梵網經菩薩戒本疏 3.16

3.16

初、制意者，亦十義同前：一、業道重故，謂十不善業，惡趣因果，負此重業，豈堪入道？二、非所應故，謂誑惑於人，尚非世間好人所作，況入道之人，以誠實為最。三、閉善路故，《智論》十五云：「妄語之人，先自誑身，然後誑人，以實為虛，以虛為實，虛實顛倒，不受善法，譬如覆瓶，水不得入。妄語之人，心無慚愧，閉塞天道、涅槃之門，觀知此罪，是故不作。」四、實語益故，彼論云：「復次，觀知實語，其利甚廣，實語之利，自從己出，甚為易得，是為一切出家人力。如是功德，居家、出家人，共有此利，善人之相。」五、易解脫故，彼論云：「復次，實語之人，其心端直，易得免苦，譬稠林曳木，直者易出」也。六、法不入心故，彼論云：「復次，佛子羅雲，其年幼稚，未知慎口，人來問之：世尊在不？詭言：不在。若不在時，人問羅雲：世尊在不？詭言：佛在。有人語佛。佛語羅雲：澡盤取水，與吾洗足。洗足已，語羅雲：覆此澡盤。如勅即覆。佛言：以水注。注已住。問言：水入中不？答言：不入。佛告羅雲：無慚愧人，妄語覆心。道法不入，亦復如是。」七、壞法行故。彼論云：呵多比丘，雖行法施，以妄語故，死入地獄。八、幽靈棄故。經云：妄語之人，諸天鬼神，皆悉見之，捨不護故。九、開過門故。謂殺盜等過，皆有妄語而助成故。十、具遮性故。是故寧捨身命，終不起犯。《菩提資糧論》偈云：「雖由實語死，退失轉輪王，及以諸天王，唯應作實語。」解云：以性重故，為己損益，殞命不開。

First, regarding the intention behind the prohibition, it also has ten meanings as before: 1. Because the karmic path is grave: that is, it is among the ten unwholesome karmas, the cause and effect of the evil destinies; burdened with this heavy karma, how could one be fit to enter the Path? 2. Because it is inappropriate: that is, deceiving and misleading others is not even what good people in the world do, how much less so for a person who enters the Path, for whom honesty and truthfulness are supreme. 3. Because it closes the path of goodness: the Dazhidulun, fascicle fifteen, states: "A person of false speech first deceives his own body, and then deceives others. Taking the real as false and the false as real, with truth and falsehood inverted, he cannot receive wholesome dharmas, just like an inverted vase into which water cannot enter. A person of false speech has neither shame nor conscience in his mind, and blocks the gates to the heavenly paths and nirvāṇa. Observing and knowing this sin, one therefore does not commit it." 4. Because of the benefit of truthful speech: that treatise states: "Furthermore, observing and knowing truthful speech, its benefit is extremely vast; the benefit of truthful speech comes from oneself and is very easy to obtain, being the strength of all renunciants. Such merit is shared by householders and renunciants alike, being the mark of a good person." 5. Because it is easy to attain liberation: that treatise states: "Furthermore, a person of truthful speech has an upright mind and easily escapes suffering, just as dragging timber through a dense forest: that which is straight easily comes out." 6. Because the Dharma does not enter the mind: that treatise states: "Furthermore, the Buddha's son Rāhula, when young in years, did not yet know how to guard his speech. When people came and asked him, 'Is the World-Honoured One present?' he deceitfully said, 'He is not present.' When [the Buddha] was not present and people asked Rāhula, 'Is the World-Honoured One present?' he deceitfully said, 'The Buddha is present.' Someone reported this to the Buddha. The Buddha said to Rāhula, 'Take water in the basin and wash my feet.' Having washed his feet, he said to Rāhula, 'Invert this basin.' As instructed, he inverted it. The Buddha said, 'Pour water on it.' After pouring, the water ran off. [The Buddha] asked, 'Does the water enter inside?' He answered, 'It does not enter.' The Buddha told Rāhula, 'A person without shame or conscience has his mind covered by false speech. The Dharma of the Path does not enter, just like this.'" 7. Because it ruins the practice of the Dharma: that treatise states that the monk Hada, although practicing the gift of the Dharma, fell into hell upon death on account of false speech. 8. Because one is abandoned by spirits: the sūtra says that regarding a person of false speech, the devas, ghosts, and spirits all see him and abandon him without offering protection. 9. Because it opens the gate of faults: that is, faults such as killing and stealing are all assisted and accomplished by false speech. 10. Because it possesses both proscriptive and inherent nature: therefore, one would rather abandon bodily life than ever give rise to a transgression. As a verse in the Bodhisambhāra treatise states: "Though on account of truthful speech one dies / or forfeits [being a] cakravartin / or [a lord of] all the gods, / one should only speak truthful words." Explanation: because its nature is grave, whether for one's own harm or benefit, it is not permitted even at the cost of life.