大方廣佛華嚴經_八部四王眾

釋隆門 圓通法師


月光 6.龍王

月光 5.夜叉王


10.北方多聞天王

A Share of Tzulong Dharma Text

 

Vaiśravaṇa is a Heavenly King in the north.  He holds a jewel umbrella in the right hand and a silver rat in the left.  The umbrella can cover up contaminations in the world, subdue devils, avoid harms from evil spirits, and protect people’s wealth.  Yakṣa and Rākṣas are his subordinates.  His Chinese name “Hear More” means that he is skillful at the Buddhist Dharma and is famous everywhere for his blessings and virtue.  Vaiśravaṇa leads eight generals to guard the realm of sentient beings.  Those who are willing to protect Buddhism are called Vajradhara, and Vajrapāṇi is their leader.  The famous Yakṣa kings are the twelve guardian generals and Kapila king.  The entrance to the Thirty-third Heaven is guarded by Vajrapāṇi.


9.西方廣目天王

A Share of Tzulong Dharma Text

 

Virūpākṣa is a Heavenly King in the west and is one of the four great Heavenly Kings who are the protectors of Buddhism.  His name means that he can observe the world anytime with his pure heavenly eyes and protect the people.  He has a red body with one face and two arms.  His round eyes protrude.  He wears a dragon helmet on his head and an armor on his body.  With a dragon in his right hand, he guards the western gate in the buddhas’ 

Maṇḍala, symbolizing love.  Because he was transformed from a bird with golden feathers, he is able to subdue the dragon king.  The image of holding a dragon in the hand symbolizes good weather for crops.  Virūpākṣa belongs to the Naga dragon clan, with Naga and Pūtana as his subordinates and dependents.


8.南方增長天王

A Share of Tzulong Dharma Text

 

Virūḍhaka is a Heavenly King in the south who can make sentient beings increase their roots of goodness and protect the Buddhist Dharma.  He lives on the crystal earth of Mt. Sumeru with a blue body in armor and a sword of wisdom in his hand that can sever afflictions, increase wisdom, and protect the Buddhist Dharma from being invaded.  Kumbhanda and Preta are the two ghosts led by Virūḍhaka.  The former has great power, can walk very quickly, and has the spiritual power to change.  The latter is a rich ghost in the hungry ghost path.  Virūḍhaka is the Kumbhanda King who protects Jambu-dvīpa, with Kumbhanda and Preta as his subordinates and dependents.


7.東方持國天王

A Share of Tzulong Dharma Text

 

Dhṛtarāṣṭra is a Heavenly King in the east who protects the lands in the Tri-sahasra-mahā-sahasra-lokadhātu.  He has a white body in armor with a lute in his hand.  He is the main god of music who makes sentient beings take refuge in Buddhism with music and is in charge of guarding Pūrva-videha.  His name has the meaning of being compassionate, protecting living beings, and guarding the national land.  He ranks number four among the twenty Heavenly Kings and is the Gandharva King, with Gandharva, piśāca, and Kiṁnara as his subordinates and dependents.


6.龍王


1.阿修羅王


2.迦樓羅王

華嚴經.世主妙嚴品中各世間主

(以下八部四王眾之異生眾,攝領有情,皆受王稱。)

二、迦樓羅王

迦樓羅譯曰大鵬金翅鳥,住於須彌山下層的四天王天的大樹上。迦樓羅,有卵生、胎生、濕生、化生共四種。兩翅張開有336萬里,因業報的關係,以那伽龍為食,但那伽的體內有毒氣,迦樓羅體內也聚集毒氣,到最後無法進食,於是上下翻飛七次,飛到金剛輪山頂上命終,且臨死時毒發自燃,肉身燒去後只餘一心,作純青琉璃色。

 

迦樓羅的三昧耶形,為手持大海螺或短笛等樂器,同時也是觀世音菩薩的護法之一。在藏傳佛教的神祇體系中,迦樓羅是北方羯摩不空成就佛的坐騎。不空成就佛代表毗盧遮那佛之「成所作智」,多化現寶綠色、金色,常現駕馭大鵬金翅鳥之像,可以降伏惡龍、毒蛇。人們把迦樓羅當作力量的象徵加以崇拜。

