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A Translation of the

Introduction and the Tenth

Chapters of the Hizo Hoyaku

by

Minoru Kiyota

Assistant Professor,

University of Wisconsin

Preface

Although the mantra and dharani literature was already known inthe Nara period (710-784), it failed to occupy a respectable position inthe academic circles of the Buddhists either during the Nara period orthe early Heian period. During the reign of Emperor Saga, (809-823),leading masters of Nara presented their views on Buddhism in the

presence of the emperor at Shoryo-ji Temple, after which they wereasked to organize their views into texts. Texts were composed andsubmitted to the throne at the time of the reign of Emperor Junna,

(823-833). Kukai, (774-835), though not a member of the Nara priesthood,submitted the Juju Shinron, the Treatise on the Ten Stages, organizedinto ten chuan, and the Sokushin Jobutsu Gi, the Essence of InherentBuddhahood, organized into one chuan. It is commonly held, however,that because the Juju Shinron was excessively voluminous, Kukai wasasked to submit an abridged version, which is the Hizo Hoyaku, theJewel Key to the Secret Store, organized into three chuan. It isspeculated therefore, that both the Hizo Hoyaku and the SokushinJobutsu Gi were composed sometime in the early 830's under animperial edict.

The Hizo Hoyaku is designed to describe the doctrine of ShingonBuddhism, the Japanese version of the mantra school, and to bringabout the official recognition of that school as a distinct school ofJapanese Buddhism. The major literary sources to which the HizoHoyaku makes reference are: Mahavairocana Sutra, VajrasekharaSutra, Laiikavatara Sutra, Bodhicitta Sastra, Shaku-maka-en-ron (Shih-

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mo-ho-yeh-lun) and Daichido-ron (Ta-chih-tu-lun). The significance of the

Hizo Hoyaku lies in its attempt to unveil the authentic self' which it

identifies as the bodhicitta. In order to do so, it traces the process of

the development of the consciousness which is categorized into ten stages

as follow:

1. Foolish ignorant goat Appetite and sex

2. Ignorant child who ma- Confucianism

intains abstinence

3. Fearless child Brahmanism and Taoism

Worldly stages

4. Only-skandhas and no- Sravaka

self [pudgala]

5. Plucking out karma- Pratyeka-buddha

causing seed

Hinayana stages

6. Unconditional compassion Hosso CFa-hsiangJ

7. Realizing no-arising Sanron CSan-lunJ

[anutpada]

8. One path [ekayana] to Tendai CT'ien-taaij

truth [tathata]

9. No essence [svabhava] Kegon CHua-yenD

in the ultimate

Mahayana Bodhisattva

stages

10. Adorned with secrets Shingon CChen-yenJ The Secret Buddha Stage

The Shingon stage consists of the awareness of bodhicitta in the

very body one possesses, a theory which is referred to as sokushi-

jobutsu. In this context than, the ten stages are not only a diachronic

arrangement of stages to prove the superiority of one doctrine over

another, but a synchronic scheme in which the realization achieved in

the tenth stage embraces all other stages of realization. This simply

means that the inherent bodhi requires awakening and that any one of

the nine stages is the instrument necessary to awaken it. Hence the

first nine stages are referred to as the 'cause-stages' while the tenth

is referred to as the 'result-stages', which is properly described as that

adorned with secrets': Secrets here mean the secrets' of the authentic

self, the bodhicitta, which is, in actuality, beclouded by ignorance

[avidya]. Although the Buddhist masters of the Tendai school, in

particular, viciously challenged Kukai's system of doctrinal classifica-

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tion after his death, the composition of the Hizo Hoyaku not only

established Kukai as an acnowledged master of Buddhism, but also

enabled Shingon Buddhism to be recognized as a distinct school of

Japanese Buddhism.

The introduction and the tenth chapter of the Hizo Hoyaku are

translated here. The introduction outlines the ten stages while the tenth

chapter describes the tenth stage.

HIZO HOYAKU: THE JEWEL KEY TO

THE SECRET STORE

Composed by Sramana Vairocanavajra

(Taisho 2426, Vol. 77, pp. 363-374)

INTRODUCTION

Boundless, boundless, it's infinitely boundless, [About] the Buddha

and the heretics there are millions of scolls;

Dark, dark, it's very dark, of the way that is spoken of, there are

multitudes of roads.

