祕密主問法

認識《大日經》19 Understanding the Mahāvairocana Sūtra – Part 19 不空師父/文 Written by Master BuKong

大日如來說：「祕密主啊！『如實知自心』的這個『心』，不受限於欲界、色界或無色界，也不受限於天、人、龍、夜叉、乾闥婆、阿修羅、迦樓羅、緊那羅、摩睺羅伽、人或非人等的存在。」 Mahāvairocana said: “O Secret Holder, this ‘mind’ that truly knows itself is not confined by the Desire Realm, the Form Realm, or the Formless Realm. Nor is it limited by the existence of gods, humans, dragons, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kiṁnaras, mahoragas, or any beings—human or non-human.”

凡夫理解的「自心」，受限於個人身心世界的「意識我」，而一切眾生皆有「各自的意識我」，這些「因業力受報而成的意識我」，並非大日如來所指的「自心」。 The “self-mind” as understood by ordinary beings is limited by their personal psycho-physical world—the “ego-consciousness.” Every sentient being possesses their own individual sense of self, which arises as a result of karmic causes and effects. However, this karmically conditioned consciousness is not the “self-mind” that Mahāvairocana refers to.

大日如來說：「祕密主！『自心』不住於眼、耳、鼻、舌、身、意等，六根所對應的境界中，也不住於所見的六塵物及其顯現之相。」 Mahāvairocana said: “O Secret Holder, the ‘self-mind’ does not dwell in the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind—nor in the six realms of sensory experience. It also does not abide in the six dusts (visible forms, sounds, smells, tastes, tactile objects, and mental objects) or their manifest appearances.”

這是因為三界的一切，包含所謂的「自心」，都是因緣和合而生，若要在本是無常、變動的無限因緣中，找出一個固定不變的「自心」，是不可能的。 This is because all phenomena within the three realms—including what is conventionally called “self-mind”—arise through dependent origination. It is impossible to locate a fixed and unchanging “self-mind” within the endlessly shifting and impermanent network of conditions.

這呼應了前面所說「菩提」即「如實知自心」、「菩提如虛空無相」，故「自心亦如虛空無相」，遠離一切分別。 This echoes what was said earlier: that “bodhi” (awakening) is “truly knowing the self-mind,” and that “bodhi is like space—formless.” Therefore, the self-mind is also formless like space, and free from all conceptual distinctions.

因此，大日如來說：「「祕密主啊！心、虛空、菩提三者其實沒有差別，行者應以這種認知作為『因』，並以大悲為願行的根本，運用圓滿的方便波羅蜜來成就佛道。」 Thus, Mahāvairocana said: “O Secret Holder! Mind, space, and bodhi are ultimately indistinguishable. A practitioner should take this realization as the cause, use great compassion as the foundation of aspiration and practice, and apply the perfect pāramitā of skillful means to accomplish the path to Buddhahood.”

如來又說：「祕密主！如來說一切諸法的道理，是為了讓那些菩薩們的菩提心變得清淨，真正認識、了解自己的心。祕密主！如果有善男子或善女人想要認識、了解什麼是菩提，那麼就應該這樣來認識自己的心。」 The Tathāgata also said: “O Secret Holder! The reason the Tathāgata teaches the principles of all dharmas is to purify the bodhicitta of bodhisattvas—so that they may truly know and understand their own mind. O Secret Holder! If any noble son or daughter wishes to understand what bodhi is, they should come to know their own mind in this way.”

以上的意思是說，修真言密教的行者，「從初發心起」就應當練習觀照「自心實相」，才能捨離對「人、法、戲論」的執著，照見一切現象皆如虛空清淨，這種不依靠他人引導的方法，是真實的內證。 The meaning here is that practitioners of the Mantra Secret Vehicle should, from the very moment they first give rise to bodhicitta, practice observing the true nature of their self-mind. Only then can they relinquish attachment to “person,” “dharmas,” and speculative views. Perceiving all phenomena as pure and spacious like the sky, this non-reliant, self-realized insight is genuine inner realization.

正因為心本不可得，所以對於「心是常、是樂、是我、是淨」這些說法，乃至「非常、非樂、非我、非淨」的種種對待相，也同樣不可得。 Precisely because the mind is originally ungraspable, claims that the mind is eternal, joyful, self-existent, or pure—as well as opposing claims that it is non-eternal, not joyful, not-self, or impure—are all equally ungraspable dualities.

有些修行者，採取漸修法門，長久修習戒、定、慧三學，歷經無量劫，以種種觀門來觀察「人空」與「法空」。然而，即使如此，仍未能徹底離開「心的影像」──即對「心」仍有微細執著。 Some practitioners follow gradual paths, diligently cultivating the three trainings—morality, concentration, and wisdom—over countless kalpas, using various contemplative approaches to observe the emptiness of self and of dharmas. Yet even with such efforts, they often cannot fully transcend the “image of mind,” meaning that a subtle clinging to the concept of mind still remains.

