A Thousand Places Entreating, a Thousand Places Answered

Sūtra: "Ānanda bowed at the Buddha's feet, and said to the Buddha: 'Ever since I left the household life, relying on the Buddha's own fond, doting love for me, I sought broad learning above all else, and so have not yet realized the unconditioned.'"

Commentary: This is the renewed request to hear this mantra. Though Ānanda had already received its benefit, he had not yet been able to hear it directly himself — and so he bows at the Buddha's feet, and says to the Buddha: ever since I left lay life for the household, still relying on the Buddha's own fond, doting, favored love for me, I sought broad learning alone, never applying myself to true cultivation, and attained only the first fruit — and so my own power on the path remains weak, and I have not yet realized the unconditioned path of the fourth fruit.

Sūtra: "I encountered that ancient Brahmā-heaven spell, restrained by this deviant art — my mind, though clear, had no freedom of its own. Relying on encountering Mañjuśrī, I was thereby freed — and though I received the blessing of the Tathāgata's own Buddha-crown mantra, its power reaching me invisibly, I have still not yet heard it directly myself."

Commentary: "Encountered" means came upon. "That" points to Mātaṅgī, who, for the sake of her own beloved daughter, used the ancient Brahmā-heaven spell, this deviant art's own restraint. Yet, at that time, though my own mind remained clear, my own power on the path was not yet complete, and I had no freedom of my own. Relying on encountering Mañjuśrī, who took this mantra and went to my protection, I was thereby freed from this danger of lust, and only then was able to return. What is here called simply "relying on encountering Mañjuśrī and being freed" names the person who held this mantra, while leaving out the mantra itself that was held — and so, though I received the blessing of the Tathāgata's own Buddha-crown mantra, Mañjuśrī merely recited it secretly, breaking through this deviance and removing this lust, and I received its power invisibly — this true, secret utterance itself I have still not yet heard directly.

Sūtra: "I wish only that, out of this same great compassion, you would proclaim it once more, compassionately saving every practitioner in this present assembly, and, into the age to come, every being still caught in the wheel — that, receiving the Buddha's own secret sound, they might attain liberation of both body and mind."

Commentary: This requests that it be spoken again, for the benefit of both present and future beings. I wish only that the World-Honored One, out of this same great compassion, would proclaim it once more, with great compassion rescuing every practitioner presently gathered in this assembly — this referring to the sagely assembly of the three vehicles, many still learning yet few having accomplished, easily advancing yet just as easily retreating, all alike hoping for this mantra's own power to rescue them. Not only would those present in this assembly benefit — "into the age to come" points to the Buddha-dharma's own continued transmission, so that even beings still caught in the wheel of birth and death might equally share in this same benefit of the Dharma, receiving the Buddha's own secret mantra's sound, both body and mind attaining liberation together — freed from demonic danger, the body attains liberation; breaking through delusion to realize truth, the mind attains liberation.

Sūtra: "At that time, everyone in the assembly, without exception, made obeisance together, awaiting the chance to hear the Tathāgata's own secret verses."

Commentary: Having made this request, at that time, everyone in the assembly, without exception, bowed before the Buddha together. "Awaiting" means waiting expectantly, awaiting the chance to hear the Tathāgata's own secret, sacred mantra, these wondrous verses. This closes the first section, the assembly's own renewed request.

Sūtra: "At that time the World-Honored One, from within his own fleshy crown-protrusion, emitted a hundred kinds of treasure-light surging forth; and, within this light, a thousand-petaled, jeweled lotus surged forth, upon which sat a transformation-Tathāgata."

Commentary: About to speak this mantra, the Buddha first manifests this transformation-buddha. Yet this section is exactly the secret found within the manifest, arising from the Tathāgata's own body directly. "At that time the World-Honored One, from within his own fleshy crown-protrusion": according to the Sūtra on the Unsurpassed Basis, this is exactly the crown-bone rising up, naturally forming this same protrusion, its own color a reddish crimson, set amid his blue-black, curling hair — this being exactly this same unseen crown-mark, representing the tathāgatagarbha, the very principle-substance of the dharma-body itself. Light emitted from the crown represents the wondrous wisdom of prajñā; this light surging forth in a hundred kinds of treasure represents the great function of liberation. "Within this light, a thousand-petaled, jeweled lotus surged forth" represents this wondrous wisdom giving rise to this same supreme cause. "Upon which sat a transformation-Tathāgata" represents cause and fruit in perfect accord with one another.

Sūtra: "From this crown, ten rays of a hundred kinds of treasure-light shone forth, and, within each and every ray of this light, appeared, everywhere at once, secret vajra-traces, as numerous as ten Ganges' sands, holding up mountains and grasping vajra-clubs, filling the whole realm of empty space."

Commentary: This is exactly the secret within the secret — from this Buddha-crown of a Buddha-crown, this treasure-light of a treasure-light emitted, representing this mantra as the very most honored among the honored, the very most wondrous among the wondrous. That a single crown-protrusion emits these ten rays of light, complete with a hundred kinds of treasure-color, represents the very nature of the tathāgatagarbha, perfectly containing the ten thousand dharmas, its own substance originally pure of itself, pervading the whole Dharma-realm. "Secret vajra-traces, holding up mountains and grasping vajra-clubs, filling the whole realm of empty space": inwardly concealing a bodhisattva's own virtue, outwardly manifesting a vajra-spirit's own trace — holding up mountains to restrain what is external, grasping vajra-clubs to subdue demons, this secret conduct guiding beings — hence, "secret vajra-traces." Filling the whole realm of empty space displays this same majestic power. These vajra-spirits filling this whole realm represent appearing in accordance with karma, giving rise to what is wholesome and extinguishing what is evil, this wondrous function according with conditions. This closes the first section, this light and its mark displayed.

Sūtra: "The whole assembly gazed upward in reverence, holding both awe and affection together, seeking the Buddha's own compassionate protection, listening single-mindedly as the Tathāgata, light streaming from this unseen crown-mark, proclaimed this sacred mantra."

Commentary: The assembly gathered for this Dharma-teaching, seeing this transformation-buddha within the light emitted from the Buddha's own crown, and this transformation-buddha, in turn, emitting light from his own crown, within which these secret vajra-traces appeared — this being so rare an occurrence — could do nothing but gaze up at it in reverent contemplation. "Awe" is awe of his own majesty; "affection" is affection for his own virtue — both restraint and gathering-in carried out together, and so awe and affection held together at once, meaning both present together, leaving people unable to set aside either feeling. "Seeking the Buddha's own compassionate protection": taking pity and gathering them in, protecting and sheltering them like a canopy overhead. "Listening single-mindedly as the Tathāgata, light streaming from this unseen crown-mark, proclaimed this sacred mantra": this means the Buddha, light streaming from this unseen crown-mark, this Tathāgata manifesting within this light, proclaiming this sacred mantra — precisely representing this unconditioned mind-buddha, this unsurpassed mind-mantra, displaying the tathāgatagarbha's own subtle, inconceivable nature. "Mantra" means a spoken vow — the Buddha speaking this mantra precisely as a vow spoken on behalf of sentient beings, that they might sever delusion and realize truth, transforming the ordinary into the sagely, complete with every unfathomable, spiritual power, and possessed of this inconceivable, wondrous function. This closes the second section, the assembly's own reverent listening.

Commentary: This mantra, as given above, is collated and verified against various ancient editions preserved from the Shaoxing era, including the Hai Yan edition. This mantra, taken as a whole, falls into five distinct parts: up to phrase one hundred and thirty-seven is Vairocana's own true-dharma assembly; up to phrase one hundred and seventy-eight is Śākyamuni's own responsive-transformation assembly; up to phrase two hundred and seventy-two is Avalokiteśvara's own united assembly; up to phrase three hundred and thirty-two is Vajragarbha's own restraining-and-gathering assembly; up to phrase four hundred and eighteen is Mañjuśrī's own assembly of propagation; and from "tadyathā" to the very end of the mantra comes to four hundred and twenty-seven phrases in all. As Changshui put it: everything before "tadyathā" is nothing but homage paid to every buddha, bodhisattva, and sage, together with the very statement of this mantra's own vow — its blessing, its dissolving of evil, its freeing from calamity. Only from the syllable "oṃ" onward does it actually speak this mantra's own working heart — this being the secret Śūraṅgama itself.

This mantra is formed entirely from the very mind of the tathāgatagarbha, hence called the "mind-mantra"; and this entire mantra is itself this same mind of the tathāgatagarbha, hence also called the "mantra-mind." Taken together, these five parts come to two thousand six hundred and twenty characters in all. Its final three characters, svāhā (sometimes rendered "sa-po-he"), translate, in the Tang dynasty's own rendering, "swift accomplishment" — may what I have done be swiftly accomplished. Since this closing portion alone is already called the "mind-mantra," it is exactly the essential meaning distilled from all five parts together. Should one have the capacity for it, holding the entire mantra, from beginning to end, is certainly the most excellent practice; but, lacking such capacity, holding this closing portion alone, with genuine, unwavering confidence, brings its own effect to completion of itself. Yet sentient beings' own capacities differ, not fixed to either the manifest or the secret teaching alone — for there are sentient beings who benefit precisely through what is manifestly taught, and there are sentient beings who benefit precisely through what is secretly taught. Though the manifest and the secret are thus set forth side by side, both alike reveal this same inconceivable substance and function of the Great Buddha's Crown, the mind of the tathāgatagarbha itself. Every sūtra's own sacred mantra is, as a rule, left untranslated — this being exactly the "untranslated for secrecy" case among the five reasons a term is left untranslated. And, among the four categories of translation, this belongs to the case of "translating the script but not the sound": the script is Chinese, but the sound is Sanskrit, unintelligible to people of this land, yet something the people of India understand in their own everyday use. As for this secret mantra specifically, it is not only ordinary people who fail to understand it — by rights, even a sage of a lower rank cannot fully grasp a mantra belonging to a higher rank — and so, beyond the manifest division of teachings, a further, secret division is named as well. Within the esoteric tradition of the Western Regions, this secret division is itself classed into east, west, south, north, and center, five divisions in all — and this present mantra belongs precisely to the central one, the division of Vairocana's own consecration.

As Tianru put it: the fourfold siddhānta Gushan cites from Tiantai — siddha meaning "universal," and dāna meaning "bestowal" — every sage bestows these four methods universally upon sentient beings. First, the siddhānta of the world: speaking differently according to place, giving rise to the benefit of joy. Second, the siddhānta for the person: giving rise to the benefit of wholesome growth. Third, the siddhānta of counteraction: giving rise to the benefit of overcoming evil. Fourth, the siddhānta of ultimate truth: giving rise to the benefit of entering principle itself.

