摩訶止觀 4.54

4.54

二、戒緩乘急者，是人德薄垢重，煩惱所使，是諸事戒皆為羅剎毀食；專守理戒，觀行相續。如上覺意，六蔽中用心，央掘示為其相；以事戒緩，命終故墮三惡道，受於罪報。於諸乘中，何乘最強？強者先牽。若析空乘強，以三途身值彌勒佛，聞三藏經，乃可得道。若即空乘急，以三途身值彌勒佛，聞般若、方等得道。若即假乘急，以三途身值彌勒佛，聞華嚴及聞餘教作鈍根得道。若即中乘急，以三途身值彌勒佛，聞華嚴經，作利根得道。是故佛說漸頓諸經，龍、鬼、畜、獸悉來會坐，即是其事。破事戒故，受三惡身；持理觀故，見佛得道。《大經》云：「於戒緩者不名為緩；於乘緩者乃名為緩。」正是此一句也。

Second, as for the precepts being slack while the vehicle is urgent: this person has meager virtue and heavy defilements, driven by afflictions; these literal precepts are all devoured and destroyed by the rākṣasa, yet they exclusively uphold the principle-based precepts, and their contemplative practice continues uninterrupted. As with the states of awareness discussed above, applying the mind within the six hindrances, Aṅgulimāla exemplifies its character. Because the literal precepts were slack, upon the end of life they fall into the three wretched destinies, undergoing retributive punishment. Among the vehicles, which vehicle is strongest? The strongest pulls first. If the vehicle of analyzing emptiness is strong, with a body in the three wretched paths one encounters Maitreya Buddha, hears the Tripiṭaka sūtras, and can then attain the path. If the vehicle identical with emptiness is urgent, with a body in the three wretched paths one encounters Maitreya Buddha, hears the Prajñā and Vaipulya, and attains the path. If the vehicle identical with the provisional is urgent, with a body in the three wretched paths one encounters Maitreya Buddha, hears the Huayan and other teachings, and attains the path as one of dull faculties. If the vehicle identical with the middle is urgent, with a body in the three wretched paths one encounters Maitreya Buddha, hears the Huayan Sūtra, and attains the path as one of sharp faculties. Therefore, when the Buddha expounded the various gradual and sudden sūtras, dragons, ghosts, animals, and beasts all assembled in the congregation—this is precisely what it means. Because one broke the literal precepts, one received a body in the three wretched realms; because one upheld contemplation of principle, one saw the Buddha and attained the path. The Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra says: 'One who is slack regarding the precepts is not called slack; one who is slack regarding the vehicle is truly called slack.' This refers precisely to this proposition.