English
English version: First, briefly observe the essentials. The first volume of the *Mahāvairocana Sūtra* says: 'O Lord of Secrets (Guhyapati, another name for Vajrapāṇi), what is Bodhi?' The answer is: 'To know one's own mind as it truly is.' This passage is the *Mahāvairocana's* (Great Sun Buddha) answer to *Vajrasattva's* (Diamond Being) question. *Mahāvairocana* answers the question by knowing his own mind. The seventh volume of the commentary on the *Mahāvairocana Sūtra* says: 'If one sees the principle of the non-origination of all dharmas, that is truly knowing one's own mind.' Truly knowing one's own mind is the same as all-knowing wisdom (sarvajñāna-jñāna). Therefore, the sutra says that 'truly knowing one's own mind' is seeing the principle of non-origination. Seeing the principle of non-origination is all-knowing wisdom. The one with all-knowing wisdom is *Mahāvairocana*. Therefore, the 'becoming a Buddha in this very body' taught in Mantrayana (another name for Esoteric Buddhism) refers to seeing the principle of non-origination. The principle of non-origination refers to all dharmas being fundamentally unborn, undying, and eternally abiding. The nature of affliction is not to give rise to affliction; the nature of Bodhi is not to give rise to Bodhi. Knowing this is all-knowing wisdom. However, we easily perceive coming and going, birth and death, but we do not understand the state of non-birth and non-death. The principle that all dharmas are fundamentally unborn and undying is widely discussed in Exoteric Buddhism, so the term 'non-birth and non-death' is not exclusively discussed in Esoteric Buddhism. However, the scope of Esoteric Buddhism now goes beyond the perception and knowledge of ordinary people. It directly reveals the essence of non-birth and non-death by directly showing the seed syllable (bīja, a Sanskrit letter representing a Buddha or Bodhisattva) and the samaya form (samaya-ākṛti, a symbolic object representing a Buddha or Bodhisattva) so that people can see and practice it. This is something that Exoteric Buddhism does not understand at all. The so-called essence of non-origination is the seed syllable 'A' (a) and the samaya form of the eight-petaled lotus (aṣṭa-dala padma). This eight-petaled lotus is the <siddham>hR ta</siddham> heart mentioned in the *Mahāvairocana Sūtra*. The <siddham>hR ta</siddham> heart is the eight-part flesh heart of sentient beings. The fifth volume of the commentary on the *Mahāvairocana Sūtra* says: 'The wonderful white lotus within the heart is the secret emblem of the wonderful Dharma *Puṇḍarīka* (white lotus) of the original mind of sentient beings.' The lotus pedestal has eight petals, perfectly equal, like the shape of a flower in full bloom. This lotus pedestal is the wisdom of true reality, and the lotus petals are great compassion and skillful means. It is precisely this *Garbha* (womb) that is the essence of the *Mahākaruṇā-garbha-dhātu-maṇḍala* (Mandala of the Womb Realm of Great Compassion). The other three layers are the gates through which all virtuous friends, flowing from this self-realized merit, enter the Dharma realm. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
