勝鬘寶窟 1.58

1.58

「世尊我從今日乃至菩提不自為己聚畜財物」，此下第二明有四戒，謂攝眾生戒也。所言四戒者，第一戒別明以財攝眾生、第二戒通明四攝法攝取眾生、第三戒拔眾生現世苦果、第四戒斷眾生苦因。四戒兩雙，初二止自為之惡、後二止棄他之惡。初二止自為惡者，一明不自為受樂果、次明不自為行樂因。後二止棄他之惡者，初明不棄物更受苦果、後明不棄物行苦因。此四攝生義盡。初文為二：第一明不自為己聚畜財物。「凡有所受」下，第二明為救眾生。問：菩薩何故不為身畜財？答：為身畜財，但身自得樂；為他畜財，則與一切樂。又為自畜財，則豪善不生；為他畜財，則恒發無作。又為身畜財，則屬五家；為他畜財，則屬自己。又為身畜財，不得常財；為他畜財，自得常財。又為己畜財，則長慳貪；為他畜財，則知足少欲。勝鬘受此一戒，令我等學之，願一切人畜一豪財，不隔三寶、無礙四生。又為他畜財，不說淨不犯長物罪。第二戒中亦開為二：初明不自為己行四攝法。「為一切眾生」下，第二為一切眾生行四攝法。問：行四攝法本是為他，云何言不自為己行四攝耶？答：自有菩薩雖行四攝，以攝善歸己；是故今明為他行攝，則攝善與他。又四攝攝他，即似如貪他屬己，是故明不自為己。問：前已明布施，與今四攝中施何異？答：上別明布施，今通辨四攝。又上直明布施，救其交切之苦；四攝中施，攝令住理。是故為異也。「以不染愛心」者，凡行四攝攝取眾生，多起愛心；令知能攝所攝皆空，故不起染愛也。「無厭足心」者，從今時至後際常行四攝，故無厭足也。「無礙心」者，行四攝時，怨親平等也。又不染愛者，行四攝時，於親人不起染也。無厭足者，於中人無懈怠也。無礙心者，於怨憎人無隔礙也。離此三種，故能攝受四生也。

"World-Honoured One, from this day forth until awakening, I will not accumulate or store up wealth and property for myself": below this is the second [section], which explains that there are four precepts, namely the precepts of gathering sentient beings. Regarding these four precepts: the first precept specifically explains gathering sentient beings through material wealth; the second precept generally explains gathering sentient beings through the four means of gathering; the third precept pulls out sentient beings' suffering results in the present life; the fourth precept cuts off sentient beings' causes of suffering. The four precepts form two pairs: the first two cease the evil done for oneself, and the latter two cease the evil of abandoning others. In the first two, which cease evil done for oneself: the first explains not experiencing pleasurable results for oneself, and the next explains not practicing the causes of pleasure for oneself. In the latter two, which cease the evil of abandoning others: the first explains not abandoning beings so that they further undergo suffering results, and the latter explains not abandoning beings to practice the causes of suffering. These four exhaust the meaning of gathering sentient beings. The first text has two parts: first, explaining not accumulating or storing up wealth and property for oneself. From "Whatever is received" onwards is the second, explaining doing so to rescue sentient beings. Question: Why does a bodhisattva not store up wealth for their own person? Answer: If one stores up wealth for one's own person, only the person oneself obtains pleasure; if one stores up wealth for others, then one gives pleasure to all. Furthermore, if one stores up wealth for oneself, then not even a hair's breadth of good arises; if one stores up wealth for others, then unconditioned [merit] constantly arises. Furthermore, if one stores up wealth for one's own person, it belongs to the five houses; if one stores up wealth for others, it belongs to oneself. Furthermore, if one stores up wealth for one's own person, one does not obtain eternal wealth; if one stores up wealth for others, one naturally obtains eternal wealth. Furthermore, if one stores up wealth for oneself, it fosters stinginess and greed; if one stores up wealth for others, one has contentment and few desires. Śrīmālā undertook this single precept to cause us to emulate it, vowing that whenever anyone stores up even a hair's breadth of wealth, it does not stand between them and the Three Jewels, and has no hindrance toward the four modes of birth. Furthermore, storing up wealth for others without having to declare it pure does not commit the offense of keeping extra property. The second precept is also divided into two parts: first, explaining not practicing the four means of gathering for oneself. From "For the sake of all sentient beings" onwards is the second, practicing the four means of gathering for the sake of all sentient beings. Question: Practicing the four means of gathering is fundamentally for others; how can it be said, "not practicing the four means of gathering for oneself"? Answer: Some bodhisattvas, although they practice the four means of gathering, do so to gather good into themselves; therefore it is now explained that practicing gathering for others is to gather good and give it to others. Furthermore, when the four means of gathering gather others, it seems like coveting others so that they belong to oneself; therefore it is explained as not being for oneself. Question: Giving was already explained before; how is it different from the giving among the four means of gathering now? Answer: Above, giving was specifically explained, whereas now the four means of gathering are generally distinguished. Furthermore, above, giving was directly explained as rescuing their pressing, acute suffering; giving among the four means of gathering gathers them and causes them to abide in the principle. Therefore they differ. "With a mind free of defiled love": generally, when practicing the four means of gathering to gather sentient beings, one mostly gives rise to affectionate love; causing them to know that both the grasper and the grasped are empty, one therefore does not give rise to defiled love. "A mind without satiety": constantly practicing the four means of gathering from the present moment to the utmost limit of the future, one therefore has no satiety. "An unhindered mind": when practicing the four means of gathering, enemies and kin are equal. Furthermore, "not defiled by love" means when practicing the four means of gathering, one does not give rise to defilement toward those close to one. "Without satiety" means having no slackness toward neutral persons. "An unhindered mind" means having no barrier toward enemies and hated persons. Leaving behind these three kinds [of mind], one is therefore able to gather the four modes of birth.