禪林寶訓 4.6

4.6

水菴曰。月堂住持所至以行道為己任。不發化主不事登謁。每歲食指隨常住所得用之。衲子有志充化。導者多却之。或曰。佛戒比丘持鉢以資身命。師何拒之弗容。月堂曰。我佛在日則可。恐今日為之必有好利者。而至於自鬻矣。因思月堂防微杜漸深切著明。稱實之言。今猶在耳。以今日觀之。又豈止自鬻而已矣（法語）。

Shui'an said: 'Wherever Yuetang served as abbot, he took practicing the Way as his personal duty; he never dispatched fundraising leaders and did not engage in visiting people. Each year the mouths to feed relied on what was received by the permanent property of the saṃgha and used accordingly. When monks aspired to serve as fundraisers, he mostly rejected them. Someone asked, "The Buddha forbade bhikṣus from begging for food except to sustain bodily life; why does the Master reject them and not permit it?" Yuetang said, "When our Buddha was in the world, that was fine. I fear that if it is done today, there will surely be those who covet profit, to the point of selling themselves." Reflecting on this, Yuetang guarded against small beginnings to prevent worse developments with deep, incisive clarity; his words adhering to reality are still ringing in my ears today. Viewing it from today's perspective, does it stop merely at selling oneself?' (Dharma Talk)