梵網經菩薩戒本疏 3.25

3.25

Tenth, explaining the text: the three divisions are the same as before. First, in pointing out the fault to establish the formal prohibition, there are three: 1. Capable of committing the offense, meaning that doing it oneself and instructing others are both major. 'Expedient means' refers to relying on a different matter to make another understand otherwise, as mentioned above: 'Today I did not enter mundane samādhi,' and so on. 2. From 'the causes of false speech' onward clarifies the methods of falsehood employed: doing it oneself is the cause, instructing another is the condition, the expedient means is called the method, and the completion of the act is the deed (karma). Another explanation: first, internally giving rise to the mind of deceit; second, externally taking it as what is intended; third, skillfully uttering the methods of falsehood; fourth, habitually practicing it as a deed. These four are distinct offenses. The explanation that these four combine into a single offense may also be known. 3. From 'even' onward refers to the resulting false speech, in which there are three karmas. First, in vocal karma, although the six consciousnesses regarding the six objects each have their own false speech, here only eye-seeing is discussed and the rest are omitted, hence saying 'even.' Bodily false speech: as in the Vinaya, someone asks, 'Who has attained arhatship?' and one gets up to put on or take off the saṃghāṭī robe; if one is not an arhat, responding by putting it on or taking it off constitutes bodily false speech, although no words are spoken. Furthermore, as the Sujāta Sūtra describes, the body performing the action of speech is of this type. Mental false speech refers to the deceptive mind, also like the concealed views mentioned above. Second, from 'yet a bodhisattva' onward distinguishes what should be practiced: a bodhisattva logically ought to personally perform the ten kinds of correct speech, that is, conforming to fact and conforming to conception, hence called 'correct speech and correct view.' Because it brings no harm and provides benefit, it is further called 'correct.' And one also encourages others to engage in this karma. Third, from 'yet on the contrary' onward, violating the prohibition constitutes the offense: although one ought logically to speak correct speech, on the contrary one gives rise to wrong views, speech, karma, and words; because the violation and harm are profound, it is adjudicated as a major offense. Furthermore, one also teaches others false speech, and they consider it correct; therefore it is called 'wrong views.' Constantly practicing this inverted conduct is why it is called 'the karma of wrong views.' The preceding four precepts are committed equally in Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna, and are called common precepts (sādhāraṇa-śīla). The following six are not major offenses in Hīnayāna, and are called uncommon precepts (asādhāraṇa-śīla).