集沙門不應拜俗等事 4.33

4.33

一臣又親難彼僧曰。維摩經。比丘亦禮維摩詰足。法華經。僧行普敬。此二經文。拜俗明矣。何因比丘得不拜尊者。僧曰。佛制律經乃是僧尼常軌。其維摩經比丘荷法。暫行曲禮。法花經大士一時別行。何得以權時別行亂茲恒典。臣深然之。臣聞妻死鼓盆環屍而歌。此亦一時別行。豈得預於喪服之制。

Second: Your minister also personally challenged those monks, saying: 'In the Vimalakīrti Sūtra, monks also bow at the feet of Vimalakīrti; in the Lotus Sūtra, a monk practices universal reverence. These two sūtra texts clearly show bowing to laypeople. On what basis may monks not bow to the venerable ones?' The monks said: 'The Vinaya scriptures instituted by the Buddha are the constant regulations for monks and nuns. As for the Vimalakīrti Sūtra, the monks, being indebted to the Dharma, temporarily performed an exceptional courtesy; in the Lotus Sūtra, the Great Being engaged in a unique practice for a time. How can temporary, exceptional practices throw these constant standards into confusion?' Your minister strongly agreed. Your minister has heard that when his wife died, Zhuangzi drummed on a tub and sang around the corpse; this too was an exceptional practice for a time. How could it be admitted into the system of mourning garments?