說無垢稱經疏 6.702

6.702

贊曰：此勸也。諸佛菩薩本心所為，欲令有情修習法行，當得出世，故法供養勝於財養。故《大般若．勝天王會》言「二人遠離王賊等，所不能侵大寶藏，百千大劫法歡聞，得聞不持不施等。大菩提心護正法，如教修行修供養，自利利他平等心，是則名真供養佛。」於諸供養中，法供養為最。俗書尚云「雖日殺三牲之養，違於父母，猶為不孝。」況出世乎？佛本不希財供養故。《金剛經》云「日捨三恒之身，劣受持於四句。」故以法供勝財無量。財生長惑，如界為塵；此能滅惡，如日破暗，故非喻也。

The Commentary says: This is encouraging. What the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas originally intended is to cause sentient beings to cultivate and practice Dharma practices so that they will transcend the world; therefore, Dharma-offerings surpass material offerings. Hence, the "Chapter of the Deva King Pravara" in the Mahāprajñāpāramitā-sūtra says: "A great treasure store that two persons leave behind and which kings and thieves cannot invade; having heard the Dharma with joy for hundreds of thousands of great kalpas, having heard it yet not upholding it, not bestowing it, and so forth. With the mind of great Bodhi protecting the True Dharma, cultivating offerings by practicing according to the teaching, with an impartial mind of self-benefit and benefiting others—this is called truly making offerings to the Buddha." Among all offerings, the Dharma-offering is supreme. Even secular texts say: "Although one slaughters three sacrificial animals daily to provide nourishment, if one goes against one's parents, it is still filial impiety." How much more so for transcending the world? The Buddha originally did not hope for material offerings. The Diamond Sūtra says: "Giving up one's body as many times as the sands of three Ganges rivers in a day is inferior to receiving and upholding four lines." Therefore, Dharma-offerings surpass material offerings immeasurably. Material things increase defilements, like the world being turned to dust; this [Dharma-offering] can eradicate evil, like the sun destroying darkness, so it cannot be matched by any metaphor.