[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [梵網經菩薩戒本疏](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1813) › 1.4 # 梵網經菩薩戒本疏 1.4 梵網經菩薩戒本疏 1.4 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [1.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1813.1.4) 初教起所因者，何故辨此菩薩戒耶？略由十因，謂法應爾故、示本行故、攝大機故、授法命故、勝法被故、令成行故、得諸位故、滅重障故、顯真性故、得勝果故。初法應爾故者，謂此菩薩三聚淨戒，既為道場直路、種覺圓因，是故一切諸佛出興于世，利樂眾生皆依古法，法爾初時結於菩薩波羅提木叉為宗本之要，如大王路法爾常規，故須說也。是故下云：「各坐菩提樹，誦我本師戒。」又云：「是盧舍那誦，我亦如是誦。」解云：既佛本師戒，復但云誦不言說者，明則本法非新制也。又云：「三世諸佛已說、今說、當說」，故知同說也。二示本行者，三世諸佛皆悉往昔同行此戒成最正覺，是故成道先示此要，令諸菩薩之所修學。下文云：「一切諸佛之本源，行菩薩者之根本。」又云：「一切菩薩已學今學當學。」解云：若無此戒法，無一菩薩得成佛道。三攝大心者，謂如來出世，若不顯此菩薩毘尼，諸有情初發大菩提心者，而未能知何等應作，何等不應作，而進行無依。是故要當制立菩薩學處，令知進修。《智論》十五云：「譬如無足欲行，無翅欲飛，無船求渡，是不可得。若無戒欲求好果，亦復如是。若人棄捨此戒，雖居山苦行，食菓服藥，與禽獸無異。」四授法命者，謂諸眾生若無此戒，法命不立，與非情及畜生等無有異。《瓔珞經》下卷云：「佛子！若過去未來現在一切眾生不受菩薩戒者，不名有情。識者畜生無異，不名為人。當離三寶海，非菩薩非男非女」等。五殊勝益者，謂以最上菩薩戒霑及眾生，必當令彼成正覺。《瓔珞經》云：「又復法師能於一切國土中教化一人出家受菩薩戒者，是法師其福勝造八萬四千塔，況復二人三人乃至百千福果不可稱量。」六成諸行者，謂一切菩薩無邊大行莫不皆以淨戒為本。《智論》十五云：「譬如大地，一切萬物有形之類皆依地而住。戒亦如是，戒為一切善法住處。」又《華嚴經》云：「譬如造宮室，起基令堅固，施戒亦如是，菩薩眾行本。」此經下云：「一切菩薩已學今學當學。」七成諸位者，謂由具足菩薩戒故信行得成，方乃得入十住等位。《瓔珞經》云：「初發心出家欲紹菩薩位者，當先受正法戒。戒者是一切行功德藏根本，正向佛果道。」問：位以智成，因何說戒？答：戒具三聚，攝善戒中既具大智，理亦無違。下文中十發趣、十長養等，皆因此成。又問：以何得知此菩薩戒多是住前菩薩所行戒耶？答：《瓔珞經》下卷云：「我今在此樹下，為十四億人說住前信想菩薩初受戒法。佛子！是信想菩薩於十千劫行十戒法，當入十住心。」此之謂也。八、滅重障者，重障有二，謂惑與業。今既具防三業，律儀戒中惡無不止，惑業種子是所除滅。故《瓔珞》下卷云：「受十無盡戒已，其受者過度四魔、越三界苦，從生至生不失此戒，常隨行人乃至成佛。」九、顯真性者，謂由具此菩薩淨戒，遂令障滅行成、性離究竟。下云：「佛性常住，戒法流通」也。十、得勝果者，謂此淨戒因位究竟，必獲如來圓明勝果。故《華嚴經》云：「戒是無上菩提本，應當具足持淨戒。」此經下云：「微塵菩薩眾，由是成正覺。」此之謂也。 > First, as for the causes for the arising of the teaching, why are these bodhisattva precepts expounded? Briefly, on account of ten causes: namely, because the Dharma is naturally so; to reveal original practice; to gather those of great capacity; to confer the life of the Dharma; because of the bestowal of the superior Dharma; to bring practices to completion; to attain the various ranks; to eradicate heavy hindrances; to reveal the true nature; and to attain the supreme fruit. First, 'because the Dharma is naturally so' means: these three clusters of pure bodhisattva precepts are the direct path to the bodhimaṇḍa and the perfect cause of the seed of enlightenment; therefore, when all Buddhas appear in the world to benefit and gladden sentient beings, they all rely on the ancient Dharma. It is the natural law of things that at the beginning they lay down the bodhisattva prātimokṣa as the essential foundation, just as the king's highway is by nature the constant rule; hence it must be spoken. Therefore, it is stated below: 'Each seated beneath a bodhi tree, reciting our fundamental teacher's precepts.' It also states: 'These are what Rocana recited; I also recite them thus.' In explanation: since they are the fundamental teacher's precepts, and it merely says 'recite' rather than 'speak,' this clarifies that this is the original Dharma and not newly instituted. It also states: 'All Buddhas of the three periods of time have spoken, do speak, and will speak them'; thus we know they speak them in common. Second, 'to reveal original practice' means: all Buddhas of the three periods of time in the past equally practiced these precepts and attained supreme right enlightenment; therefore, upon attaining the Way, they first reveal this essential so that all bodhisattvas may cultivate and train in it. A later passage states: 'The fundamental source of all Buddhas, the root of those who practice the bodhisattva path.' It also states: 'All bodhisattvas have trained, do train, and will train in them.' In explanation: if these precept teachings did not exist, not a single bodhisattva could attain the Buddha-way. Third, 'to gather those of great mind' means: when the Tathāgata appears in the world, if he did not reveal this bodhisattva vinaya, sentient beings who have newly aroused the great bodhicitta would not yet know what should be done and what should not be done, and would advance without anything to rely upon. Therefore, he necessarily had to establish the bodhisattva śikṣāpadas to make them know how to advance in cultivation. The Dazhidulun, fascicle fifteen, states: 'It is like wanting to walk without feet, wanting to fly without wings, or seeking to cross \[a river\] without a boat—this is impossible. Seeking good fruits without precepts is likewise. If a person abandons these precepts, even if he dwells in the mountains practicing austerities, eating fruits, and taking medicines, he is no different from birds and beasts.' Fourth, 'to confer the life of the Dharma' means: if sentient beings do not possess these precepts, the life of the Dharma is not established, and they are no different from non-sentient things, animals, and the like. The second fascicle of the Yingluo jing states: 'Buddha's disciples! If all sentient beings of the past, future, and present do not receive the bodhisattva precepts, they are not called sentient beings. Those with consciousness are no different from animals and are