大方廣佛華嚴經隨疏演義鈔 44.57

44.57

The Commentary states: "First, it is not that for the sake of wishing to torment sentient beings one must first uphold precepts." This is like someone wishing to bind a nāga, who, having heard that an arhat can dispel nāgas by upholding precepts, thereupon upholds the precepts.