集沙門不應拜俗等事 4.33

4.33

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?