前期經文提示：生吉祥風主空神。得了達無邊境界身相解脫門。

這個世界大災難也就是一個大劫運，這個劫運說「在數難逃」，不知道誰在 數呢？誰不在數呢？這個數，就是數目的數，誰在這個數目裡頭？這話本來我不願意講的，那麼因為太危險了，不講，大家這個心還不轉過來；現在大家心若轉過 來，能把這個災難避免了。這個災難不是一個國家的事情，是整個世界的一個災難。那麼我們現在這兩位菩薩，發心三步一拜，祈禱世界和平；一般的人看來這是一 種很愚癡，很笨的行為，其實他們就用這個愚癡和笨的方法，這古老的方法，來將這個掃把星給降伏，使令它不來侵害地球，而挽救這世界上一切眾生的生命。

這劫運是整個世界眾生的業所造成的，可是我們人人若能改惡向善，把這個 心變過來，這也就是生吉祥風。那麼生吉祥風，就能把這個世界轉過來。「得了達無邊境 界身相解脫門」：這一位主空神，一定也會執行他的任務，所以現在說他得 到了達無邊境界；了達也就是明白了，也就是他徹悟了，徹悟到這無邊的境界。什麼叫無邊的境界？這個佛身如空，佛的身好像虛空似的；「若人欲識佛境界，當淨 其意如虛空。」佛身如虛空，所以這就叫無邊的境界。無邊的境界，身也無相了，相也無相；相而無相，無相而相。那麼這種的境界，是華嚴不可思議的境界，不是 凡夫這個思想所能明白的境界，這位主空神，他就入了這個解脫門。

誰有什麼意見沒有？

大家要知道，現在這個時候是比放原子彈、氫氣彈更要厲害百千萬倍都不 止，這個劫運是很厲害的，那麼看看我們這兩位能不能挽回？所以他們走的時候，我說如果不誠心呢，就不要回來見我，這是我的老法子。好像你們到臺灣去，不守 我的規矩，就不要回來見我；這個恆謙，《妙法蓮華經》翻譯不好，也不要回來見我。那麼究竟見我有什麼用呢？沒有用，但是我就不准他見了。

第四個主空神解脫門

離障安住主空神。得能除一切眾生業惑障解脫門。

這一位主空神，他的名字就叫「離障安住主空神」：離障，離開一切的障 礙，就是無障礙；安住，安住這個不動地，安住禪定，安住寂靜處，這都是安住。那麼這一位主空神，他得到的什麼呢？「得能除一切眾生業惑障解脫門」：能除， 就是本來有，能教他沒有了、除去了；除去一切眾生的業，這個業是說的惡業。善業呢，就不可以除的，善業是愈多愈好；那麼這個惡業呢？是愈少愈好。惑，就是 疑惑，就是不能決定的；惑，也是迷惑，就是無所明了。障，就是障菩提道這種的障礙。什麼是菩提道的障礙呢？也就是這個煩惱。可是煩惱即菩提，怎麼又要把它 除去呢？這就把它變化了，轉這個煩惱成菩提，轉這不明白成明白、成般若，轉這個惡業成為善業，所以這叫得能除一切眾生業惑障解脫門。

第五個主空神解脫門

廣步妙髻主空神。得普觀察思惟廣大行海解脫門。

「廣 步妙髻主空神」：廣步妙髻，這是這位主空神的名字。「得普觀察思惟 廣大行海解脫門」：她得到的這種解脫門，叫普觀察思惟。普觀察，就是普遍地來觀察一切眾生所修行的廣大行海。那麼她觀察，然後又思惟。觀察 眾生的廣大行 海，思惟眾生廣大的根性，以便觀機逗教，因人說法，而普度一切眾生。廣大行海，也就是無量無邊的行門。每一位眾生，有每一種的因緣，修哪一種的法門，必須 要相應；那麼如果不相應，彼此都沒有什麼益處。所以這一位主空神，她得到佛的這種境界，她明白這一種的解脫門，就叫普觀察思惟廣大行海解脫門。

第六個主空神解脫門

無礙光燄主空神。得大悲光普救護一切眾生厄難解脫門。

「無 礙光燄主空神」：無礙光燄，是這一位主空神的名字。「得大悲光普救 護一切眾生厄難解脫門」：這一位主空神，她得到這種的解脫門，是什麼呢？就是大悲光，大悲是悲能拔苦。那麼他能以這個般若智慧的光明，用這 個大悲的心來救 護一切眾生。這一切眾生都在生死的苦海裡邊，生了又死，死了又生，生死輪迴，循環無端，在這裡頭捨生受生。她自己以為這是一個好事情，啊！很好玩的，所以 頭出頭沒，也不思出離，所以這叫一切眾生的厄難。厄，就是苦厄，在《心經》上說：「度一切苦厄」，那麼這厄難就是生死的厄難。這一位主空神，他就來救護這 一切眾生的厄難，令得到這個解脫門。

