「金剛法印」之說明
簡繁轉換 - 繁體
林鈺堂
陳祥耀居士擅於刻法印，曾刻多種給我，包括「隨緣不變，不變隨緣」之圓轉印，已介紹於拙作《無限的智悲》書中。我因此想到以圖形表達法義，設計了「金剛法印」，請他刻製。祥耀兄平日精進修持，若非此舉可供他藉以修座餘之三密相應，並且印成可以結緣通函之佛友大眾，我是不敢作此種請求的。
「金剛法印」之構思及所含密法法義如下：
於無限之法性空中，炳然卓現直立五鈷金剛杵。上五鈷表諸佛之五智，下五鈷表法界之五大；由五智御使五大而產生渡生之妙用，圓顯諸佛之福德。
杵中心之圓球，乃法界縮影而不異全體法界之金剛壇城，又是出生五智、五大之根本明空。
壇城地基由八瓣蓮花構成，表依八正道出離俗塵，依四無量心（四方四瓣）通達本來清淨之智慧。密法根本之明空、杵蓮、福慧，至此已圓攝。
蓮心之滴露，一形而圓彰三法：明點（白菩提）、拙火（紅菩提），及收攝入法性空中最後所觀之「拉打」；因此也可說是菩提心之表相。
杵為陽文，蓮為陰文，滴露為陽文；三層互攝，表密法雙運「陽中有陰，陰中有陽」之圓融無礙。
此印圓攝密宗法理之密義及修法之要項，又是我依感應所得開示而設計，故有加持之力用。
祥耀兄在家鄉馬來西亞檳城向常購印石之店東說明為刻法印，需此種大小之印石。店東經長考之後方才割愛一方本為珍藏，觀賞把玩之質地極為細緻，顏色淺綠純淨而溫潤如玉，印鈕並有精雕迴龍戲珠盤旋之福州壽山印石（福壽印）。
起初擬稿為工筆之杵，整齊而帶匠氣，遂不擬下筆操刀，而於座暇苦思肖形，為時頗久，且易稿無數；後於夢中見樸拙之杵形，方據之以為成稿。
祥耀兄於一九九二年九月一日運刀雕刻，而於九月六日刻完此印，是夜臨睡前在佛壇獻供後，將印石及印文陳於佛壇，祈請印証並懇切稟白 陳上師及諸佛、菩薩、護法、龍天說：「若此法印有不當處，希垂冥示。」結果躺臥床上甚久卻了無睡意，全身火熱，不能成眠，起來飲水解渴，再細察此印，纔發現中心滴露處忘了刻成空心，而形成紅色之拙火。雕空拙火，即不再覺得火熱，上床即能入眠矣。故知此印確含法力。印成後，每一觀賞，即覺精神奕奕，有加持之力傳來。
祥耀兄恐郵寄誤失此法寶，故只寄印文給我觀賞。到一九九三年七月二十三日，我在馬來西亞弘法三週後，回台時才面交此印，並特此撰頌敬讚此印，附此供眾：
「鈺堂兄囑刻法印，嘗有特殊感應。 如命完成，賦此敬讚：
蓮開八瓣性清淨，拙點中持菩提心，
金剛妙用五大智，最勝密義攝藏盡。
弟祥耀 呈拙」
我特撰此文以分享法喜於眾。願有緣見此印者，皆得蒙密法之殊恩！
一九九三年七月二十四日
於台北
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Significance of the Vajra Dharma Seal
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Significance of the Vajra Dharma Seal
Yutang Lin
Upasaka Tan Seong Yeow mastered the carving of Dharma seals, and had carved many Dharma seals as offerings to me. Among those was the round seal of "According to situations but remain changeless; changeless yet in accordance with circumstances" that I had introduced in my book, "Boundless Wisdom and Compassion." That seal inspired me to design imagery to demonstrate Dharma significance; hence I designed the Vajra Dharma Seal and asked him to carve it. Brother Seong Yeow was diligent in his daily Dharma practices. If not because this endeavor could serve as his practice of harmony of the three secrets of mind, body and speech during his leisure and the resulting printouts of the seal could be distributed to Dharma friends who are in correspondences with me, I would not have dared to make such a request.My design of the Vajra Dharma Seal and its Tantric significance are as follows:
In the boundless space of Dharma Nature a vertically standing five-prong Vajra vividly appeared. Its upper five prongs represent the Five Wisdoms of Buddhas, while its lower five prongs represent the Five Elements of the Dharmadhatu. Wondrous salvation activities arise as the result of employing the Five Wisdoms in guiding the uses of the Five Elements; thus meritorious virtues of Buddhas are demonstrated perfectly.