曼荼罗极少之量。齐十六指。大则无限也。今此文内心妙白莲者。此是众生本心妙法芬陀利华之<siddham>hR ta</siddham>心也。此心莲可观也。其观想样。心中可观有八叶莲华。莲华形世间如莲华形。唯此莲华计可观也。八叶莲华者。<siddham>hR ta</siddham>心是也。<siddham>si ta</siddham>心住此莲华。此二心暂时不离故。莲华上可观月轮。月轮者<siddham>si ta</siddham>心也。<siddham>hR ta</siddham>心形。实如月轮形也。月轮形圆形事。如水精珠等。又莲华种子阿字也。故月轮中可观阿字。阿字形如常书形。回四方可有也。常书是一方计也。上下无其形。一切梵字形四方事。以阿字可准知之。今此阿字莲华月轮之中。若莲华计观。若莲华月轮观。若莲华阿字可观。可住行者意也。月轮势一肘也。不可减此量。又付此略观有二样。一先一肘观八叶莲华。如此彼此相对。历然观之。其后前一肘所观莲华。可召入自身中。是如常入我我入观也。一先前一肘观莲华。观念无退转。经年月勤修之所观莲华等。闭目见程。观后自身可召入之。问。此阿字莲华者。本不生际实体显事 现代汉语译本 曼荼罗的最小尺寸是十六指宽，最大的尺寸则没有限制。现在这段文字中提到的内心妙白莲，指的是众生本心的妙法芬陀利华（Pundarika，白莲花）之心。这颗心莲是可以观想的。观想的方法是：心中观想有一朵八叶莲华。莲华的形状与世间的莲华形状相似，唯有这朵莲华可以被观想。<siddham>hR ta</siddham>心（心种子字）就是这八叶莲华。<siddham>si ta</siddham>心（白色心）安住在这朵莲华上。因为这两颗心暂时不分离，所以在莲华上可以观想月轮。月轮就是<siddham>si ta</siddham>心（白色心）。<siddham>hR ta</siddham>心（心种子字）的形状，实际上就像月轮的形状。月轮的形状是圆形的，就像水晶珠等。而且莲华的种子字是阿字（A 字），所以月轮中可以观想阿字。阿字的形状如同通常书写的形状，四面都可以有。通常书写只是一面而已，上下没有形状。一切梵字的形状都是四面的，可以以阿字为标准来了解。现在这个阿字在莲华月轮之中，可以只观想莲华，也可以观想莲华月轮，也可以观想莲华阿字，这取决于修行者的意愿。月轮的大小是一肘。不能减少这个尺寸。另外，关于这个简略的观想，有两种方法。一是先观想一肘大小的八叶莲华，如此彼此相对，清晰地观想。之后，将先前一肘所观想的莲华，召入自身中，这就像通常的入我我入观。一是先前观想一肘大小的莲华，观念没有退转，经过年月勤奋修行所观想的莲华等，闭上眼睛也能看见。观想之后，可以将自身召入其中。问：这个阿字莲华，原本是不生不灭的实体显现吗？
English
English version The minimum size of a Mandala is sixteen fingers wide, while the maximum size is limitless. Now, the 'wonderful white lotus within the heart' mentioned in this text refers to the wonderful Pundarika (white lotus) heart of the fundamental mind of sentient beings. This heart lotus is suitable for visualization. The method of visualization is: visualize an eight-petaled lotus flower in the heart. The shape of the lotus flower is similar to the shape of lotus flowers in the world; only this lotus flower can be visualized. The <siddham>hR ta</siddham> heart (heart seed syllable) is this eight-petaled lotus flower. The <siddham>si ta</siddham> heart (white heart) resides on this lotus flower. Because these two hearts are temporarily inseparable, a moon disc can be visualized on the lotus flower. The moon disc is the <siddham>si ta</siddham> heart (white heart). The shape of the <siddham>hR ta</siddham> heart (heart seed syllable) is actually like the shape of a moon disc. The shape of the moon disc is round, like a crystal ball, etc. Moreover, the seed syllable of the lotus flower is the A syllable (A letter), so the A syllable can be visualized in the moon disc. The shape of the A syllable is like the shape of ordinary writing, and it can be on all four sides. Ordinary writing is only on one side, and there is no shape above or below. The shapes of all Sanskrit letters are four-sided, and they can be understood by using the A syllable as a standard. Now, this A syllable is in the lotus flower moon disc. One can visualize only the lotus flower, or visualize the lotus flower moon disc, or visualize the lotus flower A syllable, depending on the practitioner's intention. The size of the moon disc is one cubit. This size cannot be reduced. In addition, regarding this abbreviated visualization, there are two methods. One is to first visualize an eight-petaled lotus flower one cubit in size, so that they are opposite each other, and visualize it clearly. After that, the lotus flower visualized one cubit earlier can be summoned into oneself, which is like the usual entering-me-I-enter visualization. One is to first visualize a lotus flower one cubit in size, with no regression in the concept, and after years of diligent practice, the visualized lotus flower, etc., can be seen even with eyes closed. After visualization, one can summon oneself into it. Question: Is this A syllable lotus flower originally a manifestation of an unborn and undying entity? --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
