三教平心論 1.28

1.28

愈又曰。禁而相生養之道。豈不曰娶婦嫁女所以生育子孫。佛戒女色。所以禁其生養。殊不知。釋氏制戒自有頓漸。曷嘗使人人為曠夫。箇箇為怨女哉。為出家者說菩薩戒。則曰離非梵行。為在家者說優婆塞戒。則曰離邪婬。離非梵行者永斷婬慾也。離邪婬者不犯他人妻女也。般若經曰。菩薩斷欲出家修行梵行能得菩提。楞嚴經曰。婬心不除塵不可出。若不斷婬修禪定者。如蒸砂石欲成其飯。雖經多劫秖名熱沙。此為修菩薩戒者言也。生天十善經云。盡形不邪婬。是故得生天上。毘婆沙論云。若制其自妻。則國王宰官長者不能棄捨自妻室故。佛惟立離犯他妻。此為持優婆塞戒者言也。只儒家設教。戒之在色。亦所以戒女色也而非戒人娶妻也。契為司徒教以人倫。則曰夫婦有別。家人畫卦義在正家。則曰夫夫婦婦。美化行乎江漢則漢上游女不可求思。關睢應於麟趾。則衰世公子無犯非禮。是皆無犯他人妻女之謂也。是即釋氏不淫邪之戒也。故維摩居士亦有妻子常懷遠離。楞嚴經云。於己妻妾未能遠離者。得生天福。曷嘗禁其生養之道哉。

[Han] Yu also said: 'They prohibit the way of mutual procreation and nurture.' Does this not mean that taking a wife and marrying off a daughter is the means to give birth to and nurture descendants, and because the Buddha prohibits female sexuality, he thereby prohibits their procreation and nurture? But he failed to realize that the Buddha's establishment of precepts naturally contains both sudden and gradual [levels]. How did he ever cause every man to be a bachelor and every woman an unwed maid? When preaching the bodhisattva precepts for those who have left home, he says: 'Stay free from non-brahmacarya'; when preaching the upāsaka precepts for householders, he says: 'Stay free from sexual misconduct.' 'Staying free from non-brahmacarya' means forever cutting off sexual desire; 'staying free from sexual misconduct' means not violating another person's wife or daughter. The Prajñā Sūtra says: 'A bodhisattva who cuts off desire, leaves home, and cultivates pure conduct (brahmacarya) is able to attain bodhi.' The Śūraṅgama Sūtra says: 'If sexual lust is not eliminated, worldly defilement cannot be escaped. If one cultivates dhyāna-concentration without cutting off lust, it is like steaming sand and stones hoping to turn them into rice; though kalpas pass, it will still only be called hot sand.' This was spoken for those cultivating the bodhisattva precepts. The Sūtra on Rebirth in Heaven through the Ten Wholesome Deeds says: 'To the end of one's form, not committing sexual misconduct; therefore one attains rebirth in the heavens.' The Vibhāṣā Śāstra says: 'If one were to prohibit their own wives, then kings, ministers, and elders would be unable to renounce their own wives and households; therefore the Buddha established only staying free from violating another's wife.' This was spoken for those upholding the upāsaka precepts. Even in Confucianism's setting up of teachings, 'guarding against sensuality' is likewise meant to guard against female lust, not to prohibit people from marrying a wife. When Xie served as Minister of Education to teach human relations, it was said: 'Between husband and wife there is distinction.' When the hexagram of the Family was drawn, its meaning lay in rectifying the family, and it was said: 'Let the husband be a husband and the wife be a wife.' When moral transformation prevailed along the Jiang and Han rivers, 'The maiden rambling on the Han was not to be sought.' When 'Guanju' matched 'The Lin's Feet,' the sons of a declining age did not commit impropriety. All these refer to not violating another person's wife or daughter. This is precisely the Buddhist precept against sexual misconduct. Thus Layman Vimalakīrti also 'had a wife and children, yet constantly cherished detachment.' The Śūraṅgama Sūtra says: 'Those who are not yet able to stay detached from their own wives and concubines obtain heavenly blessings.' When did it ever prohibit the way of procreation and nurture?