釋門歸敬儀 2.48

2.48

上備明其勤惰，其相備矣。下濁迷凡，多懷曲見，未能行用，先出謗疑，故列群經，用杜氷執。庶有心行者，知予意之在斯焉。是知初心後進，必須憑師善友。今依止三寶，常樂親近。故《大智度論》云：「若菩薩未入法位，遠離諸佛，壞諸善根，沒在煩惱，自不能度，安能度人？是故不應遠離諸佛，譬如嬰兒不離其母，行道不離糧食，熱時不離涼風，寒時不欲離火，度水不離好船，病苦不離良醫，是故菩薩常不離佛。何以故？父母、親友、人天王等，不能益我度諸苦海，唯佛世尊令我出苦，是故常念不離諸佛。」

Above, diligence and indolence have been fully clarified, and their marks are complete. Confused ordinary beings in this lower defiled realm mostly harbor twisted views; before they can put things into practice, they first give rise to slander and doubt. Therefore, I have set forth the various sūtras to block rigid attachments. May those practitioners with aspiration know that my intention lies here. Thus we know that beginners and latecomers must rely on masters and good friends. Now, taking refuge in the Three Jewels, one should constantly delight in drawing near to them. Therefore, the Da zhidu lun states: 'If a bodhisattva has not yet entered the stage of the Dharma and remains distant from the Buddhas, he will destroy his roots of goodness and sink into afflictions; being unable to cross himself over, how could he cross others over? Therefore, he should not be distant from the Buddhas. Just as an infant does not leave its mother, a traveler on the road does not leave provisions, in hot weather one does not leave a cool breeze, in cold weather one does not wish to leave fire, crossing water one does not leave a good boat, and when sick and suffering one does not leave a good physician, so a bodhisattva constantly does not leave the Buddha. Why? Parents, relatives and friends, kings of humans and gods, and the like, cannot benefit me by crossing me over the oceans of suffering; only the Buddha, the World-Honoured One, can cause me to escape suffering. For this reason, one should constantly be mindful of not leaving the Buddhas.'