印空融理具證德，一一眾生側護佑；
慈憫感召化渡廣，甘霖普濟潤全球。
跋
今晨醒前，夢中得有關度母四層功德之教示，簡述如下：
一、有一已印契空性並具備充任祖師之訓練者，彼有可能擔任數種顯要之職責。
解：具備充任祖師之訓練，指融通佛理，證德圓滿。堪任多種顯職，指應化 自在，渡眾廣博。此乃一般了解之度母功德，故為外層。
二、但其內心完全未計及名位，只思陪伴於一一眾生之側加以救護。
解：度母之慈悲完全無私、無我，不但普及一切有情，更是深切到隨護一一 眾生之左右。此乃一般難以悟及之慈憫內涵，故為內層。
三、由於圓滿前述二層之德性，彼即自然成就顯要之祖師。
解：彼雖無心，但德性所感召，自然渡化廣博，名聲遠揚。此乃外、內吻合 相成所生之結果，故為密層。
四、彼之神通使清澈甘露湧現，遍佈全球，眾生皆蒙潤澤。
解：以甘霖普濟一切有情，乃由本來清淨之無限一體所自然出生之神通功用， 故為密密層。
謹此誌恩公佈，以助了解度母慈憫恩德，並願修習度母法眾，因之早日成就 度母，普濟有情。
二○○四年六月廿二日
端午節
養和齋
於加州
 |
Four Layers of Tara's Merits Yutang Lin
Realizing Sunyata, harmonizing teachings, and complete with attainments,
Staying by the side of each and every sentient being to protect and guide,
Merciful kindness moves many to come for refuge from lands far and wide,
Spreading pure nectar universally all over the world to nourish and moisten.
Comment:
This morning right before I woke up I received teachings on the four
layers of Tara's merits in a dream. The teachings are succinctly described
below:
There was someone who has realized Sunyata and fulfilled the trainings
that enable one to serve as a patriarch. This person is capable of taking
up several kinds of glorious and important responsibilities.
Explanation: Having fulfilled the trainings that enable one to serve as a patriarch
means having mastered the harmonization and unification of Buddhist theories,
and possessed attainments completely. Being capable of taking up several kinds
of glorious and important responsibilities means the ability to transform appropriately
for conversion purposes at will, and to convert beings far and wide. These
are merits of Tara that are commonly understood; hence they belong to the outer
layer.
Nevertheless, the mind of this person was completely free from considerations
of position and fame, and was solely preoccupied with the intention to
stay by the side of each and every sentient being so as to protect and
save all of them.
Explanation: The compassion of Tara is completely impartial and selfless. It
is not only universally applicable to all sentient beings but also so profound
as to accompany and safeguard each and every sentient being. Such profound
compassion is usually difficult to comprehend by ordinary people; hence it
belongs to the inner layer.
Due to complete possession of merits as described in the two layers above,
this person naturally became a prominent and important patriarch.
Explanation: Even though free from such intentions, due to the attraction of
this person's merits, naturally the conversion became far and wide and the
fame spread to distant lands. Such is the result of matching merits of both
outer and inner layers and their mutual enhancement; hence this belongs to
the secret layer.
This person's supernatural power caused pure nectar to spring forth and
cover the whole world; consequently all sentient beings obtained nourishment
and became moistened with compassion.
Explanation: Universal soothing of all sentient beings is the function of supernatural
powers that originated spontaneously from limitless oneness that is originally
pure; hence it belongs to the most secret layer.
With gratitude I have carefully
and faithfully recorded the teachings here. Through this public announcement
I hope to help promote understanding of Tara's merciful and compassionate merits.
In addition, I hope that Buddhists who practice sadhanas on Taras would thereby
gain accomplishments sooner and save all beings equally.
Written in Chinese and translated on June 22, 2004
Chinese Duan Wu Festival (lunar May 5)
El Cerrito, California
[Related Works: Four Levels of Speechlessness]
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