緇門警訓 4.24

4.24

The Zichi says: "Regarding the four kinds of triratna, the single essence and the principle essence are discussed in terms of the principle. The single manifestation aspect is confined strictly to the Buddha's era. The manifest maintenance status encompasses all three periods of time. Its efficacy depends entirely on the power of śīla to convey and carry it forward without interruption; hence it is like a boat. Why is this so? Because both the buddharatna and the dharmaratna rely on the saṅgha to propagate them, and the saṅgharatna's existence cannot be established without śīla. Just as stated in the Biaozong: compliance leads to the maintenance of the triratna, whereas violation leads to the extinction of the saddharma. It is also as the Avataṃsaka Sūtra says: 'Completely receiving and maintaining the deportment and the teaching of the Dharma enables the triratna to remain uninterrupted,' and so forth."