勸發菩提心集 2.21

2.21

When a bodhisattva upholds the precepts, it is for the sake of the Buddha's path: he makes a great vow that he must deliver sentient beings. He does not seek the pleasures of this life or future lives, nor does he do so for the sake of fame and praise, nor does he do so to seek early nirvāṇa for himself; rather, it is solely because sentient beings are submerged in the long stream [of saṃsāra], deceived by affection and misled by foolish delusion, that 'I shall deliver them and cause them to reach the other shore.' Single-mindedly upholding the precepts is for the sake of being born in good realms; because of being born in good realms, one sees good people; because of seeing good people, wisdom arises; because wisdom arises, one can practice the six pāramitās; because one can practice the six pāramitās, one attains the Buddha's path. Upholding the precepts like this is called śīlapāramitā. Furthermore, upholding the precepts with a mind that delights in good and purity is not out of fear of the bad realms, nor is it to be born in heaven; it is solely seeking the good and pure, perfuming the mind with the precepts to make the mind delight in the good—this is śīlapāramitā.