大乘法苑義林章 3.23

3.23

Fifth, the scope and limits of obtaining and relinquishing [the precepts]. Here there are two aspects: first, obtaining; second, relinquishing. Under obtaining there are also two: first, the conditions for obtaining; second, the periods of time. The conditions for obtaining are further two: first, specific conditions; second, universal conditions. The specific conditions apply exclusively to the full prātimokṣa precepts, whereas the universal conditions apply generally to all [precepts]. Specific conditions are twofold: first, the conditions for obtaining the full prātimokṣa; second, the conditions for obtaining the prātimokṣa by karmavācanā. The former conditions apply generally to the Buddha and his disciples, whereas karmavācanā applies neither to the Buddha nor to pratyekabuddhas; however, both apply both while [the Buddha is] in the world and after his parinirvāṇa. Now, regarding the conditions for obtaining the full prātimokṣa, the various teachings differ, with divergent explanations across the four Vinayas, five treatises, and multiple schools. As for the four Vinayas: first, the *Daśādhyāya-vinaya*, which belongs to the Sarvāstivāda school, agrees with the fourteenth fascicle of the *Abhidharmakośa*, the *Vinayavibhāṣā*, the *Miśrakābhidharmahṛdaya*, as well as the *Nyāyānusāra*, the *Abhidharmasamayapradīpikā*, and the *Mahāvibhāṣā*. The *Daśādhyāya-vinaya* states: 'The Buddha was in the Bamboo Grove and addressed the monks: "There are ten ways of receiving the full ordination (upasaṃpadā)."' 1. Attainment by spontaneous realization (svayaṃbhū). This refers to the Buddha and pratyekabuddhas, who attain it spontaneously at the mental stage of the knowledge of destruction (kṣayajñāna). Question: Why is it accepted that there can be arhat novices who are universally devoid of precepts, but not accepted that pratyekabuddhas are also universally devoid of precepts? All [such attainments] occur spontaneously because of their sharp faculties. 2. Attainment by seeing the truths. The *Abhidharmakośa* and other texts state: 'This refers to entering the certainty of correct nature (samyaktvaniyāma), namely the five monks.' Question: Why is it that when monks first enter the path of vision (darśanamārga) they for the first time obtain the precepts, but no nun attains them for the first time by seeing the truths? Because of the difference between superior and inferior. If so, then because the Buddha is superior he should have obtained them when seeing the truths, and disciples, being inferior, should have obtained them when in the stage of non-learning (aśaikha). Why is it that the Buddha and pratyekabuddhas obtain them only at the time of the knowledge of destruction, while [the five monks] obtained them by seeing the truths when [the Buddha] first turned the wheel of the Dharma? Because they were the first to understand the Dharma, their faith in the Dharma was heightened, whereas in others this was not so. 3. Attainment through 'Come, [monk]' (ehibhikṣuka). The *Abhidharmakośa* and other texts state: 'The Buddha called out "Come, monk," as in the case of Yaśas and others. This was performed solely by the Buddha himself, not something possible for others, because of the full sufficiency of the path's efficacy.' 4. Attainment through spontaneous pledge. The *Abhidharmakośa* and other texts state: 'Trusting the Buddha as the Great Master, as in the case of Mahākāśyapa. Why then does the *Dharmaguptaka-vinaya* say that Kāśyapa himself said: "The Buddha established me upon good roots to receive full ordination"? Because of sectarian differences. Why did other people not obtain them through spontaneous pledge? Because their faith was not heightened to that degree.' 