天台菩薩戒疏 3.14

3.14

Forty-sixth: the precept against preaching the Dharma in violation of proper form. Preaching the Dharma to benefit others has as its purpose vast benefit; high and low have their proper protocol, and both sides should be reverent and sincere. If one now speaks casually, losing all thread of dignified deportment, self and other grow contemptuous, and the water of the Dharma cannot remain; hence an offense is established. It specifically comprises three conditions: (1) facing a listener; (2) not being on a proper seat; (3) committing an offense corresponding to the preaching. As for the text, there are three parts: first, stating the mental attitude of one who can preach, fully as in the Lotus Sūtra—taking great compassion as one's chamber, gentleness and forbearance as one's clothing, and the emptiness of all dharmas as one's seat. Mentioning one subsumes the three, hence it says "great compassion"; next, from "if entering" down, showing the protocol of preaching. "As if desiring filial compliance to parents" shows that one should exhort others to revere the person who preaches the teaching. "Respectfully complying with the master's teaching" shows that one should exhort them to revere and comply with the teaching preached by the master. Non-Buddhists of the Western lands mostly serve the fire god, paying single-minded homage and respect in thought after thought without interruption; hence this matter is cited to illustrate revering the person and the Dharma. Third, from "when preaching the Dharma" down, concluding with the offense of violating the regulation.