四分律刪繁補闕行事鈔 1.364

1.364

夫受戒者，超凡鄙之穢流，入聖眾之寶位也。既慕心彌搏，故所緣彌多；以多緣故，法事攸難；以難知故，理須詳撿。而世情塵染，每昏教法；為師為匠，實易實難；但由習俗生常，不思沿革；恣此無知，亂彼真教。或但執文謹誦，非相莫知；或前受遮障，無任僧法；或結界漠落，成不混然；或僧數薄惡，不能生信；或衣鉢假借，自是非法。如斯師匠，秉御誠難；虛受費功，唐勞一世；後生還爾，永無出期。故《大集經》云：我滅度後，無戒滿洲。此言必實，深須詳鍊；一受已難，不宜再造；故委顯示，至機依準。

Now, receiving the precepts means transcending the defiled current of common base beings and entering the precious rank of the noble assembly. Since the yearning mind is ever earnest, the conditions involved are ever manifold; because conditions are manifold, the ritual matter is difficult; because it is difficult to know, the underlying principles must be examined in detail. Yet worldly sentiments are stained by defilement, perpetually obscuring the teaching. Acting as preceptor and teacher is truly easy and truly difficult. It is merely due to customs becoming routine without considering modification that people give free rein to this ignorance and bring disorder to that true teaching. Some merely cling to the text and recite it scrupulously, not knowing incorrect aspects; or the candidate has previous impediments, being unfit for the saṃgha's proceedings; or the demarcation of the boundary is lax and remiss, its validity remaining unclarified; or the number of monks is deficient or unvirtuous, failing to inspire faith; or robes and bowls are borrowed, which of itself is unlawful. For preceptors and teachers such as these, guiding the proceeding is truly difficult; receiving [the precepts] in vain wastes effort, squandering an entire lifetime in fruitless toil; and future generations will repeat this, having no time of liberation forever. Therefore the Great Collection Sūtra says: 'After my parinirvāṇa, there will be no precept-holders across the entire continent.' These words are surely true, and must be deeply refined and examined. Receiving [the precepts] even once is already difficult, so it should not be redone. Thus, I explain it in detail, so that candidates arriving [at the time] can rely on the standard.