勸發菩提心集 2.26

2.26

The Sutra of the Bodhisattva's Jewelled Necklace on Original Karmic Action states: A disciple of the Buddha receiving the precepts has three kinds: First, with all buddhas and bodhisattvas appearing in person before him, he receives and obtains the true superior-grade precepts. Second, after the passing into extinction of all buddhas and bodhisattvas, if within a thousand li there is a bodhisattva who previously received the precepts, one requests him to be one's Dharma master to instruct one in the precepts. Having first bowed to his feet, one should speak thus: 'I request the great venerable one to be my master and confer the precepts upon me.' The disciple then obtains the precepts of the true Dharma; these are the middle-grade precepts. Third, after the Buddha has passed into extinction, when there is no Dharma master within a thousand li, one should kneel on both knees with palms joined before images of the buddhas and take the vow oneself to receive the precepts, speaking thus: 'I, so-and-so, declare to the buddhas of the ten directions and the bodhisattvas of the great ground, and the like: I shall train in all the bodhisattva precepts.' These are the inferior-grade precepts. The second and third are also explained in this way. Disciples of the Buddha, these three kinds [of methods] subsume the three kinds of receiving the precepts. Past buddhas have already spoken them, future buddhas will speak them, and present buddhas now speak them. Past bodhisattvas have already trained in them, future bodhisattvas will train in them, and present bodhisattvas now train in them. These are the precepts of the true Dharma of all buddhas. If any bodhisattva does not enter this gateway to the precepts of the true Dharma and yet attains the fruit of the unsurpassed path, there is no such possibility.