四分律行事鈔資持記 1.1000

1.1000

入堂中，初示儀式有三：初禮敬，次說偈，三就坐。偈中，上半偈明自行成就，次一句明眾行無違，末句自眾兩具方成法事。自行中，上句受體無缺，下句隨行無犯。（大眾字，有本作清淨。）如下，次誡侮慢。如上即〈雜法〉中。極教者，若取制之深極，則指律文；若約教之終極，即指《涅槃》；彼云：我不滅度，半月一來。遺謂佛之遺誡。言根本者，望餘法事，皆是枝條。有人於此妄立歡喜偈者，若言表淨，前偈已具，何勞重述；若是陳過，有犯自當懺露，豈但乞僧歡喜而已；習俗日深，苦諫不捨；知非遷善，未見其人。

Under "Entering the Hall": first it shows that the rites are threefold: first, paying homage; second, reciting the verse; third, taking one's seat. In the verse, the first half explains the perfection of one's own practice; the next line explains that the assembly's practice is without discord; the final line shows that only when both oneself and the assembly are equipped is the ritual transaction accomplished. Within one's own practice, the upper line means the reception-essence is unblemished; the lower line means the subsequent practice is without violation. (For the characters "great assembly," some editions read "purity.") From "As..." onward, next it admonishes against contempt and laxity. "As above" refers to the "Miscellaneous Transactions." As for "ultimate teaching": if taken in terms of the depth and ultimacy of the prohibition, it points to the vinaya texts; if taken in terms of the finality of the teaching, it points to the *Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra*, which says, "I do not enter extinction; I come once every half-month." "Bequeathed" refers to the Buddha's bequeathed admonitions. Calling it "root" means that compared to it, all other ritual transactions are mere branches. As for those who in this context falsely establish a "Verse of Rejoicing": if it is meant to manifest purity, the previous verse has already provided for it, so why bother repeating it? If it is to disclose faults, whoever has violated should naturally confess and reveal them, so how could it merely be begging the saṃgha for rejoicing?! The custom grows daily deeper, and despite bitter remonstrance they do not abandon it; as for those who recognize error and turn to good, I have yet to see such a person.