英語訳
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"Without exhaustion" means there is no vertical limit. "Embracing others without cease" refers to the gate of benefiting others. Both self-benefit and benefiting others are supremely excellent.
The sutra says "able to eliminate all suffering."
The praise says "all eliminate various sufferings": Pointing to the previous phrase "this is the great spiritual mantra, etc." are all virtues of the sutra. Following the text "crossing over all suffering and distress," this temporarily raises karmic obstructions, but actually should universally eliminate delusions and karma. Therefore it marks this as "destroying evil."
Therefore the great sutra says "none can defile": The Ratnakūṭa commentary says that through the sutra's awesome power one can eliminate various evils. Therefore even the sin of killing can be completely eliminated. By awakening to dharma-nature and arising this supreme practice, this great sin does not attract evil results. Through the sutra's awesome power, one can skillfully subdue all afflictions, secondary afflictions, evil karma, etc. Therefore even if there are such sins, they don't attract evil results. It also says: all sinful karma arises from afflictions; all afflictions arise from discrimination. Making one abandon conceptual elaboration and sever all discrimination. When discrimination is already exhausted, delusions also perish. Therefore even this great sin, if one hears the dharma and believes and understands, will definitely obtain elimination.
"Even creating everything... hungry ghosts and animals": This is text from the Ratnakūṭa section, briefly extracting the meaning. Even if there are evil karmas among them, through the sutra's awesome power they don't attract evil results - this is clear. The meaning is as in the previously quoted commentary text.
"Even dwelling in everything... ultimately never defiled": This is the meaning of the Ratnakūṭa text. Bodhisattvas practicing prajñā
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have minds dwelling in the gate of emptiness, so even dwelling among gatherings of afflictions, they are not defiled. Like Vimalakīrti entering the pleasure quarters, etc.
"Always... in harmony": This is text from the esoteric dharma gate. "Toward dharmas and sentient beings... all arising compassionate mind": Like explaining the equal nature of all dharmas,即 anger-mind is also equal. Even toward present-world enemies, all arise compassionate mind.
"Always seeing... dwelling in wisdom": This is the benefit text of the second mantra in the Ratnakūṭa section. One should see that. "What is heard... not false": This is the benefit text of the third mantra. "Various excellences... before one": This is the benefit text for those who listen and recite with sincere heart every morning. "Always diligently practicing... not falling into evil destinies": All are final texts of the Ratnakūṭa section. One should see that commentary. "Quickly able... bodhi": This is the merit text of the supreme dharma gate section.
"Following mind... accomplishment": This is the function text of the first mantra. All above quotes Ratnakūṭa section text. The sequence of explaining emptiness is profound. Among them, the Ratnakūṭa section's explanation is ultimate. Therefore this section explains functions. Actually it should pervade everything.
"Therefore the royal city... reciting and demons submit": When demons in the royal city of India were causing various troubles to the people, when this sutra was recited and contemplated, the demons submitted. "Heavenly palace thousand-eyes... maintaining and enemies collapse": Heavenly palace thousand-eyes refers to Indra. Because he has a thousand eyes he's called thousand-eyes. When fighting the asura king, when the heavenly army was weak, when prajñā was lectured in the Good Dharma Hall, the asura
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army collapsed.
"The mantra again profound inner... nothing equals this": The character "inner" means profound meaning. Deeply encouraging the mind to practice bodhisattva conduct, when fulfilled one can attain buddha-result. Cause-perfection is the side of self-benefit. Extracting the sufferings of the five destinies, traveling the ten directions as teacher and master is the gate of benefiting others. Therefore prajñā is the essential text for self-benefit and benefiting others, the technique for practicing causes and inducing results.
The sutra says "truly real, not false."
The praise says "truly not yet acceptable": Though previously explaining the sutra's awesome power, still fearing the arising of disbelief, it explains again. Because the Buddha was Crown Prince of King Śuddhodana, he should be discussed as a king, therefore it says so. Silent Forest is the forest where sages dwell. The honored one of compassionate civil dharma-king refers to the Tathāgata. Dragon-elephant refers to elephant-dragons among the four types of dragons. They are the excellent class among dragons. It doesn't mean the two animals dragon and elephant. Mañjuśrī, Maitreya, etc. are compared to them. Therefore the sutra says "do not arise alarm or doubt": What text this points to should be investigated.
The sutra says "bodhi svāhā."
The praise says, again explaining mantra-dhāraṇī: Mantra-comprehensive dhāraṇī has spiritual efficacy, as previously already described. Before Buddha-dharma crossed to Chinese lands, there were worldly mantras and prohibitions that could manifest spiritual efficacy and eliminate worries and troubles. People who maintain this dhāraṇī can manifest supernatural powers and eliminate troubles. This resembles mantras and prohibitions. Therefore it's called mantra.
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"The Buddha through great kalpas... not easy to praise in detail": Generally this praise can be divided into three parts: first the introductory section, next the main doctrinal section, and last the circulation section. "Again explaining mantra-dhāraṇī" is the end of the main doctrine. This current section is the final circulation. Some people attributing this section to dhāraṇī explanation is extremely erroneous. Generally the three types of dhāraṇī - dharma, meaning, and mantra - have this meaning. Though this current mantra is not separately explained in the great sutra, it's contained within the comprehensive mantra. The compilers were great beings of profound realization like Mañjuśrī and Maitreya, so they extracted the essential points to make this mantra.
The Lun-ji seventh volume says: "The aggregates all have past, etc.": The four aggregates of sensation, etc., their essence pervades the three times, as can be known. If conditioned by external dust, following conditions they're called external; if conditioned by internal body, following conditions they're called internal. The four aggregates corresponding to the five consciousnesses are called coarse. The four aggregates corresponding to mental consciousness pervade the three natures: good is called fine, the other two natures are called bad. Past and future are called distant because the future is not yet born and the past already extinguished, not dwelling in the present body, hence called distant. The present is called near. It also says: The essence of the eighteen elements properly takes productive seeds as elements. However, when the text explains the eighteen types of dharmas like eye-element, form-element, consciousness-element, etc., also calling them elements, this follows convention in also being elements, not the proper element-essence. Therefore this text says the eighteen types of dharmas arise and appear from separate elements, separate seeds, separate natures. Therefore we know the eighteen types of dharmas are not the proper element-essence. Though elements and seeds are the same type, their names differ but essence is the same. They are the same seeds, becoming the eighteen elements. Understanding now, the name and essence of the seeds of the eighteen types of dharmas is called skillfulness in elements.
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Genroku 2nd year (Kinoto-Mi) Fourth month, day - copying completed. Scribe: Shūō