法苑珠林 22.8

22.8

又涅槃經云。在家迫迮猶如牢獄。一切煩惱因之而生。出家寬廓猶如虛空。一切善法因之增長。在家之人內則憂念妻兒。外則王役驅馳。若富貴高勝則放逸縱情。貧苦下賤則飢寒失志。公私擾擾晝夜孜孜。眾務牽纏何暇修道。又郁伽長者經云。在家之人多諸煩惱。父母妻子恩愛所繫。常思財色貪求無厭。得時守護多諸憂慮。流轉六趣違離佛法。當作怨家惡知識想應厭家活生出家心。無有在家修集無上菩提之道。皆因出家得無上道。在家塵污。出家妙好。在家繫縛出家解脫。在家多苦。出家快樂。在家下賤。出家尊貴。在家奴僕。出家為主。在家由人。出家自在。在家多憂。出家無憂。在家重擔。出家捨擔。在家怱務。出家閑靜。又出家功德經云。若放男女奴婢人民出家。功德無量。譬四天下滿中羅漢百歲供養。不如有人為涅槃故一日一夜出家受戒功德無量。又如起七寶塔高至三十三天。不如出家功德。又大緣經云。以一日夜出家故。二十劫不墮三惡道。又僧祇律云。以一日夜出家修梵行者。離六百六千六十歲三塗苦。又出家功德經云。若為出家苦作留礙。抑制此人即斷佛種。諸惡集身猶如大海。現得癩病。死入黑闇地獄。無有出期。又迦葉經云。爾時大王太子聞出家功德甚深。並皆發心出家。已四天下中無一眾生在家者。皆悉發心願求出家。彼諸眾生既出家已。不須種殖。其地自然生諸粳米。諸樹自然生諸衣服。一切諸天供侍給使。又佛藏經云。當一心行道。隨順法行勿念衣食。有所須者如來白毫相中一分供諸末代一切出家弟子。亦不能盡。

Furthermore, the Nirvāṇa Sūtra says: "Living in the household is cramped and stifling, like being in a prison; all afflictions arise from it. Leaving the household life is open and vast, like empty space; all wholesome dharmas increase through it. A person living in the household worries internally about wife and children, and is driven externally by the king's corvée. If rich, noble, and exalted, they become dissolute and indulge their desires; if poor, suffering, and lowly, they are starved, cold, and lose their resolve. Public and private affairs trouble them ceaselessly, day and night; entangled in numerous chores, what leisure do they have to cultivate the Way?"
Furthermore, the Sūtra of the Householder Ugra says: "Those who live in the household have many afflictions, bound by affectionate attachment to parents, wives, and children. They constantly crave wealth and sex without satiety; when obtaining them, guarding them brings much anxiety. Transmigrating through the six destinies, they go against and depart from the Buddha's Dharma. They should view [the household] as an enemy and a bad friend, should become revulsed by household life, and generate the resolve to leave the household. No one cultivates and gathers the path to unsurpassed bodhi while staying in the household; it is exclusively by leaving the household that the unsurpassed Way is attained. Living in the household is defiled; leaving the household life is exquisite and good. Living in the household is bondage; leaving the household life is liberation. Living in the household entails much suffering; leaving the household life is joy. Living in the household is base; leaving the household life is noble. Living in the household is being a servant; leaving the household life is being a master. Living in the household is being dependent on others; leaving the household life is being autonomous. Living in the household is full of anxiety; leaving the household life is free of anxiety. Living in the household is a heavy burden; leaving the household life is casting off the burden. Living in the household is bustling affairs; leaving the household life is leisurely and tranquil."
Furthermore, the Sūtra on the Merit of Leaving the Household Life says: "If one permits sons, daughters, servants, or ordinary folk to leave the household, the merit is boundless. For instance, making offerings for a hundred years to arhats filling the four continents does not equal the boundless merit of a person leaving the household and receiving the precepts for a single day and night for the sake of nirvāṇa. Moreover, raising a stupa made of the seven treasures reaching up to the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven does not equal the merit of leaving the household life."
Furthermore, the Dayuan jing says: "By leaving the household for a single day and night, one will not fall into the three evil destinies for twenty kalpas."
Furthermore, the Mahāsāṃghika Vinaya says: "One who leaves the household and cultivates brahmacarya for a single day and night is freed from six thousand, six hundred, and sixty years of suffering in the three paths."
Furthermore, the Sūtra on the Merit of Leaving the Household Life says: "If one creates hardships or obstacles to someone leaving the household, obstructing this person, they thereby sever the seed of Buddhahood. All evils gather upon their body like the great ocean; in this life they will contract leprosy, and upon death fall into the dark hell, with no time of release."
Furthermore, the Sūtra of Kāśyapa says: "At that time, when the crown prince of the great king heard that the merit of leaving the household life was profoundly deep, they all resolved to leave the household. Then, among the four continents, there was not a single sentient being who remained in the household; all gave rise to the resolve and wished to leave the household. Once those sentient beings had left the household, they had no need to sow and cultivate: the earth naturally produced nonglutinous rice, the trees naturally produced clothing, and all devas served and attended to them."
Furthermore, the Sūtra of the Buddha's Treasury says: "You should single-mindedly practice the Way, acting in accord with the Dharma, and not think about food and clothing. Should anything be needed, a single portion of the white curl between the eyebrows of the Tathāgata could provide for all disciples who leave the household life in the Final Age, and it still could not be exhausted."