釋功德天品
Chapter on the Goddess of Merit
初、釋品題者，最勝王云：大吉祥天女品。孤山云：智既有三，福能助智，以嚴本理，故福亦三。應知智即三般若，福即三解脫，所嚴所顯，即是三身，若總若別，皆金光明之異名耳。故知大辯及以功德，咸具三法，悉備二嚴，為引徧好，各立一名耳。攝一切法者，能攝所攝，必生歡喜，即世界也。所須無之，豈不生善，即為人也。思惟深義，能破偏淺，即對治也。速成菩提，由於頓悟，即第一義也。
First, explaining the title: According to the *Most Victorious King Sutra*, this is the "Chapter on the Great Auspicious Goddess." Lone Mountain Master says: Wisdom has three aspects, and merit supports wisdom to adorn fundamental reality, so merit also has three aspects. One should understand that wisdom corresponds to the Three Prajnas, merit corresponds to the Three Liberations, and what is adorned and revealed is the Three Bodies. Whether considered collectively or individually, these are all different names for the Golden Light. Therefore, both the Goddess of Great Eloquence and the Goddess of Merit Essence fully embody these three principles and possess both adornments. To guide sentient beings, each is given a distinct name. "Embracing all dharmas" means that both the one who embraces and what is embraced bring joy—this is the perspective of worldly truth. "No lack of what is needed" naturally inspires goodness—this is the perspective of personal benefit. "Contemplating profound principles" can break through bias and shallowness—this is the perspective of opposing afflictions. "Quickly attaining enlightenment" comes from sudden awakening—this is the perspective of ultimate truth.
此是天王下，次釋品。文為二：初敘意標科，次一從下隨文釋義。文為六：
初釋發誓以四事資給法師。言四事者，即指經云衣服、飲食、臥具、醫藥也。經云我當隨其所須之物等者，此由法師內觀無量甚深法性第一義空，忘於生法性相之執，外隨物宜，流通大乘金光明典，說法開導，故功德天誓以四事而資給之。以功德天尊重大乘甚深妙典，故隨所須，令無所乏耳。然在家者，若能受持此金光明，供養三寶，亦為天力之所護念，故能增長金銀珍寶、糓米牛羊。苟或內闕觀空，外乖開導，不恭敬供養三寶，唯貪四事，但慕七珍，懇禱於功德天神，以望於所須之物，亦猶緣木而求魚也。是以大經明於聖行，先持淨戒，次修定慧，觀四聖諦，苦集滅道，生死根本，七種之苦。世間眾生，貪著生相，厭患老死。菩薩不爾，觀於初生，已見過患。如有女人，顏貌端正，入於他舍。主人問言：汝為是誰？女人答言：是功德天。主人復問：汝所至處為何所作？女天答言：我所至處能與金銀種種寶物。主人聞已心生歡喜，即便燒香恭敬禮拜。復於門外見一女人形容醜陋，主人問言：汝為是誰？女人答言：我名黑暗，我所至處能令其家財寶衰耗。主人聞已即便驅逐，此女報云：汝家中者即是我姉，我常與姉進止共俱，汝若驅我亦應逐彼。主人即言：若有如是好惡事者，我皆不用各隨意去。是時二女至一貧家，貧人歡喜俱請令住。菩薩亦爾，不願生天，以生當有老病死故，是以俱棄曾無受心。凡夫愚人不知過患，是故貪受生死二法。由是而知，不觀甚深第一義空流通大乘，唯慕天神四事資給，即同凡愚貪著生死姉妹相隨，興已復表與夫眾魔為害一揆，庶幾後德一為思之(云云)。
First, we discuss the initial vow to provide a Dharma teacher with the four necessities. These four necessities, as stated in the sutra, are clothing, food, bedding, and medicine. The sutra says, “I will provide them with whatever they need.” This is because the Dharma teacher, through inner contemplation, perceives the profound, immeasurable nature of ultimate reality—the emptiness of the First Principle. They have let go of attachment to the inherent nature and characteristics of arising dharmas. Outwardly, they adapt to beings’ needs, teaching and spreading the Great Vehicle Golden Light Sutra, guiding others with their words. Therefore, the Goddess of Merit vows to supply them with the four necessities.
Because the Goddess of Merit reveres the profound supreme scripture of the Great Vehicle, she ensures that whatever is needed is never lacking. Furthermore, if a layperson can uphold this Golden Light Sutra and make offerings to the Three Jewels, they too will be protected and blessed by celestial power. Thus, their gold, silver, jewels, grain, rice, cattle, and sheep will increase. However, if inwardly they lack contemplation of emptiness, and outwardly fail to guide or teach, neither reverently making offerings to the Three Jewels—instead, only coveting the four necessities and longing for the seven treasures, praying fervently to the Goddess of Merit for what they desire—it is like climbing a tree to catch a fish.