These four siddhāntas bestow benefit universally. One of superior capacity, reciting this mantra, may attain the benefit of entering principle itself; next, reciting this mantra to remove evil habits, one attains the benefit of overcoming evil; next, reciting this mantra to leave scattered thoughts far behind, one attains the benefit of wholesome growth; next, reciting this mantra, able thereby to overturn deviance and support what is correct, one attains the benefit of joy. As the Standard Meaning Commentary puts it: in general, when sages and worthies spread their own teaching widely, there are, as a rule, both a manifest and a secret teaching — exactly as, in treating illness, there are, in general, two paths: first, prescribing a remedy, whereby the source of the illness, the nature of the medicine, and the method of its preparation are all explained openly — this is like the Buddha's own exoteric teaching; second, administering the medicine directly, whereby nothing at all is explained openly, only the medicine itself given, so that, taking it, the illness is cured, with no need to seek to understand what medicine it is or how it treats the illness — this is like the Buddha's own esoteric teaching. And so, administering medicine in this way requires no seeking after understanding at all — should such understanding arise, this mantra's own efficacy would be lost. The method of holding a mantra is simply this: believe deeply, without the slightest doubt, and hold it single-mindedly, the three mysteries of body, speech, and mind brought into full accord — never giving rise to a mind that seeks to understand it, exactly like investigating a huatō: only investigation is permitted, never understanding; let not a single thought arise, and benefit follows of itself.

As in the old story of a wanderer who traveled far to another country, falsely claiming to be a prince. That country, believing him, gave him their own princess in marriage — yet, at mealtimes, he grew easily angry and difficult to manage, and the princess, wishing to learn the reason for this, resolved to accommodate him gently, and one day went to consult a merchant of that country who understood his own native language. This merchant, being of great intelligence, recognized that the man had falsely claimed to be a prince, and, unwilling to speak of this openly, for fear of shaming his own nation, composed instead a verse in the man's own native language, saying: whenever anger is about to arise, recite this verse instead, smiling as you do: "with no kin, I journeyed to another land, deceiving everyone I met; coarse food has always been my ordinary food — why trouble myself with anger now?" And he instructed her: you need only learn to pronounce these sounds, with no need to seek to understand their meaning. When she recited this verse to him, he knew at once that his own deception had been discovered, and, from that time on, no longer dared give way to anger. The efficacy of this sacred mantra works in exactly the same way. As the Standard Meaning Commentary puts it: a small portion of what ought to be understood about this secret mantra may be summarized in three points. First, the power of principle and dharma: a single syllable containing boundless, wondrous principle within it, called a dhāraṇī, meaning that it gathers together every dharma, holding boundless meaning — this same power fully containing the very principle it expresses, exactly as, in our own land, the four qualities of origination, prevalence, advantage, and constancy are likewise able to avert misfortune and bring about good fortune. Second, the power of majestic virtue: every buddha and bodhisattva, every sage of the provisional and real teachings alike, possessing a majestic virtue profound and weighty, complete with great power — invoking their own name accords with one's own wish, exactly as, in the present world, one may likewise borrow a powerful person's own reputation to subdue evil and escape danger. Third, the power of truthful speech: every buddha, bodhisattva, and sage, giving rise to this same mind of great compassion, out of pity for sentient beings, utters this truthful speech, this vow spoken on their behalf, that they might leave suffering behind for happiness, transforming the ordinary into the sagely — and so reciting it brings benefit according to its own words; exactly as, in the world, even a genuine practitioner may pronounce a vow regarding good or ill fortune, and see it accomplished according to their own words — how much more so, then, a sage who has realized this same principle directly, whose true, compassionate vow could never be fathomed at all? Briefly stated, it is through these same three points that holding this mantra brings about this unfathomable, spiritual achievement. Yet one must hold to it with genuine confidence, single-mindedly, until this same effort reaches its own completion, and only then does it bring about its own effect — should one waver, interrupt, or abandon this practice partway through, or should the platform and precepts fail to be carried out properly, and one then slanders this mantra as being without effect, this brings upon oneself a grave offense and suffering indeed.

One should know that the Tathāgata, emitting this light, speaking this sacred mantra, does so precisely for the sake of those of a lesser, more middling capacity, as their very first skillful means — holding it, one may naturally keep demonic influence far away and escape calamity, sever delusion and realize truth, turning affliction into bodhi itself, leaving birth and death behind to enter nirvāṇa. This closes the first section, directly speaking this sacred mantra.

Sūtra: "Ānanda, these subtle and wondrous verses of the Buddha-crown's gathered light, this secret Sitātapatra dhāraṇī —"

Commentary: This displays the full name of this mantra. "The Buddha-crown's gathered light" means that this mantra originally arose from within the light of the Buddha's own crown, spoken by this transformation-buddha. Calling this light "gathered" means that its own blazing net, crossing and interwoven, is exactly like a great mass of fire gathered together. "Crown" represents this mantra's own supreme honor; "light" represents its own majestic, spiritual power; "gathered" is exactly its own spiritual function. "Sitātapatra": preceded by the two words mahā, translated "great"; sitā, translated "white"; and tapatra, translated "canopy" — these being simply this mantra's own name. Some hold that the seven phrases from "tadyathā, oṃ" onward are this mantra's own "mind" — this is mistaken, for that portion is exactly the very place where all five parts of this mantra converge together, its own crystallized essence. Examined closely, this entire mantra is formed wholly from the mind of the tathāgatagarbha, hence called the "mind-mantra"; and this entire mantra is itself this same mind of the tathāgatagarbha, hence named the "mantra-mind." Yet this mind never departs from these three meanings of substance, characteristic, and function: its substance, free of every counterpart, is called "great" — that is, the tathāgatagarbha's own original, wondrous, perfectly complete mind, the meaning of true emptiness itself; its characteristic, free of every defiling stain, is called "white" — that is, the tathāgatagarbha's own original, bright, wondrous mind, the meaning of true non-emptiness itself; and its function, covering everything at once, is called "canopy" — that is, the tathāgatagarbha's own wondrous, bright mind's own origin, the meaning of true emptiness-and-non-emptiness together. "This secret dhāraṇī, these subtle and wondrous verses": hidden and profoundly secret, meaning that this mantra, too, contains gāthā verses within it; refined, subtle, and wondrous. "Verses" refers to its own major divisions, such as these same five parts; and its finer divisions are called "phrases." Each and every one of these is, alike, inconceivable.

Sūtra: "This mantra gives rise to every buddha of the ten directions — the Tathāgatas of the ten directions rely on this mantra-mind to accomplish unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening."

Commentary: This makes plain that every one of the Tathāgatas of the ten directions, in benefiting both themselves and others, does so entirely through the function of this same secret mantra-mind. Why is it that every buddha of the ten directions appears in the world, manifesting birth and accomplishing buddhahood? Entirely because every Tathāgata of the ten directions relies on this mantra-mind as their own hidden cause, cultivating and realizing complete meaning, every bodhisattva's own myriad practices, and only afterward perfectly accomplishing cultivation and realization at the fruit stage — and this is exactly why they accomplish unsurpassed bodhi. "Unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening" is exactly the very fruit of bodhi's own wisdom. Understanding clearly that mind gives rise to the ten thousand dharmas is "correct knowledge"; understanding that the ten thousand dharmas are nothing but mind alone is "perfect knowledge" — and so every buddha's own causal-stage mind and fruit-stage awakening are, from beginning to end, never two different things at all.

Sūtra: "The Tathāgatas of the ten directions wield this mantra-mind to subdue every demon and restrain every non-Buddhist path."

Commentary: This makes plain this function of subduing demons and restraining outside paths. Every Tathāgata of the ten directions, about to realize truth directly, is, in many cases, disturbed by demons and outside teachers, unable to accomplish this swiftly — and so wields this same secret mantra-mind as a vajra king's own precious sword, subduing every demon of the five aggregates, and restraining every outside teacher holding the views of annihilationism or eternalism.

Sūtra: "The Tathāgatas of the ten directions ride upon this mantra-mind, seated upon a jeweled lotus, answering lands as numerous as motes of dust."

Commentary: This makes plain this function of universally manifesting a cloud of bodies. Every Tathāgata of the ten directions, having already realized truth, manifests Vairocana's own body, traveling throughout the Flower-Treasury World — and so rides upon this same secret mantra-mind; and, since this mantra-mind is itself exactly every buddha's own true dharma-body, seated upon a jeweled lotus, they travel throughout lands as numerous as motes of dust, manifesting a body matched to each kind of being.

Sūtra: "The Tathāgatas of the ten directions hold this mantra-mind within themselves, turning the great wheel of the Dharma throughout lands as numerous as motes of dust."

Commentary: This makes plain this function of expounding the Dharma matched to each capacity. Every Tathāgata of the ten directions, wishing to turn the wheel of the Dharma, must, within this same unobstructed wisdom, hold this same secret mantra-mind within themselves; and, since this mantra-mind is itself exactly the treasury of the true Dharma-eye, taken as the very root of virtue, they are thereby able, throughout lands as numerous as motes of dust, through the eight qualities of the Buddha's own voice and the four kinds of eloquence, to turn this great, unsurpassed, root wheel of the Dharma.

Sūtra: "The Tathāgatas of the ten directions hold this mantra-mind, and are thereby able, throughout the ten directions, to touch the crown and bestow a prophecy — and, their own fruit not yet accomplished, they, too, throughout the ten directions, receive this same prophecy from a buddha."

Commentary: This makes plain this function of bestowing this same prophecy, both on oneself and on others. Every Tathāgata of the ten directions is spoken of here in terms of their own origin manifesting this same trace, this response and transformation-body. Holding this same secret mantra-mind, since this mantra-mind is itself able to serve as the very root of accomplishing buddhahood, once having accomplished the path themselves, they are thereby able, throughout the ten directions, to gather beings in with compassion, touching every bodhisattva's own crown, bestowing on them the prophecy of their own future buddhahood to come. And, should their own fruit not yet be perfectly accomplished, they, too, are able, throughout these same ten directions, to receive this same prophecy of bodhi directly from a buddha.

Sūtra: "The Tathāgatas of the ten directions depend on this mantra-mind to rescue every kind of suffering throughout the ten directions — the sufferings of the hell-realms, hungry ghosts, and animals; of blindness, deafness, and muteness; of being bound to what one hates, of separation from what one loves, of not obtaining what one seeks, of the five aggregates blazing with affliction — every misfortune, great or small, dissolved at once; the calamities of thieves, of war, of unjust punishment, of imprisonment, of wind, water, and fire, and of hunger, thirst, and poverty, all dispersing the instant this mind recalls the mantra."