What is left when the writing and chanting stop? Know not, know

not, I too, know not.

Though they think and think, even the wise know not. The ox-

headed [god of peasants] chewed grasses in compassion for the

ill,

And [Chou-kung], taking pity, offered a compass to [Yueh-ch'ang]

so that he would not be lost. In the triple world [triloka] the

madmen do not know their madness;

In the four types of birth [caturyoni] the blind are unaware of their

blindness. Birth, birth, birth, birth, darkness begins at birth,

Death, death, death, death, darkness [dwells] even unto death.

[The first stage:] A flower in the sky [i. e. fame and vanity]

dazzle our sight; and a turtle's hair [though not there] dazzles our

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mind. [So likewise it is of self,] though [the blind] as if drunken,

tenaciously clings to it as real. Losing control of himself as if he were

a thirsty deer or a wild house racing blindly through a village of

dust' [klesa], or a ruttling elephant or a leaping ape going lewdly

through a city of delusions', [the blind] finally takes delight in commi-

tting the ten evils [dasfikusalani] day and night. With ears closed,

no longer does he allow the six paramitas to enter his mind. Condem-

ning both men and the Dharma, he does not realize that he is burning

the seed [of Buddahood]; indulging in wine and women, he does. not

realize the retribution that awaits him. Yama and the guards [of hell]

build dungeons and examine the sinners; the hungry ghosts [preta]

and beasts, with spits of fire aflame from their mouths, bodily drag

along their heavy cart loads. [The blind] transmigrates through the

triple world and perilously wanders through the four types of birth.

Now when the greatly enlightened compassionate father [i. e. the bodhi-

sattva] beheld [the miseries of the blind,] how could he remain silent?

This is why he provided different kinds of medicines and pointed out

the different kinds of error. Thus,

[on the second stage,] by observing the three bonds and the five

principles [of Confucianism] there is order and no discord in the rela-

tionship between lord and subject, father and son;

[on the third stage,] by cultivating the six [ascetic] practices and

the four dhydnas [of the Brahmans] the meditation [designed] to frown

upon the [phenomenal] world and to seek rebirth in heaven promotes

one to realize the bliss of heaven;

[on the fourth stage, by believing that there are] only the skan

dhas [dharmas] and thereby cutting off [the notion of the reality of]

self [pudgala], the eight liberations [astavimoksa] and the six super

powers [sadabhijld] are realized;

[on the fifth stage, by understanding] the causes and conditions,

[of phenomenal life] the knowledge of emptiness [sunyata] plucks out.

the seeds [of karma].

[on the sixth stage,] by rising with unconditional compassion and

by [realizing that there is] only consciousness [vijiiaptimatrata] and

thereby severing the sense-fields [visaya], the two obstructions [klesa

varana and jneyavarana] are cut off, and [by means of asrayapar-

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avrtti] the four jnanas are realized;

[on the seventh stage,] by understanding the nature of one's ownmind by means of contemplating on the essence of non-arising [anut-

pada] and by severing the thought of one-sided sunyata, the One Mind

[bhutatathata] which is quiescence [santa], non-dual and markless

[alaksana] is realized

[on the eighth stage,] by contemplating the One Way [ekayana]

in its original pure [state] Avalokitesvara reveals its delight;

[on the ninth stage,] by being mindful of dharmadhdtu at the timenot initial awakening [pramudita], Samantabhadra beams with smiles,

[and, on the tenth stage,] when one has exhausted all the dust

[klesa] of the sense-fields, than at this time the grandeur of the mait-

dala is finally revealed. The wisdom eyes [represented by the Shingonsamadhi signs] of ma' [on the right: signifying the sun, representing

compassion] and t' [on the left: signifying the moon, representing

samadhi] unite and [their light] cuts through the dark night of igno-

rance [avidya]. The light from the sun and moon [uniting] samadhi

reveals the wisdom of Vajrasattva. The five families of Buddhas [of

the Shingon pantheon] lifting their knowledge-seals [jndna-mudrd: each

signifying a specific vow] are omnipresent. The four mandalas are

united and rest in the embodiment of the Dharma. The winds of

karma wane beneath the withering glance of Acala. The waves of

ignorance subside under the three blasts of Trilokavijaya. The eight

puja-devis arouse the sea of clouds as wondrous offerings [to theTathdgata Mahdvairocana and the four Buddhas of the Vajradhatuman-

dala]. The four paramita princesses [representing the bodhisattvas

created by the four Buddhajndnas] inherit the bliss of the Dharma.

