大乘義章 15.46

15.46

此義亦出《長阿含》中《善生經》矣。先明遠離隱覆六方。羅悅城中有長者子，名曰善生。父祖相承，恒於清且沐浴香湯禮事六方，令彼方神來護家業，所作諧偶。值佛出世，詣佛請問：「賢聖法中有是法不？」佛時答曰：「賢聖法中亦有六方，但不同汝。」即為說偈：「父母為東方，師長為南方，妻子為西方，親族為北方，僕使為下方，沙門為上方。諸有長者子，禮敬於諸方，敬順不失時，死皆得生天。惠施及燸語，利人多所益。」如彼經說，敬東方中，子於父母五事敬順：一者供奉使無違失、二凡有所為先白父母、三父母所為敬順不違、四父母止令不敢違背、五不斷父母所作正業。子於父母如此敬事，則令彼方安穩無憂。父母於子五事敬視：一者制子不聽為惡、二者指授示其善惡、三者慈愛入骨徹髓、四者為子求善婚娶、五者隨時供給所須。敬南方中，弟子於師五事敬順：一給侍所黨、二禮敬供養、三尊重戴仰、四師有教勅隨順無違、五從師聞法善持不忘。師長亦以五種之事敬視弟子：一順法調御、二誨其未聞、三隨其所聞令善解義、四示其善友、五盡以所知誨授不悋。敬西方中，夫之敬妻亦有五事：一相待以禮、二威嚴不越、三衣食隨時、四莊嚴以時、五委付家內。妻以五事恭敬於夫：一者先起、二者後坐、三者和言、四者敬順、五者先意承問所在。敬北方中，人須五事尊敬親族：一者給施、二者善言、三者利益、四者同利、五不欺詐。親族亦須以其五事親敬於人：一者為護放逸、二為護失財、三為護恐怖、四屏相教誡、五常相稱歎。事下方中，主於僕使五事將順：一隨能而使、二飲食隨時、三賜勞隨時、四病與醫藥、五從其求暇。僕使亦以五事事主：一須早起、二為事周容、三不與不取、四作務以次、五稱揚主名。事上方中，檀越須以五種之事供奉沙門婆羅門等：一身行慈、二口行慈、三意行慈、四以時施、五問不遮止。其諸沙門婆羅門等須以六事教授檀越：一者防護不令為惡、二指授善處、三教懷善心、四未聞者使聞、五已聞者令解、六開示正路。如是敬事，能令諸方安穩無憂（此一門竟）。

This meaning also derives from the *Śṛṅgāla-sūtra* in the *Dīrghāgama*. First, clarifying the abandonment and covering of the six directions. In the city of Rājagṛha, there was a householder's son named Śṛṅgāla. Handed down from his father and grandfather, he would constantly bathe in scented warm water at dawn and worship the six directions, causing the spirits of those directions to come and protect the household property and make his undertakings prosper. Encountering the Buddha's appearance in the world, he went to the Buddha and asked: 'Is there such a dharma in the Dharma of the noble ones?' The Buddha then replied: 'There are also six directions in the Dharma of the noble ones, but they are not the same as yours.' He then spoke a verse for him: / 'Parents are the eastern direction, / Teachers and elders are the southern direction, / Wife and children are the western direction, / Kin and relatives are the northern direction, / Servants and hired laborers are the lower direction, / Śramaṇas are the upper direction. / Any householder's son / Who pays reverent homage to these directions, / Reverent and obedient without missing the proper time, / At death will all obtain rebirth in heaven. / Bestowing gifts and speaking gentle words / Benefits people with much advantage.' / As that sūtra expounds, in revering the eastern direction, a child respects and obeys parents in five matters: first, serving and offering so that there is no dereliction; second, in whatever is undertaken, first informing the parents; third, respectfully complying with whatever the parents do without contravening it; fourth, when parents prohibit something, not daring to disobey; fifth, not interrupting the right livelihood established by the parents. When a child reveres and serves parents like this, it causes that direction to be peaceful and free from worry. Parents look upon their child with reverence in five matters: first, restraining the child from doing evil; second, instructing and indicating what is good and bad; third, showing affectionate love that penetrates to the bone and marrow; fourth, seeking a good marriage for the child; fifth, supplying what is needed according to the season. In revering the southern direction, a disciple respects and complies with the teacher in five matters: first, waiting upon and serving him; second, paying homage and making offerings; third, honoring and looking up to him; fourth, when the teacher issues instructions, complying without contravention; fifth, hearing the Dharma from the teacher and retaining it well without forgetting. The teacher and elder also looks upon the disciple with reverence through five kinds of matters: first, disciplining him in accord with the Dharma; second, instructing him in what he has not yet heard; third, enabling him to understand the meaning well according to what he has heard; fourth, showing him good friends; fifth, imparting all that he knows without stinginess. In revering the western direction, a husband's reverence for his wife also has five matters: first, treating each other with courtesy; second, maintaining dignified authority without exceeding boundaries; third, providing clothing and food according to the season; fourth, providing adornments at the proper time; fifth, entrusting the domestic affairs to her. The wife reveres the husband through five matters: first, rising before him; second, sitting after him; third, speaking gentle words; fourth, showing respect and obedience; fifth, anticipating his intentions and inquiring of his whereabouts. In revering the northern direction, a person must respect kin and relatives through five matters: first, giving and bestowing; second, speaking kind words; third, bringing benefit; fourth, sharing profit; fifth, not cheating or deceiving. Kin and relatives must also show affection and reverence to the person through their five matters: first, guarding against negligence; second, guarding against loss of wealth; third, guarding against fear; fourth, admonishing each other in private; fifth, constantly praising and commending each other. In serving the lower direction, a master guides and complies with servants and hired laborers in five matters: first, employing them according to their ability; second, providing food and drink according to the season; third, rewarding their labor according to the season; fourth, providing medicine when they are ill; fifth, granting them leave when requested. Servants also serve the master through five matters: first, needing to rise early; second, being thorough and accommodating in their work; third, not taking what is not given; fourth, performing tasks in order; fifth, proclaiming and praising the master's name. In serving the upper direction, a dānapati must attend upon and make offerings to śramaṇas, brāhmaṇas, and the like through five kinds of matters: first, physical actions of loving-kindness; second, vocal actions of loving-kindness; third, mental actions of loving-kindness; fourth, giving at the proper time; fifth, not hindering or obstructing their inquiries. Those śramaṇas, brāhmaṇas, and the like must instruct the dānapati through six matters: first, guarding and preventing him from doing evil; second, directing him to good places; third, teaching him to harbor a good mind; fourth, causing him to hear what has not yet been heard; fifth, causing him to understand what has already been heard; sixth, revealing and showing the right path. Reverently serving in this way can cause all directions to be peaceful and free from worry (this concludes the first section).