大乘起信論義記 1.41

1.41

Question: What is the difference between "taking refuge and dedicating life" and "bowing one's head in prostration"? Answer: The Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra states: "As in Hīnayāna sūtras, King Vaiśravaṇa dedicates his life to Śākyamuni and bows his head to the other Buddhas." Could the treatise-author have considered the former heavy and the latter light, because Hīnayāna adherents particularly celebrate the kindness of Śākyamuni, hence this occurred? Another explanation: speaking generally, both possess all three karmas; distinguishing them specifically, bowing the head belongs to the body, and dedicating one's life belongs to the mind. Among the three karmas, mental karma is the weightiest, just as an ascetic's arising of anger caused the people of three countries to die, and so forth. This should be known.