梵網經菩薩戒本疏 6.92

6.92

Eighth, in explaining the text, there are three parts: first, separately formulating [prohibitions against] the five wrongdoings; second, concluding together with the same formulation; third, intentional violation and adjudication of offense. The five wrongdoings in the former constitute five sections. First, in the precept against watching fighting, according to what follows, the two characters "must not" should be present; but because there is a general conclusion later, among the five some have them and some do not. "With an evil mind" clarifies the cause of the violation. This has three categories: 1. watching them fight each other to take pleasure in it, having no intention of separating or resolving them; 2. treating this as entertainment to delight one's wild mind; 3. giving vent to a harmful mind. Next, clarifying the fighting that is watched, there are also three categories: 1. men and so forth fighting each other, meaning cursing and beating each other; 2. soldiers arrayed in battle; 3. bandits fighting each other—or perhaps soldiers fighting with bandits, without a third category. "And so forth" includes all other things not mentioned. Second, from "also must not" downward clarifies the precept against listening to music, in which ten kinds are briefly explained: the first nine separately distinguish nine kinds of musical sounds, and the last one summarizes acrobatic entertainment and music; all can be understood. Third, from "must not" downward is the precept against gambling and games, in which there are nine kinds of games. Third, "parasī-chess" (prāsa/pāśaka game) is a method of military gaming from the Western Regions, where two people each hold twenty-odd small jade pieces riding elephants or horses, competing to seize crucial roads on the board to win. Fourth, flick-chess (tanqi), meaning using a finger to flick chess pieces, winning by reaching farther. Fifth, mentioning "liubo": there are two explanations; one says it is double-six (shuangliu, backgammon), and the other says it separately counts six kinds of gambling games; the former explanation is definitive. The sixth and seventh can be understood. Eighth, "pitch-pot" refers to holding darts into a pot, like Ji Kang and others. Ninth, "eight-track city navigation" can be understood. Fourth, from "fox mirror" downward clarifies the precept against sorcery. Therein, five kinds are briefly distinguished: 1. "fox mirror": it is heard that sorcerers in the Western Regions smear fox claws with medicine and incant over them, whereupon they see auspicious and inauspicious matters therein, hence the name "fox mirror." 2. Performing sorcery using yarrow stalks. 3. Incanting willow branches. 4. Incanting alms-bowls. 5. Using human skulls together with them for divination to foreknow good and bad fortune. All of these are what ordinary fools do; how could they be suitable for practitioners? Therefore they are strictly forbidden and completely severed. Fifth, from "must not" downward clarifies the precept against serving as a bandit's messenger, meaning acting as a messenger for bandits, assisting and completing acts of theft. If considered from the side of completing another's theft, it violates the former first section [the major precept on theft]; regarding doing what should not be done, it incurs this offense. Second, from "each and every" downward is the general formulation. Third, from "if intentionally" downward is the adjudication of offense, which can be understood.