菩薩戒本疏 2.81

2.81

捨本攀枝，妨大道故制也。大小不共，所學異故。七眾同也。此即六和教中合見同也。文中「有佛經律」者，謂現有佛教，若無佛法時亦許從受外法，時世佛法皆滅盡故。「大乘法」者，謂大乘教法。「正見」者，謂大乘行法中慧為主故。「正性」者，謂大乘理。「正法身」者，謂大乘果法。「而不能」下，捨本逐末。「而捨七寶」者，大乘可珍事同七寶，而捨之不習，或經本云「而不捨七寶」，謂不棄捨世間七寶，欲學法寶應捨世珍，而不捨故不能習學。「反學邪見二乘外道」者，總舉異學乖大乘故，皆名邪見。「俗典」者，是外道法。「阿毘曇、雜論、書記」者，是二乘法。後世論師所製論記，或文義淺近，或異見紛紜，不順大乘甚深道理，是故不聽專心習學。若於大乘已得研究，為破異見，莊嚴大乘，暫時習學，理所不遮。《菩薩地》云：「若諸菩薩於菩薩藏未精研究，於菩薩藏一切棄捨，於聲聞藏一向修學，是名有犯有所違越，非染違犯。」（是二十六也。）「若諸菩薩現有佛教，於佛教中未精研究，於異道論及諸外論精勤修學，是名有犯有所違越，是染違犯。無違犯者：若上聰敏，若能速受，若經久時能不忘失，若於其義能思能達，若於佛教如理觀察，成就俱行無動覺者，於日日中常以二分修學佛語，一分學外則無違犯。」（是二十七也。）又彼第二十五戒云：「若諸菩薩起如是見，立如是論：菩薩不應聽聲聞乘相應法教，不應受持，不應修學。菩薩何用於聲聞乘相應法教聽聞受持，精勤習學？是名有犯有所違越，是染違犯。何以故？菩薩尚於外道書論精勤研究，況於佛語？無違犯者，為令一向習小法者捨彼欲故，作如是說。」恐人一向非毀小乘，犯菩薩戒，故寄引來。

This precept is instituted because abandoning the root and clinging to the branches obstructs the Great Path. The Great and Small [Vehicles] do not share it, for what they study differs. The seven assemblies share it alike. This corresponds to the harmony of identical views among the six harmonies. In the text, 'there are Buddhist scriptures and vinaya' means that Buddhist teachings currently exist; if the Buddha-Dharma were absent, one would be permitted to receive non-Buddhist teachings from others, because at that time the Buddha-Dharma in the world would be entirely extinct. 'The Mahāyāna Dharma' refers to the doctrinal teachings of the Mahāyāna. 'Right view' means wisdom is primary in the Mahāyāna practice-teachings. 'Right nature' refers to the Mahāyāna principle. 'Right dharmakāya' refers to the Mahāyāna fruit-teaching. From 'yet cannot' onward, it means abandoning the root to pursue the branches. 'And abandoning the seven treasures' means that the Mahāyāna is precious just like the seven treasures, yet one abandons it and does not practice it. Alternatively, some editions of the sūtra read 'yet not abandoning the seven treasures,' meaning that one does not abandon the worldly seven treasures; if one wishes to study the Dharma-treasure one should abandon worldly valuables, yet because one does not abandon them, one is unable to practice and study. 'Conversely studying wrong views, the Two Vehicles, and non-Buddhist ways' collectively adduces heterodox studies: because they conflict with the Mahāyāna, they are all called wrong views. 'Secular texts' are non-Buddhist treatises. 'Abhidharma, miscellaneous treatises, and writings' are the teachings of the Two Vehicles. Treatises and writings composed by later treatise-masters have either shallow and simple literal meanings or conflicting and disordered views that do not accord with the extremely profound principles of the Mahāyāna; therefore, one is not permitted to study them exclusively. If one has already thoroughly investigated the Mahāyāna, then temporarily studying them in order to refute heterodox views and adorn the Mahāyāna is not prohibited in principle. The Bodhisattvabhūmi says: 'If a bodhisattva has not yet thoroughly investigated the Bodhisattva Piṭaka, abandons the Bodhisattva Piṭaka entirely, and exclusively studies the Śrāvaka Piṭaka, this is called having an offense and committing a transgression; it is a non-defiled transgression.' (This is the twenty-sixth [precept].) 'If a bodhisattva, while Buddhist teachings currently exist, has not yet thoroughly investigated the Buddhist teachings, but diligently studies the treatises of heterodox ways and various non-Buddhist treatises, this is called having an offense and committing a transgression; it is a defiled transgression. Those without transgression are: if one is of supreme intelligence, if one can grasp quickly, if one does not forget even after a long time, if one can reflect upon and penetrate their meanings, if one observes the Buddhist teachings in accord with principle, and has achieved an unshakeable awareness that operates concurrently—if every day one constantly uses two parts [of the day] to study the Buddha's words and one part to study non-Buddhist [texts], there is no transgression.' (This is the twenty-seventh [precept].) Furthermore, its twenty-fifth precept says: 'If a bodhisattva gives rise to such a view and establishes such a treatise: "A bodhisattva should not listen to the Dharma teachings corresponding to the Śrāvakayāna, should not uphold them, and should not study them. What use is there for a bodhisattva to hear, uphold, and diligently study the Dharma teachings corresponding to the Śrāvakayāna?"—this is called having an offense and committing a transgression; it is a defiled transgression. Why is that? A bodhisattva diligently investigates even non-Buddhist texts and treatises, so how much more so the Buddha's words! Those without transgression are: those who speak this way in order to make those who exclusively practice the lesser teachings abandon those desires.' Fearing that people might exclusively disparage the Hīnayāna and thereby violate the bodhisattva precepts, this is cited here as reference.