5. Attainment through answering questions. The *Abhidharmakośa* and other texts state: 'Skilfully replying to questions that were asked, as in the case of Sopāka. When he was seven years old, the Buddha asked him, "Where is your home?" He replied to the Buddha, "I have no home in the three realms." The Buddha praised his intelligence and skillful answering of what was asked, and although he had not reached the required age, he had the Saṅgha ordain him; it was not that he obtained the precepts at the very moment of answering. Why did Śāriputra not have it done this way? Because he was called by "Come, monk."' In the *Xiyu ji*, both Maudgalyāyana and Śāriputra obtained them through 'Come, monk.' 6. Attainment by accepting the grave rules. The *Abhidharmakośa* and other texts state: 'Respectfully accepting the eight grave rules (guru-dharma), as in the case of Mahāprajāpatī.' The *Daśādhyāya-vinaya* states: 'Upāli asked: "Prajāpatī accepted the grave rules and thereby went forth and became a nun. What about other nuns?" The Buddha said: "They should carry out the formal motion and three announcements (jñapti-caturtha-karman) in their presence."' If so, since at that time the assembly was not yet complete, how did other nuns later obtain the precepts? If one accepted that besides the initial receipt of the eight grave rules there were further nuns [who received it in this way], it would contradict the *Daśādhyāya-vinaya*'s instruction to carry out karmavācanā. How do Sarvāstivāda masters explain this? The *Sarvāstivāda-śāstra* states: 'Before the fourteenth year, women were ordained through the eight grave rules; after the fourteenth year, they were ordained through karmavācanā.' Thus there is no such fault. The *Mahīśāsaka-vinaya* also states: 'The assembly of five hundred nuns likewise obtained them through the eight grave rules.' 7. Attainment by sending a messenger. The *Abhidharmakośa* and other texts state: 'This refers to the nun Dharmadinnā.' The *Mahīśāsaka-vinaya* states: 'The courtesan Addhakāsī wished to go to the forest dwelling to receive the full precepts, but bandits lay in wait along the road to seize her. Hearing of this, she did not dare go at the time. The Buddha permitted them to send a messenger from afar to confer the full precepts upon her.' First, the preliminary procedure was performed in the assembly of nuns, leaving the candidate in one place; then ten nuns went to the forest dwelling and paid homage at the feet of the assembly of monks. The nun karmavācācārya requested the precepts from the monks on her behalf. After the monk karmavācācārya had performed the formal motion and three announcements on her behalf, the upādhyāyikā and ācāryā brought the ten nuns back to the original place, called the candidate to pay homage to the feet of the assembly, kneel with palms joined before the karmavācācārya, and had the monks' formal motion and three announcements recited to her; having had her listen to it, they explained fully the two eights and two fours—that is, the eight pārājikas, four parables, eight rules not to be transgressed, and four reliances. Furthermore, as for whatever else was not yet known, the upādhyāyikā was to explain it to her. 8. Attainment through a quorum of five in border regions. The *Abhidharmakośa* and other texts state: 'A Vinaya master serves as the fifth person.' A commentary on this explains: Because of the absence of a [large] Saṅgha, five is the bare minimum. Four persons constitute a Saṅgha, and one person performs the karmavācanā; hence the Vinaya master is called the fifth person, and the upādhyāya is not counted in that number. This agrees with the *Mahāsāṃghika-vinaya*. If there are fewer, it is invalid, because the legal procedure would be deficient. If so, then four persons should perform the karmavācanā, with one making the announcement 'Let the venerable Saṅgha listen,' and the remaining three not being a Saṅgha; or one should announce to oneself, because four persons are required to constitute a Saṅgha. Therefore, among the five persons, one conducts the karmavācanā and one serves as upādhyāya. The karmavācācārya recites the names, and the remaining three constitute the body of the Saṅgha that is formally addressed; thus in border regions a bare minimum of five persons can conduct the legal procedure. The *Mātṛkā-śāstra* states: 'If there are many monks in a border region and they only take five persons, it is validly designated as receiving full ordination, but the Saṅgha incurs an offense worthy of censure.' 