法苑珠林 23.75

23.75

夫師資義重慧學為勝。修以義方多聞為善。故馬鳴振將絕之綱。龍樹興大小之辯。慧𨅊昭然清論英出。信可該領名數藻雪舊疑。然學而不說尼父所憂。於義不了釋尊所誡。故經曰。法之供養勝諸供養。故外書云。善人是不善人之師不善人是善人之資。受說無違則理超情腑。如說聽乖宗則尠難通會。是以一象既虧則六爻斯墜。一言有失則累劫受殃。故知傳法不易受聽極難。良由去聖日久微言漸昧。而一說一受固亦難行。恐名利關心垢情難淨也。

Indeed, the relationship between teacher and disciple is profound, and the study of wisdom is supreme; one should cultivate it through righteous principles, and broad hearing is superior. Thus, Aśvaghoṣa rallied the nearly severed guidelines, and Nāgārjuna revived debates between the Great and Lesser [Vehicles]. The torch of wisdom shone brightly, and pure discourses stood out preeminently. Truly, they could grasp categories and nomenclatures and wash away ancient doubts. Yet to learn without expounding was the sorrow of the father of the Ni clan (Confucius); to fail to comprehend the meaning was the admonition of the Śākya Honored One. Therefore, the sūtra states: “The offering of the Dharma surpasses all offerings.” Hence, the secular text says: “The good man is the teacher of the ungood man, and the ungood man is the resource of the good man.” When receiving and expounding are not discordant, the principle transcends common feelings. If speaking and listening diverge from the central teaching, it will seldom be possible to attain thorough integration. For this reason, once a single image is flawed, the six lines of the hexagram collapse; if a single word goes awry, one incurs calamity across many kalpas. Thus one knows that transmitting the Dharma is not easy, and receiving and listening to it is exceedingly difficult. This is truly because the time since the Sage departed has grown long, and his subtle words have gradually become obscured, while single-mindedly expounding and receiving is indeed difficult to put into practice. One fears that fame and profit will concern the mind, and the defiled emotions will be hard to purify.