Commentary: This makes plain this function of drawing beings out of suffering and rescuing them from calamity. Every Tathāgata of the ten directions, depending on this same secret mantra-mind, is thereby able, throughout the ten directions, to draw beings out of every kind of suffering — whether teaching them to hold it themselves, or reciting this vow on their behalf — relying on this mantra's own majestic power, they attain freedom from suffering and calamity. "So-called" is a word introducing an explanation, meaning: first, hell; second, hungry ghosts; third, animals; fourth, the northern continent; fifth, blindness, deafness, and muteness; sixth, being born before or after a buddha's own appearance; seventh, worldly wisdom and eloquence; eighth, the heavens of long life. These eight conditions are unable to receive this teaching, finding it difficult to enter the Buddha-dharma — hence called "difficulties." The suffering of being bound to what one hates, the suffering of separation from what one loves, the suffering of not obtaining what one seeks, the suffering of the five aggregates blazing with affliction, together with the four sufferings of birth, old age, sickness, and death, together make these eight sufferings. Speaking here in terms of "difficulties," the earlier ones are named, encompassing the later; speaking in terms of "suffering," the later ones are named, encompassing the earlier — this is how these sufferings and difficulties come to be distinguished from one another. As for these misfortunes, great and small: according to the Bhaiṣajyaguru Sūtra, there are nine great ones, and countless small ones, too many to describe in full. The nine great misfortunes are: first, falling ill and refusing medicine, needlessly harming oneself, believing in deviant spirits and offering sacrifice to ghosts, one's own death thus brought about unnecessarily — through refusing medicine, harming one's own life and bringing about death, this is called a "misfortune"; second, being needlessly executed under the law of some king; third, having one's own vital essence seized by a non-human being; fourth, being needlessly burned by fire; fifth, being needlessly drowned by water; sixth, being needlessly devoured by a wild beast; seventh, needlessly falling from a mountain cliff; eighth, being struck by poison, needlessly, or by curses, hexes, and incantations, or harmed by a ghost; ninth, being needlessly overcome by hunger and thirst, unable to obtain food or drink — all of these attaining liberation at the same time. The calamity of thieves includes matters such as robbery and murder; the calamity of war includes matters such as facing the charge of an enemy blade; the calamity of unjust punishment includes matters such as risking one's own life before a ruler; the calamity of imprisonment includes matters such as being shackled and confined; the calamity of wind includes matters such as bitter cold and flying sand; the calamity of fire includes matters such as being scorched and burned; the calamity of water includes matters such as being swept away, submerged, or drowned; the calamity of hunger includes matters such as an empty stomach with no grain left; the calamity of thirst includes matters such as a parched throat and dry mouth; and the calamity of poverty includes matters such as hardship and desperate want. Every one of these difficulties described above, the moment this same secret mantra-mind is recalled, dissolves away and disperses.

Sūtra: "The Tathāgatas of the ten directions, according with this mantra-mind, are thereby able, throughout the ten directions, to serve good and wise teachers, their own offerings made freely, exactly as wished, throughout all four postures — and, within assemblies of Tathāgatas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, are esteemed as great sons of the Dharma-king."

Commentary: This makes plain this function of serving one's own teacher and inheriting the Dharma. Every Tathāgata of the ten directions, according with this same secret mantra-mind's own majestic power, is thereby able, throughout the worlds of the ten directions, to serve a good and wise teacher — since such a teacher, complete with correct knowledge and correct view, is able to draw the very nail and pry loose the very wedge for a student. Without the power of this mantra, how could one ever travel so far, throughout the ten directions, at all? "Their own offerings made freely, exactly as wished, throughout all four postures": walking, standing, sitting, and lying down, at every moment, each has its own fitting object of offering, each brought forth exactly as wished — hence, "offerings made freely, exactly as wished." Without the power of this mantra, how could these ever be brought forth so freely, exactly as wished? Within assemblies of Tathāgatas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, assisting the Buddha in turning the wheel of the Dharma, spreading and proclaiming this same transformation through the Dharma, esteemed as a great son of the Dharma-king, inheriting the Dharma-king's own household estate — without the power of this mantra, how could one ever serve every buddha so universally at all?

Sūtra: "The Tathāgatas of the ten directions carry out this mantra-mind, and are thereby able, throughout the ten directions, to gather in and instruct those close to them through this same cause, causing even those inclined toward the lesser vehicle, upon hearing of this secret treasury, to give rise to no alarm or fear at all."

Commentary: This makes plain this function of gathering in and instructing those close to oneself through this same cause. Every Tathāgata of the ten directions shares a bond of closeness, accumulated across kalpas, with certain beings, each depending mutually on the other. Though they have already accomplished buddhahood themselves, thinking of these same beings scattered throughout the ten directions, they, too, constantly carry out this same secret mantra-mind. "Carry out" means exactly to hold — gathering these beings in, holding them in mind and protecting them, even should they have fallen into the lesser vehicle, they, too, ride upon this mantra's own power and blessing, accomplishing this same great aspiration, becoming fit to receive the greater teaching — so that, hearing this secret tathāgatagarbha mind spoken of, they give rise to no alarm, doubt, or fear at all.

Sūtra: "The Tathāgatas of the ten directions recite this mantra-mind, accomplishing unsurpassed awakening; seated beneath the bodhi tree, they enter great nirvāṇa."

Commentary: This makes plain this function of the twin fruits of wisdom and severance. Every Tathāgata of the ten directions recites this same secret mantra-mind, taking it as the very root of accomplishing buddhahood, transforming affliction into the fruit of wisdom — hence, "accomplishing unsurpassed awakening." Seated beneath the bodhi tree, this single lifetime's own work of spreading this teaching complete, transforming birth and death into the fruit of severance — hence, "entering great nirvāṇa." One thereby knows fully that this mantra serves this great function of accomplishing both the beginning and the very end of the path.

Sūtra: "The Tathāgatas of the ten directions transmit this mantra-mind, and, after their own passing, entrust the very work of the Buddha-dharma to it, that it might be upheld to its own ultimate end — its precepts and discipline kept strict and pure, all attaining this same purity."

Commentary: This makes plain this function of entrusting the Dharma and guarding the precepts. Every Tathāgata of the ten directions, transmitting this same secret mantra-mind, their own conditions for teaching and transforming beings now complete, about to return to truth itself, at the very moment of their own passing, leaves this final testament, entrusting the very work of inheriting and continuing the Buddha-dharma, that it might be upheld to its own ultimate end. As for this one matter of guarding the precepts, even as the Buddha approached his own nirvāṇa, he still, once again, earnestly instructed and admonished his disciples to take the precepts as their own teacher — hence, "its precepts and discipline kept strict and pure, all attaining this same purity." "Strict" governs the body, and "pure" governs the mind — body and mind alike spotless, as clear as ice and frost — and, this way, the true Dharma may endure for a long time, and this monastic discipline may abide for a long time as well. This closes the second section, fully displaying every one of these functions.

Sūtra: "Should I speak of this Buddha-crown's own gathered light, this Sitātapatra mantra, from dawn to dusk, its sounds continuous, one after another, without a single syllable or phrase ever repeated, even across kalpas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, I could never speak of it to its very end."

Commentary: This makes plain, further, this mantra's own inexhaustibility. "Should I speak of this Buddha-crown's own gathered light, this Sitātapatra mantra" briefly restates this mantra's full name once more. Though speaking from the very break of dawn all the way to dusk, its sounds continuous, one after another, spoken without cease, without a single interval of rest, and, throughout this entire span, not a single syllable or phrase ever repeated — even so, across kalpas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, this speaks, in the most emphatic terms, of just how vast its own syllables and phrases truly are, how long such speaking would take, and yet this same function of this mantra could never be spoken of to its very end. Exactly as the Avataṃsaka Sūtra puts it: a single word's own Dharma-gate could never be exhausted, though written out with an ocean's worth of ink. As the Standard Meaning Commentary puts it: this inexhaustibility is spoken here in terms of every buddha's own essential use of it, not in terms of how sentient beings themselves make use of it. This closes the first section, every buddha's own essential use of this mantra.

Sūtra: "This mantra is also called the Tathāgata's own crown."

Commentary: This mantra is not only named the tathāgatagarbha mind, but this mantra is also called the Tathāgata's own crown — showing that it is, at once, most honored and most wondrous, and is thereby able to serve every sentient being's own benefit and reliance.

Sūtra: "You who are still in training, not yet free of the cycle of rebirth, though you may set your mind with utmost sincerity on attaining arhatship — without holding this mantra, seated in the place of practice, wishing your body and mind to stand apart from every demonic affair, there is no such possibility at all."

Commentary: "You who are still in training, not yet free of the cycle of rebirth" — everyone below the third fruit is called "still in training," since, not yet having exhausted the segment-by-segment birth and death, they still belong to this cycle of rebirth. Should such a one set their mind with utmost, most earnest sincerity on attaining arhatship, yet, should they fail to hold this Buddha-crown mantra while seated in this place of cultivating the path, wishing their body and mind to become pure and to stand apart from every demonic affair — this is, quite simply, an utter impossibility. Everything from "without holding" onward states this in reverse, to make plain that only by holding this mantra can one truly stand apart from demonic harm.

Sūtra: "Ānanda, if the beings of any world, of whatever land — writing this mantra on whatever material their own country produces, birch bark, palm leaf, paper, or fine cloth — place it in a scented pouch, then even someone too confused to memorize and recite it, simply by wearing it on the body or keeping it written in the home, will, we should know, be safe from every kind of poison for the rest of their natural life."

Commentary: "Ānanda, if the beings of any world, of whatever land, of whatever country" — "birch bark" is birch-tree bark, treated until thin and soft enough to write upon; "palm leaf" is the leaf of the tāla tree, broad and long enough to write upon; "paper" refers to plain paper, made in this land by pulping bamboo into pulp; and "fine cloth" is woven from the paṭa-flower, likewise fit for writing. As the Standard Meaning Commentary notes: this fine cloth is a product of India, a kind of paper of priceless value, unavailable in this land. Using these same materials — birch bark and the rest — to write out this mantra and place it in a scented pouch, so that it may be carried on the body: such a person, though confused and dull of nature, without the power to memorize it through hearing, unable to recite it from memory, may simply wear it on the body or keep it written in the home, even pasted on a wall, and this will serve equally well. "We should know that such a person" refers exactly to one who wears it on the body or keeps it written in the home. "For the rest of their natural life" means from birth until death. "Safe from every kind of poison" — every poison divides into inner and outer: inwardly, greed, hatred, and delusion, called the three poisons, are gradually transformed through the discipline of holding this mantra; outwardly, vipers, snakes, scorpions, and every venomous creature, through this mantra's own majestic spiritual power, all flee far away — hence, unable to cause harm. This closes the first section, showing that every practitioner must rely on this mantra, and urging them to hold it.

Sūtra: "Ānanda, I will now, once more, speak of this mantra for your sake, that it might rescue and protect the world, bestowing great fearlessness, and bring sentient beings to accomplish transcendent wisdom."

