緇門警訓 4.51

4.51

忖己德行全缺應供者。德行全可以應供。德行缺則不可應供。今之比丘或年三四十歲。或年五六十歲。未嘗一日不應供也。德行全耶。德行缺耶。所以云。學道不通理覆身還信施。長者八十一其樹不生耳。年齒既高園中蕈不生。教有明文。不可不信。若也一念回光。日消萬兩黃金。

Regarding 'assessing whether one's own virtuous conduct is complete or deficient before accepting offerings': if one's virtuous conduct is complete, one may accept offerings; if one's virtuous conduct is deficient, one may not accept offerings. Nowadays bhikṣus are either thirty or forty years old, or fifty or sixty years old, and have never passed a single day without accepting offerings. Is their virtuous conduct complete? Is their virtuous conduct deficient? Therefore it is said: 'If one studies the Way without understanding the principle, one will put on a hide to repay the donor's alms.' The elder was eighty-one, yet the tree did not grow wood ears; when his years advanced, the mushrooms did not grow in the garden. The teachings contain explicit passages; one cannot fail to believe them. If only one can reflect the light back for a single thought-moment, one will digest ten thousand ounces of yellow gold each day.