大般涅槃經疏 18.14

18.14

「善男子若我弟子」下，第二明護法。護法即是護戒，護戒既牢即是持戒，持戒不牢由無護法心。又二：先訶毀法、次勸護法。初訶毀又三：一正訶破戒、二訶求有作業、三訶是處非處。然極猥人無過破戒，一無所用。文云「寧當不受不持，不用毀戒而受讀之。」問：上文為僕趨令讀誦，今文寧可不受不持，兩言相反者何耶？答：此各有意。前明汲引百方令入，今誡人師令無瑕犯。初訶毀中不出三業：初是訶身、次是訶心、三是訶口。初文者，若人受持戒，所有弟子亦學是師；自既不正，號令不嚴。次「當正身心」下，第二訶求有。若求三有名為輕躁，不求果報名為沈審。望有修因是則名為，為有造業。三「莫非時說」下，第三訶離是處非處。審能弘宣，須離此等諸非法處。莫不請者，然與不請之友相乖。釋云：事須適時。今正須請，莫滅法說。不持戒說、不護法說，是滅法說。熾然世法說者，即是求有，造業而說。他解：多以世典詩書添足，令他不信，名熾世法。今不爾，於所說中增長苦集是熾世法。「善男子若欲受持」下，第二勸讚護法。他云：先列十智、次勸淨心。今初言自他欲受持者，信故名受、不忘為持，即是自行。口所說者，謂化他也。涅槃宗體，行教用果。前說佛性為宗，後說見性為果，兩塗並使三業清淨。

From "Good sons, if my disciples" onward is the second [section], clarifying the protection of the Dharma. Protecting the Dharma is precisely protecting the precepts; when protecting the precepts is firm, that is upholding the precepts; unsteady upholding of precepts is due to lacking the mind to protect the Dharma. This is also twofold: first, rebuking the destruction of the Dharma; second, exhorting the protection of the Dharma. The initial rebuking is also threefold: first, directly rebuking the breaking of precepts; second, rebuking the generation of karma in seeking existence; third, rebuking the proper and improper places. Now, the most vile person is none other than one who breaks precepts; he is completely useless. The text says: "It would be better not to receive and not to uphold [them], rather than breaking the precepts while receiving and reciting them." Question: The previous text had one become a servant and be driven to read and recite, while the present text says it would be better not to receive and not to uphold—why are the two statements contradictory? Answer: Each has its intended meaning. The former clarified gathering and guiding by a hundred means to cause them to enter; the present admonishes human teachers to be without flaws or infractions. In the initial rebuking, it does not go beyond the three karmas: the first is rebuking the body; the second is rebuking the mind; the third is rebuking the speech. In the first text: if a person receives and upholds precepts, any disciples will also learn from this teacher; if he himself is not upright, his authority will not be strict. Next, from "should make body and mind upright" onward, the second rebukes seeking existence. Seeking the three existences is called frivolous; not seeking karmic recompense is called calm and deliberate. Cultivating causes in anticipation of existence is called generating karma for the sake of existence. Third, from "Do not speak at improper times" onward, the third rebukes failing to avoid proper and improper places. If one is truly able to broadly propagate, one must avoid all such improper places. "Do not [speak to] those who do not request"—yet this conflicts with the "unrequested friend". The explanation says: Matters must suit the time. At present, a request is precisely required. "Do not speak to destroy the Dharma": speaking without upholding precepts and speaking without protecting the Dharma is speaking to destroy the Dharma. "Speaking so as to inflame mundane dharmas" means speaking while seeking existence and generating karma. Others interpret: mostly adding secular classics, poetry, and documents, causing others not to have faith, is called inflaming mundane dharmas. It is not so now; increasing suffering and its origin in what one speaks is inflaming mundane dharmas. From "Good sons, if one wishes to receive and uphold" onward, the second exhorts and praises the protection of the Dharma. Others say: first listing the ten knowledges, then exhorting the purification of the mind. Now, initially stating that oneself and others wish to receive and uphold: accepting due to faith is called receiving; not forgetting is upholding—this is one's own practice. What is spoken by the mouth refers to transforming others. The essential theme and substance of nirvāṇa are practice, teaching, function, and fruit. Earlier, the buddhadhātu was explained as the theme; later, seeing the nature is explained as the fruit; both paths cause the three karmas to be pure.