第七個主空神解脫門

無礙勝力主空神。得普入一切無所著福德力解脫門。

上 人：果護，講一講這個無礙勝力主空神！

恆 守（果護）：「無礙勝力主空神，得普入一切無所著福德力解脫門」：這 個無礙勝力主空神，她的名字叫無礙勝力。什麼叫勝力？勝力是殊勝的力量，無障無礙，沒有別的力量比他的力量那麼殊勝，所以叫無礙勝力主空神。她所入的這個 境界，所得到的這個解脫門叫「普入一切無所著福德力解脫門」。她普遍入一切無所著，他沒有什麼執著，所以能普遍入一切處而沒有執著，這叫普入一切無所著。 因為這位無礙勝力主空神，她會普入一切無所著，所以有這個福德力。這是她的解脫門。

上 人：今天所講這四段的經文、四個主空神，各位有沒有什麼意見來發揮這 其中的義理？若有的時候，就快一點提出來共同研究。

恆 隱：關於翻譯這個離障安住，「安住」這兩個字的意思，安是平安的安， 住是無所住的住，它這個意思是不是，也是 peaceful（平安），也是 dwell（住)？或者安住這兩個字是只有一個意思？好像意思就是「在這裡」。我的意思是要翻譯英文的時候，是否要用 peaceful 和 dwell 這兩個字？或者這安住只是一個意思？

待續

A reminder of the Sutra text: The Emptiness-Ruling Spirit named Producing Auspicious Wind obtained the liberation door of fathoming the boundless state of bodily characteristics.

This great calamity that is threatening the world is a major catastrophe of fate. As it is said, “It is fate and cannot be avoided.” Who is included in this fate and who is not? The character shu, which means fate, also means number. Who is included in this number? I didn’t want to talk about this, but it’s simply too dangerous. If I didn’t talk about it, people wouldn’t be able to turn their minds around. Now if everyone can turn their minds around, then the calamity can be averted. This calamity does not involve only one country; it is a calamity that affects the whole world. Now we have two Bodhisattvas who have resolved to do three-steps-one-bow to pray for world peace. Most people regard that as a very stupid and dumb way to act. In fact, the two of them are using this dumb and old-fashioned method to subdue the comet and prevent it from coming to destroy the planet. They are thus saving the lives of all the living beings in this world.

This calamity was brought into being by the karma of the living beings of the entire world. However, if each one of us can change from bad to good, and turn our minds around, that will produce auspicious wind. And when auspicious wind is produced, it can turn this world around. He obtained the liberation door of fathoming the boundless state of bodily characteristics. This Emptiness-Ruling Spirit is sure to carry out his responsibilities, so now the text says that he attained to fathoming the boundless state. To fathom is to understand, to achieve enlightened penetration—in this case to the boundless state. What is the boundless state? It is that of the Buddha’s body being like empty space. The body of the Buddha resembles empty space. “If someone wishes to understand the Buddha’s state, he should purify his mind so it is like empty space.” Since the Buddha’s body is like empty space, it is called the boundless state. In this boundless state, the body has no characteristics, its characteristics being no characteristics. It has appearance yet no appearance, no appearance and yet appearance. This kind of state is the inconceivable state of the Flower Adornment, a state which ordinary beings are unable to conceptualize or understand. This Emptiness-Ruling Spirit entered that door to liberation.

Does anyone have any opinions?

All of you should realize that the present threat is billions of times greater than that of atomic or nuclear explosions. The pending disaster is incredibly formidable. We’ll have to see if our two monks can turn it aside or not. That’s why I told them when they left, “If you’re not sincere, don’t come back to see me.” That’s my old method, just as when you went to Taiwan and I told you that if you didn’t maintain my rules, you should not come back to see me. And if Heng Ch’ien doesn’t translate the Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra well, he shouldn’t come back to see me either. Ultimately what use is there in seeing me? It’s useless; but I still would not let people see me.

The Liberation Door of Emptiness-Ruling Spirit No. 4

The Emptiness-Ruling Spirit named Securely Dwelling Apart from Obstacles obtained the liberation door of being able to dispel the obstacles of karma and delusions of all living beings.

The next Emptiness-Ruling Spirit is named Securely Dwelling Apart from Obstacles. Being apart from obstacles means being free from all impeding obstructions. Securely dwelling refers to being firmly established on the Ground of Not Moving, dwelling securely in dhyana-samadhi, dwelling securely in a still and quiet place—all of that is securely dwelling. What did this Emptiness-Ruling Spirit obtain? She obtained the liberation door of being able to dispel the obstacles of karma and delusions of all living beings. The ability to dispel presumes that something exists to begin with, but that one can get rid of it and make it disappear. In this case it is the karma of all living beings which is dispelled, and it is their bad karma. Then what about their good karma? It should not be dispelled. The more good karma there is, the better. As to bad karma, the less there is, the better. Delusions involve doubts, that is, unresolvable aspects; and aspects of confusion—lack of understanding. Obstacles are hindrances on the path of Bodhi.What are those hindrances on the Bodhi Way? They are afflictions. And yet afflictions are Bodhi, so why should one need to dispel them? They should be transformed, so afflictions turn into Bodhi; so lack of understanding turns into understanding and becomes Prajna; so evil karma becomes good karma. That is what is meant by obtaining the liberation door of dispelling the obstacles of karma and delusions of all living beings.