也有一些修行者，採用「一切眾生本有佛的知見本性，只是被無明所遮蔽，待遮障去除後，就能自然見理，就像雲霧一散，太陽自然現前」，但這些說法，終究只是依世俗諦的角度來解說，仍與真言法教說的「真實方便」之道，有一定的距離。 There are also practitioners who adopt the view that “all beings innately possess the enlightened nature of the Buddha’s insight, merely obscured by ignorance, and once these obscurations are removed, realization will naturally arise—like the sun appearing when the clouds part.” However, such explanations still operate within the framework of conventional truth and remain at some distance from the “true expedient means” taught in the Mantra Secret Dharma.

若不論菩提心的心地狀態，我們反而能從聲聞道修行者的觀修方法中，找到切入與密教的共同點。 If we set aside the particular heart-quality of bodhicitta, we may actually find a point of convergence between the contemplative methods of Śrāvakayāna practitioners and the Secret Mantra teachings.

聲聞行者觀察五蘊、十八界、十二處時，無論是在蘊中尋我，或離蘊尋我，末後「我」的相貌無從尋得。這時便能在八正道中，遠離塵垢，生起清淨正見，開啟法眼。 When śrāvaka practitioners examine the five aggregates, the eighteen elements, or the twelve sense bases—whether seeking the self within or beyond the aggregates—in the end they cannot find any fixed identity of “I.” At that point, they can distance themselves from defilements, give rise to pure right view through the Noble Eightfold Path, and open the Dharma eye.

修真言密教的菩薩也是如此，最初觀察蘊、界、處時，不論是從蘊中尋自心、或離蘊尋自心，即使想尋找自心的形相，也不可得，因此當下便能頓悟「自心本不生」的實相，在如來的知見與大菩提道中，遠離塵垢，得證清淨法眼。 Bodhisattvas practicing the Secret Mantra path do likewise. At the outset, when they examine the aggregates, elements, and sense bases—whether searching for the self-mind within or beyond the aggregates—even the very shape or form of the self-mind proves unfindable. In that moment, they suddenly awaken to the reality that “the self-mind is originally unborn.” Within the Tathāgata’s wisdom and the Great Bodhi Path, they transcend all defilements and attain the pure Dharma eye.

畢竟，若說「淨菩提心」是可以「看見」或「顯現」的法，那它就成為有相之法；但凡一切有相的東西，都是虛妄不實，那又怎麼能說是「見到了無上菩提」呢？ After all, if one claims that the “pure bodhicitta” is a phenomenon that can be “seen” or “manifested,” then it becomes a conditioned, visible dharma. Yet all that has form is ultimately illusory and unreal—so how could one say they have “seen the unsurpassed bodhi”?

因此《大日經》中，大日如來說：「執金剛祕密主啊！菩薩修行淨菩提心的法門，名為『初法明道』。菩薩安住於此修學，不久勤苦，就能證得『除一切蓋障三昧』。」從此入門，便能通達無量佛的智慧與方便之門。 Therefore, in the Mahāvairocana Sūtra, Mahāvairocana says: “O Vajra-Wielder, Secret Holder! The method by which a bodhisattva cultivates the pure bodhicitta is called ‘the initial gate of luminous Dharma.’ When a bodhisattva abides and practices within this gate, with persistent diligence, they will soon attain the samādhi of ‘eliminating all obstructions.’” From this point of entry, they can access the wisdom and skillful means of countless Buddhas.

這種「初法明道」的觀心方法，是極為關鍵、最深祕的重要法門！ This method of contemplating the mind—called the “Initial Gate of Luminous Dharma”—is an extremely vital and profoundly secret essential teaching!

而所謂的「諸法實相」，正是《大日經》所說的「菩提就是心的實相」除此之外，別無其它道理可說。 What is called the “true nature of all dharmas” is precisely what the Mahāvairocana Sūtra describes as “bodhi is the true nature of the mind”; beyond this, there is no other truth to be explained.

但因為眾生福薄，難以生起「自信作佛」的見解，因此「自信能成佛者」實屬罕見。 However, due to the meager merits of sentient beings, it is difficult for them to give rise to the view of “confidence in becoming a Buddha by oneself.” Therefore, those who genuinely believe that they can become Buddhas through self-confidence are exceedingly rare.

因此，如來往往先教導眾生清淨內心、除去障垢，使其安住其心，待因緣成熟、義理相契時，才進一步開示「心即佛」的法印。 For this reason, the Tathāgata often first instructs beings to purify their minds and remove their defilements, helping them to stabilize their awareness. Only when conditions mature and their understanding aligns with the Dharma does he further reveal the Dharma seal: “Mind is Buddha.”

而未使用漸次引導的方法，直接引導行者「認識自心」，這正是《大日經》被稱為「祕要之藏」——最深密而直接的究竟法門。 And it is precisely because the Mahāvairocana Sūtra does not rely on gradual guidance, but instead leads practitioners directly to “recognize their own mind,” that it is known as the “Secret Treasury”—the most profound, esoteric, and direct ultimate Dharma path.

Translated into English by ChatGPT.