Even [one who is on] the ten bhumis [i. e. Kukai's eighth stage] cannot

catch a glimpse of [the Shingon realm] nor [one who has realized]

the three aspects of the mind [i.e. its essence, marks and activities:

Kukai's ninth stage] conceive it. It is the secret among secrets, the

realization among realization

But alas not knowing their own jewels, taking madly delusion as

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if it were enlightenment, what else can such men be called but idiots.

The though of compassion is urgent, for without the teaching [of the

Dharma] how can there be salvation ? That is why various forms of

medicine [stage] are provided; if men do not take them, how can they

be cured? The King of Physicians [i. e. Tathagata Mahavairocana],

reproaches those who discuss [the Dharma] and recite [the sutras]

aimlessly. Now then, the medicines of the nine stages brush away

external dust [i. e. the six gunas] and eliminate errors, but the Palace

of Vajra [the Shingon stage] opens the inner store [of one's own mind]

and offers its jewels. Whether bliss or sorrow, attainment or failure,

it is the doing of one's own mind; neither by one's father nor by one's

mother, but only by oneself can the realization [of the Dharma] be

brought about. The sattva who seeks for the Buddha should not be

ignorant of this: [the difference between] a gem [mani] and a rock

[or between] an ass's milk and a cow's milk should not go uninvesti-

gated; so the [Mahavairocana] Sutra and the [Bodhicitta] Sastra clearlyexplain the deep and the shallow stages of the mind. The stages are

graded and explained in detail [in the chapters] which follow.

The [introductory] verse [here: vandana] says

[The six elements:](1) Homage to the eternal life of Vajra, [imma-

nent] in all internal [organic] and external [inorganic things], and

[the four element which are] apart from words, beyond defilement,equal to space, and caused [by conditions].

[Four mandalas:] To [(1) the Dharma-mandala whose signs are]

ka [derived from karya: the guttural consonant-class], ca [from cyuti:

the palatal consonant-class], to [from tanka: the cerebral consonant-

class], to [from tatha; the dental consonant-class] pa, [from parama-

rtha: the labial consonant-class], ya [from yana: the semi-vowel], and

sa [from santi: the spirants]; to [(2) the samaya-mandala within

(1)ln Shingon Buddhism, the essence〔svabhava〕, marks〔laksaa〕and activities

CkarmaJ of the tathata are described symbolically in terms of the six ele-ments, four mandalas, and three forms of communion [triguhya], respecti-

vely. First, the six elements are described. Vajra, the basis of all things, is

epresented by earth, followed by the four elements: water, fire, wind and

space. The sixth, the mind, is left out here since it is the perceiver of the

five elements.

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which reside the following Buddha s whose signs are]: caitya [Maha-

vairocana: the central Buddha], banner [Ratnaketu: the Buddha in

the east], light [Samkusmitardja: the Buddha in the south], lotus CAmi-

tayus: the Buddha in the west), and conch [Divyadundubhimeghanirg-

hosa: the Buddha in the north]; to [(3) the maha-mandala within

which reside the following Buddhas of the Garbhakosadhatu whose signs

are]: sun [Mahavairocana], banner [Ratnaketu], garland [Samkusumi-

taraga], eye [Amitayus], and drum [Divyadundhubhimeganirghosa] as

well as [the following paramita-bodhisattvas and puja-bodhisattvas of

the Vajradhatu]: Vajra, Ratna, Dharma, Gita and Nrtya; to [(4) karma-

mandala within which are representations made out from] mold, cast

and carving, [indicating] the activities [of the Buddhas].

[Unity between essence (i. e. the six elements) and marks (i. e. thefour mandalas):] And to the Great Ones [Buddhas] unhindered [i. e.

immanent in all things] and countless as the dust.

By imperial decree, I now compose [this work] on the ten stages

By which one instantly transcends the three falsehoods and enters

[the realm of] truth [praznuditd](2).

By lifting up the mist [of ignorance], one sees the light, the inexhaus-

tible treasure [within],

He enjoys [the fruits of the ten-stage-Dharma] together with all

others, anew day after day.

[It is as if one] having sacrificed to the spirits of the road [before

starting the journey] in search of the Bhagavan,

And, after [having lodged at] many post-houses, reaches one's own

dwelling.

