[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [廣弘明集](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2103) › 26.128 # 廣弘明集 26.128 廣弘明集 26.128 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [26.128](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2103.26.128) 受者非慈悲。然不破戒唱經竟。制又語諸僧道。諸小僧輩看經未遍。互言無斷肉語。今日此經言何所道。所以唱此革屣文者。本意乃不在此。正為此二十三日法雲法師講涅槃斷肉事。于時僧正慧超法寵法師難云。若經文究竟斷一切肉。乃至自死不得食者。此則同尼揵斷皮革不得著革屣。若開皮革得著革屣者。亦應開食肉。法雲法師乃已有通釋。而二法師難意未已。于時自仍通云。若是聖人故自不著此物。若中行人亦不著此。著此皆下行人。所以不同尼揵者語有。所含。若無麻紵之鄉。亦有開皮革義論。有麻紵處大慈者。乃實應不著。但此事與食肉不得類同。凡著一革屣。經久不壞。若食噉眾生。就一食中便害無量身命。況日日餐咀數若恒沙。亦不可得用革屣以並斷肉。于時諸僧乃無復往復。恐諸小僧執以為疑方成巨蔽。所以唱此不受革屣文。正欲釋一日所疑。非關前制。凡噉肉者是大罪障。經文道。昔與眾生經為父母親屬。眾僧那不思。此猶忍食噉眾生。己不能投身餓虎割肉貿鷹。云何反更噉他身分。諸僧及領徒眾法師諸尼。及領徒眾者。各還本寺宣告諸小僧尼。令知此意。 > he accepts them, it is not compassionate, yet he does not break the precepts." After the recitation of the sūtra was concluded, an imperial edict again addressed the monks, saying: "The lesser monks have not read through the sūtras completely, and say to one another that there is no statement about cutting off meat. What does this sūtra today speak of? The reason for chanting this passage about leather shoes was originally not aimed at this matter, but precisely because on the twenty-third, Dharma Master Fayun lectured on the matter of the Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra cutting off meat. At that time, the Monastic Controller Huichao and Dharma Master Fachong raised an objection, saying: 'If the scriptural text definitively cuts off all meat, even to the point that an animal that died of itself may not be eaten, then this is the same as the Nirgranthas cutting off leather such that one must not wear leather shoes. If leather is permitted and one may wear leather shoes, then eating meat should also be permitted.' Dharma Master Fayun had already given a reconciling explanation, but the objection from the two Dharma Masters had not yet ceased. At that time, \[I\] myself further resolved it, saying: 'If one is a sage, he naturally does not wear this item; if one is a middling practitioner, he also does not wear this; those who wear this are all lower practitioners. The reason this is not the same as the Nirgranthas is that the words have an implicit meaning. If it is a region without hemp or ramie, there is also the argument for permitting leather. Where there is hemp and ramie, those with great compassion truly ought not to wear it. But this matter cannot be categorized as identical with eating meat. Generally speaking, when wearing a pair of leather shoes, they last a long time without deteriorating. But if one eats sentient beings, in just a single meal one harms countless bodies and lives, to say nothing of chewing and dining day after day in numbers like the sands of the Ganges. Leather shoes cannot be placed on a par with cutting off meat.' At that time the monks had no further dispute, yet I feared the lesser monks would cling to it in doubt, which would then turn into a great obstruction. The reason for chanting this passage on not accepting leather shoes was precisely to resolve the doubt of that day; it was not related to the earlier prohibition. In general, consuming meat is a great karmic obstacle. The scriptural text states that in the past, sentient beings were once one's parents and relatives. How can the assembly of monks not reflect on this, and still bear to eat sentient beings? If one cannot cast one's body to the hungry tigress or cut one's flesh to ransom the dove, how can one instead go so far as to consume the physical parts of others? All monks and dharma masters leading disciples, as well as all nuns and those leading disciples, should each return to their own monasteries and proclaim this to the lesser monks and nuns, so that they understand this intention." > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 26.127](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2103.26.127) - [Next: 26.129](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2103.26.129) - [Up: 26](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2103.26) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2103~en-mt.26.128) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2103.26.128](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2103.26.128) · Pramāṇa