四分律行事鈔資持記 1.14

1.14

初段，歎戒中，初二句標歎。為下，釋成又二。上二句舉喻彰德；依下四句，對餘藏顯勝。戒德即所歎之法，難思乃能歎之詞。戒有四義，法、體、行、相，今從總相，唯歎戒法。所以不云難議者，以心思切近，口議疎遠；思之既難，必非可議。或可句局，理必兼之。冠下一句，顯上難思之義；既超象外，無物可比，故非凡小心力所及。冠字去呼，謂束戴也；冠為首飾，取高出之義。象謂世間諸所有物。問：軌導舟航，豈非象耶？答：經律歎戒，舉象雖多，但得少義，未可全同。此中略舉二物少喻戒功。軌導即車轍，明其發趣也；舟航，取其運載也。又標宗云是汝大師，以能軌物也；或如人足，能有所至也。或云大地，生成住持也。道品樓柱，聖道所依也。禪定城郭，定慧所憑也。乃至如池如鏡如纓絡如頭如器。又《智論》中如重寶如命如鳥翅如船等，尋之可知。又〈篇聚〉中先明戒護，具列八喻：如王子、如月光、如如意珠、如王一子、如人一目、如貧資糧、如王好國、如病良藥。又《戒本》序：如海無涯、如寶無厭。《僧祇戒本》：如猿猴鎖、如馬轡勒。廣在經律，不復繁引。良以戒德高廣，故非一物可喻；遍舉諸象，各得一端，不能全似，故云冠超也。五乘者，人、天、聲聞、辟支、及佛，能乘人也。五戒、十善、諦、緣、六度，所乘法也。乘此法者，必由奉戒，故以戒法通為軌導也。常途如此。今別解云：如《戒本》中：欲得生天上，若生人中者，常當護戒足，豈唯五戒十善耶！然戒有四位，五、八、十、具。若約鈍根，通為世善；若論上智，俱作道基。故《善生》云：五戒甚難，能為大比丘菩薩戒而為根本。故知四戒，皆導五乘。今此標歎，總含四位，正在具足。問：《戒疏》云：為道制戒，本非世福；但據三乘，今云五乘者？答：彼則專窮聖意，用顯教源；此明通被兩機，以彰利普。然則三乘為語，尚乃兼權。若論雙樹重扶，咸歸常住；故知四戒皆導佛乘，根器不同，故分三五，如是知之。三寶舟航者。三寶四種：一體、理體，就理而論；化相一種，局據佛世；住持一位，通被三時。功由戒力運載不絕，故如舟焉。何以然耶？由佛法二寶，並假僧弘；僧寶所存，非戒不立，如〈標宗〉中，順則三寶住持，違則覆滅正法。又如《華嚴》云：具足受持威儀教法，能令三寶不斷等。餘如後引。或可越度凡流，入三寶位，必須受戒，以合舟喻。文通此釋，前解為正。寔字音植，訓實訓是。次顯勝中有二，初對二學，明所詮行勝；下對兩藏，顯能詮教勝。定慧莫等者，須約兩意互明勝劣。若望斷惑證真，則慧為勝；戒但止業，定唯攝散故。若約修行次第，必戒為始；禪定智慧，因之而生故。今云建修，正從後義，故云莫等。《遺教》依因，《成論》捉縛，並同此意。次顯教中。群藉即目經論二藏，於茲乃指住持之事。經論不談，故云息唱。謂剃染稟戒入道次第，以至僧中受懺安恣結說治諫師資上下行住坐臥飲食衣服眾法別行；此諸事相，佛法紀綱；住持萬代，功由於此；唯斯律藏，委示規模；餘藏非宗，故所不辨。故《善見》云：毘尼藏者，佛法壽命；毘尼藏住，佛法方住；曲論來致，備如中卷。準上所詮，亦須兩釋。若詮理發智，破妄顯真，則經論為勝。若軌事攝修、滅惡生善，則毘尼獨尊。故知三藏各具勝能；今望住持，故有優劣。問：標宗所引大小經論，亦明戒律，那云息唱？答：雖復兼明，號隨經律，止是略歎戒功；至如上列住持等事，非彼所論，故得云耳。

In the first section, praising the precepts: the first two lines state the praise. From "For..." downward, the explanation also has two parts: the upper two lines present analogies to reveal their virtues; the four lines below, contrasting them with the other piṭakas, manifest their superiority. "The virtue of the precepts" is the dharma being praised; "inconceivable" is the wording that conveys the praise. Precepts have four meanings: dharma, essence, practice, and marks. Here, following the general mark, only the precept-dharma is praised. The reason it does not say "indiscussible" is because mental thought is intimate and immediate, while verbal discussion is distant and remote; since even thinking of it is difficult, it certainly cannot be discussed. Alternatively, the phrasing is restricted [for metre], but the principle must encompass both. The line beginning with "Surpassing..." clarifies the above meaning of "inconceivable": since it transcends phenomena and nothing can be compared to it, it is beyond the reach of the mental capacity of ordinary and lesser beings. The character guan (冠, "surpassing" / "crowning") is pronounced in the falling tone, meaning to bind and wear [upon the head]; a cap is an ornament for the head, taking the meaning of standing out aloft. "Phenomena" refers to all existing things in the world. Question: Are guides and boats not phenomena? Answer: When the sūtras and vinayas praise the precepts, although they cite many phenomena, they capture only a partial aspect and cannot be entirely identical. Here, two things are briefly cited to illustrate slightly the efficacy of the precepts. "Guides" are carriage ruts, clarifying their setting out and progression; "ferry boats" takes the sense of transporting across. Furthermore, [the chapter] "Clarifying the Tenet" says: "This is your great master," because it can guide beings; or [they are] like a person's feet, being able to reach a destination; or they are called the great earth, generating, maturing, and maintaining. [They are] the pillars of the pavilion of the factors of awakening, upon which the noble path relies; the walls of a citadel of dhyāna-concentration, upon which concentration and wisdom depend; and so forth, down to being like a pool, like a mirror, like a necklace, like a head, and like a vessel. Furthermore, in the *Prajñāpāramitopadeśa*, they are like