四分律刪繁補闕行事鈔 1.102

1.102

初又分四。一就小乘經者。如《般泥洹經》明：佛垂滅度，世間無師，阿難啟請。佛言：比丘若能奉戒者，是汝大師，若我在世，無異此也。《遺教》等經並同斯示。然發趣萬行，戒為宗主，故經云：若欲生天等，必須護戒足。又如大地能生成萬物，故經云：若無淨戒，諸善功德不生。又云：依因此戒得有定慧。又經云：戒者，行根住持。即喻如地能生成住持也。

The first also has four parts. First, regarding the Hīnayāna scriptures: As the *Parinirvāṇa Sūtra* clarifies, when the Buddha was on the verge of extinction and there would be no teacher in the world, Ānanda asked him about it. The Buddha said, 'If a bhikṣu can uphold the precepts, they are your great teacher; it is no different than if I were dwelling in the world.' The *Scripture of the Buddha's Bequeathed Teaching* and others all show the same. Now, in initiating and progressing toward the myriad practices, the precepts are the principal foundation; hence a scripture states: 'If one wishes to be born in heaven and so forth, one must protect the feet of the precepts.' Furthermore, just as the great earth can produce and grow the myriad things, a scripture states: 'If one lacks pure precepts, all wholesome merits will not arise.' It also states: 'Relying upon these precepts, one attains concentration and wisdom.' Another scripture states: 'Precepts are the root of practice and its sustaining foundation.' That is, they are likened to the earth being able to generate, grow, and sustain.