9. Attainment by karmavācanā. The *Abhidharmakośa* and other texts state: 'An assembly of ten, which refers to the Central Country.' That Vinaya speaks generally of monks and nuns obtaining the precepts, hence it calls it karmavācanā. In the ordination of nuns, each of the two orders must have at least ten persons as a minimum. Because the occasions for breaking precepts are numerous, they must receive ordination before both orders in order to obtain it. This discriminates what is appropriate, producing shame so that they dare not transgress. The treatises refer solely to monks, and therefore speak of an assembly of ten. Furthermore, according to the treatises, each of the two orders having ten constitutes together an assembly of ten [pairs]. As with the five in border regions, this also does not conflict. 10. Attainment by the three refuges. The *Abhidharmakośa* and other texts state: 'The three declarations of taking refuge in the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha, referring to the group of sixty worthy ones. That is, a group of sixty virtuous and worthy companions assembled together, and the Buddha sent an aśaikha to recite the three refuges for them, whereupon they obtained full ordination.' The *Vinayamātṛkā* states: 'The arhats instructed them to shave their hair, dye their robes, and rely respectfully upon the Three Jewels. When their intention of taking refuge was completed, the full [precepts] were immediately generated; hence it is called attainment by the three refuges, and also attainment by the three phrases. Why do nuns not have attainment by the three refuges? Because there was no such group of worthy women.' Second, the *Dharmaguptaka-vinaya*, which belongs to the Dharmaguptaka school, has five kinds of obtaining the precepts: 1. 'Come, [monk]'; 2. The supreme Dharma. Traditionally transmitted explanations hold that becoming an aśaikha and realizing the cessation with remainder (sopadhiśeṣa-nirvāṇa) is called the supreme Dharma, whereupon one immediately obtains the precepts. Thus the *Dharmaguptaka-vinaya* states: 'If through cultivating the path one attains the fruit of arhatship, this is called going forth and receiving the full precepts.' The notion of an arhat novice is not the doctrine of this school. 3. The three refuges; 4. The eight grave rules; 5. Karmavācanā. That school's intention is: spontaneity is precisely the supreme Dharma, because through obtaining the fruit of non-learning one accomplishes the receipt of the full precepts; thus it does not belong exclusively to the Buddha and pratyekabuddhas. Attainment through seeing the truths is precisely 'Come, [monk].' The Vinaya itself states: 'The group of six monks debated with one another: "Kāśyapa is not equal to Ājñātakauṇḍinya receiving the precepts by 'Come, monk'; he is not equal to the Vṛji sons of Vaiśālī receiving the precepts by the three refuges; nor is he equal to Balopasena receiving the precepts by karmavācanā. How can he conduct poṣadha and karmavācanā with the monks?" Kāśyapa replied: "Beside the Bahuputraka Stūpa, the World-Honoured One established me upon good roots, and I received the foremost full ordination."' Seeing the truths at the very beginning is precisely 'Come, [monk]'; therefore there is also no attainment by trusting the Buddha as the Great Master. Because Kāśyapa himself stated that he attained them through the supreme Dharma, and questioning-and-answering, sending a messenger, the five in border regions, and the ten in the Central Country all involve performing karmavācanā and are subsumed under karmavācanā, only five are stated. Third, the *Mahāsāṃghika-vinaya*, which belongs to the Mahāsāṃghika school, has four kinds of obtaining the precepts. That Vinaya states: 'Five years after the attainment of awakening, the monks were pure. From then on, they gradually committed misdeeds, and according to the circumstances rules were enacted and the prātimokṣa precepts were proclaimed; there are four ways of receiving the full precepts: 1. Full ordination by self-awakening. This refers to the Buddha's self-awakening: upon first realizing bodhi, he properly received full ordination. 