也。作此观时。此种子三形义理观之乎。口云。观法时别不思惟义理。唯其形色。如法历然观之计也。又云。此阿字世间多书置之故。人轻之常事样思。是大僻按也。此阿字即净菩提心实体。即身成佛肝心者也。以上略观毕 次广观者。义释云。若行者见一切从缘起法。皆是毗卢遮那法界身。尔时十方通同为一佛国。是名究竟净菩提心（文）今此释意。对一切缘起诸法。皆照毗卢遮那法身。其故一切诸法不出色心二法。色心二法。即是六大也。六大即是毗卢遮那法界身也。尔时十方通同为一佛国者。既押一切缘起诸法。直照毗卢遮那法身故。十方净土六道秽所无有差别。同一法界宫也。心寂静时住略观。散乱时可住广观 此二观门是极秘也。行住坐卧无懈。精进修行。速可开显净菩提心者也。已上秘观也 现代汉语译本： 也。当进行这种观想时，是观想此种子的三形义理吗？回答说：‘观想方法时，不思惟义理，只观想其形色，如法清晰地观想。’又说：‘这个阿字世间上很多人书写放置，所以人们轻视它，常常用寻常事物一样看待，这是大错特错的。’这个阿字就是清净菩提心的实体，是即身成佛的关键所在。 以上是略观完毕。 其次是广观。义释中说：‘如果修行者见到一切从因缘生起的法，都是毗卢遮那（Vairocana，光明遍照）的法界身。那时，十方通同为一个佛国，这叫做究竟清净菩提心。’现在解释这个意思，是对一切因缘生起的诸法，都照见毗卢遮那的法身。原因是，一切诸法都离不开色心二法。色心二法，就是六大（地、水、火、风、空、识）也。六大就是毗卢遮那的法界身。那时十方通同为一个佛国，既然涵盖一切因缘生起的诸法，直接照见毗卢遮那的法身，所以十方净土和六道秽土没有差别，都是同一法界宫。心寂静时，安住于略观；心散乱时，可以安住于广观。 这两种观门是极其秘密的。行住坐卧不懈怠，精进修行，可以迅速开显清净菩提心。以上是秘观。
English
English version: Also. When performing this contemplation, is one contemplating the three forms and meanings of this seed syllable? The answer is: 'When contemplating the method, one does not contemplate the meaning, but only its form and color, contemplating it clearly according to the Dharma.' It is also said: 'This 'A' syllable is often written and placed in the world, so people despise it and often regard it as an ordinary thing, which is a big mistake.' This 'A' syllable is the very essence of the pure Bodhi-mind, the key to attaining Buddhahood in this very body. The above is the completion of the brief contemplation. Next is the extensive contemplation. The commentary states: 'If a practitioner sees all phenomena arising from conditions as the Dharmakaya of Vairocana (光明遍照). At that time, the ten directions are all together as one Buddha-land, which is called the ultimate pure Bodhi-mind.' Now, the meaning of this explanation is that all phenomena arising from conditions are illuminated as the Dharmakaya of Vairocana. The reason is that all phenomena cannot be separated from the two dharmas of form and mind. The two dharmas of form and mind are the six great elements (earth, water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness). The six great elements are the Dharmakaya of Vairocana. At that time, the ten directions are all together as one Buddha-land, since it encompasses all phenomena arising from conditions and directly illuminates the Dharmakaya of Vairocana, so there is no difference between the pure lands of the ten directions and the defiled places of the six realms, all being the same Dharmadhatu palace. When the mind is quiet, abide in the brief contemplation; when the mind is scattered, one can abide in the extensive contemplation. These two gates of contemplation are extremely secret. Diligently practice without懈怠(xie dai, laxity) in walking, standing, sitting, and lying down, and one can quickly reveal the pure Bodhi-mind. The above is the secret contemplation. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------