This is why the Great Nirvana Sutra explains holy conduct: first, uphold pure precepts; next, cultivate meditative concentration and wisdom; and contemplate the Four Noble Truths—suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path—recognizing the seven kinds of suffering that are the root of birth and death. Ordinary beings in the world cling to the nature of birth and dread aging and death. Bodhisattvas are not like that. Even at the moment of birth, they see its faults and dangers.
For example, there was a woman with a beautiful appearance who entered someone’s home. The homeowner asked, “Who are you?” The woman replied, “I am the Goddess of Merit.” The homeowner asked, “What do you do wherever you go?” The goddess answered, “Wherever I go, I can bestow gold, silver, and various treasures.” Hearing this, the homeowner was overjoyed and immediately burned incense, reverently bowing to her in worship.
Then, outside the door, he saw another woman with an ugly appearance. The homeowner asked, “Who are you?” The woman replied, “I am called Darkness. Wherever I go, I cause the family’s wealth and treasure to decline.” Hearing this, the homeowner immediately drove her away. This woman said, “The one inside your house is my sister. I always go where she goes and stay where she stays. If you drive me out, you must chase her away as well.”
The homeowner then said, “If there are such good and bad things involved, I want nothing to do with either of you. Each of you, go as you please!” At that moment, the two women went to a poor family. The poor man was delighted and invited them both to stay.
A Bodhisattva is also like this: they do not wish to be reborn in heavenly realms, because birth inevitably leads to aging, sickness, and death. Thus, they reject both [the goddess of merit and the goddess of darkness], without any thought of acceptance.
Ordinary, foolish people, unaware of these inherent faults, greedily cling to both birth and death. From this we can see that if one does not contemplate the profound emptiness of the First Principle and does not spread the Great Vehicle, but instead merely longs for the celestial four necessities, they are just like ordinary, ignorant beings clinging to birth and death—the two sisters inseparable from each other. Such behavior, repeated again and again, is no different from the harm caused by the hordes of demons. May future virtuous practitioners reflect deeply on this. (Thus it is said.)
次釋福德之由者，由於過去寶華瑠璃佛所種善根故，方能今日隨所利益也。如來等者，菩薩善戒經云：無虗妄名如來，良福田名應供，知法界名正徧知，具三明名明行足，不還來名善逝，知眾生國土名世間解，無與等名無上士，調他心名丈夫，為眾生眼名天人師，知三聚名為佛，壞波旬名婆伽婆。七寶者，準大論中，金、銀、瑠璃、車磲、頗梨、赤珠、碼碯，名為七寶。然此七寶，經論之中出沒不定，或沒頗梨出琥珀，或除珊瑚取赤珠。大論云：金出沙石赤銅中，銀出燒石中。珊瑚，珠名也。說文云：生海中，其色赤。真珠出魚腹中、竹中、蛇腦中。硨磲色青白，碼碯色或白或青，如馬之腦，故以名之。後人或加石加玉而作耳。琥珀者，珠名也。博物誌云：松脂入地千年化為茯苓，茯苓千年化為琥珀。廣誌云：生地中，其上及傍不生草木，深者八九尺如斛，削去皮中是琥珀也。璧者，瑞玉也。外圓象天，內方象地。珂者，石次玉也。亦碼碯，潔白如雪者也。亦螺屬，生海中。貝者，海介蟲也。爾雅云：貝居陸贆(音標)，在水者蜬(音含)。大者魭(音抗，大具如車磲)，小者鯖(音〔積〕)。
Now, let us explain the source of blessings. It is because of the good roots planted at the feet of the Past Jewel-Glazed Thus Come One that one can now benefit as circumstances allow.
“Thus Come One” and the other titles: According to the Sutra on Bodhisattva Precepts, “Thus Come One” means free from falsehood; “Worthy of Offerings” means a field of excellent blessings; “Universally Enlightened One” means knowing the realm of reality; “Perfect in Wisdom and Conduct” means possessing the three insights; “Well-Gone One” means never returning to birth and death; “Knower of the World” means knowing worlds and sentient beings; “Unsurpassed One” means having no equal; “Tamer of Beings” means guiding others’ minds; “Teacher of Gods and Humans” means being the eye for all beings; “Buddha” means knowing the three fixed groups of karma; “World-Honored One” means subduing Māra.
