梵網經菩薩戒本疏 6.46

6.46

Eighth, explaining the text: The text has five parts: 1. Explaining the time of preparing offerings; 2. Instituting invitation by Saṅgha rota; 3. Assessing and showing superiority; 4. Explaining the fault of violating the regulation; 5. Adjudicating and demonstrating the name of the offense. In the first part, lay and monastic are precisely those regulated; 'and all donors' additionally teaches worldly people so that they obtain boundless merit, referring to when one is about to invite the Saṅgha-field and wishes to prepare a feast of offerings to seek what is desired, hence it is stated so. In the second, from 'should enter' downward, it explains instituting invitation by Saṅgha rota, which means instructing this donor to go into the Saṅgha and ask the administrative officer the limits of the Saṅgha rota. The words 'now wishing to invite in order' express one's intention to invite, distinguishing it from an individual invitation, hence it is said. The words 'obtains the worthy and holy Saṅgha of the ten directions' reveal its superior virtue, meaning that the Saṅgha of the ten directions encompasses both ordinary and holy, harmonious in one taste; if there is no distinction and one invites one person according to the teaching of the Saṅgha rota, because they are one among the ten directions, they are linked to the ten directions, and thus one attains the merit of the Saṅgha of the ten directions. It is like drinking a handful of water from the great ocean, which is already having drunk all the river waters in Jambudvīpa; if one individually drinks up an entire large river, one still cannot be said to have drunk from the rivers [in general], how much less drinking a small stream? One should know that Saṅgha rota and individual invitation are also like this. In the third, from 'yet worldly people' downward, assessing and showing superiority means that individually inviting five hundred arhat monks or five hundred bodhisattva monks is like individually drinking river water. 'Is not equal to one ordinary monk of the Saṅgha rota' is like drinking a handful of water from the great ocean. Question: Are those monks who are individually invited not people among the Saṅgha of the ten directions? How can they not be included in the ten directions? Answer: In an individual invitation, the mind is fixed on the desired person, not universally uniting the Saṅgha of the ten directions. The Saṅgha rota is not like this; the invitation does not fixate on anyone in particular, but unites all; therefore, it is vast. In the fourth, from 'If one invites individually' downward, explaining the fault of violating the regulation briefly shows three faults: 1. It is outside the Saṅgha's rules, hence called a tīrthika practice; 2. The precepts of the seven Buddhas entirely lack this rule, meaning it does not exist within the authentic teaching; 3. It goes against the Buddha's intent, hence it says 'does not accord with filial piety.' Fifth, from 'If intentionally' downward, adjudicating and demonstrating the name of the offense, as can be known.