precious jewels, like life, like the wings of a bird, like a ship, and so forth, as can be known by consulting it. Again, in the "Categories of Offenses" [chapter], when first clarifying the protection of the precepts, eight analogies are fully listed: like a prince, like moonlight, like a wish-fulfilling jewel, like a king's only son, like a person's single eye, like provisions for the poor, like a king's fine realm, and like good medicine for the sick. Again, the preface to the *Prātimokṣa* says: "Like the ocean without bound, like jewels never wearying [the possessor]." The *Mahāsāṃghika-prātimokṣa* says: "Like a chain for an ape, like a bridle and bit for a horse." These are extensively found in the sūtras and vinayas, and need not be cited redundantly. It is precisely because the virtue of the precepts is lofty and vast that it cannot be compared to a single thing; citing various phenomena throughout captures only a single aspect of each and cannot fully resemble it, which is why it is said to "crown and surpass." "The five vehicles" are humans, devas, śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, and buddhas, which are the persons capable of riding. The five precepts, the ten good deeds, the truths, dependent origination, and the six perfections are the dharmas to be ridden. Those who ride these dharmas must depend on observing the precepts; therefore, the precept-dharma generally serves as their guide. Such is the common explanation. Now, an alternative explanation states: as in the *Prātimokṣa*, "If one wishes to be born in the heavens, or to be born among humans, one should always guard the feet of the precepts"—how could this refer only to the five precepts and ten good deeds? However, the precepts have four levels: the five, the eight, the ten, and the complete [precepts]. In terms of dull faculties, they universally serve as worldly good; in terms of superior wisdom, they all serve as the foundation of the path. Therefore the *Upāsaka-śīla-sūtra* says: "The five precepts are extremely difficult; they can serve as the root for the precepts of the great bhikṣu and the bodhisattva." Hence we know that the four [levels of] precepts all guide the five vehicles. The praise stated here generally encompasses the four levels, but specifically focuses on the complete [precepts]. Question: The *Precept Commentary* says: "The precepts were instituted for the path, originally not for worldly merit; they rely only on the three vehicles." Why does it now say "five vehicles"? Answer: That [text] exclusively investigates the sagely intent to reveal the source of the teaching; this [text] clarifies that it universally covers both capacities to manifest the universality of benefit. Even so, speaking in terms of the three vehicles still includes provisional [teachings]. If we speak of the twin trees re-supporting [the teaching], all return to the eternal; hence we know that the four precepts all guide toward the Buddha vehicle. Because faculties and vessels differ, they are divided into three and five; understand it in this way. As for "the ferry boat of the Triratna": there are four types of Triratna: the one essence, the principle essence—discussed in terms of principle; the teaching marks, which are restricted to the time of the Buddha; and the maintained [Triratna], which universally covers the three periods. Its efficacy relies on the power of the precepts to transport without interruption; hence it is like a boat. Why is this so? Because the two jewels of the Buddha and the Dharma both rely on the Saṃgha for propagation; and where the Saṃgha Jewel resides, it cannot be established without the precepts. As in "Clarifying the Tenet," complying with them maintains the Triratna, while