Commentary: This explains at length that this mantra carries the merit both of protecting life and of aiding the path. Ānanda, I spoke earlier of this mantra in terms of every buddha's own essential use of it; now I speak of this same mantra once more for your sake, in terms of how it benefits and is relied upon by sentient beings. First: rescuing and holding in mind every being of the world — amid every terror, one who is able to recite this mantra causes demons and ghosts to cease their disturbance, and attains great fearlessness. Second: for one who aspires to cultivate the samādhi and wisdom of perfect penetration, it causes affliction to cease intruding, so that delusion is severed and realization cultivated, accomplishing transcendent wisdom — exactly as Avalokiteśvara rescues the world, bringing it entirely to peace, while themselves, beyond the world, attaining what abides forever. This closes the first section, broadly setting forth these two meanings.

Sūtra: "Should sentient beings of the final age, after my own passing, be able to recite this themselves, or teach others to recite it, such persons, we should know, cannot be burned by fire, cannot be drowned by water, and cannot be harmed by any poison, great or small."

Commentary: "Should, after my own passing, in the final age" — in this age when the Dharma is weak and demons are strong, sentient beings cultivating practice inevitably meet with many obstructions. Wishing to be free of one's own obstructions, one recites this secret mantra; wishing to free others of theirs, one teaches others to recite this secret mantra. We should know that such persons, whether practicing for themselves or transforming others, equally gain this same benefit. "Cannot be burned by fire, cannot be drowned by water": fire has both an inner and an outer kind, and water, too, has both an inner and an outer kind — inner fire is like the fire of desire, and outer fire arises from conditions, such as fire from the sky; inner water is like the water of craving, and outer water is like the water of a kalpa's own destruction. Relying on this mantra's power, one naturally avoids being burned or drowned by either. "Great poison" is like a spreading plague; "small poison" is like contact with a snake or viper. Every such poison can be turned back through this mantra's own power — hence, "cannot be harmed." This closes the first section, evil conditions unable to cause harm.

Sūtra: "So it continues — even the evil spells of nāgas, ghosts and spirits, essence-spirits and earth-spirits, demons and enchantresses can find no purchase, and the mind attains right absorption. Every curse, hex, toxin, and poison — of metal, of herb, of insect, of serpent, of any substance whatsoever — turns, on entering such a person's mouth, into the taste of sweet dew."

Commentary: "So it continues" introduces this further point, that evil spells find no purchase. "Nāgas" names two of the eight kinds of divine beings. One without merit is called a ghost; one with merit is called a spirit; one who has attained a heavenly numinous power is called an essence-spirit; one who has attained an earthly numinous power is called an earth-spirit; one wholly devoted to obstructing the path is called a demon; and one wholly devoted to deluding others is called an enchantress — every one of these is able to use spells to harm people, hence called "evil spells." Yet when such a one encounters this secret mantra, it is exactly like scattering dust into a following wind — none of it can find any purchase at all. "The mind attains right absorption" means that holding this mantra is itself perfected into samādhi — held until both the holder and what is held are both forgotten, no longer receiving any sensation at all, this is called attaining right absorption. "Curses, hexes, toxins, and poisons": a hex is a corpse-poison, or else creatures kept by the tribes of the southwest — rats, toads, and the like; a toxin is a poison of substance, such as feathers steeped in wine, fatal the instant it touches the lips. Every such hex and toxin, described above, is able to poison and harm a person, and, reinforced by the power of a curse, strikes with unfailing accuracy — yet, since neither deviant experience can move nor evil spell can find purchase against this mantra, this is exactly the ultimate, indestructible samādhi. "Poison of metal, poison of silver": as Wenling puts it, gold and silver, taken as medicine, can themselves generate poison. "Of herb, of insect, of serpent" names these four categories, and "of any substance whatsoever" encompasses the rest. "Turns, on entering such a person's mouth, into the taste of sweet dew" — sweet dew is the divine medicine of deathlessness; whoever drinks it gains great benefit. As the Precious Mirror Commentary puts it: this is like a cauldron containing a numinous elixir, such that even stubborn bronze and blunt iron, placed within it, turn to gold.

Sūtra: "Every evil star, together with every ghost and spirit harboring venomous intent toward others, can raise no evil against such a person; Vināyaka and every great king of evil ghosts, together with their retinues, all receive this same profound kindness, and constantly extend their protection."

Commentary: Every calamitous, evil star, together with every evil ghost and evil spirit harboring venomous intent toward others, concealing a heart bent on disaster, the sort who constantly wound others with a hidden arrow — none of them fail to lose heart at the sight of this same virtuous countenance, and none fail to be transformed at heart by this same compassionate wind; not only are they unable to raise any evil at all, but their very violence is turned to goodness. Vināyaka and every great king of evil ghosts benefit from this mantra's recitation; and their retinues, too, "all receive this same profound kindness," meaning that, having long been transformed by the Buddha and having received the Buddha's own profound kindness, they, in order to repay this kindness, constantly extend their protection to this mantra — and, in protecting this mantra, protect, as well, whoever holds it. This closes the first section, rescue and protection from calamity.

Sūtra: "Ānanda, you should know: this mantra is constantly accompanied by eighty-four thousand nayutas of Ganges-sand koṭis of the race of Vajragarbha bodhisattva-kings, each and every one of them attended by their own multitude of vajra-beings as retinue, in constant attendance day and night. Should there be sentient beings who, with a scattered mind, not yet in samādhi, hold this mantra in mind and recite it with the mouth, these same vajra-kings still constantly follow after them, these good sons — how much more, then, one whose mind is resolutely set on bodhi! These same vajra bodhisattva-kings of this treasury, with utmost sincerity, in hidden swiftness, open and awaken their spiritual awareness. Such a person, at that very moment, becomes able to recall, in mind, events across eighty-four thousand Ganges-sand kalpas, understanding them completely, without the slightest doubt remaining."

Commentary: Everything from here down to "attain no-birth patience" makes plain how this mantra aids the path and brings forth wisdom. What was said earlier, of escaping calamity and standing apart from demons, is certainly within the power reached by these spirit-kings; this passage makes plain that aiding the path further requires the help of bodhisattvas. This mantra is the very seal of every buddha's own mind, and wherever this mantra is present, the Buddha is, in effect, present there as well — hence it is constantly accompanied by this same sagely retinue in attendance. Hence the charge to know: this Buddha-crown mantra is constantly accompanied by eighty-four thousand nayutas of Ganges-sand koṭis of Vajragarbha bodhisattva-kings — a nayuta here translated as ten thousand koṭi, and a koṭi as a hundred million; that is, the number of these bodhisattvas cannot be exhausted even by a hundred million, and so is reckoned again by Ganges-sands; not exhausted even by a hundred million Ganges-sands, it is reckoned again by ten-thousand-koṭis; not exhausted even by ten-thousand-koṭi hundred-million Ganges-sands, it is reckoned once more by eighty-four thousand — this states, in the most emphatic terms, just how vast this number truly is. Manifesting a form of majestic courage, complete with the power to subdue demons, hence called "vajra." Harboring the virtue of this secret treasury, gathering in this vajra multitude, hence called "king of this treasury." "Race" means that these alone, all of a single kind, gather together — hence, "race." Each and every one of them, alike, has its own multitude of vajra-beings as retinue, obeying their command, such as Vajra of the Fiery Head, or Vajra of the Blue Face. This host of sages, in order to protect this mantra, and, together with it, to protect whoever holds this mantra, reverently attends and guards them day and night, exactly as a loving mother guards her infant, never departing from them for a single moment. Should there be sentient beings who, at a time of scattered, disordered mind, without yet abiding in true, fixed samādhi, are merely able to recall this mantra with a scattered mind, or recite this mantra with a disordered mind — though this is not yet holding it with a settled mind, these same vajra-kings still constantly follow after them, in order to repay the Buddha's own kindness, extending this protection all the more generously. Calling them, generally, "good sons" is because their very ability to recall this mantra is itself proof they possess this same root of goodness. "How much more" introduces a statement by contrast: if even beings of deviant or undetermined disposition still receive this protection and following from these vajra-beings, how much more, then, one whose mind is resolutely set on bodhi — turning from the lesser toward the greater, cultivating this perfect penetration of the ear-faculty, aspiring toward unsurpassed bodhi itself. These same vajra bodhisattva-kings of this treasury, wielding the vajra pestle, upholding this secret treasury, are called, variously, vajra bodhisattvas, bodhisattva-kings of this treasury, vajra bodhisattva-kings of this treasury, vajra kings of this treasury bodhisattvas, vajra kings, or vajra treasuries — any of these names may be used alike. Since these bodhisattvas have already attained the tathāgatagarbha mind, having removed delusion down to its own pure essence, and since this is, with the practitioner's own inherently complete tathāgatagarbha mind, originally never two different things at all — though sage and ordinary being differ, mind and essence are mutually attuned, and so are able, through this same shared essence of mind, to act as one. "Hidden" means unseen; "swiftly" means without delay — in this hidden, unseen manner, exactly as two mirrors face each other, sealing mind with mind, swiftly opening and bringing forth this same practitioner's own spiritual awareness, so that, at the very moment, great awakening is attained. This is spiritual awareness opened into understanding. "Such a person" refers exactly to this person whose spiritual awareness has been swiftly, hiddenly opened. At that very moment, their mind becomes able to recall events from eighty-four thousand Ganges-sand kalpas before — every subtle principle understood completely, without the slightest doubt remaining, resembling, in this, the three kinds of higher knowledge. Moreover, reckoning across Ganges-sand kalpas far surpasses even the eighty-thousand-kalpa limit of the lesser vehicle, and so is able to attain knowledge of past lives, and the heavenly eye as well. As Wenling puts it: this is exactly what is meant by "bringing sentient beings to accomplish transcendent wisdom." This closes the first section, bringing forth understanding and clarity.

Sūtra: "From the very first kalpa, all the way to one's own final body, life after life, one is never again born among the yakṣas, rākṣasas, pūtanas, kaṭapūtanas, kumbhāṇḍas, piśācas, and the rest, nor among the hungry ghosts of every kind, whether possessed of form or formless, whether possessed of thought or thoughtless — none of these evil places."

Commentary: This is forever standing apart from evil places. "From the very first kalpa" means from the very moment one first sets the mind on holding this mantra, all the way, skipping over every interval, to one's own final body. "Life after life" means casting off one life and taking up the next; "never again born" among the realms that follow refers to every realm below, since, having attained this understanding and clarity, one has the aid of the path. A yakṣa, or yaksha, is a swift ghost. A rākṣasa, here translated "the fearsome one," is a ghost that devours people. A pūtana, here translated "the foul ghost," governs fevers. A kaṭapūtana, here translated "the extremely foul ghost," governs the most severe fevers. A kumbhāṇḍa, here translated "jar-shaped," is a ghost that induces nightmares. A piśāca, here translated "devourer of vital essence," is able to devour both a person's own vital essence and the essence of the five grains. And every kind of hungry ghost besides — bloated of belly, foul of hair, needle-throated, torch-mouthed, and the rest. "Possessed of form" means possessed of matter, such as the luminous spirits of good and ill omen; "formless" means without matter, such as those scattered and dissolved into emptiness. "Possessed of thought" means uncannily transformed and strange, such as ghosts, spirits, and haunting essences; "thoughtless" means congealed and utterly inert, such as spirit turned to earth, wood, metal, or stone. Every one of these realms above has its own particular suffering, obstructing the sagely path — hence called "evil places." Yet, since one is no longer reborn among them, life after life, the sagely path may be cultivated freely, and it is fitting that the cause be perfected and the fruit fulfilled, arriving at last at this final body.

