集沙門不應拜俗等事 2.13

2.13

出家則是方外之賓。迹絕於物。其為教也。達患累緣於有身。不存身以息患。知生生由於稟化。不順化以求宗。求宗不由於順化。順化則不重運通之資。息患不由於存身。存身則不貴厚生之益。此理之與形乖。道之與俗反者也。若斯人者自誓始於落簪。立志形乎變服。是故凡在出家。皆遯世以求其志。變俗以達其道。變俗則服章不得與世典同禮。遯世則宜須高尚其跡。夫然。故能拯溺俗於沈流。拔玄根於重劫。遠通三乘之津。廣開天人之路。如令一夫全德。則道洽六親澤流天下。雖不處王侯之位。亦已協契皇極在宥生民矣。是故內乖天屬之重而不違其孝。外闕奉主之恭而不失其敬。從此而觀。故知越化表以求宗。則理深而義篤。照泰息以語仁。則功末而惠淺。若然者雖將面冥山而旋步。猶或恥聞其風。豈況與夫順化之民尸祿之賢。同其孝敬者哉。

Those who have left home are guests beyond the realm, whose traces are severed from things. As for their teaching, they understand that suffering and burden stem from having a physical form; thus they do not preserve the physical form to quell suffering. They know that successive rebirths stem from receiving transformation; thus they do not comply with transformation to seek the Ultimate. In seeking the Ultimate, they do not rely on complying with transformation; not complying with transformation, they do not value the resources that promote worldly progress. In quelling suffering, they do not rely on preserving the physical form; not preserving the physical form, they do not prize the benefits of enriching life. This is where principle departs from physical form, and the Way is contrary to worldly convention. Such persons make their vows when first casting aside the hairpin, and their resolve is manifested in changing their garments. Therefore, all who are in renunciation withdraw from the world to pursue their aspiration, and change worldly customs to attain their Way. Changing worldly customs, their garments and insignia cannot share the etiquette of mundane scriptures; withdrawing from the world, they must hold their conduct aloof. Because this is so, they are able to rescue the drowning worldly people from the sinking current, and pull up the mysterious root across manifold kalpas. They reach far through the ford of the Three Vehicles, and broadly open the path of devas and humans. If a single person perfects his virtue, then the Way will permeate the six relations and its benevolence will flow across the realm under heaven. Although he does not occupy the station of kings and lords, he already accords with the imperial ultimate and provides peace to the living people. Therefore, inwardly he departs from the gravity of natural kinship without violating filial piety; outwardly he lacks the courtesy of serving the sovereign without losing reverence. Looking at it from this perspective, we know that surpassing the surface of transformation to seek the Ultimate means the principle is profound and the significance is earnest; illuminating supreme peace to discuss humaneness means the merit is secondary and the benevolence is shallow. If this is so, even if someone faces the dark mountains and turns back his steps, he would still be ashamed to hear of their manner; how much more so to share filial piety and reverence with those people who comply with transformation and those worthies who merely occupy sinecures?