The Tathdgata has clearly explained that:

There are ten entrances to the golden platform [the tenth stage],

And now having heard the number of stages,

Reveal their names and characteristics.

The explanation of the names of the stages will follow in due order,

But now recite [their names] by heart and apprehend the paths of

error.

(2) Shingon Buddhism holds that the first stage in the dasabhumi〔the ten stages

designed to realize Bodhisattvahoodj is the ultimate stage.

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(1) The stage of the foolish [prthagjana] ignorant goat:

The worldling, madly intoxicated, does not realize his errors;

Mindful only of Csatisfying hisj appetite and sensuous pleasure, he is like a

goat.

(2) The stage of an ignorant child who maintains abstinenceBut through external conditions, he suddenly thinks of moderation;

Charity blooms in his heart, as if a seed had met with CproperD conditions.

(3) The stage of a fearless child:

The heretic, Cbelieving inJ rebirth in heaven, gains peace for a while;

But he is like a child or a calf, who longs for his mother.

(4) The stage of only-skandhas and no-self [i. e. that which affirms the

reality of dharma s but negates the reality of the self in the perso-

nality]:

Understanding only the existence of dharmas and rejecting self:

In this sentence is collected the teaching of the goat-cart Cas expressed in

the parable of the Lotus Sutra.

(5) The stage of plucking out the karma-causing seed:Cultivate the Cunderstanding of the D 12-f old chain Cof co-arisingj, and pluck out

the seed of ignorance;

Having eliminated Cthe seed which produces] karma, he attains the fruit

CphalaJ in silence.

(6) The Mahaydna stage [which is concerned with] the conditions of

others:

The rising of uncondititonal compassion is the initial awakening of great com-

passion Cmahakarunaj;Meditating on false images Cparatantra-svabhavaJ, through consciousness-only

Cviinaptimatrataj, the sense-objects Cnimitta-bhagaj are cut off.

(7) The stage of realizing no-arising [anutpada]

The eight negations end prapanca: contemplate suyata in a single instant;

The mind then is tranquil, markless, and at peace.

(8) The stage of the One Path [ekayana] to Truth [tathata]:

In the original pure state of tathata, knowledge and sense-fields are

interfused;

CHe who] knows the Cfundamental) nature of the mind (tathagata-garbhajis called Vairocana.

(9) The stage [which holds that] there is no essence [svabhava] in

[what one conceives as] the ultimate:

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Water has no essence Csvabhava, it turns to waves when it meets the wind;

The Dharmadhatu is not the ultimate: having been warned one should

immediately forge ahead.

(10) The stage adorned with secrets:

The exoteric medicine wipes off the dust; the Shingon [teaching]

opens up Cone's inner] store;

The secret treasure now lay displayed, and 10,000 virtures are instantly

realized.

CHAPTER 10: THE STA GE ADORNED WITH SECRETS

[Supremacy of the tenth stage]:The [previous] nine stages are without essence [svabhava],

Evolving in profound succession, each is the cause [of the next];

The secret teaching of the Shingon [school] is [the teaching as]

explained by the Dharmakiya.

The secret Vajra is the highest truth.

[The essence of svabhava-Dharmakaya]:

The five wisdoms [realized in] the five-stage meditation [designed

to realize Buddhahood] are the body of Dharmadhatu,

[The marks of Dharmakiya: General]

The four mandalas and the four mudris reveal its essence.

[Specific: Mahamandala]:

The numerous buddhas are the Buddha within my mind, And, like

[water-] drops in the sea, the Vajra [-kula] and Padma [-kula] aremy body.

[Specific: Dharmamandala]

Every single letter embraces infinite representations,

[Specific: Samayamandala]

Every single sword and vajra manifests super-knowledge,

[Specific: Karmamandala]:The ten-thousand virtues of the essence wheels' [i. e. the three

mandalas listed above] are brought into [karma] completion.

[Inherent Buddhahood]:

In a lifetime one attains the realization of the adorned benevolence

[of Buddhahood].

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The Sutra says:

Furthermore, Lord of Secrets, the bodhisattvas who observe the

bodhisattva-practices according to the mantra teaching will perfect

the immeasurable meritorious wisdom, [the seed of] which they have

accumulated in innumerable kotis and nayutas of eons, and the

immeasurable wisdom-means [prajna-upaya] to carry out their

practices in every little detail.

