緇門警訓 4.16

4.16

The Rites for Taking Refuge and Paying Reverence states: "However, when habitual conditioning has persisted for a long time, there is no basis for realization. It is necessary to establish reverence and set up rituals to open the method for the foremost faith, relying on emotions and restricting forms to manifest the merit of transformative cultivation. Afterward, one sheds liver and gall on the ground, wearing out and bowing one's bodily frame; knowing the ultimate supremacy of the universe, one's reverence exceeds that for natural kin (natural kin means parents); understanding the far-reaching greatness of the teachings and their meaning, one's path surpasses ordinary delusions (that is, the Seven Summaries, classics, histories, etc.). It goes on to say: 'A Hīnayāna treatise says: "Reverence takes shame (hrī) as its essence. Because my virtue is slight and the object before me is lofty and venerable, I practice reverence." Nowadays, people conversely lack shame and feel no disgrace, which is truly laughable! A Mahāyāna treatise says: "Due to faith and wisdom, one reveres them. Due to faith, one is not heterodox; due to wisdom, one raises reverence." Citing the sincere teaching, faith, wisdom, and shame are the root of reverence.' It also cites a treatise saying: 'Taking refuge is an expression of turning around. Formerly turning one's back on the correct and following the heterodox, drifting across the realms of birth, now that the Buddha has appeared in the world and pronounced the ultimate supremacy, one immediately turns around that heterodox mind and turns toward the correct path.' Thereupon, the five grades of difference in taking refuge are established, beginning with the initial turning away from the secular and ending with the culmination of entering the Way; all take refuge in the Triratna to serve as the traces of the mind's master. That which is taken as master is ultimate indeed! That which is done is great indeed! Therefore, the Ekottarika Āgama says: 'Those who have no mind of reverence toward the Buddha will be born among dragons and snakes; because in the past they came from among them, even now they have no reverence, having much sleep, delusion, and the like; this serves as good proof.' The Mahākaruṇā Sūtra says: 'In the past, when the Buddha practiced the bodhisattva path, whenever he saw the Triratna, relics, stūpas, and images, masters, monks, parents, elders, virtuous friends, non-Buddhists, rṣis, śramaṇas, and brāhmaṇas, there was none toward whom he did not bend down, humble himself, and yield with reverence. As a retribution for this, since attaining Buddhahood, the mountains, forests, humans, and animals have all bent down to revere the Buddha.' Furthermore, secular rites state: 'Let there be nothing without reverence; be grave as if in thought; be calm and steady in words. Pride must not be allowed to grow; desires must not be indulged; ambitions must not be gratified.' This is what is meant."