妙臂菩薩所問經選求勝處分第二
Chapter 2: The Excellent States
「復次，持誦行人若欲修真言行求成就者，先求諸佛所說佛及菩薩、辟支、聲聞昔所住處，是為勝地。如是等處，常有天、龍、阿修羅等而為守護供養恭敬。何以故？以有天上人間最聖丈夫曾所居止。得此地已，持誦行人亦要清淨身心、律儀具足，常此居止。若無此福地，秖得大河岸邊或小河邊或泉池側，乃至陂濼有清流瀰滿，無諸水族毒惡之類，其側亦得；其處但有蓮華、烏鉢羅花及諸名花異果軟草遍布。或是山中巖窟之所，是處清淨，無諸師子猛獸可畏之類。得是處已，仍須墾掘深一肘量，除去荊棘瓦礫、灰炭鹻鹵、糠骨毛髮、蟲窟之類，乃至掘深不能盡者，亦可棄之更求別處，如前墾掘一肘之量，別填淨土，於上立舍。用淨土作埿，內外埿飾，復以衢摩夷塗地於中，坐臥常在地上，不用床榻之類。其室開門唯得向東、向西或向於北，不得向南。如是造立舍已，隨彼相應所作事業，於彼方所安置尊像。安尊像處先用種種妙香而塗飾之，其所尊像或以彫刻或是鑄成或是彩畫。若是彩畫，先求淨縷，揀去毛髮織成其幅，量其大小長短相稱，存兩頭縷不得截棄。既織成已，用香水漬渡復展令端正，然令畫人蔬食澡浴，復受八戒，內外清淨，運心起手。凡所用彩色，須求最上第一好者，無用皮膠，用諸香膠調和彩色。畫像成已，隨應方面安置定已，用種種飲食、香花、燈塗作大供養。如無力廣辦，隨有供養，但要專注虔誠，信重讚歎禮拜供養。如是作已，於此像前所作所求速得成就。
Furthermore, practitioners who wish to cultivate mantra recitation for spiritual attainment should first seek out places where the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Pratyekabuddhas, and Hearers are known to have dwelled in the past. Such places are considered sacred ground. In these locations, gods, dragons, and asuras often gather to pay homage and offer reverence. Why? Because these are places where the most venerable sages of both heaven and the human realm have resided. Once such a place is found, the practitioner must also purify body and mind, maintain full observance of ethical precepts, and remain in that place consistently.
If such blessed ground is not available, one may choose a spot along a large riverbank, a small riverside, a spring, a pool, or a marsh with clear, abundant water that is free of harmful aquatic creatures. The area should also feature lotuses, blue lotuses, and various renowned flowers, extraordinary fruits, and soft grasses spread across the ground. Alternatively, a mountain cave or grotto that is clean and free of lions, fierce beasts, or other frightening creatures may also be suitable.
Having found such a place, one should dig into the earth to a depth of one cubit and remove thorns, gravel, ashes, charcoal, alkaline soil, chaff, bones, hair, insect nests, and similar impurities. If the digging cannot reach clean ground even at that depth, the site should be abandoned in favor of another location. At the new site, dig to the depth of one cubit as before, fill it with pure soil, and then build a dwelling upon it. Use pure earth to make plaster and apply it to both the interior and exterior walls. Additionally, spread a layer of cow dung on the floor inside and always sit or lie directly on the ground—do not use beds or benches. The room's door should face east, west, or north only, never south.
After constructing the dwelling in this way, install the sacred image in the appropriate direction according to the specific practice to be undertaken. Before placing the image, anoint the location with various fine fragrances. The sacred image may be carved, cast, or painted. If it is to be painted, first obtain pure threads, remove any hairs, and weave them into a canvas, making the dimensions appropriate and balanced, keeping the loose threads at both ends without cutting them off. Once woven, soak the canvas in scented water, stretch it out neatly, and then have the painter fast, bathe, observe the Eight Precepts, and purify both body and mind before beginning. All pigments used must be of the finest quality. Do not use animal glue; instead, use various fragrant resins to mix the pigments. When the image is completed, place it in the proper direction and make abundant offerings of food, incense, flowers, lamps, and unguents. If resources are limited, make whatever offerings are available—the key is focused devotion, sincere faith, reverence, praise, worship, and offering. Having done all this, whatever one seeks before this image will be swiftly accomplished.
「其持誦行人將欲起首持誦，必先剃頭澡浴，著新淨衣。其衣非用蠶絲，亦不得白色，可用布及樹皮草木之類，仍用赤土染壞其色，亦須受持乞食應器。其器可用娑羅木及於瓦器，乃至銅鐵及匏瓠等，事持端正滑淨光潔，不得疎漏及以缺壞。執此應器巡行乞食，凡乞食所，可於聚落不近不遠多首陀處，信重三寶、多有飲食之處，兼無外道婆羅門處。緣彼婆羅門執性無慚，我慢所覆。
For those who wish to begin reciting this mantra, they must first shave their heads, bathe, and put on clean, fresh clothing. The clothing should not be made of silk or be white in color; instead, it can be made of cloth, tree bark, or plant materials, and should be dyed with red earth to alter its color. They must also observe the practice of begging for food with an alms bowl. The bowl can be made of Sal wood, clay, copper, iron, or even gourd, and should be held properly—straight, smooth, and clean, without cracks, leaks, or damage. With this alms bowl, they should go begging for food, choosing a place not too close to or too far from a village, where there are many householders who have faith in the Three Jewels and have abundant food, and where there are no non-Buddhist Brahmins. This is because those Brahmins are stubborn, shameless, and arrogant.
