四分律行事鈔資持記 3.654

3.654

六中，《五百問》息嫌疑。《智論》示遶法。《賢愚》明禮辭。彼說舍利弗辭佛入涅槃，佛問：何不住壽一劫，答曰：世尊年尚八十，不久涅槃，我不忍見故；又三世諸佛，上足弟子，皆先取涅槃。（按《本起經》：是佛右面弟子，目連左面故也。）經文但示旋遶。續引《善見》，具示儀式。《雜含》中，明禮足。示敬之極。然諸經論，皆令右遶；古今諍論，紛紜不息。都緣不曉遶佛遶壇，兩儀自別。且直據祖教，略明大途，餘廣如別。初明遶佛者，《歸敬儀》云：右遶者，面西北轉（如像面南，行者面北，舉步迴身，面西而去，從北而迴。）；右肩祖侍，向佛而恭（此示正儀）；比見有僧，非於此法；便東迴北轉，此為右遶（出錯見也）；西竺梵僧，闐聚京邑；經行旋遶，目閱其蹤；並乃西迴，而為右遶；以順天道，如日月焉。（此引親見之事，證成上義。）次明遶壇者，《感通傳》：天人述西竺戒壇云：眾僧登壇受戒，說戒事訖，東迴左遶，南出而返；《戒壇經》：祖師對真懿云：律師勿見東迴左遶以為非法耶，此乃天常之大理也。（《感通傳》云：天常乃左，人常乃右。）祖訓明顯，人妄穿鑿，或曲引俗書（如執《天文誌》李長者之說，是也。），或妄憑世事（如執牛踏稻，蜘蛛結網之類。）；且遶佛者，本乎致敬；遶壇者，便乎行事；致敬則必須右遶，表執侍之恭勤；行事則必須左遶，使上下而倫序。（如入食堂，及說恣時入堂之式。）必依此判，寧復疑乎。若爾，《壇經》云：東迴北轉，遶佛一匝者？答：此本登壇為行受法，因旋佛後，故云遶佛；豈同殿塔，特申卑敬耶！（古記引秀州靈光舍利左遶為證；子親瞻禮，但覩金鐸動搖，豈見舍利左右，此亦欺罔之甚。）

In the sixth [section], the *Five Hundred Questions* puts doubts and suspicions to rest. The *Mahāprajñāpāramitā-śāstra* (*Zhilun*) shows the method of circumambulation. The *Damamūka-nidāna-sūtra* (*Xianyu*) clarifies the farewell bow. It says that Śāriputra took leave of the Buddha to enter nirvāṇa; the Buddha asked, 'Why do you not remain for a kalpa of lifespan?' and he replied, 'The World-Honoured One is already eighty years old and will soon enter nirvāṇa; I cannot bear to see it; furthermore, for all the Buddhas of the three periods, the chief disciples always enter nirvāṇa first.' (According to the *Benqi jing*, he was the disciple at the Buddha's right side, and Maudgalyāyana was on the left.) The text of the sūtra only shows circumambulating. It subsequently cites the *Samantapāsādikā* (*Shanjian*), which fully presents the ceremonial form. In the *Saṃyuktāgama* (*Za Ahan*), it clarifies bowing to the feet, displaying the utmost reverence. However, the various sūtras and treatises all direct right-wise circumambulation; ancient and modern disputes have raged without cease. All of this is due to failing to understand that circumambulating the Buddha and circumambulating an altar are naturally two distinct rites. We shall directly rely on the Patriarch's teachings to briefly clarify the general principle, the rest being detailed elsewhere. First, clarifying circumambulating the Buddha: the *Gui jing yi* says: 'Right-wise circumambulation means facing north-west and turning (as when the image faces south, the practitioner faces north, raises his steps, turns his body, heads west, and circles around from the north); the right shoulder attends like an elder, facing the Buddha with reverence (this shows the correct rite); recently I have seen monks who reject this method and then turn east and circle north, considering this right-wise circumambulation (pointing out the mistaken view); Sanskrit monks from the Western regions gathered in crowds in the capital; as they walked and circumambulated, one observed their steps; they all turned west to perform right-wise circumambulation, in order to accord with the heavenly course, like the sun and moon.' (This cites a firsthand observation to corroborate the above meaning.) Next, clarifying circumambulating an altar: the *Gantong zhuan* states that a deva described an ordination altar in the Western regions: 'The assembly of monks ascends the altar to receive the precepts; when the poṣadha transactions are concluded, they turn east, circumambulate left-wise, and exit south to return.' The *Jietan jing* states: The Patriarchal Master said to Zhenyi, 'Vinaya master, do not consider turning east and circumambulating left-wise to be contrary to Dharma; this is the great principle of the heavenly constant.' (The *Gantong zhuan* says: 'The heavenly constant is to the left, while the human constant is to the right.') The Patriarch's instructions are clear, yet people make groundless speculations, either distorting mundane books (such as clinging to the treatise of Elder Li on the *Astronomical Treatise*), or falsely relying on worldly affairs (such as citing oxen treading grain, spiders spinning webs, and the like). Now, circumambulating the Buddha is rooted in expressing reverence; circumambulating an altar facilitates the execution of transactions. To express reverence, one must circumambulate right-wise, manifesting the respectful diligence of attending upon [the Buddha]; to execute transactions, one must circumambulate left-wise, allowing senior and junior to maintain orderly precedence (such as entering the dining hall, or the manner of entering the hall during poṣadha and pravāraṇā). If one definitely relies on this determination, how could there be any further doubt? If so, then what about the *Tan jing* saying, 'Turning east and circling north, circumambulating the Buddha once'? Answer: This was originally ascending the altar to perform the rite of reception; because it looped behind the Buddha, it is called 'circumambulating the Buddha'; how could it be the same as in a hall or stūpa where one specifically offers humble reverence! (An ancient record cited the relic of Lingguang in Xiuzhou circumambulating left-wise as evidence; I personally paid reverence to it and only saw the golden bells swaying; how could one see the relic moving left or right? This is also an extreme deception.)