, standing, sitting and lying down-then in the sense-fields [visaya] of hearing and seeing, perceiving and knowing he will grasp both purusa and dharma as equally empty, and in his present life he will attain the first stage and ascend step by step. From cultivating these five secrets, he will be

-87- neither polluted by nor attached to either or samsara. Amidst the five limitless destinies of samsara, he performs extensive benefits; he divides his body into hundreds of milliards of parts and bestows 密 them amidst the destinies, so that he may accomplish among beings and 教 cause them to realize the stage of diamond being. (This shows forth the inconceivable Dharma-benefits when one practices in accordance with 文 the proper method.) It has been further said: Having increased and ascended by the diamond of the three secrets, he is able to realize the 化 effect-stage of the three bodies Vairocana. Thus, all these sutras preach the speedy power of inconceivable spiritual penetration into the samddhi-dharma.If there is a man who strives diligently day and night in the unwanting Dharma, then in his present body he will attain the five spiritual penetration and, practicing step by step, without rejecting this body will enter into the stage of Buddhahood. All the sutras say this; and it is in accordance with this meaning that we say 'The union of the three secrets quickly reveals'. ' Union' indicates the great compassion of the Tathdgata and the faithful minds of beings. The reflection of the Buddha-sun in the water of a

being's mind is called 'conferring [加]'; the ability of the practitioner's

mind to influence the Buddha-sun is called 'support [持]'. If the practitioner is able to meditate and bear this in mind in his present destiny, then because of the yoking [yoga] of the three secrets in his present body he quickly reveals, immediately realizes, and attains the original existence of the three bodies. This is why we said 'quickly reveals': just as [one may say] 'at his very moment' or 'on this very day, so is the meaning of 'in this very body'. [4. MON-OBSTRUCTION] [The gdthd said:] 'We call this very body "Indra's net" because [it reflects] again and again'. This line sets up a metaphor to show forth that the three secrets of all the dryas, countless as the dust, are completely interfused with no obstruction. 'Indra's net' is Indra's net of pearls. When it says 'body' it means that one's own body, the body of a Buddha and the bodies of beings are all called 'bodies'. Further, there are four kinds of body, called svabadva, sambhoga, nirmdna and nisyanda; the three things, letters [aksara], symbols [mudrd] and representations, are also called 'bodies'. Thus, bodies again and again

-86- criss-cross [lit. 'horizontal and vertical'], just as the light of a lamp is reflected back and forth between mirrors. That body is this body; this body is that body. The body of a Buddha is the body of a being; the body of a being is the body of a Buddha. They are not the same, yet they are the same; they are not differt, yet they are different. Thus, the mantra of the non-obstruction of the three-fold equality is spoken as the following devotional phrase: asame trisame samaye svcha. The first word has the meaning of inequality; the second means tree-fold equality; the third means three-fold universality. These three are Buddha, Dharzna and , or body, speech and mind, or, again, mind, Buddha and sentient beings. Thus three dharmas are universal; being universal, they are one: one yet measureless, measureless yet one; and yet finally there in no confusion. This is why we say 'We call this very body "Indra's net" because [it reflects] again and again'. [B. THE PRAISE OF 'BECOMING A BUDDHA'] [The gathd said:] 'Inherently having all prajnd'. The Mahavairocana- sutra says: I am the original beginning of all, described as that whereon the world relies. The Dharma which I preach is unequaled, incom- parable; I am originally calm, without superior. ' I' here invokes Arya-Mahdvairocana himself. 'All' indicates numberlessness. 'Original beginning' refers to the great Lord who fundamentally and inherently realizes and attains the origin of all dharmas. Thus the dharmakdya of the Tathdgata and the original nature of beings are the same in attaining to this basis of fundamental calm. But since beings neither realize nor know this, the Buddhas expound this basis among the destinies to awaken these beings. It is further said: Those who seek pleasure in causes and effects are immature and unable to know the characteristics of the mantra. How is this? We say that the cause does not act, so the effect is not produced; since the cause is empty, how can there be an effect? You should know that the effect of a mantra is independent of the cause- ef f ect relationship. All the verses we quoted above-from 'My enlightenment [consists in] the original non-arising' down to 'far from causes and conditions', and from 'all dharmas are originally unarisen' down to' as causes are

-85- the same as space'-illuminate the meaning of this 'inherent possession'. Again, what the Vajrasekhara-sutra says from 'What of one's own nature becomes the retinue [of Mahavairocana], the sixteen great 密 bodhisattvas Vajrapani, etc...' down to 'each one emanates five milliards 教 of subtle vajras in the dharmakayas' also has the same meaning. The

word 'inherently' [in the gdtha] reveals that all dharmas are this way 文 of themselves; 'having' has the meaning of 'accomplishing' and the meaning of 'without blank or deficiency'. 'Sarvaprajna' is a Sanskrit 化 word. It used to be transliterated 'sar-jna', which is a misleading abbreviation; it should be transliterated in full as 'sarvajnana', which is interpreted as the 'knowledge of all knowledge'. In this phrase ' knowledge of all knowledge', 'knowledge' has the meaning of 'decisive differentiation'. For every Buddha there are [lists of] five knowledges, 37 knowledges, even to knowledges as countless as the dust; this is the meaning indicated in the next two lines [of the gdtha]. If one wishes to express the virtues of this ddecisive differentiation, one uses the name ' knowledge'; to reveeal [the idea of] its source, one uses the designation ' mind'; to reveal [the idea of] upholding the rules, one uses the designation ' doctrine'. But none of these names is separate from men; since men are countless as the dust, we call it 'knowledge, of all knowledge', and so it is not the same as the 'universal knowledge' of the exoteric schools, whereby one gains the designations of everything one encounters. ' Mind' [in the gatha] is the knowledge, etc., which is the essence of the dharmadhatu; 'qualities of mind' is the consciousness of unity in diversity. 'Each, having the five jnanas...' shows forth that each and every mind and mental quality has them. 'Limitless jnanas' has the meaning of 'numberless in all directions [lit. 'high and broad']'. 'Because of the power of the mirror is truly enlightened' sets forth the reason why all the Buddhas have gained the name 'Enlightened'. Just as the images of all forms appear in a bright mirror on a high stand, so is the mind-mirror of the Tathdgatas: this round bright mind-mirror, hung high at the top of the dharmadhatu, shiningly reflects everything with neither perversion nor error. How could a Buddha not have such a mirror? That is why we said 'By the power of the mirror is truly enlightened'.

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