大方便佛報恩經 7.25

7.25

"A bodhisattva who knows kindness and repays kindness preaches for sentient beings. What does he preach? How does he preach? What he preaches refers to the twelve divisions of scriptures; how he preaches refers to fulfilling the five subjects in order to attain anuttarasamyaksaṃbodhi. Preaching has two aspects: first, preaching in sequential order; second, preaching purely. Preaching in sequential order means: first preaching the dāna-pāramitā, next preaching the śīla-pāramitā, and so on up to the prajñā-pāramitā. In order to know kindness and repay kindness, reflecting upon its meaning and abiding in accordance with the Dharma—this is called preaching in sequential order. Preaching purely means: if the listener is seated while the preacher is standing, one should not preach for them; if the listener seeks faults in the Dharma or seeks faults in the preacher, one should not preach for them; if the listener relies on the person and not on the Dharma—for one who does not rely on the Dharma, one should not preach; if the listener relies on the words and not on the meaning, one should not preach; and so on up to if the listener does not rely on sūtras of definitive meaning, one should not preach. Why? Because such a person cannot revere the pure Dharma of the Buddhas and bodhisattvas. If the preacher respects the Dharma, and the listener also gives rise to veneration, listens and receives it wholeheartedly, and does not give rise to slight or disdain—this is called preaching the Dharma purely. Preaching in sequential order means preaching all. Preaching all refers to the twelve divisions of scriptures, down to a single phrase, a single verse, or even half a verse. Whether words, meaning, or phenomena, when demonstrating, instructing, benefiting, and delighting in their Dharma meaning, sometimes rebuking, sometimes speaking truthfully, sometimes speaking through parables, according to what is appropriate to preach; or preaching simply, or preaching so as to be easily entered, according to what they delight in hearing—this is called the bodhisattva knowing kindness, repaying kindness, and preaching the Dharma in sequential order. Preaching purely means that the bodhisattva-mahāsattva cultivates a mind of loving-kindness amidst hostility and hatred. Having attained a mind of loving-kindness, he uses various upāyas to preach the Dharma to evil sentient beings and heedless people, and even to those whose minds are fond of arrogance and indulgence, as well as the impoverished, using upāyas to reveal and expound the Dharma for them, not for the sake of praising himself, disparaging others, food and drink, gain, or fame—this is called the bodhisattva knowing kindness, repaying kindness, and preaching the Dharma purely. What is abiding in accordance with the Dharma? Cultivating wholesome dharmas in the actions of body, speech, and mind, endowed with purity, knowing kindness and repaying kindness, for the sake of adorning anuttarasamyaksaṃbodhi.