律相感通傳 1.14

1.14

"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.