緇門警訓 9.124

9.124

為人難為人師不易。難者何。曰天資。曰學問。曰識見。曰氣象。無天資無學問。無識見無氣象。若是而能為人者。未之有也。有天資而後有學問。有學問而後有識見。有識見而後有氣象。若是能為人未也是何也。天資不高學問不博。識見不明氣象不雅。猶之不能也。不高則庸不博則窒。不明則回不雅則野。高而智博而達。明而正雅而文。四者備能為人矣。而欲為人師者。未之可也。曷為不易。曰宗旨。曰教義。曰法相。不得乎宗旨。不通乎法相。不辨乎教義。猶之不可也。能提宗旨矣。能析教義矣。能解法相矣。不有師承不明境觀。而能與人為師者。未之有也。師承正境觀明。而不超悟洞徹佛意者。猶之不能也。亦既超悟洞徹矣。不能忘境觀絕知見離法愛。為大導師者。未之有也。三者具矣。而不知進退得失者。猶之不可。故曰。為人難為人師不易。

To be a [proper] person is difficult; to be a teacher of people is not easy. What is difficult? I say: natural endowment, learning, discernment, and bearing. Without natural endowment, without learning, without discernment, and without bearing—for one like this to be a [proper] person has never occurred. Having natural endowment, there is afterwards learning; having learning, there is afterwards discernment; having discernment, there is afterwards bearing. Even if one possesses these, can one be a [proper] person yet? Not necessarily. Why? If natural endowment is not high, learning is not broad, discernment is not clear, and bearing is not refined, one is still incapable. Not high, then mediocre; not broad, then obstructed; not clear, then perverse; not refined, then rustic. Being high and wise, broad and penetrating, clear and upright, refined and cultivated—when these four are complete, one can be a [proper] person. Yet if one wishes to be a teacher of people, it is still not permissible. Why is it not easy? I say: the essential lineage, doctrinal principles, and dharma-characteristics. If one does not attain the essential lineage, does not penetrate dharma-characteristics, and does not differentiate doctrinal principles, it is still unacceptable. Being able to raise the essential lineage, analyze doctrinal principles, and explain dharma-characteristics—yet without a master's transmission and without clarity in object and contemplation, for one to become a teacher of people has never occurred. With the master's transmission correct and object and contemplation clear, yet without transcendent awakening that thoroughly penetrates the Buddha's intent, one is still incapable. Even having transcendently awakened and thoroughly penetrated, if one cannot forget object and contemplation, cut off views, and abandon attachment to the Dharma, becoming a great guide has never occurred. When these three are complete, yet one does not know advance and retreat, gain and loss, it is still unacceptable. Therefore it is said: To be a person is difficult; to be a teacher of people is not easy.