佛祖歷代通載 7.70

7.70

Those who leave the household are guests outside the worldly realm; their traces are severed from mundane things. As for their teaching, they understand that suffering and burden stem from having a body, so they do not preserve the body to quell suffering; they know that continuous rebirth stems from undergoing transformation, so they do not follow transformation to seek the Ultimate. Since seeking the Ultimate does not proceed by following transformation, they do not value the support of worldly fortunes; since quelling suffering does not proceed by preserving the body, they do not cherish the benefits of enriching life. Here, principle diverges from bodily form, and the Way opposes worldly custom. People such as these initiate their vows with the removal of the hairpin and manifest their resolve through the alteration of dress. Therefore, all who leave the household withdraw from the world to pursue their aspiration and alter their customs to attain their Way. Altering customs, their vestments cannot share the same rituals as worldly standards; withdrawing from the world, their conduct must be exalted. Because they are like this, they can rescue the drowning world from the sinking flow and uproot dark roots through countless kalpas, opening far the ford of the three vehicles and broadly clearing the path for devas and humans. If a single person perfects virtue, his Way pervades the six kin and his beneficence flows through all under heaven. Although he does not occupy the station of kings and lords, he already harmonizes with the August Ultimate and shelters the living people. Therefore, inwardly he departs from the gravity of natural kin without violating filial piety, and outwardly he lacks the deference of serving the ruler without losing reverence. Looking at it from this perspective, we know that transcending the realm of transformation to seek the Ultimate means principle is deep and righteousness is earnest; shining merely with deep sighs to speak of humaneness means merit is minor and benevolence is shallow. If so, even if one were to face the dark mountains and wander freely, one would still feel ashamed to hear such worldly style; how much less could one share the same filial piety and reverence as subjects who follow the worldly order and officials who merely hold sinecures!