三昧耶戒(The Samaya Precept)

真圓阿阇黎

密法修行在接受其他大小乘戒律的基礎上,還有一無上戒律。即三昧耶戒。

在密法修行加行完畢準備接受灌頂之前,必須受三昧耶戒,否則入壇灌頂絕無可能。

三昧耶samaya梵文本意有二①時間,這里的時間非指現(xiàn)在過去未來,而是如來說法瞬間(非過去非現(xiàn)在非未來,亦過去亦現(xiàn)在亦未來);②佛與眾生本來平等無二。在密法中則有四意①平等,②本誓,③除障,④警覺。一旦發(fā)心修行者必信,自性與佛、眾生平等無二,無論修行遭遇如何障難而誓愿不舍正法。因三昧耶戒故,警覺定中諸佛菩薩,得到加持從而障難除卻,修行順遂,悉地易成。這里平等初意為菩提心平等。誓愿,即發(fā)起救度有情大慈悲喜舍心,諸佛世尊,乘此誓愿無住而住濟度有情出離生死苦海至無余涅槃。警覺,乃行者以三密方便,警覺定中本尊,影向加持,本尊出定不違本誓加持行者速成悉地。除障,乃降服一切煩惱,轉(zhuǎn)無明煩惱為無上菩提。

三昧耶戒是密法修行者根本戒律,違反此戒律所修猶如沙中起塔,石山播種,終不能有成。

三昧耶戒換言之就是五弘誓,即眾生無邊誓愿度,福德無邊誓愿集,法門無邊誓愿學,如來無邊誓愿事,菩提無上誓愿證。由于密法乃師資相傳,一切法門皆由師所傳出,故三昧耶戒的核心落實到師徒關系就是尊師如佛,如果背師欺祖即是越三昧耶。

越三昧耶又名越法罪,指輕視三昧耶境界或者違越三昧耶戒。在密法修行者而言,越三昧耶是第一重罪。三昧耶乃自誓的意思,顧名思義越三昧耶就是違反自己的誓愿。輕視或者違越三昧耶的情形如:對未灌頂者講說入壇灌頂事宜,對沒有資格(缺乏慧根無大度量)者擅自予以灌頂,未經(jīng)阿奢黎許可輒修密法或者閱讀密教典籍或者持真言,沒有經(jīng)過悉曇傳授而私學悉曇等等,如此之類皆違反密法祖制,無論如何修也不可能成就。

如果修行者于法、于眾生生持不平等見解,就限制了平等誓愿,會被世間名利驅(qū)使,成就勢必不能。違反三昧耶戒害己害人,“菩薩如護命,誓不犯此罪”?！洞笕战?jīng).密印品》云“若異于此者,同謗佛菩薩;違越三昧耶,決定墮惡趣?！薄稊z真實經(jīng)》更云“越三昧耶重于五逆罪,墮落無間地獄,永無出離期”。

所以在《大藏經(jīng)》密教部經(jīng)典前總書有未經(jīng)上師許可欲讀密典須誦大輪金剛陀羅尼二十一遍,旨在提醒佛子慎莫越三昧耶!

The Samaya Precept

By Acarya Zhenyuan

Translated by Yuanhui

In Esoteric Buddhist practicing, there is a supreme dharma—samaya, besides all the precepts in Mahayana and Hinayana Buddhism.

When an Esoteric Buddhist has finished the four diligent exercises, he must vow not to breach samaya before Abhiseka, or he will never enter into the madala.

In Sanskrit, samaya has two meanings: a, time, here time does not indicate the past, present and the future, but the moment that Buddha unveils the Truth; b, equality of Buddha and all beings. In Esoteric Buddhism, samaya has four meanings:

a.equality;

b.original vow;

c.removing the blocks;

d.alert.

Once an Esoteric Buddhist has an unyielding faith that his true nature is equal with Buddha and all sentient beings, he should not abandon Buddha’s right teachings no matter how hard the environment is. Because of samaya, he can alert Buddha and Bodhisattvas who’re in samadhi, thus removing the obstacles easily with their help until he reaches unconditioned nirvana. Alert, means the practioner alerts the sainted in samadhi with the three yogas of body, speech and mind, then he’ll be empowered by the sainted and achieve siddhi quickly. Removing the blocks is to control and turn poisons into supreme bodhi.

Samaya is the root precept for an Esoteric Buddhist; breaching samaya is like building stupa on sands and seeding on a tor, one will toil in vain.

Samaya can be understood as the five vows, that is, "vow to help innumerous beings attain nirvana, accumulate boundless blessing and wisdom, learn infinite Buddhist teachings, serve myriad Buddhas, and complete supreme bodhi." Since Esoteric Buddhism is passed on between an Acarya and his disciples, all dharma doors are opened by the Acarya; the core of samaya in mentoring is to serve the Acarya as Buddha. If a disciple deceives the Acarya behind his back, he has breached samaya.

Breaching samaya, also know as breaching dharma, indicates disregarding or breaching samaya, which is the most serious sin for an Esoteric Buddhist. Samaya is one’s vow; therefore breaching samaya is the same with breaking one’s own vow. The details are as follows:

Tell the practices in mandala to a person without Abhiseka;

Give Abhiseka to an unqualified person who is narrow-minded or lacks wisdom;

Practice Esoteric Buddhism, recite dharanis, learn Sanskrit or read esoteric sutras without an Acarya’s permission.

All these actions are against the conventions of Esoteric Buddhism. He may try everything but will achieve nothing.

If an Esoteric Buddhist holds an unequal view towards dharma and the sentient beings,then he breaks his vow of equality. He cannot achieve siddhi enslaved by secular fame and wealth.Breaching samaya will hurt oneself and others; therefore,“a bodhisattva pledges not to breach samaya in the way one cherishes his own life. Esoteric Mudra,the Maha Vairocana Sutra says “speeches against the sutra are the same with slandering Buddha and Bodhisattvas; breaching samaya will undoubtedly fall into evil destinies.”The Sutra Containing the Truth also says,“Breaching samaya is more serious than the five unforgivable sins, and will fall into the unintermittent hells without expiration.”

Therefore on the preface of all esoteric sutras in Tripitaka, there is always a warning: one must recite the Great Wheel Vajra Dharani twenty-one times, thus alerts Buddhists not to breach samaya.