We may interpret this as praising the meritorious virtues of the

bodhisattvas who are initiated into the Shingon school. It says further:

At that time, Bhagavan Vairocana entered the Dharmakaya-sa-

madhi of all the Tathagatas, which gives one the power [to

accomplish the upaya deeds] instantly, and said of the essence

which he himself has realized in that samadhi as follows: I

have realized akara-adyauntpada, have gone beyond the ways of

speech, have realized liberation from all errors, have parted from

[the realm] of all causes and conditions, and, having understood

that sunyata is equal to space, the wisdom which [cognizes]

things as they really are has been produced. Having parted from

all forms of blindness, [I dwell in the realm of] the highest

truth [paramartha] which is without impurities.

We may interpret the above as follows: The words of this verse

is concise but its meaning is profound. Words remain afloat [on the

surface]; its essence is [buried] deep. But without the surface, expla-

nation is difficult. There is also the wheel of a hundred letters', the

twelve letters', and other practices of samadhi, as well as those of the

thirty-seven deities of the Vajradhiitu' and of the four-jnana-mudras'.

These are the samidhis of the ultimate secret of the Tathagata Maha-

vairocana, [the meaning of whose] words [also] is broad and can not be

related in details.

Again, Nagarjuna's Dodhicitta-sastra says:

Thirdly, samadhi refers to the [manner of] contemplation as

observed by the mantra practitioner. How does this enable him

to realize the supreme enlightenment g It ought to be known that

in [observing this samadhi] one [realizes in it] that one inhe-

rently dwells in the [realm of] the great bodhicitta of Saman-

tabhadra. Although all sattvas are originally bodhisattvas, being

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bound by the defilements of greed, hate and delusion, the

buddhas, out of their great compassion and by their knowledge of

skillful means, preach this very profound secret yoga, enabling

the practitioner to contemplate the disks of the sun and the moon

within his own mind. Because he performs this contemplation, in

illuminating the original state of his mind, [he sees it] as [that

which is] calm and deep like the light of the full moon spreading

through all of space without discriminating anything. This [state

of realization] is also referred to as the final limit of realization',

the pure Dharmadhatu', or the ocean of the true perfection

of wisdom [prajnapdramita]. Embracing all the measureless, pre-

cious samidhis, it is like the pure brightness of a full moon.

Why is it sot Because all sattvas bear the state of Samantabha-

dra. If one were to observe his own mind, one would see it in

the form of a moon disc. Why is the moon disc taken as an illu-

stration l Because the body of the full moon in perfect brightness

is of the same kind as the bodhicitta. The moon-disc has sixteen

phases. It illustrates that in yoga there are sixteen bodhisattvas

from Vajrasattva to Varasamdhi.

Among the thirty-seven deities, each of the Buddhas of the five

directions manifests one wisdom [jnana]. Because Aksobhya

Buddha in the east perfects adarsa-jnana, he is also referred

to as Vajra-jnana, because Ratnasambhava-Buddha in the south

perfects samata-jnana, he is also referred to as Abhiseka-jnana;

because Amitabha-Buddha in the west perrfects pratyaveksana,

he is also referred to as Padma-jndna or Dharmacakrapravartana-

jnana; because Amoghasiddhi-Buddha in the north perfects

kriyanusthana-jnana, he is also referred to as karma-jnana;

because Vairocana-Buddha in the center perfects Dharmadhatu-

jnana, he is the source [of the jnanas]. From the four Buddha-

jnanas emanate the four paramitabodhisattvas. The four are

Vajra-, Ratna-, Dharma-, and Karma-Bodhi sattvas. They are the

mothers who give birth to and nourish all the deities of the past,

present and future. From this Dharmadhatu, in which the mudrd

is perfected, come forth the four Buddhas.

Each Tathagata of the four directions embraces four bodhisattvas.

