大乘義章 12.6

12.6

言五戒者，所謂不殺、不盜、不邪婬、不妄、不飲酒，是其五戒也。此五能防，故名為戒。前三防身、次一防口，後之一種通防身口，護前四故。問曰：身中打縛等事並是不善，何不說離？釋言：打縛是殺眷屬，但言離殺則已具攝，故不別論。又此過輕，世人難持，故不說離。問曰：離殺離盜之中不言離邪，離婬之中偏言離邪邪？釋言：殺盜唯邪無正，有皆須離，是故不須以邪別之。婬則不爾，有正有邪，自妻為正、侵他為邪，為簡正婬，故說不邪。問曰：何故餘戒法中有婬皆離，五戒之中偏離邪婬？釋言：五戒被在家者，在家之人自妻難斷，故偏離邪。又《成實》言「若婬自妻，不墮地獄。」是故簡之，偏言離邪。問曰：八戒亦被在家，以何義故有婬皆離，不說離邪？釋言：八戒是在家人持出家法，故似出家者有婬皆離。又復八戒時短易持，有婬皆離；五戒盡形，時久難持，故偏離邪。以難持故，乃至在家初果聖人亦不能離。問曰：口過乃有四種，以何義故偏離妄語，不離餘三？龍樹釋言：妄語重故偏說離之。又復妄語故作心起，餘則不定，或有故作、或不故作。又復妄語攝餘口過，兩舌等罪不應法故皆名妄語，若說離妄，餘者皆隨，故不別論。又兩舌等在家難持，故不說離。故《雜心》言「出家之人尚不能離，況在家者。」問曰：飲酒不惱眾生，何故須離？論言「飲酒是放逸門，多生罪過，是故須離。」問曰：一切歌舞等事何不說離？以過微故。又在家者難常持故，所以不說（此一門竟）。

Regarding the five precepts: they are non-killing, non-stealing, non-misconduct in sexual desires, non-false speech, and non-drinking of alcohol; these are the five precepts. Because these five are able to prevent [evil], they are called 'precepts'. The first three guard the body, the next one guards speech, and the final one generally guards both body and speech because it protects the preceding four. Question: Actions of the body such as beating and binding are all unwholesome; why is abstention from them not mentioned? Answer: Beating and binding are the attendants of killing; merely stating abstention from killing already fully subsumes them, so they are not discussed separately. Moreover, these offenses are minor and worldly people find them hard to keep, so abstention from them is not mentioned. Question: Among abstaining from killing and abstaining from stealing, 'deviant' is not spoken of; why is 'deviant' singled out in abstaining from sexual desire? Answer: Killing and stealing are solely deviant and have no correctness; wherever they occur they must all be abandoned, therefore there is no need to distinguish them with 'deviant'. Sexual desire is not so; it has both correct and deviant forms: one's own wife is correct, while violating another's is deviant. In order to set apart correct sexual desire, 'non-deviant' is spoken of. Question: Why is it that in other sets of precepts all sexual desire is abandoned, whereas in the five precepts only deviant sexual desire is abandoned? Answer: The five precepts apply to laypeople; for laypeople, [desire toward] one's own wife is difficult to sever, so they specifically abandon what is deviant. Furthermore, the *Tattvasiddhi* states: 'If one has sexual desire with one's own wife, one does not fall into hell.' Therefore it is set apart, and 'non-deviant' is specifically spoken of. Question: The eight precepts also apply to laypeople; for what reason is all sexual desire abandoned, without mentioning abstention from the deviant? Answer: The eight precepts are laypeople maintaining the dharma of renunciants; therefore, resembling renunciants, all sexual desire is abandoned. Furthermore, the time of the eight precepts is short and easy to maintain, so all sexual desire is abandoned; the five precepts last for one's whole life, and being for a long time are difficult to maintain, so they specifically abandon what is deviant. Because they are difficult to maintain, even a noble person of the first fruit living as a householder cannot abandon it. Question: Verbal offenses are fourfold; for what reason is false speech singled out for abandonment, and not the other three? Nāgārjuna explains: Because false speech is grave, abstaining from it is specifically stated. Moreover, false speech arises from an intentional mind, whereas the others are indeterminate, sometimes intentional and sometimes unintentional. Furthermore, false speech subsumes the other verbal offenses: malicious speech and other offenses are all called false speech because they are not in accord with the Dharma; if abstention from false speech is stated, the others follow, so they are not discussed separately. Moreover, malicious speech and the like are hard for householders to maintain, so abstention is not stated. Thus the *Saṃyuktābhidharma-hṛdaya* states: 'Renunciants are not yet able to abandon them, how much less householders.' Question: Drinking alcohol does not afflict sentient beings; why must it be abandoned? The treatises state: 'Drinking alcohol is the gateway to negligence and gives rise to many offenses, therefore it must be abandoned.' Question: Why is abstention from singing, dancing, and the like not mentioned? Because the offenses are slight. Furthermore, because it is difficult for householders to constantly maintain, they are not mentioned. (This completes the first gate.)