律相感通傳 1.14

1.14

「弟子迦葉佛時，生在初天，韋將軍下。諸天貪欲所醉，弟子以宿願力，不受天欲，清淨梵行，偏敬毘尼。韋將軍童真梵行，不受天欲。一王之下有八將軍，四王三十二將周四天下，往還護助諸出家人。四天下中，北天一洲少有佛法，餘三天下佛法大弘，然出家人多犯禁戒，少有如法。東西天下，少有黠慧，煩惱難化。南方一洲，雖多犯罪，化令從善，心易調伏。佛臨涅槃，親受付囑，並令守護，不使魔撓。若不守護，如是破戒，誰有行我之法教者？故佛垂誡，不敢不行。雖見毀禁，愍而護之；見行一善，萬過不咎，事等忘瑕，不存往失。且人中臭氣上薰於空四十萬里，諸天清淨，無不厭之，但以受佛付囑，令守護法。佛尚與人同止，諸天不敢不來。

"At the time of Kāśyapa Buddha, your disciple was born in the First Heaven under General Wei. The various devas are intoxicated by greed and desire; through the power of past vows, your disciple does not accept heavenly desires, but practices pure brahmacarya, showing particular reverence for the Vinaya. General Wei practices kumārabhūta brahmacarya, not accepting heavenly desires. Under each king there are eight generals; the Four Kings and thirty-two generals travel around the four continents, going back and forth to protect and assist all renunciants. Among the four continents, in the northern continent there is little Buddha-Dharma, while in the other three continents the Buddha-Dharma is widely propagated; yet renunciants mostly violate the prohibitive precepts, and few act according to the Dharma. In the eastern and western continents, they have little clever wisdom, and their afflictions are difficult to transform. In the southern continent, although many commit offenses, when transformed they follow what is good, and their minds are easily subdued. When the Buddha was approaching nirvāṇa, we personally received the entrustment, and he ordered us to guard and protect them, not allowing Māra to disturb them. If we did not guard and protect them, when precepts were broken like this, who would practice the teachings of my Dharma? Therefore, the Buddha bequeathed this admonition, and we do not dare not carry it out. Although we see them breaking the prohibitions, we pity and protect them; if we see them practice a single good deed, we do not blame them for ten thousand faults; it is like forgetting blemishes and not retaining past errors. Furthermore, the foul stench among humans wafts forty myriad miles up into the sky; the devas are pure, and there are none who do not detest it; but because we received the Buddha's entrustment, we are commanded to guard and protect the Dharma. When the Buddha was even willing to dwell together with humans, the devas do not dare not come.