修華嚴奧旨妄盡還源觀 1.26

1.26

答：「譬如大摩尼寶，體性明淨，久被塵累，而有麁穢之垢；若人唯念寶性，不以種種磨治，終不得淨。真如之法，體性空淨，久被無明煩惱垢染；若人唯念真如，不以持戒定慧種種熏修，終無淨時。準此義故，理須持戒也。」

Answer: 'For example, like a great maṇi jewel whose essential nature is bright and pure, but having long been soiled by dust, it has coarse and foul defilements; if someone only contemplates the jewel-nature without polishing and treating it in various ways, it will never attain purity. The dharma of tathatā is by essential nature empty and pure, but has long been defiled by the taints of ignorance and afflictions; if someone only contemplates tathatā without various perfumings and cultivations through holding precepts, samādhi, and wisdom, there will never be a time of purity. Based on this meaning, in principle one must uphold the precepts.'