妙臂菩薩所問經說諸遮難分第九
Sutra of the Questions of Bodhisattva Wonderful Arm, Chapter 9: On the Various Obstacles
復次，妙臂菩薩問金剛手言：「行人修行持誦，有何罪障不獲悉地？願為宣說，當令未來諸修行人一一了知，於諸修行而無疑惑。」
Next, Wonderful Arm Bodhisattva asked Vajrapani, "When a practitioner carries out recitation and spiritual practice, what karmic obstacles prevent them from attaining siddhi? Please explain this, so that future practitioners may each understand clearly and have no doubts about their spiritual practice."
爾時，金剛手菩薩告妙臂菩薩言：「妙臂！若有行人於過去世乃至今生，於身口意不能善護，造諸重罪，是故修行法難成就。所謂殺阿羅漢及殺父母、破和合僧、以瞋怒心出佛身血，及毀壞佛塔、或殺菩薩、或強以不淨行污阿羅漢母、或使人或自作逼奪三寶財物，如是之過，佛說此為五無間罪。若有是過，於法難成。何以故？以此重罪，當墮地獄，受苦一劫乃平先罪，方得出離。故說此人雖復勤苦，以業障故，於諸真言終不成就。又復於諸如來所說經法，以其瞋心或火燒或水溺或方便毀壞，或謗法身或殺持戒僧尼，或無故殺持戒男子、女人，或以瞋心縱火焚燒伽藍。若有此罪，雖復勤勞亦不成就。若或於佛法僧所興損害心不限多少、我今說彼受報少分，如是之人當墮無間地獄，畢是罪報，復生人間，以餘業故，設得人身，生貧賤種，或遇善友勸發無上菩提之心，後又不定，返却歸依外道天等。彼外道天雖見歸依，亦復不喜，返生瞋害。若此之人，持誦修行終不成就。
At that time, Vajrapāṇi Bodhisattva addressed Bodhisattva Susiddhi, saying: "Susiddhi, if a practitioner, in past lives or even in this present life, fails to guard well their body, speech, and mind, and commits grave offenses, then their practice of the Dharma will be difficult to accomplish. These offenses include killing an Arhat, killing one's father or mother, causing division in the harmonious Sangha, drawing the blood of a Buddha with a wrathful mind, destroying Buddhist stupas, killing a Bodhisattva, forcibly violating an Arhat's mother with impure conduct—whether by having others do it or doing it oneself—and coercively seizing the possessions of the Three Jewels. The Buddha declares such transgressions to be the Five Heinous Offenses. If one has committed these, the Dharma is hard to accomplish. Why? Because of these grave offenses, one will fall into hell and suffer for a full kalpa until the prior offenses are exhausted, only then can one escape. Therefore, it is said that such a person, though diligent and enduring hardship, will never accomplish the mantras because of karmic obstructions. Furthermore, if one destroys the sutras and teachings spoken by the Tathāgatas—whether by burning them with anger, drowning them in water, or destroying them by various means—or slanders the Dharma-body, or kills morally disciplined monks and nuns, or kills morally disciplined laymen or women without cause, or sets fire to monasteries out of anger—if one commits such offenses, even with diligent effort, one will not succeed. If one harbors harmful intentions toward the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha to any degree, I now speak of just a fraction of the retribution they will receive: such a person will fall into the Uninterrupted Hell. When that karmic retribution is complete, they will be reborn among humans. Due to residual karma, even if born human, they will be of low and poor birth. Or they may encounter a good friend who encourages them to arouse the mind of supreme Enlightenment, but later they become uncertain and instead take refuge in external path deities. Even though those external deities see them taking refuge, they are not pleased and instead become angry and harmful. If such a person practices recitation and spiritual cultivation, they will never accomplish it."
「若復有人從初發起無上菩提之心，從是之後，諸天及人宜應供養。何以故？彼人即是荷擔一切有情，能於有情施無畏故，乃至於三寶種能繼嗣故，是以不應返禮諸天。又復不得作猛害之過及殺仙人；又復不應於真言明互相破壞；又或以瞋心故，不供養真言明主；又或乃至以足踐蓮花及諸印契；又或無故手折草木之類；又復禮拜諸惡藥叉之類，或喫供養殘食及供養鬼神殘食，或喫棄地之食；又或於畜生女行不淨事，或與女人於伽藍清淨之處行不淨事；或以禁呪或用藥力害諸蛇蟲；或乘象馬、牛驢，欲令急速，強鞭支之；又於病患之人及苦難之人不發慈悲救濟之心；如是等人於真言明終不成就。
If someone first gives rise to the mind of supreme Enlightenment, then from that time onward, both celestial beings and humans should make offerings to them. Why is this? Because such a person carries all sentient beings on their shoulders, can grant fearlessness to sentient beings, and can continue the lineage of the Three Jewels. Therefore, one should not require them to bow in return to the celestial beings.
