[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [緇門警訓](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2023) › 4.12 # 緇門警訓 4.12 緇門警訓 4.12 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [4.12](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2023.4.12) 鈔文云。五分云。為知若會等（知事差僧及法食會集等）學書不得為好廢業。不聽卜相及問他吉凶。四分開學誦文書。及學世論為伏外道。雜法中新學比丘開學算法。十誦好作文頌莊嚴章句。是可怖畏不得作。毘尼母論佛言。吾教汝一句一偈。乃至後世應行者即行之。不應行者亦莫行之。後世比丘所說亦爾。記云。以書算卜術俗典文頌。俱是世法非出家業。為因緣故時復開之。今時釋子名實俱喪。能書寫則稱為草聖。通俗典則自號文章。擇地則名為山水。卜術則呼為三命。豈意捨家事佛隨順俗流之名。本圖厭世超昇翻集生死之業。故智論云。學習外典如以刀割泥。泥無所成而刀自損。又如視日光令人眼暗。然往古高僧亦多異學。或精草隷。或善篇章。或醫術馳名。或陰陽顯譽。皆謂精窮傍涉餘宗。無非志在護持助通佛化。故善戒云。若為論議破於邪見。若二分經一分外書。不犯四分開誦。此其意耳。今或沽名邀利附勢矜能。形廁方袍心染浮俗。畢身虛度。良可哀哉。 > The text of the Commentary states: "The Mahīśāsaka Vinaya says: 'For the sake of knowing affairs and assemblies (knowing administrative tasks, appointing monks, assemblies for Dharma meals, etc.), one may study writing, but one must not, out of fondness for it, neglect one's vocation. One is not permitted to practice divination or physiognomy, nor to ask others about good or bad fortune.' The Dharmaguptaka Vinaya allows studying the recitation of literary documents, as well as studying worldly treatises in order to subdue non-Buddhists. In the miscellaneous rules, newly ordained bhikṣus are permitted to learn arithmetic. The Sarvāstivāda Vinaya says: 'To delight in composing verses and ornate phrases is frightful; one must not do it.' In the Vinayamātṛkā, the Buddha said: 'If I teach you a single phrase or verse, even down to future ages, whatever should be practiced, practice it; whatever should not be practiced, do not practice it. What is spoken by future bhikṣus is also like this.' The Record says: 'Writing, arithmetic, divination, secular classics, and literary compositions are all worldly dharmas, not the vocation of an ordained person. For specific causes and conditions, they are occasionally permitted.' Today's disciples of Śākya have lost both the name and reality: those who can write calligraphy call themselves 'Saints of Cursive Script'; those versed in secular classics style themselves 'Men of Letters'; those who select sites call it 'Geomancy'; those who practice divination call it 'The Three Fates.' How could they think that abandoning home to serve the Buddha means following the designations of the worldly current? Originally seeking to turn away from the world and transcend rebirth, they instead accumulate the karma of saṃsāra! Thus the Mahāprajñāpāramitōpadeśa says: 'Studying non-Buddhist texts is like cutting mud with a knife: the mud is not fashioned into anything, yet the knife is blunted. It is also like gazing at the sunlight, which causes a person's eyes to go blind.' Yet among eminent monks of the past, many were also versed in diverse studies: some were skilled in cursive and clerical scripts, some excelled in prose and verse, some were famous for medicine, and some enjoyed renown in yin-yang. All of these meant that, having fully investigated the essentials, they touched on other traditions as a secondary matter, their aspirations being solely to protect, support, and help propagate Buddhist transformation. Thus the Bodhisattvabhūmi says: 'If it is for the sake of debate to destroy false views, then if two parts are sūtras and one part non-Buddhist texts, it is not an infraction.' The Dharmaguptaka Vinaya permits recitation; this is its meaning. Now, some buy fame and solicit gain, attaching themselves to influence and boasting of their abilities, their bodies mingled among the square robes while their minds are tainted by superficial vulgarity, squandering their entire lives in vain. How truly lamentable!" > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 4.11](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2023.4.11) - [Next: 4.13](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2023.4.13) - [Up: 4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2023.4) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2023~en-mt.4.12) — English, machine translation ## Linked texts (2) - [四分律行事鈔資持記](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1805.3.905) — Classical Chinese - [四分律刪繁補闕行事鈔](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1804.3.346) — Classical Chinese --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2023.4.12](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2023.4.12) · Pramāṇa