天台菩薩戒疏 3.8

3.8

Forty-one: The precept against acting as an ordination master for the sake of profit. Only if one's own practice is established can one transform others. When one actually knows nothing, falsely claims to understand, aims for fame and profit without benefiting others, and brings ruin upon oneself while leading others into downfall, it is therefore instituted as an offense. It specifically possesses four conditions: 1. Inwardly truly lacking knowledge; 2. Outwardly seeking others' circumstances; 3. Driven by greed for fame and profit; 4. Conferring the bodhisattva precepts—then one commits an offense. Regarding the text, there are three parts: first, stating the title and indicating the correct understanding; next, from "If they do not..." onward, showing the marks of lack of knowledge; third, from "Yet a bodhisattva..." onward, concluding the offense for violating the rule. Under the first, first, regarding the "seven impediments," the seven rebellious acts obstruct the precepts, hence they are called impediments. Regarding "violating the ten precepts" and so forth, this teaches the method of repentance. The ten precepts are the ten major precepts. Regarding "the thousand Buddhas of the three periods," this means bowing to the thousand Buddhas of the past, future, and present. In the past Glorious Kalpa, starting from Prabhāpāla (Huaguang) Tathāgata and ending with Vipaśyin Buddha; in the future Constellation Kalpa, starting from Sūryaprabha (Riguang) Tathāgata and ending with Sumeruketu (Xumixiang) Buddha; in the present Auspicious Kalpa, starting from Krakucchanda Buddha and ending with Rucika (Louzhi) Tathāgata. Regarding "various extraordinary signs," one might hear a voice in empty space saying 'vinaya basket', or receive an imprint on one's arm reading the characters 'sin eradicated', and so forth, then it is attained. "Eradicating sins" means that both prohibited and natural [offenses] are eliminated. If one relies on the Small Vehicle's ritual repentance, natural offenses are not eliminated. For example, sexual misconduct, theft, killing, and lying are inherently evil in nature; these are called natural offenses. Matters such as drinking alcohol are instituted by the Buddha to be maintained; violating the rule constitutes an offense, called a prohibited offense. For all natural offenses, whether one has received the precepts or not, committing them brings sin, and keeping them brings merit. As for prohibited precepts, if not received, committing them brings no sin. A person who has received the precepts adds a prohibited aspect on top of each natural precept, in order to prevent committing natural offenses. On prohibited precepts, one merely guards the single prohibited aspect. If kept, their virtue pervades empty space; if broken, both prohibited and natural offenses are incurred together. Repentance merely remedies the violation of the rule and restores original purity. If one owes wealth or life, it must still be repaid in the fruit-stage. Hence we know that in the Small Vehicle, natural offenses are not eliminated. Question: If one has not received prohibited precepts, does observing them bring merit? Answer: Observing in response to a particular object brings a single merit; it is not like receiving them where an exalted mind is aroused, and under the words of the karman, [the precept] arises throughout the dharmadhātu. Hence the sūtra says: 'Better to arouse all precepts at once (due to karman) than to violate all precepts at once (due to lack of karman).' Furthermore, the Yingluo jing says: 'One who has violations is called a bodhisattva; one who has no violations is called an outsider.' Now, contemplating signs from the great fruit, past deeds are doubly eliminated, so repentance is made to eradicate them. Regarding "if there are no auspicious signs" up to "nor is it eliminated," this clarifies that for those who, having previously received them, later retrogress from the bodhicitta and commit the aggravated ten evil acts, violating the ten major precepts—these two kinds of people who have lost the precepts, as well as those of middling and lower minds who violate the ten major precepts without losing the precepts—if they repent without seeing the signs, the sin is also not eradicated, which is called fruitless. Since these are not the seven impediments, all are permitted to receive them again, hence it says "and may receive them additionally." Tiangong says: Examining the lower fascicle of the Brahmajāla Sūtra, it says "is also not eradicated" (yibudemie); the character "precept" (jie) is an error. Therefore, a bodhisattva may receive them repeatedly without any procedure of renunciation. Regarding losing the precepts, the Bodhisattva-śīla Sūtra (Shanjié jing) says: "There are two causes and conditions for losing the bodhisattva precepts, as listed above. Apart from these two causes, even if one transmigrates through the four destinies in other lives, the precept-essence always endures" (and so forth). Regarding "face-to-face" and so forth, one requests a bodhisattva monk capable of eliminating evil to be the confession master, saying: 'Mindful Bodhisattva! I, so-and-so, now request the Bodhisattva to be the master for the confession of minor defilement offenses. May the Bodhisattva act as my confession master out of compassionate pity.' (Three times.) Next, the direct repentance (kneeling with palms together): 'Mindful Bodhisattva! I, so-and-so, for deliberately not listening to the Great Vehicle Dharma, have committed a minor defilement offense. Now I reveal and confess it to the Bodhisattva. Repenting brings peace and happiness; not repenting brings no peace and happiness. Recollecting and revealing it, knowing it I dare not conceal it. May the Venerable One remember my pure precept-body, fully endowed with the pure poṣadha.' (Three times. The confession master says:) 'Reproach your own mind; you should give rise to revulsion.' (Replied as stated. This is drawn from the karman of the Tang Tripiṭaka Master.)