四分律行事鈔資持記 3.341

3.341

誡蜜中，初明味重過深。經論多舉為喻，復是常人共知，故云凡聖常言也。兼下，次明傷慈害命。強力劫掠者，以取時以烟火逐散，奪彼食分，與世劫賊復何異哉！《僧傳》云：慧遠法師有疾六日而困篤，大德耆年皆稽顙請飲鼓酒，弗聽；又請飲米汁，弗聽；又請以蜜和水為漿，乃令律師披卷尋文，得飲以不？展卷未半而終。嗚呼往哲，真大法師；自餘昏庸，何足算也。且吾祖律師、荊溪禪師，竝以惻隱之深，終身不食；豈非解大乘法，修大乘行者乎？故《章服儀》云：囚犢𪭺乳，劫蜂賊蜜；比之屠獵，萬計倍之；反覆斯言，宜為極誡。故下，引證。彼因獼猴見樹中無蜂熟蜜，來取佛鉢，盛獻於佛；後生忉利，出家成羅漢等。比明無蜂者，佛乃受之；反知有蜂，其過彌甚。

In 'Admonition regarding Honey,' first, it clarifies that its flavor is intense and its fault is profound. Sūtras and treatises often cite it as a metaphor, and it is also commonly known to ordinary people; hence it says 'the common saying of ordinary beings and noble ones.' 'Concurrently...' below next clarifies harming compassion and destroying life. 'Vigorously plundering' means that at the time of taking it, one drives them off and disperses them with smoke and fire, robbing their share of food; how is this different from worldly robbers and thieves? The Biographies of Eminent Monks states: 'Dharma Master Huiyuan was ill for six days and grew critically feeble. The great virtues and elders all bowed their heads and requested that he drink fermented grain wine, but he would not listen. They further requested that he drink rice congee, but he would not listen. They further requested that honey be mixed with water to make a syrup; thereupon, he ordered the Vinaya master to open the scroll and search the text for whether he was permitted to drink it or not. Before the scroll was half unrolled, he passed away.' Alas, that past wise man was truly a great Dharma master! As for the rest who are benighted and mediocre, how could they even be counted? Furthermore, our Patriarchal Vinaya Master and Chan Master Jingxi both, because of the depth of their empathy, did not eat it for their entire lives; are they not those who understood the Great Vehicle Dharma and cultivated Great Vehicle practice? Therefore, the Regulations on Robes and Garments states: 'Imprisoning calves to milk cows and plundering bees to steal honey, when compared to butchering and hunting, are ten thousand times worse. Reflecting repeatedly upon these words, one ought to take them as the utmost admonition.' 'Therefore...' below cites evidence. There, because a monkey saw that there was ripe honey without bees in a tree, it came, took the Buddha's bowl, filled it, and offered it to the Buddha; later, it was reborn in Trāyastriṃśa, left the household life, and became an arhat, and so on. This proves that because it was without bees, the Buddha then accepted it; by conversely understanding that when there are bees, the fault is even greater.