梵網經古迹記 2.53

2.53

The commentary states: First, as for the intention behind establishing [this precept]: The fifteenth fascicle of the *Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa* says: "A person who speaks falsely first deceives his own body and then deceives others; taking truth as falsehood and falsehood as truth, inverted regarding truth and falsehood, he does not receive wholesome Dharmas. He is like an upturned vessel: water cannot enter." As the World-Honoured One said: "False speech covers the mind; the water of the path cannot enter." "Moreover, for one who speaks truth, his mind is upright and straight, and it is easy to attain escape. He is like dragging a log through a dense forest: the straight one easily comes out." The *Yogācārabhūmi* says: "Among the training rules violated, the branch of cultivation that is grave" refers to abandoning false speech; false speech is the reverse of this. Since it obstructs wholesome Dharmas, causes one to plunge down into the evil destinies, and, when born later among humans, causes one to be constantly slandered, its fault is grave. Hence it is established next after physical karma. / Second, in explaining the text: First, as for the gateway of the characteristics of transgression: As the sūtra says, from "himself tells lies" to "expedient lies." "Expedient" means relying pretextually on another matter to cause someone to have a different understanding. / Next, as for the gateway of the nature of transgression: As the sūtra says, from "the cause of lying" to "the condition of lying." The questions and answers here are as in the notes to the *Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa*. / As for the gateway of the objects and matters: As the sūtra says, from "even saying one has seen what was not seen" to "physical and mental lies." It says "even" in order to distinguish [this] from the Śrāvaka [vinaya] where only the great lie [is a major offense]. Or it is because within the four modes of speech, such as seen and heard, the remaining three are subsumed. A physical lie is moving the body without speech. A mental lie refers to inversions of thought and so forth: such as giving rise to the thought of having seen regarding what was not seen, deceitfully saying one has not seen it; although it accords with the fact, because it conceals what one cognizes, this is called a lie with the mind. Also, as the "Chapter on Supramundane Precepts" in the *Mañjuśrīparipṛcchā-sūtra* says: "If one gives rise to the mind of lying, one commits a pārājika." / As for the gateway of concluding the offense: As the sūtra says, from "yet a bodhisattva" to "a pārājika offense": A bodhisattva should constantly practice right speech himself and also encourage others to give rise to right speech; to distinguish it from false speech, it says "right speech"; to distinguish it from concealed thought, it says "right view." Yet when, on the contrary, one gives rise to false speech oneself, because sentient beings follow what is spoken, "wrong speech" arises; because others consider it to be true, it says "wrong view"; and because actions are performed following this mind and speech, it says giving rise to "wrong karma." If, in order to rescue and liberate many sentient beings, one conceals one's thoughts while having correct knowledge and speaks falsely, the *Yogācārabhūmi* says: "There is no violation, and much merit is generated; otherwise, lying incurs a defeat (pārājika)."