contravening them overturns and destroys the True Dharma. Again, as the *Avataṃsaka* says: "To fully receive and uphold the deportment and teachings can cause the Triratna not to be cut off," and so forth; the rest is as cited later. Alternatively, to cross over the stream of ordinary beings and enter the rank of the Triratna, one must receive the precepts, matching the analogy of the boat. The text accommodates this interpretation, but the former explanation is correct. The character shi (寔, "truly") is pronounced zhi; it is glossed as "real" and as "this." Next, in revealing superiority, there are two parts: first, contrasting them with the two trainings to clarify the superiority of the practice that is expounded; below, contrasting them with the other two piṭakas to reveal the superiority of the teaching that expounds them. "Concentration and wisdom cannot equal them": one must elucidate their superiority and inferiority based on two meanings mutually. In terms of severing delusions and realizing reality, wisdom is superior, because precepts merely stop karmic actions and concentration only gathers distraction. In terms of the sequence of cultivation and practice, it must begin with the precepts, because dhyāna-concentration and wisdom arise in dependence upon them. Now, speaking of "establishing cultivation" follows precisely the latter meaning, which is why it says "cannot equal." The *Sūtra of the Buddha's Last Teaching* on "reliance and cause" and the *Tattvasiddhi-śāstra* on "seizing and binding" both share this meaning. Next, in revealing the teaching: "The host of texts" refers to the two piṭakas of sūtras and treatises; "in this" points to the affairs of maintenance. Sūtras and treatises do not speak of these, hence it says "cease their chanting." This refers to shaving the hair, dyeing the robes, receiving the precepts, and the sequence of entering the path, down to receiving [the precepts] within the Saṃgha, deśanā, poṣadha, pravāraṇā, boundaries, reciting the precepts, disciplinary actions, admonitions, the relations between master and disciple, high and low ranks, walking, standing, sitting, lying down, eating, drinking, clothing, communal acts, and individual practices. These various transactional marks are the cardinal principles of the Buddha's Dharma; that it is maintained for ten thousand generations owes its efficacy to this. Only this Vinayapiṭaka details and reveals the models; other piṭakas do not have this as their tenet, and therefore do not distinguish them. Therefore the *Samantapāsādikā* says: "The Vinayapiṭaka is the life-span of the Buddha's Dharma; only when the Vinayapiṭaka remains does the Buddha's Dharma remain." The detailed discussion of how this comes about is fully presented in the middle fascicle. In accordance with what is expounded above, two explanations must also be given. If it is a matter of expounding principle, generating wisdom, destroying delusion, and revealing reality, then the sūtras and treatises are superior. If it is a matter of guiding affairs, encompassing cultivation, eradicating evil, and producing good, then the Vinaya alone is supreme. Therefore we know that the three piṭakas each possess superior capacities; here, viewed in terms of maintenance, there is superiority and inferiority. Question: The Great and Small [Vehicle] sūtras and treatises cited in "Clarifying the Tenet" also clarify the vinaya and precepts; why say they "cease their chanting"? Answer: Although they also clarify them, their titles follow "sūtra" and "śāstra," and they merely praise the efficacy of the precepts in brief; as for the affairs of maintenance and so forth listed above, they are not what those texts treat, and so it can be said thus.