The seven treasures, according to the Great Treatise on the Perfection of Wisdom, are gold, silver, lapis lazuli, crystal, red pearls, and agate. However, these seven treasures appear differently across scriptures and treatises: some omit crystal and add amber; some omit coral and include red pearls. The Great Treatise says gold comes from sand, stone, and copper ore; silver comes from burned stone. Coral is a type of pearl. According to the Shuowen Dictionary, it grows in the sea and is red in color. Real pearls come from fish bellies, bamboo, and snake brains. Conch shell is blue-white. Agate is white or blue, resembling a horse's brain, hence its name. Later people sometimes add the character for “stone” or “jade” to write it. Amber is a type of pearl. According to the Bowuzhi Records, pine resin entering the earth for a millennium transforms into poria fungus; after another millennium, it becomes amber. The Guangzhi Records says it grows underground; above and around it, no grass grows—it is found at depths of eight to nine feet, like a peck measure, and after peeling off the skin, it is amber.
“Bi” refers to auspicious jade. Its outer circle symbolizes Heaven; its inner square symbolizes Earth. “Ke” refers to stone second only to jade—it is also agate, white as snow. It may also refer to a type of shellfish living in the sea. “Bei” refers to marine shellfish. According to the Erya Dictionary, shellfish living on land are called *biao*(pronounced biāo), and those in water are called *hán*(pronounced hán). Large ones are called *kàng*(pronounced kàng, large clams like chariot-rut shell), and small ones are called *jī*(pronounced jī).
三、釋勸示行法。注云云者，令對經文分於廣略。從若有人下，至所須之物，即略示也。從於此北方下，即廣示也。又此行法，具如百錄中明金光明懺悔，故注云云耳。經云有城名阿尼曼陀者，最勝王云：城名有財蓋，華梵立出耳。有最勝園名金幢七寶等者，最勝王云：有勝殿，七寶所成耳。散灑諸方者，最勝王云：散擲餘方，施諸神等。爾時當說如是章句。以此明之，未施食時未可誦呪，今時諸處於道場內先誦呪者，恐乖行法。最勝王云：即當誦呪，召請於我。故知須於施食之所誦呪散食，雖違眾人，余依法也(云云)。法華文句云：呪是鬼神王名，稱其王名，部落敬主，不敢為非，世界意也。又呪者，如軍中密號，唱號相應，無所訶問，為人意也。又呪者，密默治惡，對治意也。又呪是諸佛密語，第一義意也。為此義故，皆存本音，譯人不翻，蓋由此也。若竺法護譯正法華，乃翻神呪文句，記中破之(云云)。言章句者，最勝王云：法句，諸經亦云真言，又云陀羅尼。章謂章段，句謂句逗，真言即是真誠法言。陀羅尼者，此云總持，惡不起，善不失，世界意也。又云遮持，能持善，能遮惡，為人對治意也。又能遮邊惡，能持中善，第一義意也。言灌頂者，孤山云：以法性水，灌十地頂，受法王職。今密談此法，故云灌頂也。今謂三十二相中，佛頂相最勝；一切真言中，佛頂真言第一(此文出藏將中路字函經)。必定等者，最勝王云：是灌頂法句，定成就句，真實之句，無虗誑句，是平等行。於諸眾生，是正善根。今云中者，中即正也。八戒者，此在家戒也。南山引薩婆多云：從五眾受，必無人者，但心念口言，自皈三寶，我持八戒亦得。大論云：受一日戒法，長跪合掌，應作是言：我某甲今一日一衣皈依佛(法僧例然)，為淨行優婆塞(三說)。某甲皈依佛竟(法僧例然)，我某甲身口意業，過去今生如是罪業，今日誠心懺悔，三業清淨，受行八齊。次為說相云：一、如諸佛盡壽不殺，某甲一日一夜不殺生亦如是。次不盜，三、不婬，四、不妄語，五、不飲酒，六、不坐高大牀，七、不著華鬘瓔珞及香塗身重衣，八、不自歌舞作樂及故往觀聽。並準最初不殺戒說(云云)。如是已受八戒，如諸佛盡壽不過中食，我某甲一日一夜不過中食亦然(云云)。是名八支齊法(云云)。阿蘭若，此云閑靜。此有二種：一、空逈地，二、空逈住處及閑靜伽藍(云云)。
四、釋誓臨影響。
4. Explaining the Impact of Making Vows
五釋要(平聲)，求同行經文可見。
六、釋別示皈敬最勝王經。此皈敬文，在誦呪前，同一梵文，誰是誰非(云云)。