四分律刪繁補闕行事鈔 2.453

2.453

Now, when the seed of an offense has been formed, in principle it must be repented and eradicated; then the body will be pristine and the mind purified, and one should be in accord with the saṃgha's regulations. Thus the Sarvāstivāda says: 'There is no single phenomenon swifter than the mind. One cannot permanently discard someone on account of a momentary evil; hence one must repent.' The Nirvāṇa [Sūtra] also says: 'Just as I rebuke those who violate the prohibitions to cause them to rebuke themselves and protect and maintain the prohibitive precepts, so I speak of the three evil destinies in order that they cultivate good.' However, masters of antiquity all set forth methods of repentance, yet additions and subtractions, concealments and revelations—those who devised their own formulations were many; reflecting upon the teachings, there is no textual basis, and examining their practice, it contravenes the Vinaya. Therefore the Buddha said: 'One who has committed a transgression and cannot regret it, and further cannot repent according to the Dharma, is a foolish person.' The sacred teachings are exceedingly clear, yet people simply do not have faith and accept them. Now, desiring to determine their fundamental positions, evaluate their minds and objects, and make right and wrong mirror their ears and eyes, and gain and loss clarify the agent and the object—then what need is there to worry that delusional karma will not be eliminated and the delusional mind will have nothing to rely upon? Then one will be praised by the sages! Thus the text says: 'There are two kinds of wisdom: the first is, having transgressed, being able to recognize it; the second is, recognizing the offense, being able to repent according to the Dharma.'