The Liberation Door of Emptiness-Ruling Spirit No. 5

The Emptiness-Ruling Spirit named Vast Stride Wondrous Cowl obtained the liberation door of universally contemplating and reflecting upon the sea of vast, great practices.

The next Emptiness-Ruling Spirit is named Vast Stride Wondrous Cowl. She obtained the liberation door of universally contemplating and reflecting upon the sea of vast, great practices. Her contemplation is universal in that she universally contemplates the sea of vast, great practices cultivated by all living beings. First she contemplates, and then she reflects. She contemplates the sea-like vastness of living beings’ conducts and reflects upon the great expanse of beings’ dispositions. She contemplates potentials and entices with teachings, speaking Dharma according to the person and universally crossing over all living beings. The sea of vast great practices refers to limitless and boundlessly many doors of practice. Each individual living being has his or her individual causes and conditions, and the particular kind of Dharma door which he or she cultivates needs to resonate with that individual, or else there will be no beneficial interaction. Hence this Emptiness-Ruling Spirit achieved that kind of state of the Buddha and understood the type of door to liberation that is called the liberation door of universally contemplating and reflecting upon the sea of vast, great practices.

The liberation door of Emptiness-Ruling Spirit No. 6

The Emptiness-Ruling Spirit named Unobstructed Blaze of Light obtained the liberation door of light of great compassion which universally rescues and protects all living beings from difficulty.

The next Emptiness-Ruling Spirit is named Unobstructed Blaze of Light. What door to liberation did she attain? She obtained the liberation door of light of great compassion, which universally rescues and protects all living beings from difficulty. As to great compassion: compassion pulls beings out from suffering. She is able to employ the brilliance of Prajna wisdom and use a greatly compassionate attitude of mind to safeguard all living beings. Those beings are within the sea of suffering of birth and death. They are born and then they die, die and are reborn, revolving in a pointless cycle of births and deaths. They cast off one life only to take up another, yet still feel they’re involved in good business and that it’s a lot of fun. Therefore they bob and sink without thinking of getting out. That’s what’s meant by the difficulty that all living beings have. “Difficulty” refers to suffering and difficulty, as in the line from the Heart Sutra: “...crossed beyond all suffering and difficulty.” The hardship is that of birth and death, and this Emptiness-Ruling Spirit rescues and protects all living beings from that hardship, enabling them to reach this door to liberation.

The liberation door of Emptiness-Ruling Spirit No. 7

The Emptiness-Ruling Spirit named Unobstructed Supreme Strength obtained the liberation door of strength of blessings and virtue for universal entry to everything without attachment.

Venerable Master: Gwo Hu, lecture on the Emptiness-Ruling Spirit Unobstructed Supreme Strength.

Heng Shou (Gwo Hu): The Emptiness-Ruling Spirit named Unobstructed Supreme Strength obtained the liberation door of strength of blessings and virtue for universal entry to everything without attachment. This Emptiness-Ruling Spirit has “Unobstructed Supreme Strength” as her name. What is supreme strength? It is exceptional power that nothing blocks or hinders. No other power surpasses hers, and so she is known as the Emptiness-Ruling Spirit Unobstructed Supreme Strength. The state into which she entered, the door to liberation that she attained, is called the liberation door of universal entry to everything without attachment. She pervasively enters into nonattachment to anything. Since she has no attachments, she can enter into all locations everywhere without becoming attached. That’s the meaning of universal entry to everything without attachment. Because this Emptiness-Ruling Spirit named Unobstructed Supreme Strength can universally enter into nonattachment to anything, she has the strength of blessings and virtue. This is her door to liberation.
Venerable Master: Would any of you like to comment on the meaning of any of the four passages of Sutra text that were lectured today about the four Emptiness-Ruling Spirits? If so, bring up your opinions quickly for us to investigate together.
Heng Yin: As to the translation of 離障安住 (li zhang an zhu), 安住 (an zhu) consists of two characters, the first of which is the same character as in 平安 (ping an) which means “peaceful.” The second character is 住 (zhu) which means dwelling, as in “without dwelling anywhere.” Is the combined meaning then “peacefully dwelling,” or do the two characters form a compound with the single meaning of being somewhere. My question is, when we translate the two characters into English, do we have to use the two words “peacefully” and “dwelling,” or does 安住 (an zhu) just have a single meaning?

To be continued