文／蓮生活佛 盧勝彥
佛陀說法，有顯有密，顯則廣談佛理性相，曉悟空有之理，修證法身，到達彼岸。密乃但令持誦密咒，不加了知，即刻默登聖位。
最初學密，了鳴和尚告訴我二則不思議，而難以想像的事：
其一，學密行者修持「米供法」，米供是將米置於掌心，誦完『供養咒』之後，將米變食，撒了出去。這些供米如果鳥吃了，這些鳥因吃了密咒加持過的米，未來世畢竟成佛。
其二，如果有人，走過廟的木匾之下，而木匾上刻著『大明六字咒』等，風吹木匾，木匾上的灰塵撒了下來，正巧撒在行路的人身上，此行路人業障全部消除，菩提種子置入心中，其未來世畢竟成佛。
這二則聽後，印象深刻，永銘我心。密咒等於是祕密法界之體，有不思議三密之用，一切法中之最上乘，咒語是無相法界，諸佛從此出生，是無盡法藏。
我讀「咒藏」發現：
佛為愍未來眾生故，說一切密咒，若有四眾，受持密咒，十萬、百萬，無量劫來，五無間罪等，悉滅無餘。
若有持誦密咒，一切菩薩，為其勝友。所在生處，皆有得值遇諸佛，速得成就無上菩提。
若有薄福眾生、無有少善根者、無有根器者、無有菩提分者，是人持誦佛咒一遍，即得菩提根器芽生，何況誦持，常不懈怠，由此善根，決定成佛。
持誦密咒，在咒藏中有，言六度萬行，自然具足也。
A Mantra is the Infinite Dharma Treasury of All Buddhas
Written by Living Buddha Lian-sheng Sheng-yen Lu
Translated by Cheng Yew Chung edited by Victor Hazen
True Buddha Translation Teams
When the Buddha expounded the Dharma, it included both the Sutric and Vajrayana teachings. The Sutric teachings touch widely on the principles of Buddhism and the nature of phenomena. It enlightens one on the subjects of emptiness and appearance, through which one cultivates and attains the Truth body, and arrives at the other shore. The Vajrayana teachings emphasize the recitation of secret mantras with little explanation, yet they lead one to attaining Buddhahood at once.
When I first studied the mantras, my teacher Reverend Liao Ming related to me two incredible and incomprehensible examples:
Example one. When cultivating the rice offering practice, the Vajrayana practitioner holds the rice in his hand, and upon completion of the mandala offering mantra, he casts the rice as a spiritual offering. Should a bird consume the rice, which has been blessed by the power of mantra, the bird shall attain Buddhahood in a future life.
Example two. If a person walks under a temple』s wooden sign inscribed with the six-syllable mantra, and it happens that a wind blows the dust off the wooden board and the dust falls onto the person, the person』s karma shall be removed completely. The seed of bodhi shall be planted into his heart and in a future life this individual shall definitely attain Buddhahood.
When these two examples were related to me, they really made a strong impression in my mind. Mantra is the very essence and body of the secret Dharma realm. It shows incredible effects when applied through the actions of the Three Secrets. It is the most supreme vehicle of all Dharma. Mantra belongs in the Dharma realm of the formless, through which all buddhas are born. It houses immeasurable Dharma treasures.
When I read the Dharani Pitaka (the Buddhist Canon of Mantras), I discovered this:
Buddha, in his compassion for future sentient beings, spoke of the mantras. Should Buddhists accept and recite these mantras, their karma of ten thousand, a million, or infinite kalpas, including karma of the five unpardonable transgressions, will be completely eliminated.
Should anyone recite the mantras, all bodhisattvas shall become his or her good companions. The practitioner shall have the opportunity to meet all buddhas wherever he or she is born, and the individual』s cultivation shall be accelerated towards attaining the Supreme Perfect Enlightenment.
Should the class of sentient beings whose merits and blessings are few, and whose natural capacity to cultivate the Dharma and their Bodhyanga (factors of enlightenment) are literally non-existent, decide to recite a Buddha mantra just once, these sentient beings shall be instantly blessed with the growth of their capacity for enlightenment. Therefore, by reciting mantra diligently, they would definitely attain Buddhhood based on the merits of their effort.
It is said in the Dharani Pitaka that by reciting mantras, the thousands of actions from the six perfections shall be naturally complete.