四分律行事鈔資持記 3.772

3.772

六中，《雜含》，初示攝眾限齊。恐其更多，難於訓誨，無益及他；必力能博濟，不在言限；故古之高僧，千徒匝座。當量才力，更審自心；勿貪眷屬，以圖聲望；此乃畜因，終當自墜。佛下，次明非問不答。問命終者，謂問死時近遠；問無所益，故云徒勞。夫下，似止問之詞。十二緣者，無明及行，過去因也；識名色六入觸受，現在果也；愛取有，未來因也；生及老死，未來果也。三世因果，生死相續，從緣故空；知生虛妄，死復何有？達妄修真，得脫生死，故云度此也。《僧祇》。明道俗違犯，彼因比丘與白衣行非，比丘比丘尼犯夷；白衣無戒，不犯，故曰知如之何。以無名相，莫測來報；意彰復重，令誡俗流。

In the sixth part, from the Saṃyuktāgama, it first indicates the limit for gathering followers. Fearing that if there are more, it will be difficult to instruct them and will bring no benefit to others; but if one surely has the power to broadly deliver others, one is not subject to the restriction of these words; thus, among the eminent monks of antiquity, a thousand disciples would surround their seats. One should measure one's talent and strength, and further examine one's own mind; do not be greedy for followers in order to pursue reputation; this is a cause for animal rebirth, and in the end one will surely fall oneself. Under "The Buddha...", it next explains not answering if not questioned. Questioning about the end of life refers to asking whether the time of death is near or far; asking brings no benefit, so it is said to be in vain. Under "Now...", these seem to be words halting the questions. As for the twelve links of dependent origination: ignorance and karmic formations are the causes of the past; consciousness, name-and-form, the six sense bases, contact, and feeling are the results of the present; craving, grasping, and becoming are the causes of the future; birth, aging, and death are the results of the future. The causes and results of the three periods of time continue through birth and death; because they arise from conditions, they are empty. Knowing that birth is illusory, how could death exist? Penetrating illusion and cultivating truth, one attains liberation from birth and death; hence it is called "crossing over this". The Mahāsāṃghika-vinaya clarifies transgressions by monastics and laypeople: that was due to a bhikṣu engaging in misconduct with a layperson; the bhikṣu or bhikṣuṇī commits a pārājika; since laypeople have no [monastic] precepts, they do not commit [a Vinaya offense]; hence it says, "how could one know what to do?" Because they have no nominal marks [of precepts], the future retribution cannot be fathomed; the intention is to reveal that it is double and heavy, so as to admonish worldly laypeople.