金光明經文句記 1.228

1.228

初、五常。趙蕤《長短經》曰「仁者愛也，置刑除害，兼愛無私，謂之仁也。義者宜也，明是非、立可否，謂之義。禮者履也，進退有度、尊卑有分，謂之禮。智者，人之所知也，以定乎是非得失之情，謂之智。信者，人之所承也，發號施令以一人心，謂之信。」今以不殺對仁，殺他是無兼愛也。不盜對義者，盜則非宜為也。不婬對禮者，邪婬則尊卑不分，乖禮度也。不飲酒對智者，昏醉則不能定是非得失也。不妄對信者，妄語則人不信承也。若以五常對五行者，鄭康成注《禮記．中庸篇》中云「木神則仁，金神則義，火神則禮，水神則信，土神則智。」向以五行對五戒，蓋取此義，故以不飲對土，不妄對水。

First, the five constants. Zhao Rui's Changduan Jing says: "Benevolence is love: to set aside punishments and remove harm, loving universally without selfishness, is called benevolence. Righteousness is appropriateness: to clarify right and wrong and establish what is permissible and impermissible is called righteousness. Propriety is conduct: to advance and retreat with measure, and to maintain distinctions between noble and base, is called propriety. Wisdom is what humans know: using it to determine the realities of right and wrong, gain and loss, is called wisdom. Trustworthiness is what humans rely upon: issuing orders and commands to unify the hearts of people is called trustworthiness." Now, non-killing corresponds to benevolence, because killing others lacks universal love. Non-stealing corresponds to righteousness, because stealing is improper to do. Non-unchastity corresponds to propriety, because sexual misconduct lacks distinction between noble and base, deviating from the norms of propriety. Non-drinking of alcohol corresponds to wisdom, because drunken bewilderment cannot determine right and wrong, gain and loss. Non-false speech corresponds to trustworthiness, because if one speaks falsely, people will not trust or rely on it. If we match the five constants to the five elements, Zheng Kangcheng's commentary on the 'Doctrine of the Mean' in the Book of Rites states: "The wood spirit is benevolence, the metal spirit is righteousness, the fire spirit is propriety, the water spirit is trustworthiness, and the earth spirit is wisdom." The previous matching of the five elements to the five precepts took this meaning; hence non-drinking corresponds to earth, and non-false speech corresponds to water.