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In the east, Aksobhya-Buddha embraces the four bodhi sattvas

Vajrasattva

Vajraraja

Vajraaaga

Vajrasadhu;

in the south, Ratnasambhava-Buddha embraces the four bodhisa-

ttvas

Vajraratna

Vajratejas

Vajraketu

Vajrahasa;

in the west, Amitabha-Buddha embraces the four bodhisattvas

Vajradharma

Vajratiksna

Vajrahetu

Vajrarhasa;

in the north, Amoghasiddhi-Buddha embraces the four bodhisa-

ttvas

Vajrakarma

Vajraraksa

Vajrayaksa

Vajrasamdhi

Each of the Buddhas of the four directions having four bodhisa-

ttvas, there are eighteen bodhisattvas. Thus among the thirty-

seven deities, leaving out the five Buddhas and the four para-

mita-bodhisattvas [which shall be discussed later], we have left

only these sixteen bodhisattvas who are embraced by the Buddhas

of the four directions.

Further, the Mahaprajnaparamita-sutra lists sixteen kinds of

sunyata, from adhyatma-sunyata to abhavasvabhava-sunyata.

All beings, in their original make-up of their minds, have an

element of pureness and are fully equipped [to perform] the

various acts [of compassion]: for the essence [of one's mind] is

extremely subtle and brilliantly pure, and though it transmigrates

in the six destinies it is yet unchanged. It is like one of the

sixteen phases of the moon: if a segment of the light of the

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moon were to come across with that of the sun, the moon would

be deprived of its light by the sun-light. Therefore it would not

shine. But later, the moon, from the first night of waxing,

gradually develops itself, until on the fifteenth day it reachesits fullness. This i s why the practitioner of meditation should

begin with the letter A' to arouse the brightness of his [original

state of] mind, and, by gradually purifying and brightening it,

realize the knowledge of no-arising [antpada-jnana].

Now the letter A' [signifies] the essence that all dharma s in their

original [nature] do not arise. According to the commentary to the

Mahavairocana-sutra, the letter A' has five essences First, the letter

a' is the bodhicitta; second, the letter a' is the bodhi-practice; third,

the letter am' means the realization of bodhi; fourth, the letter ah'

means parinirvana; fifth, the letter ah' means the knowledge complete

with means [upaya]. Further, we may match [the meanings of] the

letter A' with the explanation in the Saddharmapundarika-sutra of

the words to reveal, to exhibit', to realize', and to enter'. The word

to reveal' means to reveal the Buddha's wisdom [prajna], together with

which the bodhicitta is [also] revealed; it corresponds to the first

essence, a', signifying the bodhicitta. The word to exhibit' means to

exhibit the Buddha's wisdom; it corresponds to the second essence, a',

signifying the bodhi-practice. The word to realize' means to realize the

Buddha's wisdom; it corresponds to the third essence, am', signifying

the realization of bodhi. The word to enter' means to enter the Buddha's

wisdom; it corresponds to the fourth essence, ah', signifying parinir-

vana. All these [essences] put together is the fifth essence, ah', com-

plete perfection, signifying the fulfillment of the wisdom of skillful

means.

A verse which praises that the letter A' is the essence of bodhi-

citta says:

The eight-petalled white lotus is an arm's length away, Brightly

manifesting the pure light of the letter A'; By drawing both

dhyana and jnana into the vajra-bandhana-[mudra],

The Tathagata's wisdom of calmness and tranquility is summoned.

He who is fortunate enough to encounter the letter A' should

without doubt contemplate on it; he would then realize the full brigh-

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the ss of his pure consciousness. If he were to see only a glimpse of it,

[what he sees] would be called [the realm of] the highest truth [par-

amarthasatya], if he were to see it constantly, he would enter the

first stage of the bodhisattva; if [this vision] were to evolve [to such

a dimension so as to] encircle the rim of the Dharmadhatu, its meas-

urement would be equal to that of space. He would then be able to fold

up or unfold [his vision] at liberty and be equipped with all wisdom

[sarvaprajna].

He who practices the yoga. meditation should by all means cultivate

the practices of the three secrets [triguhya] in every detail and realize

[thereby] the essence of the meditation of the five stages [designed to

realize] Vairocana Buddahood. What we mean by the term three secrets'

is (1) the secret of the body [kayaguhya]: binding mudras to summon

the host of deities; (2) the secret of speech [vagguhya]: chanting the

mantras and clarifying each word so that there is no misunderstanding;