Sūtra: "Should such a good son read this mantra, recite it, copy it out, write it down, wear it, or keep it stored away, offering to it every kind of ornament, kalpa after kalpa, they will never be born into poverty, low station, or any unwelcome place. And though such a being performs no meritorious deeds of their own, the Tathāgatas of the ten directions bestow on this person every merit and virtue they themselves possess — and so, across Ganges-sand asaṃkhyeyas of kalpas beyond all reckoning, this being is constantly born together with every buddha, in the very same place, this immeasurable merit and virtue clustered together like an akṣa-seed cluster, cultivated together in that same place, never once scattered or parted."

Commentary: "Such a good son" refers to one whose mind is resolutely set on bodhi. Not only is such a person never reborn among the mixed and lower realms, but even among human beings, no unwelcome place is ever their birth again either. Should such a person truly, with this mantra — facing the text is called "reading"; reciting from memory is called "reciting"; writing it out reverently is called "copying"; writing it for convenience is called "writing down"; wearing it on the body is called "wearing"; and storing it in a vessel is called "keeping." "Every kind of ornament of offering" refers to things such as incense, flowers, lamps, unguents, and fruit. "Kalpa after kalpa, never born into poverty or low station": poverty and low station both hinder the path's own accomplishment, and are thus "unwelcome places." Since one is never born into these, one is certainly born, instead, into welcome places — for, by upholding this most honored, supreme dharma of the crown, one thereby draws forth this same most honored fruit of retribution. This explains why such a being comes to be born in the very presence of the buddhas. Truly wishing to be born within the buddha-realm requires, as a rule, that one must cultivate many meritorious causes and conditions. Yet here, though this person performs no meritorious deeds of their own, and is merely able to hold this mantra, the Tathāgatas of the ten directions nonetheless bestow on this person every merit and virtue they themselves possess — this being exactly what this mantra's own power brings about. From "and so" onward, such a being comes to be born in the very presence of the buddhas. Moreover, across Ganges-sand asaṃkhyeyas of kalpas beyond all reckoning, they are born together with every buddha in the very same place — which is exactly what is meant by "constantly in the presence of the buddhas." Everything from "this immeasurable merit and virtue" onward describes, then, the merit and virtue that follows upon this birth: being constantly in the buddhas' own presence, one necessarily and constantly follows the buddhas in study, coming to understand clearly that every buddha is a buddha within sentient beings' own minds, and that sentient beings are, likewise, sentient beings within every buddha's own mind — mind, buddha, and sentient being being, these three, without any difference at all. Like the fruit of the akṣa-seed cluster, three fruits on a single stem, never letting go of one another, cultivated and refined together in this same place, never once scattered or parted.

Sūtra: "And so this mantra is able to cause one who has broken the precepts to become pure again at their very root; one who has not yet received the precepts to receive them; one lacking diligence to become diligent; one without wisdom to attain wisdom; one impure to swiftly become pure; and one who upholds no fast or precept at all to spontaneously accomplish them."

Commentary: As the Detailed Commentary puts it: continuing from the benefits of this mantra described above, this mantra is thereby able to bring every practice to accomplishment. "One who has broken the precepts" is like Ānanda, who, among his eighty thousand practices, transgressed only this one precept; "becomes pure again at their root" is like how Ānanda's own mind remained pure at heart, and so had not yet truly fallen. "One who has not yet received the precepts" is like Mātaṅgī, once a woman of lust; "to receive them" is like how she has now become a bhikṣuṇī of pure conduct. "One lacking diligence" is like Ānanda, devoted solely to hearing much; or like Mātaṅgī, given wholly over to lustful craving; "to become diligent" is like how Ānanda earnestly requested this teaching on samādhi, and Mātaṅgī became a very forest of diligence. "One without wisdom" is like Mātaṅgī, bound in sleep and greedy craving, not knowing this as suffering; "to attain wisdom" is like how Mātaṅgī, together with Rāhula's own mother, awakened together to their shared karmic cause from the past. "One impure" is like Mātaṅgī, before receiving this mantra, her own flame of desire still blazing; "to swiftly become pure" is like how Mātaṅgī, once she had received this mantra, saw her own lustful mind cease at once. Should such a person, though burdened still with karma accumulated in the past, be unable to keep either fast or precept, yet be able only to hold this mantra, then, as the days and months pass, their own karmic hindrances are dissolved, and this same accomplishment comes about naturally, causing fast and precept alike to be perfectly fulfilled. Everything above — "one who has broken the precepts becomes pure again at their root," and the rest — refers, throughout, to the state before holding this mantra, when all these various matters existed; once this mantra is held, relying on this mantra's own merit, one naturally comes to this same accomplishment. Citing simply these two figures, Ānanda and Mātaṅgī, serves as excellent proof of this. As for the final clause, "one who upholds no fast or precept at all spontaneously accomplishes them" — this by no means says that one need not keep the fast and precepts at all, and that they will simply come about of themselves; such an evil habit must certainly still be guarded against. One must understand that the precepts are the very root of unsurpassed bodhi — this saying is, indeed, no empty claim. This closes the fourth section, every practice brought to accomplishment.

Sūtra: "Ānanda, when this good son holds this mantra, should any precept-breaking sin have occurred before receiving it, then, once this mantra is held, every such sin of broken precepts, grave or light, is dissolved all at once. Even should one, in the past, have drunk wine or eaten any of the five pungent roots, or any manner of impure thing, no buddha, bodhisattva, vajra-being, deity, or spirit will hold this against such a person. Even should one wear soiled or ragged clothing, whether walking about or dwelling in one place, all alike is equally pure. And even without constructing a platform, without entering the place of practice, without walking the ritual path at all, simply reciting and holding this mantra is no different at all from the merit of entering the platform and walking this same path. Should one have committed the five heinous crimes bringing uninterrupted retribution, or should monks or nuns have committed the four or eight offenses of expulsion, yet, having recited this mantra, such grave karma, too, like a heap of sand scattered by a fierce wind, is entirely eliminated, without the slightest trace remaining. Ānanda, should sentient beings, across countless kalpas beyond all reckoning, carry every manner of sin and karmic hindrance, light or grave, from lives before this one, not yet repented — should they be able to read, recite, copy, or write out this mantra, wear it on the body, or keep it in the place where they dwell, whether their own household or a garden pavilion, then such accumulated karma is dissolved like snow in boiling water."

Commentary: This makes plain that holding this mantra is able to dissolve every present sin. Ānanda, this good son, holding this mantra, ought naturally to keep the precepts with utmost strictness, since the Buddha has given this clear instruction; yet should there be any transgression of any precept, occurring before this mantra was ever received or held, this belongs to the past. Now that this mantra is held and one begins anew, vowing never to transgress again, every sin of broken precepts previously incurred, grave or light alike, is dissolved all at once. "Grave" refers, in the lesser vehicle, to the first section of offenses, and, in the greater vehicle, to the ten grave offenses; "light" refers, in the lesser vehicle, to the remaining sections, and, in the greater vehicle, to the forty-eight lesser offenses. As the Detailed Commentary puts it, the karman formula itself says: "An evil deed done with an earlier mind is like clouds covering the sun; a good deed arisen with a later mind is like a torch dispelling darkness." Now that it is, indeed, like a torch dispelling darkness, what sin could fail to be dissolved? Hence, "regardless of how light or grave." Even should one, in the past, have drunk wine — though wine itself is not among the meat-and-blood offerings, and has no life of its own, it is nonetheless a cause and condition giving rise to transgression, and is therefore rightly forbidden. Eating any of the five pungent roots — onion, garlic, chive, scallion, and asafoetida — these five, cooked, arouse lust, and, eaten raw, increase anger, extending to every manner of meat, blood, and impure thing. Yet now, once this mantra has been held, no buddha, bodhisattva, vajra-being, deity, or spirit will hold this against such a person, since what is past is no longer counted. Even should one wear soiled clothing or dress in rags — this passage, then, does not restrict one to pure, fresh clothing; and calling it "ragged" does not restrict one to new clothing either; and "walking about" does not restrict one to the six periods of walking the path; nor does "dwelling in one place" restrict one to the three weeks without sleep. This is spoken for the sake of one practicing austere, itinerant conduct, too poor to be fully equipped, lest such a one lose the benefit of reciting this mantra — hence this special allowance, that all alike is equally pure. Following the earlier text, building the platform according to the Dharma and practicing according to this teaching is what accords with the Tathāgata's own pure regulations. Yet here, this person, lacking the means, though unable to build a platform, unable to enter the Śūraṅgama place of practice, and unable to walk this path together with the assembly — the merit gained is nonetheless no different at all. This is the dissolving of even the gravest of sins. Should one, before ever reciting this mantra, have committed these five heinous crimes — killing one's father, killing one's mother, killing an arhat, causing schism within the harmonious saṃgha, or drawing a buddha's blood — one would fall into the five realms of uninterrupted hell, hence called "crimes bringing uninterrupted retribution." And the four offenses of expulsion for monks — killing, stealing, lust, and false speech — the four pārājika offenses. The Sanskrit word pārājika is here translated "expulsion," meaning that whoever commits such an offense is forever expelled beyond the very ocean of the Buddha-dharma, just as the great ocean itself never harbors a corpse within it. The eight offenses of expulsion for nuns include these same four root precepts shared with monks, together with four more: touching, the eight matters, concealment, and following. Fifth, touching, means physical contact with a man of impure mind; sixth, the eight matters, means, with a man of impure mind, holding hands, holding clothing, sitting together in a secluded place, speaking together, walking together, leaning against one another, and making an appointment together — these eight matters; seventh, concealment, means concealing another's own grave offense; and eighth, following, means that, once expelled by the assembly of monks for having failed to undergo this same procedure of communal dwelling, one may not follow along with them for support of clothing and food. Sins such as these are, every one, of the gravest kind, ordinarily beyond any possibility of repentance. Yet should such a person know shame, repent this wrongdoing, and recite this mantra seeking to confess it, then, relying on this mantra's own power, the sin dissolves the very instant it is recalled. "Such grave karma, like a heap of sand" — sand, once gathered into a heap, cannot be scattered except by a fierce wind; yet this secret mantra possesses an unfathomable, majestic spiritual power, and so, like a fierce wind, scatters it the very instant it blows, eliminating it entirely, without the slightest trace remaining. This is the dissolving of even the most distant sin. Ānanda, should sentient beings, across countless kalpas beyond all reckoning — "countless" and "beyond all reckoning" are among the ten great numbers of the Western Regions; a hundred lakhs of lakhs make one "beyond reckoning," and a beyond-reckoning of beyond-reckonings makes one "countless" — carry every manner of sin and karmic hindrance, light or grave: sin is called a "hindrance" because it obstructs true cultivation. "From lives before this one, not yet repented" — repentance, in full, is kṣamā, here translated "confessing one's fault"; "confessing" is the Sanskrit sound, and "fault" is its Chinese meaning, hence cited together, both Chinese and Sanskrit. To confess is to confess one's own past transgression; to acknowledge fault is to acknowledge one's own later wrongdoing. Since this has not yet been repented, it must necessarily obstruct true cultivation; and wishing to cultivate this same samādhi, one must rely on this mantra's own power. Should one be able to read and recite, copy and write out this mantra, wearing it on the body — reading and reciting it so that, rising or sitting, one never forgets it; copying and writing it out so that, meeting the eye, it strikes the heart — or keep it in the place where one dwells, whether household or garden pavilion — a household being where one dwells constantly, a garden pavilion being where one rests temporarily — then such karma, accumulated across these countless kalpas beyond all reckoning, relying on this mantra's own meritorious power, is swiftly eliminated, exactly like snow dissolved by boiling water. This closes the fifth section, every sin dissolved.

