釋門章服儀 1.51

1.51

上既衣食以濟形，必須憑處以清識，故隨身坐具，以法加持，結形正意，終於生報，斯事畢矣。世之惰學，多不依承，初受具日，無不受持，漸染消亡，率皆縱蕩，隨得引著，曾不留心。既無法服，恒知露體，以此生世，徒喪天年。故文云「徒生徒死」者，得其人也。夭折之甚，無過斯酷。計其恒度，以法煩心，事不獲已，須剃須著。何者？割情約欲，誰不知高？習俗未亡，欣於下達，剃染之相，意在降心，依法不服，交虧厚利。是則懷利養身，終歸螻螘，以斯經世，同上可悲。何如外依聲教，如法奉持；內觀心本，以靜封滯。逆旅之喻，已挂於俗流；磨鏡之方，復弘於道法。懷情據此，夫何言哉？

Above, clothing and food having sustained the physical form, one must rely on a place to purify one's consciousness; therefore, the sitting mat accompanying one's body is consecrated by the Dharma through adhiṣṭhāna, rectifying the body and focusing the mind until the end of one's karmic life, whereupon this undertaking is finished. Negligent students of the world mostly fail to rely on and uphold this. On the day they first receive full ordination, there are none who do not receive and uphold them; yet gradually corrupted and lax, they all end up unrestrained, donning whatever they happen to obtain without ever keeping this in mind. Having no Dharma robes, know that they are perpetually exposing their bodies; living their lives in this manner, they waste their natural lifespans in vain. Thus the text says, 'Living in vain and dying in vain'—truly fitting such people! Of all severe premature deaths, none exceeds such cruelty. Considering their ordinary attitude, they find the Dharma vexing to the mind; when unavoidable, they shave their heads and wear the robes. Why so? Severing emotions and curtailing desires—who does not know this is lofty? Yet secular habits not having vanished, they delight in base pursuits. The appearance of shaving and dyeing aims at subduing the mind; if one does not wear robes according to the Dharma, one severely compromises the great benefit. Thus, harboring thoughts of profit to sustain the body, one ultimately returns to ants and earthworms. Passing one's life in this way is just as lamentable as the above. How can this compare to externally relying on the Buddha's verbal teachings, receiving and upholding them according to the Dharma; and internally observing the mind's source, thereby quieting attachments? The metaphor of an inn has already been applied by secular writers; the method of polishing a mirror is further magnified in the teachings of the Path. Harboring such resolve, what more is there to say?"