彩沙壇城 林鈺堂

彩沙繪壇迎聖眾,傳延法脈超時空;
菩提栽灌一圓成,寶粉擦盡清流送。

密法灌頂儀式,有以彩沙繪成壇城,以迎請智慧聖眾之降臨,而行超越時空、聖凡區隔之加持及傳法。法會之結尾,立即將彩沙壇城擦盡,並將掃集之寶粉送入清流,以加持水界之眾生。

此舉昭示佛之事業始於一無所有,而能建立具足莊嚴之壇城,進而展開化渡之力用,終究還歸一無所得。如此完全符合宇宙間不斷經歷生、住、異、滅之遷演,而無有停滯、執取,卻能使傳揚正覺之法脈無盡地延續,以便不停地開展救渡眾生的大事業。

若能體會此中深意,便知吾人一生亦當如斯善加利用,而不為生死、得失所擾、所限。


                     二○○二年六月一日
                     養和齋   於加州


Colored-sand Mandala Yutang Lin

Mandala drawn with colored-sand to welcome wisdom beings,
Thus extends Dharma lineage beyond limits of space and time.
As soon as planting and irrigating of Bodhi seed accomplished,
Precious dusts completely wiped off and poured into river flow.

Comment:

In tantric initiation rituals sometimes the mandala is drawn with colored-sand to welcome the arrival of wisdom beings. Thereby blessing and transmission of teachings are bestowed transcending both the limitation of space and time and the distinction of sacred and mundane. During the concluding part of the ceremony the colored-sand mandala is completely wiped off through a systematic and significant procedure, and the precious dusts thus gathered are brought to a river and poured into the flow to bless sentient beings in the water realm.

The whole procedure illustrates that, Buddha's activities start with having nothing, and yet are capable of establishing a mandala complete with all kinds of grandeur, and using it to perform conversion and bestow blessing, then, eventually, all will return to the original state of nothing attainable. Thus it is in complete compliance with the ever-continuous evolution of birth, abiding, changing, and extinction in universe, without grasping and lingering, and yet still capable of limitless extension of the Dharma lineage that propagates the right enlightenment so as to spread the great salvation activities for all sentient beings without a pause.

If the inherent deep significance of this ritual procedure as explained above is well-understood, then one should realize that one's life should be made good use of in a similar fashion beyond the worries and limitations of life or death, and gain or loss.


Written in Chinese on June 1, 2002
Translated on June 2, 2002
El Cerrito, California


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