度母四层功德 林钰堂
印空融理具证德，一一众生侧护佑；
慈悯感召化渡广，甘霖普济润全球。
跋
今晨醒前，梦中得有关度母四层功德之教示，简述如下：
一、有一已印契空性并具备充任祖师之训练者，彼有可能担任数种显要之职责。
解：具备充任祖师之训练，指融通佛理，证德圆满。堪任多种显职，指应化 自在，渡众广博。此乃一般了解之度母功德，故为外层。
二、但其内心完全未计及名位，只思陪伴于一一众生之侧加以救护。
解：度母之慈悲完全无私、无我，不但普及一切有情，更是深切到随护一一 众生之左右。此乃一般难以悟及之慈悯内涵，故为内层。
三、由于圆满前述二层之德性，彼即自然成就显要之祖师。
解：彼虽无心，但德性所感召，自然渡化广博，名声远扬。此乃外、内吻合 相成所生之结果，故为密层。
四、彼之神通使清澈甘露涌现，遍布全球，众生皆蒙润泽。
解：以甘霖普济一切有情，乃由本来清净之无限一体所自然出生之神通功用， 故为密密层。
谨此志恩公布，以助了解度母慈悯恩德，并愿修习度母法众，因之早日成就 度母，普济有情。
二○○四年六月廿二日
端午节
养和斋
于加州
 |
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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