Furthermore, one should not commit violent harmful acts or kill sages. One should not undermine one another in the practice of mantras. One should not, out of anger, fail to make offerings to the masters of mantras. One should not step on lotus flowers or sacred seals with one's feet. One should not needlessly break branches or trample grass. One should not bow to evil yakshas. One should not eat leftover food from offerings or leftover food offered to spirits, nor eat food discarded on the ground. One should not engage in impure acts with female animals, nor engage in impure acts with women in pure monastery grounds. One should not use spells or the power of medicine to harm snakes and insects. One should not ride elephants, horses, oxen, or donkeys and whip them hard to make them go faster. One should not fail to give rise to compassion and the resolve to help those who are sick or suffering. People such as these will never succeed in the practice of mantras.
「復次，行人譬如虛空不可量度，若復有人於三寶所而行損害，後感其報不可度量亦復如是。又復行人曾以羅網傷害有情，畜養猫兒捉殺蟲鼠，乃至籠禁鸚䳇飛禽之類。如是之人不得成就，又不得受用供養佛物，又不得禮拜大自在天及日天、月天、火天、那羅延天，設使遭其苦難亦不應禮拜。彼諸天等所有教法不應持誦，亦不應供養行彼法人，於彼等法不瞋不喜，亦不隨喜彼法儀則。或有財寶欲行惠施者，即先發大慈悲心，先當禮拜一切諸佛，次禮菩薩、緣覺、聲聞之眾。何以故？彼菩薩等，如月初生，已超眾曜，後漸圓滿，明照世間。彼菩薩等亦復如是，雖在地位，終當取證無上菩提，是故應須禮拜如是之眾。又菩薩等乃是荷負一切有情之者，所有發大慈悲欲救濟者宜應先禮此菩薩等。又復世間有可愍者愚癡下劣有情，於菩薩等不肯禮拜，彼菩薩等具大精進，神通難測，行人若不禮拜，非只所持誦法不獲成就，亦乃輕於諸佛。何以故？譬如世間一切果實從花而得，花喻菩薩，果喻菩提，是故行人宜應信禮。若有菩薩為利益故，於貪欲者示現行欲，乃至於善人、惡人實無愛憎之心，以慈悲故，方便讚毀。云何行人於菩薩等不生信禮？彼諸菩薩或復示以種種真言明主之相，為欲隨願滿足有情之心，是故應須信禮一切真言明主之師。
"Next, the practitioner is like space—immeasurable and beyond reckoning. If someone harms the Three Jewels, the karmic result they later experience will likewise be immeasurable.
Furthermore, if a practitioner has harmed living beings with nets and snares, kept cats to catch and kill insects and mice, or caged parrots and other birds—such a person cannot attain accomplishment. They also may not make use of offerings made to the Buddha, nor may they bow to Maheshvara, the Sun God, the Moon God, the Fire God, or Narayana. Even if they meet with hardship caused by these deities, they should not bow to them. The teachings of those gods should not be recited or upheld, and one should not make offerings to those who practice their methods. Toward those teachings, one should feel neither anger nor delight, nor should one rejoice in their rituals and rules.
If someone wishes to practice generosity with their wealth, they should first arouse great compassion, then first bow to all the Buddhas, and next bow to the assemblies of Bodhisattvas, Pratyekabuddhas, and Shravakas. Why? Because those Bodhisattvas are like the crescent moon at its first appearance—already surpassing all other luminaries, and later gradually becoming full, illuminating the world. Those Bodhisattvas are likewise: though still on the stages of practice, they will ultimately attain supreme Enlightenment. Therefore one should bow to such assemblies. Moreover, Bodhisattvas are those who carry the burden of all living beings. Anyone who arouses great compassion and wishes to bring relief should first bow to these Bodhisattvas.
Furthermore, there are pitiable beings in the world—foolish and inferior—who refuse to bow to Bodhisattvas. But those Bodhisattvas possess great Diligence, and their spiritual powers are beyond reckoning. If a practitioner does not bow to them, not only will the recitation practices they uphold fail to reach accomplishment, but they also slight the Buddhas. Why? Just as all fruits in the world come from flowers, flowers symbolize Bodhisattvas and fruits symbolize Enlightenment. Therefore practitioners should have faith and bow.
If a Bodhisattva, for the sake of benefiting others, displays the appearance of indulging desire toward those filled with Greed—and indeed toward both good and evil people has no mind of love or hatred, but out of Compassion uses skillful means to praise or criticize—how could a practitioner fail to have faith and bow to Bodhisattvas? Those Bodhisattvas may also manifest in various forms as masters of mantra, wishing to fulfill the hearts of living beings according to their Vows. Therefore one should have faith and bow to all teachers who are masters of mantra."