菩薩瓔珞本業經 2.57

2.57

"Disciples of the Buddha! Receiving the precepts has three kinds of reception: First, receiving them directly before the Buddhas and bodhisattvas who are currently present; one attains the true superior precepts. Second, after the nirvāṇa of the Buddhas and bodhisattvas, if within a thousand li there is a bodhisattva who previously received the precepts, one requests him as a Dharma master to transmit the precepts to oneself. One first pays homage at his feet and should speak thus: 'I request the Great Venerable One to be my master and bestow the precepts upon me.' That disciple attains the precepts of the true Dharma; these are the middling precepts. Third, after the Buddha's nirvāṇa, when there is no Dharma master within a thousand li, one should kneel on both knees with palms joined before images of the Buddhas and bodhisattvas, and make a self-vow to receive the precepts. One should say thus: 'I, so-and-so, address the Buddhas of the ten directions and the bodhisattvas of the great grounds, etc.: I shall train in all bodhisattva precepts.' These are the inferior precepts. The second and third recitations are also spoken in this manner. Disciples of the Buddha! These three types of embracing and three kinds of receiving the precepts have been spoken by past Buddhas, will be spoken by future Buddhas, and are spoken now by present Buddhas. Past bodhisattvas have trained in them, future bodhisattvas will train in them, and present bodhisattvas train in them now. These are the true Dharma precepts of all Buddhas. If any Buddha or any bodhisattva did not enter this gate of the Dharma precepts and yet attained the unexcelled fruit of the path and the stage of space-like equality, it would be impossible."