四分律行事鈔資持記 2.1107

2.1107

總判中，初明功益。通揀九種。注顯八緣，其相可解。

represents the extremely short duration.' (The short one is the Dharmaguptaka's 'making robes'; the long one refers to the Mahīśāsaka's 'robe-season'.)

Next, in providing specific proofs, it first cites the Ekottarika-āgama. That text states: When the Buddha was in the city of Rājagṛha, an elder invited five hundred people, including Śāriputra and Maudgalyāyana, and the Buddha rebuked him as stated in the Manual. As for 'drinking from the great ocean,' this is because the mind extends generally to the jewel of the Saṃgha without discrimination; even if one obtains a single person, it constitutes an offering to the ordinary and holy beings of the ten directions. From 'Siṃha' on, they received the teaching and put it into practice. From 'The Buddha praised' on, it means being praised by the holy ones.

In the Dāmamūka-nidāna-sūtra, the maternal aunt herself spun and wove a bolt of golden cotton cloth to present to the Buddha. The Buddha said: 'You may donate it to the Saṃgha, obtaining immeasurable merit; if given to the sixteen complete ones (the Zenghui states: 'The monks and nuns each have four fruits and four directions'), it is not yet sufficient to be considered great.' The rest is as in the Manual. 'Holding' means embracing. A 'nominal monk' is one without actual virtue.

Question: 'Earlier, the Mahīśāsaka was cited regarding excluding those with evil precepts; why does this contradict that?'
Answer: 'The Commentary states: The Mahīśāsaka selects individuals with precision; the Dāmamūka accepts individuals broadly. Accepting offerings with broken precepts temporarily serves to generate faith in outsiders, causing them to personally realize the merit of giving within the ocean of the Saṃgha; it does not mean that defective conduct can digest offerings of faith.' (This is the intention of the Commentary.)

I personally say: The Mahīśāsaka excludes those with evil precepts, the Buddhapiṭaka states that they cannot digest a cup of water, and the Mātṛkā speaks of the belly bursting; in the Vinaya, keeping treasures is rebuked and prohibited before laypeople; when remedies are applied against improper offerings, both the giver and receiver fall [into the lower realms]—all such examples are extreme admonitions for the internal assembly, causing them to spur themselves on diligently. The Ekottarika-āgama, the Dāmamūka, the Daśādhyāya-vinaya, and the Upāsakaśīla-sūtra are all based on guiding laypeople, fearing that they might neglect and despise the saṃgha disciples and thereby incur their own ruin. From this we know: for the receiver, the precepts must be pure—if not pure, one will undoubtedly trap oneself; for the giver, it must be universal—if not universal, the giving brings no merit. If judged using this principle, there is surely no contradiction.