緇門警訓 3.53

3.53

The Shishi chao cites the Sengqi lü: 'The bowl is an implement for renunciants, not suitable for secular people.' The Shisong lü states: 'The bowl is the emblem of the Buddhas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges; it must not be put to improper use.' The Shanjian lü states: 'The noble ones of the three vehicles all hold earthenware bowls to beg for food and sustain their lives; taking the four seas as their home, they are thus named bhikṣus.' The Madhyama Āgama states: 'The bowl is also named the "vessel of accord" (pātra).' Regarding its material substance, the Vinaya states: 'In general, there are two kinds: clay and iron.' The Wufen lü states: 'Some used bowls of white copper, and the Buddha said, "This is a practice of non-Buddhists; if one keeps it, one commits an offense." The Buddha himself made an unbaked clay bowl to serve as a model for later times.' The Shisong lü states: 'Keeping bowls of gold, silver, wood, stone, and the like is not in accordance with the Dharma and constitutes an offense.' Regarding its color, the Sifen lü states: 'It should be smoked to become black or red.' The Vinaya text describes the smoking method in detail; unadorned earthenware, white iron, or those coated with oil are all contrary to the Dharma. Regarding its capacity, the Sifen lü states: 'The large one holds three dous; the small one holds a dou and a half; the medium one can be known from this.' When this Vinaya was translated during the Yao Qin, that country used the dou of the Ji-Zhou dynasty. In terms of the Tang dou, the superior bowl holds one dou, and the inferior holds five sheng, and so forth. Although the specified measures in the various vinaya lineages are not uniform, most take three dou and one and a half dou as the limits. However, this vessel is named the 'vessel of accord' and must be established according to the teachings. The Vinaya states: 'Measure the stomach to eat, measure the body to dress; take only what is sufficient.' The mention of increase and decrease must accord with the correct teachings.