2. "Come, [monk]." After the Buddha awakened by himself, he addressed the monks in the Bamboo Grove: "The Tathāgata liberates people in all places; you should emulate the Tathāgata in liberating people." From this, the monks also liberated people by "Come, monk." At that time, when the monks liberated people by "Come, monk," they were unable to do so according to the Dharma and were mocked by the world. Śāriputra remained silent and then brought this forward to petition the Buddha: "Both are called 'Come, monk,' but some are proper and some improper. How can we make the monks' full ordination completely conform to the Dharma?" Because of this, the Buddha instituted the assembly of ten.' 3. The assembly of ten. That Vinaya states: 'If the upādhyāya is within the assembly of ten, it is not called receiving full ordination; there must be eleven in all.' The *Dharmaguptaka* and other texts only mention an assembly of ten with the upādhyāya among them. 4. An assembly of five. Although that Vinaya initially lists only four kinds of receiving the full precepts, it then states: 'The nun Mahāprajāpatī said: "The Buddha instituted eight rules for nuns; may we hear them in detail?" The Buddha explained the eight characteristics fully to her.' Among the eight characteristics, the first six differ from the *Dharmaguptaka-vinaya*, while the last two rules are identical. Reasoning from this principle, there should be a fifth: receiving the eight grave rules; otherwise, how did the nuns first obtain them? Because previously it spoke only of monks, there were only four. That school's intention is: both seeing the truths and trusting the Buddha as the Great Master are also attained by self-awakening, because through attaining arhatship one accomplishes receiving the full ordination. Borrowing the name from the Buddha, it is called self-awakening. Questioning-and-answering and sending a messenger are not distinct from the ten in the Central Country, because both involve an assembly of ten. Because they do not have attainment by the three refuges, it is not mentioned. Fourth, the *Mahīśāsaka-vinaya*, which belongs to the Mahīśāsaka school. That Vinaya has five kinds of receiving full ordination: 1. Spontaneous; 2. 'Come, [monk]'; 3. The three refuges; 4. The eight rules not to be transgressed; 5. Karmavācanā. As for the eight rules not to be transgressed, that Vinaya includes the assembly of five hundred nuns. That Vinaya states: 'I institute for you the eight rules not to be transgressed. If you can practice them, that is receiving the full precepts. Mahāprajāpatī said: "If the Buddha proclaims the eight rules not to be transgressed, I and the five hundred shall together receive them atop our heads." Furthermore, the Buddha said: "Prajāpatī and the Śākya nuns have also obtained the precepts."' That school's intention is: both seeing the truths and trusting the Buddha as the Great Master are attained spontaneously. The four kinds—questioning-and-answering, sending a messenger, the five in border regions, and the ten in the Central Country—are all precisely karmavācanā, and are not stated separately. Here, although the name 'spontaneous' differs from 'supreme receipt of full ordination,' deduction shows its meaning is somewhat similar to the *Dharmaguptaka-vinaya*. As for the differences among the five treatises: 1. The *Vinayamātṛkā-śāstra* has five for each of the two assemblies, totaling ten. The five for monks are: 1. 'Come, [monk]'; 2. Supreme receipt of full ordination upon the establishment of good roots, which refers to attaining the fruit of arhatship; 3. Receiving permission by imperial decree, which refers to answering questions and obtaining them upon the word; 4. The three phrases, which refers to the three refuges; 5. Karmavācanā. Seeing the truths, trusting the Buddha as the Great Master, and spontaneity are all subsumed under supreme receipt. The five in border regions and the ten in the Central Country are precisely karmavācanā. The five for nuns are: 1. 'Come, [monk]'; 2. Supreme receipt of full ordination; 3. The teacher's rules, which refers to the eight grave rules; 4. Sending a messenger; 5. Karmavācanā. In combination there are seven kinds: 1. 'Come, [monk]'; 2. Supreme receipt; 3. Receiving permission by decree; 4. The three refuges; 5. The eight grave rules; 6. Sending a messenger; 7. Karmavācanā. 