菩薩戒本疏 2.39

2.39

Acting as a state envoy inevitably involves expectations of victory and defeat, deceitful schemes, and instigating battle, internally contradicting equal compassion and externally harming the lives of creatures; hence it was prohibited and cut off. It is prohibited in both the Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna, forbidden to all seven assemblies. In the treatise, under the precepts of accumulating good qualities, 'abiding in non-negligence regarding body, speech, and mind' also contains and encompasses this precept. For the sake of profit with an evil mind is negligence of the mind; conveying missions in speech is negligence of speech; coming and going within an army is negligence of the body. When the text says 'for the sake of profit or with an evil mind': a mind scheming to enrich oneself is 'profit'; an intent hoping to harm another is 'an evil mind.' If it is for the mutual reconciliation of both sides, for householders it is logically not forbidden. 'Act as a state envoy' means acting as an envoy conveying missions between two states. 'To bring military forces together' means the clash of arms between two states. 'Raising armies to attack one another and killing countless sentient beings' means that through my acting as an envoy, this grave matter is brought about. 'Raising armies': 'raising' means initiating; 'armies' means the multitude. If the intention is to cause killing, according to the previous precept on cutting off life, a separate parājika offense is incurred; here, only the conveying of missions is forbidden, so a duṣkṛta offense is incurred. 'Must not even come and go within an army': a battlefield is clamorous and chaotic, not a place to be trodden by a person of the Way; without a grave reason, it is forbidden to both monastics and laity. If householder bodhisattvas rank among military officers and their names are renowned for courage and prowess, they cannot avoid it. For the sake of pacifying the state, they are permitted to go in, but they must not harm, as when the Śākyas fought with Virūḍhaka. If ordained bodhisattvas have a reason of being summoned, according to the vinaya they should be permitted two or three nights.