梵網經古迹記 2.121

2.121

The Commentary states: To lightly reject the worthy and wholesome is itself shamelesness; all evil dharmas arise from this. This is unbefitting for one who continues and magnifies the Buddha lineage, and so it must be prohibited. Because there is no intention to benefit, it says 'with an evil mind'; because it lacks the three grounds [of seeing, hearing, or suspecting], it also says 'without basis'. Such baseless slander cannot bring them to ruin; hence, with respect to benefiting others, it is prohibited as a minor offense. In the śrāvaka precepts, baseless slander is grave while slandering what is actual is minor, because for their personal practice it encompasses both grave and minor. A popular saying goes: 'A gentleman exerts himself for one who understands him.' The one who understands him is a 'worthy person'. One who bestows goodness upon me is a teacher. One who protects my body and wealth is the king's governance. One who shelters and nurtures me is the kindness of relatives. As for the 'six relations', they are father, mother, elder paternal uncles, younger paternal uncles, elder brothers, and younger brothers. To know kindness and repay kindness is the fundamental practice of a bodhisattva; even in facing death one would not refuse, yet here one turns against them and harms them. For instance, it is said that when the World-Honoured One was a wild goose king, he led five hundred geese flying south. At that time, the goose king fell into a hunter's net. Then one goose cried out in sorrow, vomited blood, and hovered without leaving. When the hunter drew his bow to shoot, [that goose] did not evade the bow and arrow, not averting its gaze for a moment, and fluttered both wings to cast itself before the goose king; the flock of five hundred geese also hovered in the sky without leaving. When the hunter saw this one goose, he immediately felt shame and remorse, and forthwith released them. That one goose was Ānanda. Although King Ajātaśatru released a drunken elephant, [Ānanda's] mind harboured longing and did not leave the World-Honoured One, while the five hundred arhats ascended into the air as before. Since valuing such kindness is praised by perfect persons, for a bodhisattva to turn against it is prohibited as an offense.