2. The *Mātṛkā-śāstra* has ten ways of obtaining the precepts: 1. Without a teacher, which is spontaneity; 2. Seeing the truths; 3. Questioning and answering, referring to Sopāka; 4. The three refuges; 5. Spontaneous pledge, referring to Kāśyapa; 6. An assembly of five; 7. An assembly of ten; 8. The eight grave rules, referring to Mahāprajāpatī; 9. Sending a messenger; 10. The two orders, referring to the nuns. At first glance this school appears identical to the Sarvāstivāda, but it lacks 'Come, [monk]'; after coming and relinquishing worldly signs, they are later conferred the precepts. Because the five in border regions and ten in the Central Country apply only among monks, for nuns the two orders are added, which means an assembly of ten and an assembly of twenty. 3. The *Samantapāsādikā* has eight ways of obtaining the precepts: 1. 'Come, [monk]'; 2. The three refuges; 3. Respectful acceptance, which is seeing the truths, because relying on the Buddha's teaching they respectfully accepted the Buddha's words and thereby obtained the precepts; 4. Questioning and answering; 5. Receiving the grave rules; 6. Sending an envoy; 7. The eight phrases, referring to nuns; in the two orders, deduction shows that sending a messenger involves twelve phrases; 8. The formal motion and three announcements (jñapti-caturtha-karman), where the motion and three announcements comprise four phrases. This states that disciples do not have spontaneity. Trusting the Buddha as the Great Master is precisely karmavācanā, because the precepts are obtained only after karmavācanā; or trusting the Buddha as the Great Master is precisely attainment through respectful acceptance. The five in border regions and ten in the Central Country are precisely karmavācanā. 4. The *Sarvāstivāda-śāstra* has seven ways of receiving the full ordination: 1. Seeing the truths; 2. 'Come, [monk]'; 3. The three phrases; 4. The three refuges; 5. Spontaneous pledge; 6. The eight rules; 7. The motion and three announcements. This speaks of disciples, and therefore lacks spontaneity. The three phrases refers to sending a messenger: one initially here, one arriving there, and one returning afterward. Questioning-and-answering, the five in border regions, and the ten in the Central Country are all the motion and three announcements. This is the Sarvāstivāda school, which agrees with the *Abhidharmakośa* and other texts; while the numbers added or omitted differ, their intrinsic natures are not distinct. 5. The *Vinayadvāviṃśatividyā-śāstra* states that the three vehicles obtaining the precepts comprise a total of nine complete virtues. 'Complete virtues' means that the forty-two thousand virtues are fully perfected without lack, hence called complete virtues. Śrāvakas have seven, with monks having four: 1. 'Come, [monk]'; 2. The three refuges; 3. Abridged karmavācanā; 4. Extended karmavācanā. Abridged karmavācanā means: when the Buddha first attained awakening, they heard the Dharma and obtained the precepts, hence called abridged karmavācanā, which is attainment by seeing the truths. Trusting the Buddha as the Great Master, questioning-and-answering, the five in border regions, and the ten in the Central Country are all subsumed under extended karmavācanā. Nuns have three: 1. 'Come, [monk]'; 2. Sending an envoy, which refers to the nun Dharmadinnā; Gautamidharmā respectfully honored the grave rules, sending Ānanda to transmit the words and confer them from afar; 3. Extended karmavācanā, which refers to sending a messenger, the two orders, and so forth. The above seven kinds are the receipt of the precepts by śrāvakas. Eighth, pratyekabuddhas, who attain them upon reaching measurable virtues. Ninth, the Buddha, who attains them upon reaching immeasurable virtues. Both of these are spontaneous. In the Mahāyāna there is no distinct scriptural text; for the most part, it temporarily adopts the Sarvāstivāda school's ten ways of obtaining the precepts. However, respectfully receiving the eight rules was not confined solely to Mahāprajāpatī; this agrees not only with the *Sarvāstivāda-śāstra*, but also with the *Mahīśāsaka-vinaya*. The Buddha said: 'Prajāpatī and the Śākya nuns also obtained the precepts by respectfully receiving the eight rules not to be transgressed.' The above covers the conditions for obtaining the full prātimokṣa.