Sūtra: "Before long, all such beings attain the patient acceptance of the non-arising of all dharmas."

Commentary: As the Standard Meaning Commentary puts it: in the perfect, real teaching, this patience is already realized at the very first abiding; in the gradual teaching, it belongs only to the bodhisattva grounds. Examined against the bringing-forth of understanding described earlier, that was brought forth through the accomplishment of a settled mind; this awakening to non-arising is brought forth through the accomplishment of a wise mind. The earlier passage spoke only of understanding without confusion, not necessarily of true realization that the ten thousand dharmas are without arising — one should understand that this later stage surpasses the earlier one, and, all the more, that once this patience is attained, both offense and merit alike are empty, every distinction between sage and ordinary being exhausted, demon and buddha become one and the same — only then can one travel freely through every evil and suffering realm, without obstruction and without discrimination. One thus knows that this section surpasses every section before it, and stands as the true accomplishment of aiding the path! And what is called "transcendent wisdom" is brought to its beginning by this bringing-forth of understanding, and brought to its very completion by this awakening to non-arising. Examining these six sections: the first four belong to the siddhānta of bringing forth goodness for beings; the fifth belongs to the siddhānta of counteracting and destroying evil; and the sixth belongs to the siddhānta of entering ultimate truth itself. And the earlier rescue from calamity, together with the later fulfillment of wishes, belong to the siddhānta of worldly delight — the rest may be understood by the same pattern. As the Detailed Commentary puts it: once past hindrances are dissolved, this samādhi is accomplished — hence, "before long, this patience is attained." Compare this with the earlier passage on both being empty and without arising. And, checking against the later text, this properly corresponds to the third of the gradual stages, and should by no means be read as referring to the eighth ground. This closes the second section, aiding the accomplishment of the path.

Sūtra: "Furthermore, Ānanda, should any woman who has not yet borne a son or daughter wish to conceive, and be able, with utmost sincerity, to recall this mantra in mind, or else simply wear this Sitātapatra mantra on the body, she will bear a son or daughter blessed with both merit and wisdom. Should one seek long life, long life is attained; should one wish this same fruit of retribution to be swiftly fulfilled, it is swiftly fulfilled; body, life, complexion, and strength likewise follow in just this way. And after this life ends, one is reborn, according to one's own wish, in any land of the ten directions, certainly never born in any border region or low station — how much less, then, in any misshapen form at all!"

Commentary: This is the fulfillment of what is wished for. Because such a person, unfamiliar with the Buddha-dharma, seeks only worldly blessing and happiness. Should any woman, never yet having borne a son or raised a daughter, wish to conceive — conceiving means becoming pregnant. Should she be able, with a heart of utmost sincerity, to recall this mantra in mind — recalling means constantly keeping it in memory, and reciting means constantly holding it in mind — what she seeks will naturally all be fulfilled. And should her own disposition be somewhat dull, unable to recall it in mind, and she is only able to wear this Sitātapatra mantra on the body, this, too, gains the very same effect. In the past, not having borne a son or daughter, she might have feared being abandoned by her husband; now, she will bear a son or daughter blessed with both merit and wisdom — blessed with merit means wealthy and kind; blessed with wisdom means clever and worthy — and this is the fulfillment of this wish for a son or daughter. "Should one seek long life" — clinging to life and fearing death is the common disposition of every person, whether noble or humble, rich or poor, all wishing to live a hundred years free of illness, forever enjoying a long life span. One able to recite and hold this sacred mantra thereby attains long life. "Should one wish this fruit of retribution to be swiftly fulfilled" — such fruits of retribution divide into two kinds, worldly benefit and cultivation of the path; what is meant here resembles worldly benefit. As for cultivation of the path, the section above, on bringing forth understanding and clarity, on swiftly attaining non-arising, already describes this cultivation as fulfilled. "Body, life, complexion, and strength likewise follow in just this way" — this refers to this same worldly fruit of benefit, meaning bodily health, extended lifespan, an upright and radiant complexion, and vigorous physical strength. "Likewise follow in just this way" refers to this same fruit of retribution described above, swiftly fulfilled. This is spoken for one of dull faculties and lesser capacity, who does not know that holding this mantra is itself the cause of buddhahood yet to come, and seeks only the benefit of this physical body — and so this wish, too, is fulfilled. This is the wish to be reborn after this present life. "This life ends" means that the prior aggregate-body has already dissolved, and the next has not yet formed. One is reborn, according to one's own wish, in any pure land of the buddhas of the ten directions, this wish fulfilled entirely through the power of holding this mantra. Certainly never born in a border region or low station — if one is not even born there, in a border region or low station, how much less, then, in hell, as a hungry ghost, or in any other misshapen, differently retributed form at all? As the Detailed Commentary puts it: the Great Compassion Sūtra states, "Whoever recites and holds the Great Compassion Mantra, should they not be reborn in a buddha's own land, I vow never to attain true awakening." That vow, however, is joined to a bodhisattva's own power of vow; this one is joined to every buddha's own power of mind, since this mantra is every buddha's own mind-mantra, and whoever holds this mantra will certainly be held in mind and protected by every buddha. This closes the first section, showing these benefits for beings, each in turn.

Sūtra: "Ānanda, should any land — its provinces, counties, and villages — suffer famine, plague, warfare, banditry, strife and contention, or any other place of calamity and hardship, write out this mantra and place it at the four gates of the city, and also at every shrine, or atop every banner-pillar, so that the beings of that land may welcome and receive this mantra, bow to it in reverence, and, with a single mind, make offering to it — causing the people, each and every one, to wear it on the body, or to place it, each and every one, in the place where they dwell — every calamity and hardship will thereby be entirely dissolved."

Commentary: This makes plain, directly, that this mantra is able to protect the nation and give the people peace, turning misfortune into fortune. Should any land, within its own territory — "provinces" and "counties" being subdivisions of a nation's own governance, and "villages" being settlements where people gather, themselves governed under these provinces and counties — suffer famine, meaning that the five grains and every plant fail to grow, this being the calamity of famine; or plague, an epidemic being the untimely energy of the four seasons, which, when contracted, becomes illness, this being the calamity of plague; or warfare, meaning unrest at the borders; or banditry, meaning a household or nation without peace; or strife and contention, meaning chaos stirred up by petty troublemakers — these all being calamities of warfare; or any other place of calamity and hardship besides, such as prolonged rain bringing disaster, drought bringing famine, locusts running rampant, wind and hail arriving in season — anything, in short, that brings harm to sentient beings. Write out this mantra and place it at the four gates of the city — the very places through which everyone must pass; and also at every shrine, meaning, in general, every place fit for offering, that is, every pure buddha-realm; or atop every banner-pillar — a banner-pillar being what is meant by a banner such as the Supreme Banner or the Dhāraṇī Banner. Causing the beings of that land to bow in reverence, all alike of one mind, offering with utmost sincerity. Causing the people, each and every one, to wear this mantra on the body, or to place it, each and every one, in offering in the place where they dwell — every calamity, hardship, and danger will thereby be entirely dissolved, and cruelty and violence may naturally be transformed into auspicious harmony.

Sūtra: "Ānanda, in every place, in whatever land, wherever this mantra is present, nāgas and devas rejoice, wind and rain arrive in their proper season, the five grains flourish in abundance, and the multitudes of the people dwell in peace and happiness."

Commentary: In whatever place, in whatever land, wherever the beings of that land ought to have this mantra — wherever this mantra is present, and its people are able to receive and uphold it in faith — this moves the nāgas and devas to rejoice, and wind and rain then arrive in their proper season, just as in the flourishing ages of antiquity, five days of wind and ten of rain. From this, the five grains are gathered in, abundant and full. "Multitudes," a myriad meaning ten billion, and "the people," meaning the multitude — the classics of this land use "the multitude" to mean the common people; here, "the multitudes of the people" simply refers to how numerous the people are, not to any fixed number. "Dwell in peace and happiness" means that each dwells settled in their own occupation, content in their own work.

Sūtra: "This mantra is further able to subdue every evil star, whatever direction its calamitous transformation may appear in, so that disaster and hardship never arise, no one meets an unnatural death, no one is bound in shackles, fetters, or chains, and all sleep peacefully, day and night, forever free of evil dreams. Ānanda, in this sahā world there are eighty-four thousand calamitous, evil stars, with twenty-eight great evil stars foremost among them, and, further, eight great evil stars as their own chief rulers — taking on every manner of form, and, whenever they appear in the world, able to give rise to every kind of calamity and strange misfortune among sentient beings. Wherever this mantra is present, all such things are entirely dissolved. Within a radius of twelve yojanas, this becomes a bounded, protected ground, and every such calamity and inauspicious sign can never enter it at all."

