四分律刪繁補闕行事鈔 3.45

3.45

Third, the method for the water strainer. Although the object is light and small, its purpose is extremely great; the compassionate salvation of the renunciant has its intention right here. Nowadays, even those of superior grade and lofty conduct still drink and use water containing insects; what more need be said of the unworthy? Therefore, in the Vinaya, attaching great importance to the lives of insects, two specific precepts regarding drinking and using [water] were instituted; this is because this matter is constantly present and its users are exceedingly numerous. The rest is as described in the "Investigation of Specific Marks." Here it is deliberately extracted and reaffirmed, in accordance with the Buddha's intention. The Sarvāstivāda states: When intending to make a dwelling place, first examine whether there are insects in the water or not. If there are, dig another well; if there are still insects, abandon it and leave. The method for using water in general: one who seeks purity should filter the water according to the Dharma and place it in a vessel, enough for one day's use; take one cubit of the finest cotton to make a bag, and have a conscientious keeper of precepts filter the water; when finished, put it in a clean vessel; look closely at it facing the sun; if there are still insects, do as explained before. The Mahāsāṃghika-vinaya states: If the insects are too fine, use a triple-layered strainer bag; if there are still insects, dig another well; if upon close inspection there are still insects, abandon it and leave. The Dharmaguptaka states: Make a water-strainer bag shaped like a ladle, or triangular, or make a large box, or make a filter flask. If troubled by fine insects passing through, it is permitted to place sand in the bag; when filtering is finished, return them to the water. One must not walk half a yojana without a strainer bag; if without one, filter with the corner of the saṃghāṭī (normally one must cover the inside of the bag, because pure and impure might contaminate each other). In this country, they are mostly made of plain silk. I personally took water after it was filtered and placed it in a black vessel: tiny, fine insects were countless, like the amount of dust in the water. The Nirvāṇa Sūtra says: "Is it dust or is it insects?" These words are truly credible! Later, I took dense boiled silk to make a bag, and only then were they filtered completely. The reason for explaining this is that the matter of living beings' lives is momentous, and [neglecting it] brings no benefit to oneself or others; being a natural precept with no expiation, one must ultimately repay the retribution. Nowadays, unworthy men, seeing someone carrying a strainer bag, say that Vinaya study consists solely in strainer bags. Yet they do not understand that the purpose behind it is profound. Harming life and obstructing the path, they still do not keep a strainer bag; even if they keep one, they do not use it; though using it, they do not pour back the insects; and though pouring them back, they injure the insects' lives. When even the single precept of not killing living beings cannot be honored, in all their other bodily deportments and bodily life, they constantly remain sunk therein.