緇門警訓 4.18

4.18

敬儀云。是知初心後進必須憑師善友。今依止三寶常樂親近故。大智論云。若菩薩未入法位。遠離諸佛壞諸善根。沒在煩惱自不能度。安能度人。是故不應遠離諸佛。譬如嬰兒不離其母。行道不離糧食。熱時不離涼風。寒時不欲離火。度水不離好船。病苦不離良醫。是故菩薩常不離佛。何以故。父母親友人天王等。不能益我度諸苦海。唯佛世尊令我出苦。是故常念不離諸佛。又如善生經云。若人受三自歸。所得果報不可窮盡。如四大寶藏。舉國人民七年之中運出不盡。受三歸者。其福過彼。不可稱計。又校量功德經云。四有洲中滿二乘果。有人盡形供養。乃至起塔不如男子女人作如是言。我某甲歸依佛法僧。所得功德不可思議。以諸福中三寶勝故。

The Rites of Reverence states: "Thus we know that beginners and later entrants must rely on masters and virtuous friends. Now, in taking refuge in the Triratna, one always delights in drawing close to them. Therefore, the Mahāprajñāpāramitōpadeśa says: 'If a bodhisattva has not entered the stage of the Dharma, distancing himself from the Buddhas will destroy his roots of goodness; sinking in afflictions, he cannot save himself, so how could he save others? For this reason, he should not distance himself from the Buddhas. Just as an infant does not leave its mother, a traveler on the road does not leave provisions, one in the heat does not leave cool breezes, one in the cold does not wish to leave fire, one crossing water does not leave a good boat, and one suffering from illness does not leave an excellent physician, so a bodhisattva constantly does not leave the Buddha. Why? Parents, relatives, friends, humans, and deva kings cannot benefit me to cross the ocean of suffering; only the Buddha, the Bhagavat, causes me to escape suffering. For this reason, one constantly mindful does not leave the Buddhas.' Furthermore, the Sujāta Sūtra says: 'If a person receives the three self-refuges, the fruit and retribution obtained cannot be exhausted. Like four great treasure houses, which all the people of a country cannot empty out in seven years, the merit of one who receives the three refuges exceeds that and cannot be calculated.' Furthermore, the Sūtra on Weighing and Comparing Merit says: 'Even if the four continents were filled with fruits of the Two Vehicles, and someone were to provide offerings for their entire life, or even erect stūpas, it would not equal a man or woman speaking these words: "I, so-and-so, take refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Saṅgha." The merit obtained is inconceivable, because among all blessings, the Triratna is supreme.'"