梵網經菩薩戒本疏 5.10

5.10

Eighth, regarding the explanation of the text, there are three parts within the text: first, seeing a superior person arriving from afar explains the circumstance for establishing the precept; second, from "immediately rise" onward explains the primary establishment of the precept; third, from "if one does not do so" onward explains the adjudication of the offense for intentional violation. Within the first, "a Mahāyāna Dharma master" is stated generally to differentiate from the Hīnayāna. Below, they are distinguished individually: "agreeing in the Great Dharma" means agreeing in view; "superior understanding" and "agreeing in practice" mean superiority in practice. "Enters a saṃghārāma" refers to renunciant bodhisattvas; "dwelling" refers to householders; "cities and towns" refers to kings and the like. Second, within the primary establishment there are two parts: first, prescribing the honoring and supporting of the person; second, prescribing the requesting of the Dharma. Within the former, welcoming and seeing off each with prostrations refers to the deportment at the beginning and the end. "Three times every day" refers to the divisions of time: that is, at dawn offering a light meal, at the midday meal offering the main meal, and at other times offering permitted evening broths, medicines, and so forth; hence it is three times. From "three pecks of gold" onward refers to the requisites utilized. This means that when devotion to the Dharma is profound, one's respect for the person is utmost. This is precisely because in the final age the masters who preach the Dharma take the place of the Tathāgata; therefore, they are to be honored and given the utmost offerings. Thus the Mahāyānasaṃgraha says: "Though a person's feet of precepts may be frail and weak, if they can preach the Dharma and benefit many people, they should be made offerings to like the Buddha, the World-Honoured One; because one receives what they preach, they are similar." Furthermore, in the Sūtra on Slandering the Buddha, it is said that if someone slanders the Dharma Master Pratibhānakūṭa, that is slandering the Buddha, and making offerings to the Dharma master is making offerings to the Buddha, and so on. Furthermore, as in the "Dharma Master Chapter" of the Mahādharmolkadhāraṇī Sūtra, it is extensively explained that one should honor and support Mahāyāna Dharma masters, and so on. Second, from "constantly request" onward, within prescribing the request for the Dharma: "three times" means requesting the Dharma during the three periods of a day—early, middle, and late. Accompanying those times of requesting, one must fully possess deportment: baring the shoulder, prostrating, and the like are the karma of body; words requesting the Dharma are the karma of speech; not giving rise to thoughts of anger is the karma of mind. Here it is explained that when arranging offerings that are difficult to procure, one's mind has no distress or annoyance, and when the body undergoes suffering that is difficult to endure, one does not give rise to anger. As in the first fascicle of the Sūtra of the Wise and the Foolish, Śākyamuni in the past was King Viliṅgava (Prasenajit / Viliṅgatsa) and endured a thousand nails in his body for the sake of seeking a single gāthā; and like the Youth of the Snowy Mountains who gave up his life from a high crag for the sake of half a gāthā. It is because of such cases that it says "destroying the body for the sake of the Dharma," and so on. Third, from "if one does not do so" onward, the violation and adjudication of offense can be understood.