 

佛教認為,迦樓羅是護持佛的天龍八部之一,天下有無數迦樓羅,由威德、大身、大滿、如意四大迦樓羅王統領。迦樓羅王,昔云金翅,正云妙翅,以翅有種種寶色莊嚴故。亦表菩薩攝生,現形同類,方便調伏。故離世品云:菩薩迦樓羅,如意為堅足,方便勇猛翅,慈悲明淨眼,住一切智樹,觀三有大海,搏撮天人龍,安置涅槃岸。

 

如來應正等覺金翅鳥王住無礙行,以淨佛眼觀察法界諸宮殿中一切眾生,若曾種善根已成熟者,如來奮勇猛十力,以止觀兩翅,鼓揚生死大愛海水,使其兩闢,而撮取之,置佛法中,令斷一切妄想戲論,安住如來無分別、無礙行。出現品云:「取善根熟眾生置佛法中,此為命盡,若心有邪歸,斷見所覆,則不可取。」

 

迦樓羅王,取善根熟眾生等者,即彼如來行中,金翅闢海喻。普觀海者,即周四天下,求命盡龍。德中,大方便力,即雖了眾生空,而能入有,是十力止觀也。

 

迦樓羅投生因緣,是修大施捨者,產生較強的高慢心,而獲得的果報。執持一智而成慢心、高心,皆能斷法身慧命。覺智之性空,為斷煩惱而來,煩惱因滅,則智慧無著,故見無礙,自能調伏。於妄分齊,情外有法,破之顯寂。就境明空,智自空。

 

遍住覺樹名住法界,進策諸度,九種不壞1.信理決定2.行堪調柔3.不怖甚深4.自乘不退5.勝進無息6.泯絕自他7.利生無邊8.上求地智9.巧化眾生。成就無邊眾生差別智解脫門。明境界難思,勇猛方能入法城。通行教理,行契理教故,則無不俱嚴。然心城之性空,體即真如,凡聖平等。無分別智,則眾惑不入。

釋隆門圓通 合十


3.緊那羅王

華嚴經.世主妙嚴品中各世間主

(自下攝領有情,皆受王稱,以下八部四王眾之異生眾。)

三、緊那羅王

 

緊那羅,擁有美妙的歌喉,還善於舞蹈,是帝釋天的執法樂神之一,亦爲八部護法眾之一。。通常膝上安放橫鼓或兩個豎鼓,作擊鼓演奏法樂之勢。緊那羅和乾闥婆都是音樂神,前者演唱和舞蹈,後者演奏。故緊那羅也被稱為樂神、歌神、執法樂神。在藏傳密教中,緊那羅位居外金剛部北方。另外,觀世音菩薩曾化身為緊那羅天,爲觀世音菩薩三十二應中的化現。

 

《法華經》中有四大緊那羅王,其中大樹緊那羅王留有《大樹緊那羅王所問經》。表菩薩示眾生形而非眾生,常以法樂娛眾生故。當大樹緊那羅王鼓琴時,佛大眾中眾等,唯除菩薩不退轉者,其餘大眾聞是琴聲及諸樂音,紛紛從座起舞。爾時天冠菩薩疑惑地問大迦葉等:「汝諸大德已離煩惱,得八解脫見四聖諦,云何今者各捨威儀如彼小兒舉身動舞?」大迦葉答言:「如旋嵐大風吹諸樹木、藥草、叢林,彼無有力能自安持,非彼本心之所欲樂,然彼鼓動不能自持!」

 

投生到緊那羅身的因緣,是曾信奉佛法,勸人發菩提心,但未正其志,後來自己卻又轉信邪論、行邪行而得的果報。修行之人發菩提心是重要的,然是否行於菩提道上,卻是非常重要的審慎心靈工程。緊那羅王專門演奏法樂。德中,要勤觀察,則得法樂怡神,自他兼樂,為自在遊戲。如同緊那羅王答於天冠菩薩言:「善男子!當知一切音聲從虛空出。」

