緇門警訓 4.16

4.16

歸敬儀云。然則熏習日久取會無由。事須立敬設儀。開其信首之法。附情約相顯於成化之功。然後肝膽塗地。形骸摧折。知宇宙之極尊。則敬逾天屬（天屬即父母也）曉教義之遠大。則道越常迷（即七略經史等）乃至云。小乘論云。敬者。以慚為體也。由我德薄前境尊高故。行敬也。今反無慚不恥深可咲也。大乘論云。由信及智故。敬於彼信故。非邪智故。興敬故。引誠教信智及慚敬之本矣。又引論云。歸依者回轉之語。由昔背正從邪流蕩生趣今佛出世興言極尊。遂即回彼邪心。轉從正道故也。於是乃立歸法有五等之差。始於背俗之初。終於入道之極。皆歸三寶以為心師之迹也。所師極矣。所為大矣。故增一阿含經云。無恭敬心於佛者。當生龍蛇中。以過去從中來。今猶無敬。多睡癡等斯為良證。大悲經云。佛過去時行菩薩道。見三寶舍利塔像。師僧父母耆年善友。外道諸仙沙門婆羅門。無不傾側謙下敬讓。由是報故。成佛已來山林人畜無不傾側以敬於佛。又俗禮云。毋不敬儼若思。安定辭。傲不可長。欲不可縱。志不可滿是也。

The Rites for Taking Refuge and Paying Reverence states: "However, when habitual conditioning has persisted for a long time, there is no basis for realization. It is necessary to establish reverence and set up rituals to open the method for the foremost faith, relying on emotions and restricting forms to manifest the merit of transformative cultivation. Afterward, one sheds liver and gall on the ground, wearing out and bowing one's bodily frame; knowing the ultimate supremacy of the universe, one's reverence exceeds that for natural kin (natural kin means parents); understanding the far-reaching greatness of the teachings and their meaning, one's path surpasses ordinary delusions (that is, the Seven Summaries, classics, histories, etc.). It goes on to say: 'A Hīnayāna treatise says: "Reverence takes shame (hrī) as its essence. Because my virtue is slight and the object before me is lofty and venerable, I practice reverence." Nowadays, people conversely lack shame and feel no disgrace, which is truly laughable! A Mahāyāna treatise says: "Due to faith and wisdom, one reveres them. Due to faith, one is not heterodox; due to wisdom, one raises reverence." Citing the sincere teaching, faith, wisdom, and shame are the root of reverence.' It also cites a treatise saying: 'Taking refuge is an expression of turning around. Formerly turning one's back on the correct and following the heterodox, drifting across the realms of birth, now that the Buddha has appeared in the world and pronounced the ultimate supremacy, one immediately turns around that heterodox mind and turns toward the correct path.' Thereupon, the five grades of difference in taking refuge are established, beginning with the initial turning away from the secular and ending with the culmination of entering the Way; all take refuge in the Triratna to serve as the traces of the mind's master. That which is taken as master is ultimate indeed! That which is done is great indeed! Therefore, the Ekottarika Āgama says: 'Those who have no mind of reverence toward the Buddha will be born among dragons and snakes; because in the past they came from among them, even now they have no reverence, having much sleep, delusion, and the like; this serves as good proof.' The Mahākaruṇā Sūtra says: 'In the past, when the Buddha practiced the bodhisattva path, whenever he saw the Triratna, relics, stūpas, and images, masters, monks, parents, elders, virtuous friends, non-Buddhists, rṣis, śramaṇas, and brāhmaṇas, there was none toward whom he did not bend down, humble himself, and yield with reverence. As a retribution for this, since attaining Buddhahood, the mountains, forests, humans, and animals have all bent down to revere the Buddha.' Furthermore, secular rites state: 'Let there be nothing without reverence; be grave as if in thought; be calm and steady in words. Pride must not be allowed to grow; desires must not be indulged; ambitions must not be gratified.' This is what is meant."