四分律刪繁補闕行事鈔 1.524

1.524

然九旬修道，精練身心；人多迷己，不自見過。理宜仰憑清眾，垂慈誨示，縱宜己罪，恣僧舉過；內彰無私隱，外顯有瑕疵；身口託於他人，故曰自恣。故《摩得伽》云：何故令自恣？使諸比丘不孤獨故，各各憶罪發露悔過故，以苦言調伏得清淨故，自意喜悅無罪故也！所以制在夏末者，若論夏初創集，將同期欵九旬，立要齊修出離；若逆相舉發，恐成怨諍，遞相訟及，廢道亂業。故制在夏末者，以三月策修，同住進業；時竟云別，各隨方詣。必有惡業，自不獨宣，障道過深，義無覆隱；故須請誨，良有茲焉。故律聽安居竟自恣。《毘尼母》云：九十日中，堅持戒律及修諸善，皆不毀失，行成皎潔，故安居竟自恣。此是自言恣他舉罪，非謂自恣為惡；此雖相顯，有無知者濫行。

Now, cultivating the Path for ninety days refines body and mind; yet people are often confused about themselves and do not see their own faults. By principle, one ought to rely respectfully upon the pure saṃgha to confer compassionate instruction and guidance, to lay bare one's own offenses and invite the saṃgha to point out one's faults: inwardly manifesting absence of selfish concealment, outwardly exposing any flaws; entrusting one's body and speech to others, it is therefore called pravāraṇā (self-invitation). Hence the Vinayamātṛkā states: "Why is pravāraṇā instituted? To make the bhikṣus not feel isolated; to cause each to remember offenses, disclose them, and repent of transgressions; to attain purity through being disciplined with harsh words; and because of delight in one's own mind at being free of offense!" As for why it is instituted at the end of the varṣā: if one considers the initial gathering at the beginning of the varṣā, they are about to make an earnest resolve together for the ninety days, establishing an agreement to cultivate liberation in unison; if they were to bring up and point out [faults] ahead of time, it is feared this would breed resentment and disputes, mutually implicating one another, abandoning the Path and disordering their practice. Therefore, it is instituted at the end of the varṣā because having spurred cultivation for three months and dwelt together to advance in their endeavors, the time is completed and they part, each heading in their own direction. If there have certainly been bad actions that one would not declare on one's own, their obstruction of the Path being exceedingly deep, by principle they must not be concealed; therefore one must request instruction, and for good reason this is here. Thus the Vinaya permits holding pravāraṇā once the varṣā is completed. The Vinayamātṛkā states: "During the ninety days, firmly upholding the precepts and cultivating various virtues without violating or losing them, their conduct becomes pure and bright; therefore, pravāraṇā is held once the varṣā is completed." This is inviting others oneself to point out offenses; it does not mean indulging oneself in doing evil. Although this principle is obvious, there are ignorant persons who practice it recklessly.