緇門警訓 3.47

3.47

The Commentary on the Vinaya Deeds states: "Whenever, through an evil mind, there is craving and defilement, selling the Dharma for gain, then all the illicit gains obtained from bowing to the Buddha, reciting sūtras, fasting, and other deeds are called things of wrong livelihood. Because they run directly contrary to the Buddha's transforming guidance, they are specially prohibited. As taught in the sūtra: A bhikṣu took a rag robe to the river to wash it, and the devas took the runoff water to wash their own bodies, not shunning its filth. A heterodox practitioner took clean fine cotton and was next about to wash it, but the devas warned him from afar, 'Do not defile the pool!' Because it was obtained through wrong livelihood, its substance was impure. Corroborated by this text, purity of mind is the true foundation. Although one seeks purity, the material substance must also accord with Dharma; patterned silk, brocade, and embroidery are all improper. In the world, silk and fine fabrics are often used; because their substance stems from harming life, they must be specially restricted. Today in the five regions of India and among the Hu monks, none use silk to make kāṣāyas. When asked in person, they said: 'Because the robe is a brahma garment for practicing the four immeasurables, if one clearly knows it involves killing and yet intentionally wears it, in principle that is improper.' Because the Dharma robe conforms to the Way, brocade colors, patchwork patterns, and glitter disturb the mind. Blue, yellow, the five colors, true purple, and fine shades are craved by the common worldly crowd, and are therefore entirely rejected." The Zichi states: "In the Gantong zhuan, a deva says: 'The Buddha Dharma has flowed eastward for six or seven hundred years, yet Vinaya masters of the south and north have never had this intention. How could one use the wealth of killing living beings to make a garment of compassion? Why do you alone single out this principle?' Nanshan replied: 'Through reading the Zhidu lun, I saw that the Buddha wore a saṃghāṭī of coarse cloth, and kept this in mind: how could one act contrary to this? Later, after studying the Vinaya, I saw that as for silken robes and bedding, even if already made, they were all chopped up, ruined, and used to plaster the walls. From this, my admiration deepened.' It also states: 'Furthermore, I saw that the Indian monks who came from the west all wore cotton cloth. In detailed questioning, they said: 'In the five regions of India, none wear silken garments.' From this arose the thought of composing the Zhangfu yi and other works.' Tripiṭaka Master Yijing, in his Nanhai jigui neifa zhuan, on the contrary added disparagement and slander. He studied the Sarvāstivāda of the Hīnayāna, and so was mostly prejudiced and obstinate. Now we take the definitive meaning of the Mahāyāna as our authority, which is not something he could understand."