輪相表法第一(占察云。此相能壞邪見疑網。轉向正道。到安隱處。是故名輪。)
Chapter 1: The Divination Symbol's Teaching
輪如占察輪相。而作六面。以那謨阿彌陀佛六字。順次右旋。刻於六面。置輪掌心。仰手旁擲。表從凡入聖轉惡成善。十法界無不會歸究竟也。
Make a divination wheel with six sides. Carve the six characters "Na Mo A Mi Tuo Fo" in order, moving clockwise from right to left, one character on each side. Hold the wheel in your palm, then toss it with your hand facing upward and to the side. This symbolizes the journey from ordinary being to enlightened being, the transformation of evil into good. In the end, all beings in the ten realms of existence return to this ultimate reality.
那謨表惡 阿彌陀佛表善
Namo Amitabha represents the defilement of evil; Amitabha Buddha represents the purity of virtue.
那表屬見煩惱。亦名分別惑。亦名見惑。(邪見分別所起惑故。)亦名見所斷惑。(見真諦道時。此惑頓斷故。)謨表屬愛煩惱。亦名俱生惑。亦名思惑。(不由分別。任運起故。)亦名修所斷惑。(微細難斷須見道後修無漏道。乃漸斷故。)
The table pertains to afflictions of views, also called discriminative delusions or view-delusions. (These arise from false views and discrimination.) They are also known as delusions eradicated by seeing the truth, (Because these delusions are cut off all at once when one perceives the ultimate truth.)
"Mo" in the table pertains to afflictions of craving, also called innate delusions or thought-delusions. (They arise spontaneously, not through discrimination.) They are also known as delusions eradicated by cultivation, (Because they are subtle and hard to cut off, requiring the cultivation of the undefiled path after seeing the truth to gradually eliminate them.)
阿表施善 彌表戒善 陀表定善 佛表善慧(或阿彌陀。表有漏善。佛表無漏善。)又阿表生滅門 彌表無生滅門陀表次第門 佛表圓頓門
A represents the goodness of giving, Mi represents the goodness of precepts, Tuo represents the goodness of meditation, and Fo (Buddha) represents the goodness of wisdom. (Alternatively, A-mi-tuo represents the goodness of conditioned existence, while Fo (Buddha) represents the goodness of unconditioned existence.) Further, A represents the gate of arising and ceasing, Mi represents the gate of non-arising and non-ceasing, Tuo represents the gate of progressive stages, and Fo (Buddha) represents the gate of perfect and sudden enlightenment.
問。何意不用幺二三四五六。乃用那謨阿彌陀佛六字耶。答。幺二三四五六。不過世間數目。是無記法。不能生善滅惡。那謨阿彌陀佛六字。乃是萬德洪名。一聞佛名。皆得不退轉於無上正等正覺。一稱佛名。能滅八十億劫生死重罪。一念相應一念佛。念念相應念念佛。故用此六字為輪相也。 問。那謨。此翻歸命。亦應是善。何得表惡。答。若但有善無惡。則應有升無降。若須並表善惡。儻不借用那謨二字表惡。豈可反用阿彌陀佛表惡耶。夫論心佛眾生。三無差別。本無善惡之殊。豈有能歸所歸之別。既於生滅門中。剋論返迷歸悟。則眾生為能歸。佛為所歸。所歸當體是善。則能歸當體奚不可表惡乎。 問。何故那表見。謨表愛。答。善則先小而後大。惡則先重而後輕。次第應爾。屬見煩惱過重。屬愛煩惱過輕。故順次表之。 問。何故阿彌陀佛四字用表施戒禪慧。答。大小乘經。俱明此四。收一切行。罄無不盡。如六度中。忍仍屬戒。精進徧策。又十度後四。並是差別智攝故。(後四度者。七方便。八願。九力。十智。)
**Question:** Why not use the numbers one, two, three, four, five, and six? Why instead use the six syllables "Namo Amitābha Buddha"?
**Answer:** The numbers one through six are merely worldly numerals—they are neutral, unminding *karma* that cannot generate goodness or eliminate evil. The six syllables "Namo Amitābha Buddha" are a great name of myriad virtues. Upon hearing this Buddha’s name, one never regresses from the state of *anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi* (unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment). When one utters this Buddha’s name, it can eradicate eighty eons’ worth of heavy sins of birth and death. One mindful instant, one Buddha; mindful after mindful, Buddha after mindful. Therefore, these six syllables are used as the wheel signs.
**Question:** "Namo" is translated as "to rely on" or "to take refuge," which should itself be good. How can it represent evil?
**Answer:** If there were only good and no evil, things would only ascend and never descend. Since we need to equally represent good and evil, if we didn’t borrow the two syllables "Namo" to represent evil, could we instead use "Amitābha Buddha" to represent evil? In terms of principle, the mind, Buddha, and all beings are three distinctions without any difference—originally, there is no distinction between good and evil. How could there be a separation between one who takes refuge and that which is taken refuge in? Yet, within the gate of arising and ceasing, when we earnestly discuss turning away from delusion and returning to enlightenment, beings become the one who takes refuge and the Buddha becomes the refuge itself. Since the refuge itself is by nature good, how can the one who takes refuge not be used to represent evil?
**Question:** Why does "Na" represent seeing (ordinary, conceptual views), and "Mo" represent desire (craving, attachment)?
**Answer:** In goodness, one starts small and progresses to the large; in evil, one starts heavy and proceeds to the light. The order is appropriate. Views-related afflictions are heavier, while desire-related afflictions are lighter. Thus, they are represented in this sequential order.
**Question:** Why are the four syllables "Amitābha Buddha" used to represent Giving, Precepts, Meditative Concentration, and Wisdom?
**Answer:** Sutras in both the Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna traditions all explain these four items, which encompass all practices without exception. For example, among the Six Perfections (*pāramitās*), patience (*kṣānti*) is still included under the precepts (*śīla*); diligence (*vīrya*) is a universal motivation. The four remaining perfections in the ten-perfection list are all included within the category of discriminative wisdom.(The four remaining perfections: 7) *upāya* (skillful means), 8) *praṇidhāna* (vow), 9) *bala* (power), 10) *jñāna* (knowledge).)
問。何故又表有漏無漏二善。答。布施。持戒。禪定。設無出世智慧。並名有漏。故惟智慧名無漏善。當知以慧導施戒禪。則施戒禪亦無漏矣。又問。亦有世間智慧。如分地息諍等。豈皆無漏。答。世間智慧。不達真諦無漏之理。但名福德。不名般若也。 問。何故又表生滅等四門。答。約出世慧。法爾有此四門。初是三乘鈍根。二是三乘利根。三是大乘鈍根。四是大乘利根。故順次表之也。
Question: Why also show the two kinds of goodness—with and without contamination?
Answer: Giving, keeping precepts, and meditation, if lacking the wisdom that transcends the world, are all called contaminated. Therefore only wisdom is called uncontaminated goodness. You should know that when wisdom guides giving, precepts, and meditation, then giving, precepts, and meditation also become uncontaminated.
Another question: There is also worldly wisdom, such as dividing land and settling disputes—how can it all be uncontaminated?
Answer: Worldly wisdom does not reach the truth of the unconditioned, uncontaminated principle; it is only called merit and virtue, not Prajñā.
Question: Why also show the four approaches of arising and ceasing, and so on?
Answer: Regarding transcendent wisdom, these four approaches naturally exist. The first is the dull faculties of the three vehicles; the second is the sharp faculties of the three vehicles; the third is the dull faculties of the Great Vehicle; and the fourth is the sharp faculties of the Great Vehicle. Thus they are presented in this order.