Summary
s.1The Sūtra of Great Cool Grove, one of five texts that constitute the Pañcarakṣā scriptural collection, has been among the most popular texts used for pragmatic purposes throughout the Mahāyāna Buddhist world. This sūtra promises protection for the Buddha’s “four communities”—monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen—against a range of illnesses and obstacles originating from the hosts of spirit entities who reside in remote wilderness retreats. The text centers specifically on threats of illness posed by the capricious spirit world of “nonhumans,” known collectively as grahas or bhūtas , who feed off the vitality, flesh, and blood of members of the Buddhist spiritual community engaging in spiritual practice at those remote hermitages. The sūtra is proclaimed by the Four Great Kings, each of whom reigns over a host of bhūtas, with the goal of quelling the hostile forces who assail those diligently practicing the Buddha’s teachings. Also included are ritual prescriptions for properly performing the sūtra and descriptions of the many benefits that ensue.
s.1《大涼林經》是組成五大保護女神經藏的五部經文之一，在整個大乘佛教世界中一直是用於實際目的最受歡迎的經文之一。這部經承諾保護佛陀的「四眾」──比丘、比丘尼、男居士和女居士──免受來自居住在偏遠荒野隱修處的眾多靈體所引發的各種疾病和障礙。這部經文特別針對被統稱為星曜鬼和餓鬼的「非人」精靈世界所構成的疾病威脅，這些靈體以在那些偏遠隱修處進行靈性實踐的佛教修行社群成員的活力、肉體和血液為食。本經由四大天王宣說，他們各自統治著一支餓鬼隊伍，目的是平息攻擊那些勤勉實踐佛陀教法之人的敵對力量。經中也包含了正確進行本經儀式的規定以及隨之而來的許多利益的描述。