緇門警訓 4.49

4.49

經中四句偈者。我相人相眾生相壽者相也。若有我相人相眾生相壽者相。則不能受持四句偈。若無我相人相眾生相壽者相則能受持四句偈。山野看來。人人皆能受持。知者萬中有一。何故如此。秖為此經被他前塵蓋覆。不自覺知也。

The four-line gāthā in the sūtra refers to the notion of a self, the notion of a person, the notion of a sentient being, and the notion of a soul. If one has the notion of a self, the notion of a person, the notion of a sentient being, or the notion of a soul, one cannot receive and maintain the four-line gāthā. If one is free from the notion of a self, the notion of a person, the notion of a sentient being, and the notion of a soul, then one can receive and maintain the four-line gāthā. As this rustic sees it, everyone is capable of receiving and maintaining it, yet those who know it are one in ten thousand. Why is this so? Merely because this sūtra is obscured by the sense objects before them, and they are unconscious of it.