梵網經菩薩戒本疏 5.149

5.149

初、制意者，菩薩理應為四句而身受千釘，求半偈而高巖捨命，王身為羅剎之床，天衣作野干之坐，輕天王之勝位，敬鬼畜為尊高者，莫不皆是重法為先也。《華嚴》云：「菩薩摩訶薩為求法故、為法難得故，能施法者作如是言：若能投身七仞火坑，當與汝法。菩薩聞此歡喜無量，作是思惟：我為法故，尚於阿毘地獄諸惡趣中受無量苦，況入人間微少火坑而得聞法？奇哉！正法甚為易得，免於地獄無量楚毒，入小火坑而得聞法。汝但說法，我入火坑，如求善法王菩薩、金剛思惟菩薩等。」又云：若人為我說一句法，令我菩薩行得清淨者，捉三千大千世界滿中大火，我從梵天捉身此火不以為難。如是等，況乃故作輕人失法，為損至重故須制也。別顯亦三：一、起慢增惑；二、失法乖善；三、教他陷誤。壞三聚行，故須制也。

First, the intention behind its institution: in principle, a bodhisattva should receive a thousand nails in the body for the sake of four lines [of verse], give up life on a high crag seeking half a gāthā, make a kingly body into a seat for a rākṣasa, and turn heavenly robes into a mat for a jackal, regarding the supreme rank of a heavenly king as light, and revering ghosts and beasts as exalted—none of these fail to prioritize the Dharma as foremost. The Avataṃsaka Sūtra says: 'A bodhisattva mahāsattva, for the sake of seeking the Dharma and because the Dharma is difficult to attain, [hears] one who can bestow the Dharma say: "If you can cast your body into a fire pit of seven fathoms, I will give you the Dharma." Hearing this, the bodhisattva rejoices immeasurably and reflects: "For the sake of the Dharma, I would even endure immeasurable suffering in the Avīci Hell and other evil destinies, how much more entering a tiny fire pit in the human realm to attain hearing the Dharma? How marvelous! The true Dharma is exceedingly easy to attain: avoiding the immeasurable bitter poisons of hell, I enter a small fire pit and attain hearing the Dharma. You need only speak the Dharma, and I will enter the fire pit!"—just as Bodhisattva King Seeking the Good Dharma, Bodhisattva Vajra Thought, and others did.' It also says: 'If someone speaks a single phrase of the Dharma to me, causing my bodhisattva practice to become pure, even if one grasps the trichiliocosm filled with great fire, for me to take my body from the Brahmā Heaven into this fire would not be considered difficult.' With such examples, how much more if one intentionally disdains others and loses the Dharma, the damage being of the utmost gravity, so it must be prohibited. Distinguishing this also has three [aspects]: first, giving rise to arrogance increases delusion; second, losing the Dharma contravenes good; third, teaching others leads them into error. Because it ruins the practice of the three clusters of precepts, it must be prohibited.