Commentary: "Subdue" means to press down — this sacred mantra is further able to press down and subdue every evil star. Each star governs its own direction, hence "whatever direction." "Calamitous transformation" means that departing from the ordinary is called "transformation," and differing from the rest is called "calamitous" — such as comets and shooting stars appearing according to whatever direction they are drawn toward; the beings of that land, who would ordinarily neither see nor hear of such things at all. For human affairs unfold below, while the way of heaven answers from above — yet, once such calamitous transformations no longer arise, disaster and hardship naturally cease to arise as well. Since disaster does not arise, each person fulfills their own natural years — hence, "no one meets an unnatural death"; and since hardship does not arise, all remain at peace with one another, without incident — hence, "no one is bound in shackles, fetters, or chains." "All sleep peacefully, day and night, forever free of evil dreams" — day is the time of waking, and night is the time of lying down; sleeping peacefully means free of troubling dreams. Once disaster and hardship are both absent, one naturally lies down in peace and wakes in peace, and even one's dreams, too, are at peace. "Sahā world" means this world of the five turbidities, and so it has these evil stars; a pure land has none. "Eighty-four thousand" is the total number of stars arrayed around the heavens, corresponding to the number of afflictions of sentient beings. "Calamitous, evil stars" — these stars are not evil of themselves; it is because of calamity that they undergo this transformation, hence, "calamitous, evil stars." The twenty-eight correspond to the four directions taken as the warp, and the eight great stars correspond to what follows this same warp as the weft. As for these twenty-eight stars, Buddhist scripture and worldly classics largely agree, with minor differences of naming, region by region. It may be that Buddhist reckoning follows calamitous transformation, while the worldly classics follow ordinary, fixed positions — meaning that when a land is peaceful and settled, each group of seven, across all four directions, remains in its own fixed place; but when disaster is about to arise, these four groups of seven shift and cross one another, coming together to command all eighty-four thousand stars as their foremost leaders. There are, further, eight great evil stars, variously identified with the five visible planets together with the lunar nodes and the comet. These serve as chief rulers over the eighty-four thousand, with the twenty-eight great evil stars serving as their commanders — arrayed above as celestial signs, answering below in human affairs; when followed, they answer with good fortune, and when defied, with misfortune — exactly what the Confucian classics mean in saying, follow the way and gain good fortune, defy it and meet with misfortune. Taking on every manner of form — such as strange portents in water or sky, or omens appearing as a child chanting some prophetic rhyme, and so on — whenever they appear in the world, they are able to give rise to every kind of calamity and extraordinary, unpredictable misfortune among all sentient beings. As Wenling puts it: since this mantra's power accords with every good fortune, every calamitous transformation is entirely dissolved in the heavens themselves, and neither disaster nor inauspicious sign can ever enter this same territory. Wherever this secret mantra is present, misfortune may thus be turned back into fortune, and every calamitous sign is entirely dissolved. A yojana, here translated "a stage," resembles a relay station in this land — the distance a wheel-turning king would cover in one day's royal progress, before resting for the night. A yojana comes in three sizes, greater, middle, and lesser. "Becomes a bounded, protected ground" means that a hundred numinous beings shelter and protect it. "Every calamity and inauspicious sign can never enter it" — an "omen," here, is a portent, whether of good fortune or ill; and "inauspicious sign" here properly means an ill omen, not taking the sense of a good one. This closes the second section, explaining at length the reasons this mantra protects life and aids the path.

Sūtra: "For this very reason, the Tathāgata proclaims this mantra, that it might, in ages yet to come, protect beginning students, every practitioner, so that, entering samādhi, body and mind become at ease, attaining great peace and stability."

Commentary: Continuing from how holding this mantra brings about every benefit described above, for this very reason the Tathāgata proclaims this mantra, leaving it for ages yet to come, to protect those newly setting their minds on this study. Not speaking of the present age is because, in the present age, while the Buddha still lives in the world, demons cannot gain any opening; nor does it speak of those long in practice, since one long in practice already has the strength to subdue demons. "Entering samādhi" means entering true, fixed absorption through the perfect penetration of the ear-faculty. "Body and mind become at ease" means that both inner and outer, body and mind, are liberated and at ease, attaining great peace and stability.

Sūtra: "Never again will any demon or ghost or spirit, or any beginningless enmity, calamity, misfortune, old karma, or outstanding debt, come to trouble or harm this person."

Commentary: "Never again any" refers to the protective power of this mantra. "Every demon or ghost or spirit" is as described in the later section on the states of the aggregate-demons. And no beginningless enmity, calamitous misfortune from the past, or old, unresolved karmic debt will come to trouble or harm this person's own body and mind, so that samādhi fails to be accomplished.

Sūtra: "You, and every one among this assembly still in training, and every practitioner in ages yet to come, relying on my own platform of practice, keeping the precepts according to the Dharma, whatever precept-master one receives them from, encountering a pure monastic, holding this mantra-mind, will give rise to no doubt or regret."

Commentary: "You, and every one among this assembly still in training" refers to the assembly below the third fruit. "And every practitioner in ages yet to come" — those yet to come still require this protection, and this present assembly, all the more, ought to receive it in faith — relying on my own platform of practice, according to the ritual regulations I have set forth, keeping the precepts according to the Dharma, spotless as ice and frost. Whatever precept-master one receives them from, encountering a pure monastic, holding this mantra-mind, will give rise to no doubt or regret. As the Standard Meaning Commentary puts it: not committing these four faults — first, an improper platform; second, a lapse in the precepts; third, an impure teacher; fourth, doubt and regret — should even one of these four be committed, it becomes difficult to attain realization in this very life, and only a distant cause is planted instead.

Sūtra: "Should this good son, within this very body born of father and mother, fail to attain this mind's own penetration, then everything the Tathāgatas of the ten directions have taught would amount to nothing but false speech."

Commentary: Should this good son, committing none of these four faults, fail, within this very body of the five aggregates now present, born of father and mother — not waiting for some later body — to attain this ground of mind, understanding clearly this tathāgatagarbha mind and thereby attaining perfect penetration, then everything the Tathāgatas of the ten directions have taught would amount to nothing but false speech. As the Detailed Commentary puts it: this "mind's own penetration" means precisely this ground of mind opened and penetrated. Should one truly accomplish what is described above, committing none of these four faults, this ground of mind naturally opens and penetrates; and should one's own strength prove not yet sufficient, one will certainly still receive the Buddha's own direct assistance — exactly as described earlier, in the brief showing of samādhi and wisdom: "I will myself manifest a body, come before that person, touch their crown, and comfort them, causing them to awaken" — this is exactly what is meant. I would say, further: should one attain realization through one's own strength, one will certainly attain the perfect understanding, greatly opened — exactly as described earlier, after the three weeks of samādhi: "seated upright, dwelling in stillness, across a hundred days, one of sharp faculties, without even rising from the seat, attains the fruit of stream-entry." Having attained this first fruit, one is able to sever views and confusion — exactly as Ānanda, having attained the position of the first fruit, by the end of the third fascicle of this very sūtra, attained a vast and perfect understanding, said to attain the dharma-body without passing through countless kalpas — meaning that, even though the sagely fruit itself is not yet accomplished in body and mind, one knows with certainty, beyond any doubt, that buddhahood will be attained. And should one's own mind and this essence become fully attuned, one will certainly attain knowledge of past lives as well — exactly as described earlier, in the perfect realization of understanding and clarity: "such a person, at that very moment, becomes able to recall, in mind, events across eighty-four thousand Ganges-sand kalpas, understanding them completely, without the slightest doubt remaining." This closes the second section, broadly displaying every power of this mantra. This, together with the larger section above, closes the second section, the Tathāgata speaking once more.

Sūtra: "Having spoken these words, the vajra-beings within the assembly, numbering in the countless hundreds of thousands, all at once, before the Buddha, joined their palms and bowed their heads to the ground, saying to the Buddha: 'Exactly as the Buddha has said, we will, with utmost sincerity, protect all those who cultivate bodhi in just this way.'"

Commentary: "Vajra-beings" are exactly those who wield the vajra pestle in hand, this host of mighty warriors. "Countless hundreds of thousands" states, in the most emphatic terms, just how numerous they are. All at once, before the Buddha, they joined their palms and bowed their heads to the ground, saying to the Buddha: exactly as the Buddha has said, this mantra carries such benefit as this; we will, with utmost sincerity, protect and uphold all those who cultivate bodhi in just this way — meaning those who cultivate the perfect penetration of the ear-faculty, thereby attaining this true, fixed samādhi of bodhi. Through protecting this mantra, one protects, as well, whoever holds it — these, too, belong to the same category as the retinue of this treasury-king, not the bodhisattvas spoken of in the text further on.

Sūtra: "At that time, Brahmā, together with Śakra, lord of the devas, and the four great heavenly kings, likewise bowed together before the Buddha, saying to the Buddha: 'Should there truly be such a good person, cultivating and studying in just this way, we will exert our utmost sincerity, protecting and guarding them, so that, throughout this one lifetime, everything they undertake is fulfilled according to their own wish.'"

Commentary: Brahmā and Śakra, these two heavenly rulers of highest rank, together with the four heavenly kings, ministers under Śakra's own command, likewise bowed together before the Buddha at that time, saying to the Buddha: "should there truly be" — truly, meaning genuinely — such a person truly holding this mantra, cultivating and studying the perfect penetration of the ear-faculty, this is exactly a person of pure and complete goodness; we will exert our utmost, most sincere effort, upholding and protecting them, so that, throughout this one lifetime, whatever they undertake is entirely fulfilled according to their own wish. As the Detailed Commentary puts it: "throughout this one lifetime, everything fulfilled according to their own wish" means attaining perfect bodhi within this very body, exactly what is meant by attaining the dharma-body without passing through countless kalpas. As the Standard Meaning Commentary puts it: this fulfillment within one lifetime means bringing about realization and this mind's own penetration within this present life — this belongs to the siddhānta of entering ultimate truth. Should this instead be read as fulfillment in every worldly matter, then it would belong to the remaining three siddhāntas.

Sūtra: "There were, further, countless great generals among the yakṣas, kings of the rākṣasas, kings of the pūtanas, kings of the kumbhāṇḍas, kings of the piśācas, Vināyaka, every great king among the ghosts, and every commander among the ghosts, who likewise, before the Buddha, joined their palms and bowed their heads to the ground, saying: 'We, too, vow to protect and uphold this person, so that their own mind of bodhi swiftly comes to perfect fulfillment.'"

Commentary: Calling them "great general" or "king" here, in every case, carries this same meaning of a chief ruler. They likewise bowed before the Buddha, giving rise to this vow, to protect and uphold this same person reciting and cultivating this mantra. "So that their own mind of bodhi swiftly comes to perfect fulfillment" means that this mind seeking buddhahood above swiftly comes to perfect accomplishment.

Sūtra: "There were, further, countless sons of heaven of the sun and moon, the lord of rain, the lord of clouds, the lord of thunder, together with the elder of lightning, the officials who patrol the years, and the retinues of every star, who likewise, within the assembly, bowed their heads at the Buddha's feet, saying to the Buddha: 'We, too, protect this practitioner, establishing this place of practice, so that they attain freedom from every fear.'"

Commentary: The sun and moon are the very rulers illuminating this world — each single world of four continents has its own pair of sun and moon, hence "countless." Wind, rain, cloud, and thunder are each called a "lord," and lightning is called an "elder," meaning an elder in rank — these, too, are titles of a chief ruler. "The officials who patrol the years" are those who govern the years and oversee the months, surveying every good and evil deed among humankind, resembling the twelve palace-spirits. They, too, within the assembly, bowed their heads at the Buddha's feet, saying to the Buddha: seeing this virtue, they, too, wished to emulate it, likewise vowing to protect this practitioner cultivating the perfect penetration of the ear-faculty — establishing this Śūraṅgama place of practice, so that this person may take realization within the appointed time, their mind at peace as the sea itself, attaining freedom from every fear.