 

世喜樂業,業細難窮!音演真法,令聞憂除而意悅。當知是"聲"即虛空性。聞已,便滅。若其滅,已同空性住。是故"諸法"若說、不說,同虛空性。御心如境,達境唯心而本空,安立眾生於覺悟。

 

是故,應當不捨空際,一切智因,皆因佛生,是能生業。攝心正智,以難思議饒益眾生,如音聲分諸法亦爾。佛告天冠菩薩:「緊那羅、乾闥婆、摩睺羅伽等,皆好樂音。於是音中出於佛聲、法聲、僧聲,不忘菩提心聲…作入一切功德三昧聲。」若以音聲有所說法,而是諸法於音聲中求不可得,音聲於法求亦叵得。

 

《十地品》中佛言: 九地菩薩心欲一切世界簫笛鐘鼓,及以歌詠一切樂聲,皆演法音。如是所念,一切隨心,無不得著。善知眾藝童子教導善財幻智字母,也就華嚴四十二字母。字智之門,光中智相無盡。"無盡"則誠願不違,還歸幻住。

釋隆門圓通 合十


4.摩睺羅伽王

華嚴經.世主妙嚴品中各世間主

(自下攝領有情,皆受王稱,以下八部四王眾之異生眾。) 

四、摩睺羅伽王

摩睺羅伽,此云大腹行,即蟒之類,是大蟒蛇之神。相對於那伽神龍,摩睺羅迦又稱為「地龍」,為無足腹行神,是佛教神祇的天龍八部之一。《慧琳音義》云:摩睺羅伽,是樂神之類,或曰非人,或云大蟒神,其形人身而蛇首也。密教胎藏界曼荼羅中,北邊安有三尊摩睺羅伽,其中央一尊,兩手屈臂,作拳舒頭指當胸,豎左膝而坐;左方一尊,戴蛇冠,坐向右;右方一尊,兩手吹笛,面向左。

 

《舍利弗問經》提到,摩睺羅伽神受身因緣,謂布施護法,然性好嗔恚,故受今身。

舍利弗問佛言:「世尊,八部鬼神以何因緣生於惡道,而常聞正法?」

佛言:「以二種業,一以惡故生於惡道,二以善故多受快樂。」

又問:「善惡二異,可得同耶?」

佛言:「亦可得耳。是以八部鬼神,皆曰人非人也。」

 

《大般涅槃經》云:「如人將盲至蕀林中捨之而還,盲人於後甚難得出,設得出者身體壞盡,世間凡夫亦復如是。不能知見三漏過患,則隨逐行!」放任欲望橫生,名為貪。憎厭世間,說之為瞋。分別有無,說以為癡。謂他人陵我,投以剛強,則同於輪迴無有盡期。心分別則惡生,憂惱濁穢心海,掀起滔天巨浪,覆萬頃良田!

 

該神原本是腹行類,為擺脫腹行類的命運,脫胎換骨成為神祇。心離障,雖柔順護生,而非諂佞。依因集德,必得無依涅槃。除惑契寂,是清淨因。清涼悅樂,是涅槃果。善者善之;不善者,佛亦善之。因無高下,久離憍慢,不自高舉,不望恩報。摩睺羅伽王於此道中種種教化,依佛所教,往修喜因,故見念皆喜。既以自正,必能正他,為救護主,護佛法教。

 

迦葉言,如來昔於十二部經說言:「不善思惟因緣,生於貪欲瞋癡!」有智之人,作如是念:我今未得脫於地獄餓鬼畜生人天報故,我若修道,當因是力破壞諸苦。是人觀已,貪欲瞋恚愚癡微弱。又如是念:病者自知病輕,必可除瘥,雖得苦藥服之不悔。有智之人,亦復如是,勤修聖道歡喜,不愁、不息、不悔。

釋隆門圓通 感恩合十


5.夜叉王