not called human beings. They shall be separated from the ocean of the Three Jewels, being neither bodhisattvas, nor men, nor women,' and so forth. Fifth, 'superior benefits' means: by causing the supreme bodhisattva precepts to shower upon sentient beings, they are certain to achieve right enlightenment. The Yingluo jing states: 'Furthermore, if a Dharma master is able to teach and transform one person within all lands to leave the household and receive the bodhisattva precepts, the merit of this Dharma master exceeds that of constructing eighty-four thousand stupas; how much more so for two persons, three persons, or even hundreds of thousands—the fruit of such merit is immeasurable.' Sixth, 'to bring all practices to completion' means: all of the boundless great practices of all bodhisattvas take the pure precepts as their root. The Dazhidulun, fascicle fifteen, states: 'It is like the great earth: all of the myriad things and varieties of forms depend on the earth and abide therein. Precepts are also like this: precepts are the abiding place of all wholesome dharmas.' Also, the Avataṃsaka Sūtra states: 'Just as when building palaces, one lays the foundation to make it firm, so it is with giving and precepts: they are the root of the bodhisattva's manifold practices.' Below, this sūtra states: 'All bodhisattvas have trained, do train, and will train in them.' Seventh, 'to attain the various ranks' means: by virtue of fulfilling the bodhisattva precepts, the practices of faith can be accomplished, and only then can one enter the ranks of the ten abodes and so forth. The Yingluo jing states: 'Those who first arouse the mind, leave the household, and wish to inherit the bodhisattva rank should first receive the precepts of the correct Dharma. Precepts are the root of the treasury of merit for all practices, directly proceeding toward the path of the fruit of buddhahood.' Question: The ranks are accomplished through wisdom; why do you speak of precepts? Answer: The precepts possess the three clusters; since the precepts collecting good qualities fully contain great wisdom, in principle there is no contradiction. In the text below, the ten directional aspirations, the ten nourishments, and so forth are all accomplished due to this. Another question: How is it known that these bodhisattva precepts are mostly the precepts practiced by bodhisattvas prior to the stages? Answer: The second fascicle of the Yingluo jing states: 'I am now beneath this tree, expounding for 1.4 billion people the teaching of the initial reception of precepts for bodhisattvas of faith and thought prior to the stages. Buddha's disciples! When these bodhisattvas of faith and thought practice the teaching of the ten precepts for ten thousand kalpas, they shall enter the mind of the ten abodes.' This is what it means. Eighth, 'to eradicate heavy hindrances': heavy hindrances are of two kinds, namely affliction and karma. Now, since one fully guards the three karmas, in the precepts of restraining conduct there is no evil that is not halted, and the seeds of affliction and karma are eradicated. Therefore, the second fascicle of the Yingluo jing states: 'Having received the ten inexhaustible precepts, the recipient crosses beyond the four māras, transcends the sufferings of the three realms, and does not lose these precepts from life to life, always accompanying the practitioner until attaining buddhahood.' Ninth, 'to reveal the true nature' means: by possessing these pure bodhisattva precepts, hindrances are eradicated, practice is accomplished, and nature is fundamentally purified. Below it states: 'The Buddha-nature is ever-abiding, and the precept Dharma circulates.' Tenth, 'to attain the supreme fruit' means: when these pure precepts reach the culmination of their causal stage, one is certain to obtain the perfectly luminous, supreme fruit of the Tathāgata. Thus the Avataṃsaka Sūtra states: 'Precepts are the root of unexcelled bodhi; one should fully uphold the pure precepts.' Below, this sūtra states: 'Bodhisattva assemblies numerous as dust motes attain right enlightenment through this.' This is what it means. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 1.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1813.1.3) - [Next: 1.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1813.1.5) - [Up: 1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1813.1) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1813~en-mt.1.4) — English, machine translation ## Linked texts (2) - [大智度論](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.prajnaparamita.pancavimsatisahasrika!mahaprajnaparamitopadesa*zh-kumarajiva.13.14) — Classical Chinese - [菩薩戒本疏](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1814.1.26) — Classical Chinese --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1813.1.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1813.1.4) · Pramāṇa