Sūtra: "There were, further, countless mountain spirits, sea spirits, and every spirit of the earth, of water, land, and sky, and every essence-spirit of the ten thousand things, together with the king of the wind-spirits, and the heavens of the formless realm, who, before the Tathāgata, all at once bowed their heads, saying to the Buddha: 'We, too, protect this practitioner, so that they accomplish bodhi, forever free of demonic affairs.'"

Commentary: "Countless mountain spirits" means the spirits ruling over mountains, such as those of the five great peaks; "sea spirits" means the spirits ruling over the sea, such as those of the four great rivers; "spirit of the earth" means the spirit ruling over the earth, such as the earth-spirit of unshakable firmness. "Of water, land, and sky" names these three realms, so as to encompass every spirit within them. "Every essence-spirit of the ten thousand things" means such spirits as those of medicinal herbs, forest trees, or sprouting crops. Everything above belongs to the visible kind; what follows belongs to the invisible kind. "The king of the wind-spirits" means the spirit ruling over the wind; "the heavens of the formless realm" means the four heavens without form. "Before the Tathāgata, all at once bowed their heads, saying to the Buddha" — one might ask: how could the king of the wind-spirits, or the heavens of the formless realm, bow their heads at all? The answer is: these formless deities, reflected momentarily within the Tathāgata's own light, are thereby made to appear for a time, and thereby, too, receive this same joy. As the Nirvāṇa Sūtra states: were the heaven of neither-thought-nor-non-thought and the rest truly without form, how could they possibly come and go, advance and stop at all? And the Āgama states: when Śāriputra passed into extinction, the heavens of the formless realm wept tears like rain — all of this making plain that they are without coarse form, yet possess a subtle form nonetheless. Hence the Antarābhava Sūtra states that the heavens of the formless realm bow in worship before the World-Honored One — and this same bowing of the head here is exactly this same worship. "We, too, protect this practitioner, so that they accomplish unsurpassed bodhi, forever free, throughout, of any demonic affair." This closes the first section, protection upheld by this outer assembly.

Sūtra: "At that time, the eighty-four thousand nayutas of Ganges-sand koṭis of Vajragarbha bodhisattva-kings, within this great assembly, at once rose from their seats, bowed their heads at the Buddha's feet, and said to the Buddha: 'World-Honored One! As for beings such as ourselves, our own accomplished merit and work, we have long since accomplished bodhi; yet we do not take up nirvāṇa, and instead constantly follow this same mantra, rescuing and protecting every true practitioner of the final age who cultivates this samādhi.'"

Commentary: This makes plain that these inner sages, the Vajragarbha bodhisattva-kings, vow to protect this mantra. As the Standard Meaning Commentary puts it: having realized the truth of ultimate indestructibility, they are called "vajra"; concealing this secret trace, upholding and protecting it, they are called "treasury"; their compassionate majesty especially supreme, both subduing and gathering in practiced side by side, they are called "king." Appearing as a bodhisattva is their ordinary manner; when subduing demons, they manifest, instead, this same wrathful form of a vajra-being wielding the pestle. As the Precious Mirror Commentary puts it: these "Vajragarbha kings" take their very name from this same tathāgatagarbha mind of ultimate indestructibility, its whole substance and great function. For this Śūraṅgama samādhi is also named the vajra samādhi, and so it is that bodhisattvas of the grounds, in breaking through fundamental ignorance, all employ this same correct wisdom of the vajra, since this root ignorance is the subtlest and most obstinate of all, and nothing but vajra's own correct wisdom is able to break through it. This mantra-mind, too, is called "vajra" for this same reason, since it flows forth from within the Tathāgata's own vajra mind. Hence it is able to remove past hindrances, break through ignorance, and turn back the toil of the senses, thereby becoming this same protector of the Dharma — and so these eighty-four thousand beings of vajra correct wisdom constantly follow and guard it. "World-Honored One, as for beings such as ourselves" refers to these fellow-practicing bodhisattvas. "Our own accomplished merit and work" — having, through every stage, long since severed delusion and attained realization, we ought, by rights, to have accomplished bodhi already; yet, at present, we do not take up bodhi and enter nirvāṇa, but instead truly abide within the three secret treasuries, constantly following this mantra, rescuing and protecting the final age, cultivating this same samādhi — referring to those who cultivate this perfect penetration. "True practitioners" means those who keep the precepts and hold this mantra, thereby truly standing apart from demons and obstruction — this being true practice. This shows that they do not abandon sentient beings, but, carrying this fruit while still practicing this cause, fulfill this same original vow to protect all beings.

Sūtra: "World-Honored One! Such a one, cultivating this mind, seeking true samādhi, whether seated within the place of practice, or walking about elsewhere, or even with a scattered mind, wandering and playing about the village — our own multitude of followers will constantly follow after them, attending and guarding this person. Even should Māra, lord of the highest heaven of the desire realm, or the deva of great sovereignty, seek some opening against them, in the end, none can ever be found. Every lesser demon and spirit stays ten yojanas distant from this good person — except those who have themselves set their minds on delighting in the cultivation of meditation. World-Honored One! Should such evil demons, or any demon's own retinue, wish to come and encroach upon or trouble this good person, we will, with our own precious pestle, shatter their heads to dust, and will constantly cause this person's every undertaking to be fulfilled according to their own wish."

Commentary: World-Honored One, such a one, cultivating this mind, seeking to attain this true Śūraṅgama samādhi, whether seated in stillness within the place of practice, devoted wholly to this practice of reverse-hearing, or, elsewhere, walking the path, reciting and holding this secret mantra-mind — this is a being of the truly settled group; or even with a scattered mind, wandering and playing about the village — meaning one who wishes to attain true samādhi yet is unable to gather in the mind, and so, even with a scattered mind, does not forget to recite this mantra — this is a being of the undetermined group; or one idly wandering and playing about, amid the gathered smoke of human dwellings, in the village itself — this is a being of the wrongly settled group. "Our own multitude of followers" refers to these same retinues under our own command, as described earlier: "each and every one of them has its own multitude of vajra-beings as retinue." And, as described earlier as well: "should there be sentient beings, with a scattered mind" — this is the undetermined group; "not yet in samādhi" — this is the wrongly settled group; "hold this mantra in mind and recite it with the mouth, these same vajra-kings still constantly follow after them — how much more, then, one whose mind is resolutely set on bodhi" — this is the truly settled group. This states plainly that all alike receive this same protection — hence, "will constantly follow after them, attending and guarding this person" — this, too, showing this same profound intent, undertaken both for the sake of the Dharma and for the sake of this person. "Māra, lord of the highest heaven of the desire realm" and "the deva of great sovereignty, at the summit of the form realm" — this Maheśvara deva-king, three-eyed, eight-armed, riding a white bull, holding a white whisk. These two demon-kings, attached to worldly toil, delight in disturbing true cultivation; yet, seeking some opening, in the end, none can ever be found — for no gap can be exploited, since these bodhisattvas rescue and protect against it. "Every lesser demon and spirit" refers to demon-subjects, demon-consorts, and the like; "stays distant" means to keep apart — apart from this good person, by ten yojanas — as described earlier: wherever this mantra is present, twelve yojanas become a bounded, protected ground. "Except those who have themselves set their minds on delighting in the cultivation of meditation" — even among these demons and spirits, some, too, have set their minds on bodhi, delighting in the cultivation of meditation, wishing to draw near this practitioner and cultivate alongside them — and so these are not driven away, but are, instead, permitted to follow along. World-Honored One, such evil demons refers to these two demon-kings described above, constantly wishing to trouble and harm true cultivation, hence called "evil demons." "Any demon's own retinue" refers to these lesser demons and spirits described above, their own companions, hence called "retinue." Should they wish to come and encroach upon or trouble this good person, cultivating this samādhi — we will, with our own precious pestle, shatter their heads to dust: to shatter is to destroy; struck with this pestle, their heads are shattered at once, without even needing to touch them. "And will constantly cause this person's every undertaking to be fulfilled according to their own wish" — "constantly" means at all times; at all times rescuing and protecting this person, so that whatever they cultivate and undertake is entirely fulfilled as wished, free of every hindrance and difficulty — hence, "fulfilled according to their own wish." As the Detailed Commentary raises this question: bodhisattvas take compassion as their very root, and the ten grave precepts place the precept against killing foremost among them — how much more, then, given that the Four Clear Instructions are still fresh in our ears — how could such a vow as this be raised so suddenly? Should this not draw the Buddha's own reproach? And should this pestle truly shatter their heads, would this not itself be killing, a violation of this same compassion — how, then, could this accord with a bodhisattva's own conduct at all? The answer: just as a parent, toward their own children, expresses both laughter and scolding alike as forms of teaching and guidance, so, too, a bodhisattva, toward sentient beings, expresses both subduing and gathering-in alike as forms of rescue and salvation. One should understand, then, that this shattering of heads with the pestle carries, at root, no anger at all; and this constant fulfillment of wishes carries, likewise, no ordinary fondness either — only toward a person such as this could such a vow as this ever be raised, and the Tathāgata does not reproach it, not without reason. Let none, then, mistake this great roc for some small quail. As the Standard Meaning Commentary puts it, in final summary: from the very beginning, this request to build the platform of flowers, all the way to this present passage, together constitute what may be called the complete cycle of skillful direct and auxiliary practice. Now, though both are, at root, the most preliminary of skillful means, this direct entry through the gate of the ear is the true, direct practice, while this building of the platform and holding of the mantra are, both alike, auxiliary practice. One thus knows that, among practitioners of skillful means, there are, by nature, those of sharper and those of duller faculty: one somewhat sharper need not rely on this platform and the rest as auxiliary aid at all, but is naturally able to cast off entanglement and enter perfect penetration directly, exactly as Ānanda himself did; while one somewhat duller, unable to enter so swiftly, must then make use of this latter approach as an aid. One might ask: since this constitutes one complete cycle, why is there no account here of anyone actually attaining awakening or realization? The answer: awakening and realization belong properly to the end of the direct practice itself; this passage speaks only of auxiliary practice, and so no account of awakening or realization appears here. As for its place within the sūtra's own title, among these four true dharmas, this passage belongs, properly, to cultivation and realization of complete meaning alone. This closes this second major section, the request to speak this mantra once more. Together with the larger section above, this closes the very use of the hidden bestowal in selecting this root faculty. And, joined further with the larger section of the main body of the teaching before it — the third of Master Yuanying's own three sections, expounding the practice of this samādhi, causing entry through this one single gate of the ear-faculty — this, too, now comes to its close.