「又復外道，若見行人執持應器巡行乞食、修於佛法誦念真言者，便生瞋恚而欲障難，謂行人言：『汝若本族婆羅門者，可修婆羅門法，奉行六法多聞淨行，信重諸天為臣事王，亦須娶妻生男繼種。若行此者是汝解脫，云何誦持釋教真言信行佛法？』行人若是剎帝利種，而作是言：『汝剎帝利種，應可奉行王法，紹繼王位。云何誦持佛教真言，背自本宗而求解脫？』乃至毘舍、首陀之類，皆說本宗本事而得解脫，不合持誦佛教真言以求解脫，以瞋火燒心，種種綺語多作方便而為障難，惱亂行人使令退心。
Moreover, if followers of other paths see a practitioner carrying an alms bowl and walking for alms, cultivating the Buddha’s teachings and reciting mantras, they become angry and try to create obstacles. They say to the practitioner, “If you are of the Brahmin caste by birth, you should follow Brahmin practices, uphold the six duties, be learned and pure, revere the gods, serve kings as ministers, and marry and have sons to continue your lineage. This is the path to liberation for you—why recite Buddhist mantras and follow the Buddha’s Dharma?” If the practitioner is of the warrior caste, they say, “You, of the warrior caste, should uphold the king’s law and succeed to the throne. Why recite Buddhist mantras? You turn your back on your own tradition in search of liberation.” Likewise, for the merchant and laborer castes, they insist that each should find liberation through their own caste’s duties and customs, and that it is improper to recite Buddhist mantras for liberation. Burning with the fire of hatred, they use all kinds of clever, false words and numerous strategies to obstruct the practitioner, disturbing and troubling them so as to make them give up their practice.
「修正道者依時乞食，不同外道過午而食。凡乞食處，勿往外道之家及多外道之處。若論善惡、因果之法：能造善法，當證涅盤；若作惡業，終墮苦趣。善惡之果非由種族，但為世間妄分別故。
Those who cultivate the true path beg for food at the proper time, unlike non-Buddhists who eat after noon. When begging, do not go to the homes of non-Buddhists or places where many of them gather. As for the teaching of good and evil, cause and effect: those who do good deeds will realize Nirvana; those who commit evil will eventually fall into suffering. The results of good and evil are not determined by one's birth or class, but arise from the world's false distinctions.
「復次，眾生無始以來垢穢之身，不由食淨得身心淨；諸惡遠離，常修善法，以此方得身心清淨。譬如有人身患瘡故，求藥塗瘡，唯望除差，不望餘故。行人喫食，但為除飢，不為適悅。又如有人陷於難處，飢餓所逼，殺子而食，為除飢苦，非貪滋味，行人喫食亦復如是。喫食之法由如秤物，物非輕重，秤自平正。行人喫食亦復如是，不得過量亦勿減少，但可支持，勿傷飢飽。又如朽舍換柱，所免崩摧；以油膏轄，貴在前進。行人喫食亦復如是，但為支持，非為滋味，是故佛言：『欲界有情，依食而住。』
「又復行人雖喫食飲支持於身，恒觀此身由如芭蕉無有堅實，常此制心，不住貪愛。凡乞食時，持鉢巡行次第而乞，常須思念世尊所說，以智慧方便調伏六根，勿令散亂，所覩妙色及諸塵境是魔境界，欲惑人心。凡修行人而起方便，寧以熱鐵燒刺兩目，不以亂心貪視妙色，乃至殊常種種塵境，隨緣乞食而不住著。常作比觀，調伏其心，默然乞食巡行他舍，無上中下遠離取捨。然不往新產之家及多人飲酒之處、男女迷醉愛染之處、眾多小兒戲樂之處、諸男女眾聚會之處、戲伎男女作音樂處乃至有惡犬處，如是等處皆不應往。
「乞得食已，持還本處，洗足敷座，然後可喫。其食未喫，先分三分，一分奉於本尊而為供養，一施無礙，一乃自食依時而食。食畢盥漱使令清淨。又須日三澡浴，先自清淨，然以香花、燈塗種種供養讚歎禮拜，所獻尊像一切食飲，切須潔淨，離諸葷穢。每持誦時，坐吉祥草。凡所供養如不辦廣大，但隨力分奉於香花。所謂零陵香、閼哩迦(二合)、吉祥果、沒哩(二合)賀帝、吉祥草仍及蓮花，和合供養使得適意。行人持誦或行或坐得通思念，唯除臥時不許持念。念誦訖已，恒於六時思念功德，心無間斷，祈於圓滿。