集沙門不應拜俗等事 5.28

5.28

禮無不敬名教是先。君父同資彝倫所尚。況真人善下妙在和光。菩薩不輕義摧我慢（事如司衛議中彈）斯則舛慮齊致分波共源。所以綱紀百王財成萬品者也。而緇黃之侶沿習為常。銷愛敬於君親。行貢高於尊極。苟殉私欲（彈曰。沙門棄鬚髮去華競守道不屈豈殉私耶。易稱言語君子樞機。榮辱在焉何可不慎）坐紊天經。點瀨鄉之清塵。負連河之妙旨（彈曰連河通教皆云。令沙門拜有損君親。謨誥顯然何云負旨）靜言永念。良可寒心（彈曰。梵網經云。出家人法不禮拜國王父母。又薩遮尼乾經云。若人謗聲聞辟支佛法毀呰留難者諸善神王不護其國。四方賊起水旱不調。死亡無數。今不信佛教抑令跪拜。此則謗法。此則留難。若佛語有徵則粉首碎身無以塞責。豈寒心靜念而可免之哉）如愚管見。致拜為允。謹議。

In ritual there is nothing not revered, and the Teaching of Names is placed first. Sovereign and father are equally sustained; this is what the cardinal relationships esteem. Moreover, the Realized Man is good at placing himself below, finding subtlety in softening one's glare; the Bodhisattva Never Despising has his essential purpose in crushing arrogance. (The matter is as critiqued in the deliberation of the Chamberlain for the Palace Patrol.) These divergent thoughts arrive at the same destination; divided streams share the same source. This is that by which the hundred kings regulate order and fashion all things. Yet the companions of black and yellow have followed entrenched habits as ordinary customs, extinguishing love and respect for sovereign and parents, and practicing conceit toward the supreme pinnacle. Merely indulging private desires, (Critique: Śramaṇas cast off hair and beard, abandon worldly striving, and steadfastly preserve the Way without yielding; how could they be indulging private desires? The Book of Changes states: "Words are the hinge and spring of the gentleman; honor and disgrace reside therein." How can one not be cautious?) they casually throw the heavenly norm into disorder, staining the clear dust of Laixiang (Laozi's birthplace) and betraying the wondrous purports of the Lian River (where the Buddha entered parinirvāṇa). (Critique: The universal teachings at the Lian River all state that ordering śramaṇas to bow harms sovereign and parents. The pronouncements and edicts are manifest; how can one say they betray the purports?) Reflecting upon this in silent thought, it is truly chilling to the heart. (Critique: The Brahmājāla Sūtra states: "The rule for renunciants is not to pay homage to kings and parents." Also, the Satyakanirgrantha Sūtra states: "If a person slanders the Dharma of the Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas, reviles and obstructs it, all the good spirit kings will not protect his state; bandits will arise from the four quarters, flood and drought will become irregular, and the dead will be countless." Now, refusing to believe the Buddha's teachings and forcing them to kneel and prostrate is slander of the Dharma, and is obstruction. If the Buddha's words hold true, even smashing the head and crushing the body would not suffice to atone for the offense. How could it be avoided by mere silent thought and a chilled heart?) According to our humble opinion, performing prostrations is appropriate. We respectfully submit our deliberation.