釋門歸敬儀 2.18

2.18

且夫貴賤不同，尊敬致異。天竺設敬，先以身禮，後以頌歎。如《無量義經》八萬菩薩來詣佛所，頭面禮足，遶百千匝，散華燒香，以衣寶瓔珞并鉢器百味，充滿盈溢，色香具足。又設幢幡軒蓋，眾妙妓樂，處處安置，鼓作眾器而供養佛，即前互跪，合掌一心，俱共同聲，說頌讚曰：「大哉大悟大聖主，無垢無染無所著，天人象馬調御師，道風德香熏一切。」如是等頌，有三十餘章。例諸大經，竝有讚頌。如唐境俗中天子以下，美敦盛德，其流極廣，或以聲歎，或以文頌，時俗敬尚，其風彌遠。所以香口比丘，報由歎佛，正業所感，為人所名。據其行事，應在拜後，因此稱揚，遂及歎耳。

Furthermore, the noble and the lowly are not the same, and the expression of respect differs. When reverence is performed in India, one first bows with the body and afterward praises with verses. For example, in the Amitārtha Sūtra, eighty thousand bodhisattvas came to the Buddha's place, bowed their heads and faces at his feet, circumambulated him hundreds of thousands of times, scattered flowers, burned incense, and brought clothing, jewels, necklaces, along with bowls filled to overflowing with the hundred flavors, complete in color and fragrance. They also set up banners, pennants, and canopies, along with various wondrous musical entertainments, arranging them everywhere and playing various instruments to make offerings to the Buddha; then, kneeling before him, single-mindedly joining their palms, with one voice they spoke verses in praise, saying: "Great is the Greatly Awakened, Great Holy Master, / Free of defilement, unstained, and unattached, / Tamer of Men, of gods, humans, elephants, and horses, / The breeze of whose Path and fragrance of whose virtue perfume all." There are over thirty stanzas of such verses. In all the great sūtras, there are similarly praises and verses. In the Chinese realm, from the Son of Heaven on down, praising eminent virtue is extremely widespread; either they praise with voice or eulogize in writing; secular customs respect and esteem this, and its influence extends far. Therefore, the monk with a fragrant mouth obtained his retribution through praising the Buddha; induced by correct karma, he was named by people accordingly. Considering the sequence of actions, it should be after bowing; taking occasion of this praise, one thereby proceeds to laudation.