四分律刪繁補闕行事鈔 1.53

1.53

Now, we establish the Dharmaguptaka Vinaya as primary. If, when conducting practical affairs, one must use other schools, it is not permissible not to use them. Therefore, the Samantapāsādikā says: "There are four rules in the Vinaya that great elders possessed of supernormal powers extracted to make known to people: First is the root, meaning all the Vinaya Piṭakas. Second is that which accords with the root. Third is the words of the Dharma masters, meaning that the Buddha first spoke the root, and the five hundred arhats broadly analyzed and propagated it; these are the treatise masters. Fourth is the application of intent, meaning using one's mind with skillful means to assess, apply, and broadly expound through the Tripiṭaka and so forth. First, observe the root; next, examine the phrasing and meaning; finally, observe the words of the Dharma masters. If they are equal with the text and phrasing, adopt them; if they are not equal, do not take them" (broadly explained in fascicle six under the standards for Vinaya masters). The authentic text is thus.