菩薩戒義疏 2.30

2.30

第十四、放火燒戒，傷損有識故制。七眾同犯，大小乘俱制。序事三重：一、放火事，二、遠有焚燒，三、舉非結過。有師言：殺鬼畜犯重，初戒已制。此戒但不得燒林木，遠損害義。今釋殺鬼畜既不犯重，今燒林木而死者，與此戒同制。四月至九月多生蟲類，此時道俗同制。不得燒林木，遠有損害義。在家菩薩為業燒者不制，出家菩薩為妨害眾事亦應開許者，若不慎燒犯輕垢。「一切有生物」，謂有生命。有言「生」誤，應言「有主物」。若燒有主物，何但四月九月？當知作「有生」也。

Fourteenth, the precept against setting fires: it is established because it harms conscious beings. All seven assemblies commit the offense alike; both the Great and Small [Vehicles] prescribe against it. The narration of matters has three layers: first, the act of setting fire; second, burning things from afar; third, adducing the wrongdoing and concluding the offense. A master says: killing ghosts or animals incurs a major offense, which was already prohibited in the first precept. This precept only forbids burning forests and trees, in the sense of indirectly causing harm. The present explanation is: since killing ghosts or animals does not incur a major offense [in the Hīnayāna], now dying from burning forests and trees is prohibited under this precept. From the fourth month to the ninth month, many insects are born; at this time, both monastics and laypeople are equally prohibited. One must not burn forests and trees, in the sense of indirectly causing harm. For a lay bodhisattva who burns as an occupation, it is not prohibited; for a monastic bodhisattva, it should also be permitted when clearing obstacles to saṃgha tasks; but if one burns carelessly, one commits a minor defilement infraction. "All things with life" refers to living beings. Some say "living" is an error for "things with an owner." But if it meant burning things with an owner, why would it be only during the fourth to ninth months? Thus one should know it means "having life."