高僧傳 9.60

9.60

洛陽兵亂，辭還天竺。洛中沙門竺法行者，高足僧也。時人方之樂令。因請域曰：「上人既得道之僧，願留一言，以為永誡。」域曰：「可，普會眾人也。」眾既集，域昇高座曰：「守口攝身意，慎莫犯眾惡。修行一切善，如是得度世。」言訖便禪默。行重請曰：「願上人當授所未聞。如斯偈義，八歲童子亦已諳誦，非所望於得道人也。」域笑曰：「八歲雖誦，百歲不行，誦之何益？人皆知敬得道者，不知行之自得道。悲夫！吾言雖少，行者益多也。」於是辭去。

During the warfare and turmoil in Luoyang, he took his leave to return to Tianzhu. In Luoyang there was the śramaṇa Zhu Faxing, a monk of high standing whom contemporaries compared to Director Yue. He thereupon requested of Yu, saying: "Since the Superior One is a monk who has attained the Way, I pray that you leave behind one word to serve as an enduring admonition." Yu said: "Very well; let the assembly gather widely." When the assembly had gathered, Yu ascended the high seat and said: "Guarding the mouth and controlling the body and mind, / take care not to commit any evils. / Cultivate all good deeds; / in this way one crosses beyond the world." Having finished speaking, he remained silent in dhyāna. Xing requested again, saying: "We pray the Superior One will impart what has not yet been heard. As for the meaning of such a verse, even an eight-year-old boy can recite it by heart; it is not what was expected from one who has attained the Way." Yu smiled and said: "Though an eight-year-old may recite it, if a hundred-year-old does not practice it, what benefit is there in reciting it? Everyone knows to revere those who have attained the Way, yet none know to practice it so as to attain the Way themselves. How lamentable! Though my words are few, the benefit to one who practices them is vast." Thereupon he took his leave and departed.