一嚴道場
Solemn Practice Site
經云。若欲供養藥師如來者。應先造立彼佛形像。敷座安處。散種種華。燒種種香。以種種幢幡。供養其處。此修三昧者通式也。又云。書寫是經。以五色綵。作囊盛之。灑掃淨處。而安處之。以種種香華幡幢。以用供養。此式雖為像法時機。實通正末。涅槃云。所言法者。諸佛所師。若能用者。誠尊而勝。簡而嚴。上中下機。皆可行用。即上供佛。亦宜供經。又云。若有欲脫病人。及餘菑厄者。應造如來像七軀(此謂藥師一佛七軀。非四殑五殑等異佛七軀)。一一像前。各置七燈。一一燈量。大如車輪(灌頂云。七層之燈。一層七燈燈如車輪。則今世樹燈。準此式耳)。自七日至七七日。光明不絕。造五色神旛四十九首。又造續命旛長四十九尺。放四十九生。此式別為回病人已盡之命。并解國家諸種菑難而設也。今有還命息菑諸等機緣。極宜準此。然如是莊嚴。修今出世三昧。外助既勝內證亦速。如無力舉為。但依上式。專供本尊。及本經法。若七佛經。於七佛中隨供一佛。此則通修七佛儀式。又供執金剛像。日別三時。三時衣別。白月八日。至十五日。誦呪等。此則持明四護摩法。皆非今式也。上是經中嚴像式。今當選閑靜堂室。先去舊土。後於淨處。別取新土。用填其地。以香和塗。極令清淨。次於其上。懸新寶葢。葢中懸五色旛幢。徧一室中。皆懸旛綵。正中安藥師像。(若東坐西向。極宜行人瞻對)日光侍左。月光侍右。像前供層輪燈旛。如列藥叉神將於壇隅。最好。其外。圍以勾欄。或廂簾等。慮地卑濕。敷設薦蓆。次以建首日前(須用齋日)。取無蟲水。加持本呪一百八徧。散灑四方上下。以為結界。行者十人以還。多則煩雜。供養者。經云隨力所能。既云隨力。合當竭己資財。日日供養也。其修期者。經云。七日七夜。六時行道。乃至七七日。今分三等。七七日為上。七日為下。三七日為中。今且約三七日。為中行法。若能進上。斯為第一。且此尅日䇿功。是決勝法。若終身無怠。常在其中。奚以是為。又以正修前。加方便修七日。行人于此七日。調攝身心。節制眠食。精明觀道。熟練事儀。至正修時。純一無雜。仍求三寶加護。當進道時。無魔撓也。
The sutra says: If one wishes to make offerings to the Medicine Buddha, one should first create an image of that Buddha, set up a seat for it, scatter various flowers, burn various incenses, and offer various banners and canopies at that place. This is the general procedure for those cultivating this samadhi. It also says: Copy this sutra, wrap it in a bag made of five-colored cloth, sweep and purify a clean place, and place it there, making offerings with various flowers, incenses, banners, and canopies. Although this procedure is geared toward the age of semblances, it truly applies to both the true Dharma and the final age. The Nirvana Sutra says: The Dharma spoken of is the teacher of all Buddhas. If one can put it into practice, it is truly noble and supreme—simple yet solemn. Those of high, middle, and low capacities can all practice it. Just as one makes offerings to the Buddha, so too should one make offerings to the sutra. It also says: If one wishes to free a sick person or relieve other calamities, one should create seven images of the Tathāgata—(this refers to seven images of the single Medicine Buddha, not seven different Buddhas such as the four realms or five realms). Before each image, place seven lamps. Each lamp should be as large as a chariot wheel—(the Guanding Sutra says: a seven-tiered lamp, with seven lamps per tier, each as large as a wheel. The tree lamps used in the present age follow this standard). From seven days to forty-nine days, the light should shine without interruption. Make forty-nine five-colored divine banners, and also make a life-prolonging banner forty-nine feet long. Release forty-nine living beings. This procedure is specifically designed to turn back the exhausted life of a sick person and to relieve various national calamities. For those facing situations of restoring life or averting disasters, this procedure is extremely fitting. Yet with such adornments, when cultivating this transcendental samadhi, when external support is excellent, inner realization will also be swift. If one lacks the resources to carry this out, one may simply follow the above procedure and focus exclusively on venerating the principal deity and this sutra. As for the Seven Buddhas Sutra, one may make offerings to any one of the seven Buddhas—this is the general ritual for the seven Buddhas. As for making offerings to the Vajra-bearing deity, offering three times daily, changing clothes each time, from the eighth day of the white half of the month to the fifteenth day, chanting mantras, and so on—these are methods of the mantra tradition and fire offering rituals, not the current practice. The above is the procedure for adorning statues from the sutra. Now one should select a quiet, pure room. First remove the old soil, then from a clean place take new soil to fill the ground. Mix it with incense and apply it, making it extremely pure. Then above it, hang a new precious canopy. In the center of the canopy, hang five-colored banners and streamers, and throughout the entire room, hang banners and colored cloth. In the center, place the Medicine Buddha image—(if it faces west from an eastern seat, it is extremely suitable for the practitioner to gaze upon). Sunlight Bodhisattva attends on the left, Moonlight Bodhisattva on the right. Before the image, offer tiered wheel lamps and banners. It is best to arrange the Yakṣa generals at the corners of the altar. Outside this, surround it with railings or curtains. If the ground is damp, spread mats. Then, on the day before the practice begins—(a fasting day should be used)—take water free of insects, recite the main mantra over it one hundred and eight times, and sprinkle it in all directions, above and below, as a boundary consecration. Practitioners should number no more than ten; more than that becomes chaotic. As for offerings, the sutra says: give according to one's capacity. Since it says according to capacity, one should exhaust one's own resources to make offerings daily. As for the practice period, the sutra says: for seven days and seven nights, practice in the six periods, up to forty-nine days. This is now divided into three grades: forty-nine days is the highest, seven days the lowest, and twenty-one days the middle. For now, we take twenty-one days as the middle practice method. If one can advance to the highest, that is truly best. Moreover, setting a fixed time to achieve success is a method for certain victory. If one is diligent without rest, always dwelling in this practice, why need such a schedule? Also, before the main practice, add seven days of preliminary practice. During these seven days, the practitioner should regulate body and mind, moderate sleep and food, and with clarity contemplate the path and become familiar with the ceremonial details, so that during the main practice, one is single-minded without distraction. Still, one should seek the protection of the Three Jewels, so that when advancing on the path, no demons will interfere.