華嚴經明法品內立三寶章 1.21

1.21

第三、住持三寶者，小乘以塑畫等色法為佛寶體，但表示一釋迦佛，以無他方佛故；經法紙墨及塑像，皆以色法為體；出家凡僧以有漏五蘊為體，四人已上僧，以眾同分不相應法為體。問：如形像致敬損壞，於何處得罪福？答：立像擬表真容，故於真邊得，故《成實》云：「隨是何塔若能為損，皆望主故得罪，福亦如是。」此明若是佛塔，以佛為表主，餘人亦爾。問：若爾，殺凡僧應聖邊得罪？答：塔像無心命，從其表主。僧即不爾，各有心命，故從凡聖自位得罪。若依律中，損經等望財，主得罪也。若三乘中佛法及僧像，同以色法為體；法中亦兼有名句等；凡僧以五蘊為體。若一乘中，並是大法界中，約機緣起所成淨用故，亦遠取本法為體。餘義准之。上來總明出體竟。

Third, regarding the perpetuating representation of the Three Jewels: in the Hinayāna, material forms such as sculptures and paintings are taken as the essence of the Buddha Jewel, but they only represent the single Śākyamuni Buddha, because there are no buddhas of other directions. The paper and ink of the scriptural Dharma, as well as sculpted images, all take material form as their essence. Renunciant ordinary monks take the contaminated five aggregates as their essence, while a saṅgha of four persons or more takes the non-associated dharma of nikāya-sabhāgatā as its essence. Question: When one shows reverence to or damages an image, in relation to where does one obtain sin or merit? Answer: Images are erected to represent the true form; therefore, one obtains it in relation to the true [Buddha]. Hence the Satyasiddhi says: "Whatever stūpa it may be, if one is able to harm it, in all cases one obtains sin in relation to the owner; merit is also like this." This clarifies that if it is a Buddha stūpa, it takes the Buddha as the representative owner; other persons are also like this. Question: If so, in killing an ordinary monk, should one obtain sin in relation to the noble? Answer: Stūpas and images have no mind or life, so they follow their representative owner. The Saṅgha is not like this: each has mind and life, and therefore one obtains sin according to the respective ordinary or noble status itself. If according to the Vinaya, damaging a scripture or the like incurs sin in relation to the owner of the property. In the three vehicles, images of the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha alike take material form as their essence; the Dharma also combines names, phrases, and so forth; and ordinary monks take the five aggregates as their essence. In the one vehicle, because all are the pure functions accomplished by dependent origination in accordance with capacities within the great dharmadhātu, they also remotely take the original Dharma as their essence. The remaining meanings may be inferred accordingly. The above general clarification of the disclosure of essences is concluded.