禪林寶訓 4.6

4.6

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)