維摩經略疏垂裕記 6.133

6.133

二、正釋三相，三：初、作法。「大論」等者，斬草殺畜，俱犯單提，故云同篇。「作法懺」者，準律先請一清淨知律比丘堪解罪者，共在空靜處，或對佛像前，具儀三請，當為分別罪名種相三種。又為說破持兩相，令生怖心然後悔。根本法辭云「大德一心念！我某甲比丘，犯斬草害畜命二波逸提罪。今向大德發露懺悔。」此即作法懺也。「二無作滅」者，違制罪除，免苦二千歲。性罪既在，還墮泥犁，後須償命。以外人計草木有命，見沙門斬伐，謂無慈心。如來息世譏嫌，於是制戒。既非有情，犯無性罪。「作法紛動」者，荊溪云：舉難從易，令習無生。意明懺下三篇尚自紛動，況復懺上二篇，安可遂情？

Second, directly explaining the three marks, in three parts: first, ritual procedure. As for "The *Great Commentary*," etc., cutting grass and killing animals both incur *pāyattika*, hence they are called of the same class. As for "Ritual confession," according to the Vinaya, one first invites a pure monk who understands the Vinaya and is competent to resolve transgressions, together in a quiet, secluded place, or before an image of the Buddha. Fully observing the etiquette, one makes three requests, and the monk should differentiate the names and types of transgressions into three categories for him. He also explains the two aspects of breaking and upholding to induce fear in him, after which he repents. The fundamental ritual formula says: "May the venerable one be single-mindedly mindful! I, the bhikṣu so-and-so, have committed two *pāyattika* offenses of cutting grass and taking the life of an animal. Now before the venerable one I disclose and repent them." This is the ritual confession. As for "The extinction of the two unmanifest [karmas]," the offense of violating institutional rules is eliminated, freeing one from suffering for two thousand years. Yet since the intrinsic offense remains, one still falls into Niraya, and must repay the life later. Because non-Buddhists held that plants have life, seeing śramaṇas cutting them down, they claimed they lacked compassion. To cease worldly disparagement, the Tathāgata instituted the precept. Since plants are not sentient beings, violating it does not incur an intrinsic offense. As for "Ritual procedure being perturbing and agitated," Jingxi says: Pointing out the difficult to lead to the easy, in order to make them practice the unproduced. The intention clarifies that even repenting the lower three classes is perturbing and agitated; how much more so for repenting the upper two classes—how could it accord with their wishes?