"The Surangama Mantra," pages 279-307.
In this passage, the sutra turns once again: from exhortations on ethical purity, to the essentially esoteric matters of establishing a ritually pure space, and the recitatin of the Surangama dharani (also called a mantra).
*Rather than attempting to probe these matters of faith analytically, I would invite you to consider them as means to an end. These practices, particularly the recitation of mantra and dharani, have a long history as spiritual practices, which is to say, as methods, as means. The best way to find out how such practices work is to give them a good-faith try. How?
*The Order of Buddhist Contemplatives, a soto Zen group, has prepared an English translation of the dharani. It is chantable and elegant, although some of the word choices are unconventional (what exactly is a "daemon" and what has it to do with Buddhism?). If you are interested, you can find it here. I have recited and copied this translation myself, and found it beneficial.
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