(3) the secret of the mind [mano-guhya]: dwelling in the meditation

of yoga, coming into union with the fullness of the pure moon, and

realizing [one's own] bodhicitta therein. The five stages of Vairocana-

Buddhahood are (1) atage of penetrating [the bodhicitta], (2) stage of

perfecting the bodhicitta, (3) stage of [attaining] the vajra-mind, (4)

stage of attaining the vajra-body, and (5) stage of realizing the supreme

enlightenment [samyaksaipbuddha] and attaining thereby the indestr-

uctible body of vajra. He who has perfected the five stages is certain

to realize the body of his presiding deity. Its illumination is the body

of Samantabhadra; it is also the mind of Samantabhadra. It is identical

to the Buddhas of the ten directions, When men [observe] the practices

whether in the past, present or future, there might be those who are

quick' or slow' in realizing [Buddhahood], but when it is realized there

is no notion of the duration of time. The mind of the worldling is

like a lotus bud; the Buddha-mind is like a full moon. If this medita-

tion is perfected, then there are manifested in it all the abodes of the

ten directions: the pure and the defiled, the stages of the six destinies,

the stages of the three vehicles, the stages from creation to destruction

in all the abodes of the past, present, and future, the distinct stages

of karma among the sattvas, the characteristics of the causal stages of

the bodhisattvas, and all the abodes of the buddhas of the past, present

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and future, and one would realize [thereby] the very body of the presi-

ding deity [in him] and fulfill all the vows of Samantabhadra. The

refore the Mahavairocana-sutra says:

The true mind [i. e. the mind as it really is] such as this is what

the buddhas of the past have explained.

Question: You have previously said that, because the men of the

two vehicles grasp [the reality] of dharmas, they cannot attain Buddha-

hood. Now what is the difference between [their practices] and the

samadhi [designed to] enable the cultivation of bodhicitta?

Answer: Because the men of the two vehicles [sravaka and pra-

tyekabuddha] grasp [the reality] of dharmas, it takes them a long

time to realize the essence [of Buddhahood]: they sink into [a state of]

stagnation, and because [they maintain belief] in the kalpa [require-

ment] they are limited; when the great bodhi [compassion] is awakened,

they take to the vehicle of wholesome practices and [again] spend

innumerabe kalpas. Therefore they [the two vehicles] are worthy to be

shunned and can not be relied upon. Now the Shingon practitioners have

already destroyed the tenacious grasping [to the reality of] dharma and

pudgala; and though this is certainly the knowledge to see truth

[tattva], he might not be able to realize the knowledge of all knowledge

[sarvajndna-jndna] of a Tathagata because of the subtle elements of

grasping [prasuksma-graha] that have been accumulated within [hismind] from the unknown past. Therefore, he should seek the profound

way [to tattva], uphold [the Shingon Dharma], and cultivate [himself]

stage by stage, from the common man up to the Buddha-stage. This

samadhi then enables one to attain Buddha-nature [Buddhata], to realize

the Dharmakaya of all Buddhas, as well as the wisdom of the essence

of Dharma-dhatu [Dharmadhatu-svabadva-jnana], and to perfect Maha-

vairocana Buddha's svabhava-Dharmakaya, [the body of ultimate re-

ality], sambhoga-Dharmakaya [the rewarded body], nirmana-Dharma-

kaya [the historical body], and nisyanda-Dharmakaya [the body of the

means]. Because a practitioner has not yet realized this, it stands to

reason that he should observe these [practices].

Therefore the Mahavairocana-sutra says:

Siddhi is born from the mind

The Vajrasekharayoga-sutra explains [this passage] as follows:

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The bodhisattva Sarvasiddhartha first sat in the Vajrasana,

realized the supreme way [anuttara-samyak-sambodhi], and

finally, having received [the right] to transmit the realm of the

mind of all the Buddhas, then realized the fruits [of his work].

If [all] the men of the present determinedly cultivate this pra-

ctice according to the teachings, without rising from their seats,

this samadhi will be manifested before them, and they would

thereby realize the body of the presiding deity.

Therefore the Mahavairocana-sutra, in the section on the Rules of

Worship [pftja.], says:

If one is without the strength to [bring about] increasing bene-

fits [for mankind], he should dwell in the Dharma and earnestly

contemplate on [his] bodhicitta. The Buddha had said that in it

are contained [the essence of] ten-thousand practices, complete

with pure Dharma. Because this boodhicitta includes [within it]

the meritorious dharmas of all the Buddha, if one realizes and

manifests it then he will become the leader [nayaka] of all. If

he were to return to the original [state or the nind], he would

[find in it] the land adorned with the secret [teachings]. Wit-

hout rising from his seat, he would then be able to perfect all

Buddha-deeds.

