梵網經菩薩戒本疏 1.19

1.19

第二舉法勸信中分三：初五句明信法成益。於中初一句總勸生信。二、次二句出所信境，又是教生信方便，謂信己身有佛性法故，即是定當來成佛之義。三、次二句辨信益，謂由信自有自性住佛性，信佛是至得果性，謂起此信即是發入理菩提心，此故此心即是得戒。故《無垢稱經》云：「發菩提心即是出家，是即具足成比丘性。」此之謂也。二有六句勸眾普受，於中二：初二句總勸普受，即是下文「但解法師語盡受得戒」，故云「一切有心」等。又可凡諸有心皆有佛性，有佛性故堪為道器，故云「攝佛戒」也。又前是當成之佛，據佛性體也。此明有心之者皆攝佛戒，是佛性用也。二、次四句釋攝戒利益，謂入菩薩三聚戒中，即是佛本因之位，故名「佛子」，下諸戒首皆云「若佛子」者是也。三、後二句以有此益故勸眾聽誦。

Second, under adducing the Dharma to encourage faith, there are three [parts]: First, five lines show that believing the Dharma yields benefit. Therein, the first line generally encourages generating faith. Second, the next two lines present the object of faith; this is also an expedient method to teach generating faith, meaning that through believing that one's own body has the quality of Buddha-nature, there is the certainty of attaining Buddhahood in the future. Third, the next two lines distinguish the benefit of faith: because one has faith that one inherently possesses the Buddha-nature abiding in its own nature, and has faith that the Buddha is the fruit of attainment, generating this faith is itself the arousal of the bodhicitta that penetrates principle; therefore this mind is itself the attainment of the precepts. Hence the *Vimalakīrtinirdeśa Sūtra* says: 'Arousing bodhicitta is itself renouncing household life, and is thus fully possessing the nature of a bhikṣu.' This is what it means. Second, there are six lines encouraging the assembly to receive [them] universally, in which there are two [parts]: First, two lines generally encourage universal reception, which is the text below saying 'As long as one understands the Dharma master's words, all can receive and obtain the precepts,' hence it says 'All who possess mind,' and so forth. Furthermore, all who possess mind have Buddha-nature; because they have Buddha-nature, they are fit vessels for the path; hence it says 'collecting the Buddha's precepts.' Moreover, the former refers to the future-attained Buddha based on the substance of Buddha-nature, while this clarifies that all who possess mind collect the Buddha's precepts, which is the function of Buddha-nature. Second, the next four lines explain the benefit of collecting the precepts: entering the bodhisattva's three clusters of precepts is the status of the Buddha's fundamental cause, hence one is called a 'son of the Buddha' (buddhāputra), and at the head of each precept below it says 'If a son of the Buddha...' Third, the final two lines, because of these benefits, encourage the assembly to listen to the recitation.