The round sphere at the center of the Vajra is the Mandala of the Heruka which is a miniature representation of the Dharmadhatu and yet no different from the whole Dharmadhatu; it is also the fundamental sphere of the union of Brightness and Sunyata from which Five Wisdoms and Five Elements arose.
The ground of the Mandala is formed by an eight-petal Lotus; thus signifies relying on the Eight-fold Noble Path to transcend worldly matters, and also relying on the Four Boundless Minds (the four longer petals in the four cardinal directions) to realize the Wisdom of Original Purity. The fundamental notions in Tantra such as Brightness and Sunyata, Vajra and Lotus, and Merits and Wisdom are all included in the symbolism.
The drip of nectar at the center of the Lotus satisfactorily represents three Dharma objects: Essence Drop (White Bodhi), Tummo Flame (Red Bodhi) and Nada (the hairy shape in the final stage of the visualization of returning everything into Sunyata space). Therefore, it could be regarded as the symbolic expression for Bodhicitta.
The Vajra is carved in Yang strokes (strokes formed by carving out the boundaries of their shapes so that their printouts are in ink), the Lotus is carved in Yin strokes (strokes formed by carving their shapes into the seal so that their printouts will remain blank), and the drip of nectar is carved in Yang strokes. The outer layers contain the inner layers, and the three layers all together symbolize the expression describing the perpetual harmony of Tantric Love practices, "Within Yang there is Yin, and within Yin there is Yang."
This seal completely symbolizes both the secret significance of Tantric theories and the main items of Tantric practices; furthermore, its design was based on some inspiration that I had received earlier; therefore, it has blessing power.
While brother Seong Yeow was in his hometown,
Penang, Malaysia, he explained to the owner of the seal shop
that he used to purchase seal-stones from, that he needed a
seal-stone of such a size for carving a Dharma seal. After
long deliberation that owner finally relinquished a piece of
seal-stone from Shou Shan (Longevity Mountain) of Fu Zhou (Meritorious
County). (Thus it may be called a Meritorious Longevity Seal.)
This piece was originally intended for the owner's own treasury
and aesthetic enjoyment; its texture is very fine and pure,
color light green, and tactility as smooth as jade; its top
is a fine sculpture of a winding dragon playing its precious
ball.
In the beginning he sketched a Vajra with fine details, very
neat but seemed crafty, and hence he did not intend to carve
it as such. Instead, over rather long period he pondered over
the shape in his leisure, and changed countless sketches. Later
he saw in a dream a simple and plain shape of Vajra, only then
did he finish the final sketch based on that shape.
On September 1st, 1992 brother Seong Yeow began carving the seal with knives, and completed the seal on September 6th. That night before going to bed he made offerings at his altar, and then displayed the seal and its printout on the altar to supplicate for approval, and he earnestly prayed to Guru Chen and Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and protectors such as Heavenly Kings and Dragon Kings, by saying: if there were some impropriety in this seal, I wished for indications through revelation. Consequently, even though he lay in bed for long time he did not feel sleepy at all, and his whole body was hot as fire that he could not fall asleep, so he got up to drink some water to quench the thirst. Then he reexamined the seal carefully, and only then did he find out that the drip of nectar at the center was forgotten to be carved into a hollow shape, and consequently it took the shape of a red Tummo Flame. As soon as the Tummo Flame was carved into a hollow shape, he no longer felt hot as fire, and fell asleep as soon as he reentered the bed. Thus he knew that this seal did contain Dharma power. After completion of the seal each time he examined it he would feel blessing power coming through and himself invigorated.
Brother Seong Yeow was afraid that sending it by mail might cause this Dharma treasure to be lost by mistake, so he mailed me only a printout for appreciation. Until July 23rd, 1993, after I had propagated Dharma in Malaysia for three weeks, when I had returned to Taipei he gave this seal to me in person. In addition, he especially composed a poem in praise of this seal; it is attached here for all to share:
Elder Brother Yutang told me to carve this Dharma seal, and there had been special inspirations. As I had completed the mission as ordered I composed this in respectful praising:
Blooming Lotus with eight petals is by its
nature pure,
Bodhicitta holds Tummo, Essence Drop and Sunyata,
Wondrous use of Vajra in Five Wisdoms and Elements,
All supreme Tantric significances are gathered together.
Younger Brother Seong Yeow offering his unskillful work.
In order to share such Dharma joy with
all I had especially composed this article. May all that
would have an opportunity to see a printout of this seal
will be blessed by the extraordinary blessings of Tantric
Dharma!
Written in Chinese on July 24, 1993
Taipei, Taiwan
Translated on October 15, 2004
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