In praising the bodhicitta, therefore, [I say] in verse

If a man seeks the Buddha's wisdom and realizes bodhicitta, In

the body born of mother and father he would instantly realize

the stage of great enlightenment.

Question: Now that we have heard the words of the verses [on the

ten stages], explain their meaning.

Answer: According to the Shingon teaching, every simple letter

[that is sounded], words [expressed either singularly or in compound],

phrase, and sentence, is replete with boundless meanings which one

would not be able to exhaust even if one were to take eons. Further,

every single letter has three meanings: its sound, the letter [shape],

and the [state of] reality [it is designed to reveal]; and its charac-

teristic [philological] and its [religious] essence; and every single

phrase has two meanings: the shallow and the profound. It is difficult

to discuss things in haste. If one were to speak [of a thing] as it really

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is, those of small [mental] capacity would create doubt, would cause to

slander others, and most certainly would become an icchantika or [the

committer of] pancanantariya. That is why the nirmana-kaya of the

Tathagata concealed [the truth] and remained silent about it, and the

bodhisattvas who transmitted the Dharma left it undiscussed. Their

intent laid here [on not misleading men of small mental cap-acity].

Therefore the Vajrasekhara-sutra says:

Do not explain even a single letter of the Dharma of the Maha-

vairocana-samadhi to those who are uninitiated. Do not readily

explain the mantras of the rites of the presiding deity to others

even thought he may be the practitioner in the same school.

If [one were to] explain them, he would be. struck by disaster

immediately, invite calamity, and later fall into avici hell

[Question:] I reverently receive your advice and warning and shall

not dare transgress it [Shingon Dharma]. But again I respectfully

request you to explain the, words of the verses in the beginning of

the chapter.

[Answer:] "The nine [previous] stages are without essence [svab-

hava], Evolving in profound succession, each is the cause [of the

next].

These two lines reject what has been said before: that none of the

nine stages reaches ultimate Buddhahood. The "nine stages" means the

stages from the "foolish ignorant goat" to "ultimate lacking essence."

Among these, the first lists the common ignoramus who is directed to

practicing evil deeds and does not cultivate the least bit of virtue;the next reveals the human vehicle, followed by the heavenly vehicle

these are the [vehicles of the] heretics which loath the lower realm

[dhatu], seeks rebirth in heaven, and, although aspiring for the bliss of

liberation [vimoksa], falls into hell. The above three stages are all

[within] the worldly stage; they can not yet be referred to as those ofthe Iran sworldly stage. The fourth stage [which affirms] "only the

skandhas", and the stages above it are [collectively] referred to as the

stage [designed to realize] nirvana. Among the transworldly stage,

the "only-the-skandha stage" and the "plucking out karmic-seeds stage"

are the teachings of the Hinayana. The salvation-of -other stage on up

are the stages of Mayayana. The first two stages in the Mahayana are

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the Bodhisattvayina, and the next two are the Buddhayana. Thus each

vehicle, bears the name "Buddha", but from the vantage point of later

stages is only prapanca. Because the first two stages [of the Mahayana]

are without [sixed stations of] dwelling, they are without svabhava.

Because the latter two stages [of the Mahayana] are not the [final]

fruits, they are the causes. Evolving successively, each [stage] therefore

is [in itself] most profound. Thus [the verse in the beginning of this

chapter] says "Evolving in profound succession"

In the one sentence, "The secret teaching of the Shingon is [the

teaching as] exclained by the Dharmakaya" is revealed the Lord of the

Shingon teaching. The seven stages from "the ultimate is without sva-

bhava" on down are the teachings of the [Buddha in his] parasambhoga-

and nirmana-kiyas. But the "secret store" of the twofold realm of the

Shingon secret teaching is the Dharmakaya of the Tathagata Mahavai-

rocana and the four Dharmakiyas, his rethinues, who dwell in the palace

of Vajradhatu, the Shingon palace, and so on; and, because [the Ma-

havairocana] is in the bliss of enlightenment, be delivers his sermon.

This has all been explained in [the chapter on] the Essentials of the

Eighteen Assemblies, and others, so no further evidence will be drawn.

[The sentence] "The ultimate truth of the secret Vajra" indicates that

the teachings of the Mantrayana surpasses [the teachings of] all other

vehicles and is the ultimate truth.

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