緇門警訓 2.63

2.63

梵語苾蒭華言乞士。內則乞法以治性。外則丐食以資身。父母人之至親。最先割捨。鬚𩬊世之所重。盡以剃除。富溢七珍棄之猶同於草芥。貴尊一品視之何啻於煙雲。極厭無常深窮有本。欲高其志必降其身。執錫有類於枯藜。擎鉢何殊於破器。肩披壞服即是弊袍肘串絡囊便同席袋。清淨活命已沾八聖道中。儉約修身即預四依行內。九州四海都為游處之方。樹下塚間悉是棲遲之處。攀三乘之逸駕。蹈諸佛之遺踪。稟聖教以無違真佛弟子。遇世緣而不易實大丈夫。可以戰退魔軍。揮開塵網。受萬金之勝供。諒亦堪消。為四生之福田。信非虛託。乞士為義期。斯之謂乎。

In Sanskrit, it is bhikṣu; in the language of the Hua, it means 'beggar'. Internally, one begs for the Dharma to cultivate the nature; externally, one begs for food to support the body. Parents are the closest of human relations, yet they are renounced first; beard and hair are what the world values, yet all are shaved away. Wealth overflowing with the seven treasures is cast aside like weeds; honor exalted as the premier rank is viewed as no different from mist and clouds. Deeply weary of impermanence, he thoroughly explores the source of existence. Wishing to elevate his aspiration, he must humble his person. Holding a staff is like carrying dry goosefoot; lifting a bowl is no different from holding a broken vessel. Draping a soiled garment over his shoulders, it is just a ragged robe; stringing a netted bag around his elbow, it is identical to a mat sack. His pure livelihood is already counted within the eightfold noble path; his frugal personal cultivation is included within the four dependencies. The nine provinces and the four seas are all places for his wanderings; beneath trees and among burial grounds are all dwellings for his rest. He mounts the swift carriage of the three vehicles; he treads the remaining tracks of the Buddhas. Receiving the holy teachings without transgression, he is a true disciple of the Buddha; encountering worldly conditions without wavering, he is a real great man. He can repel the demonic hosts, sweep open the nets of dust, and when he receives supreme offerings worth ten thousand pieces of gold, he can surely assimilate them. As a field of merit for the four forms of birth, it is truly not an empty trust. That 'beggar' is taken as the meaning must surely refer to this!