法苑珠林 33.22

33.22

若欲修造理須如法。造作雖少得福無量。若不依法縱多無益。故佛在金棺敬福經云。經像主莫論道。雇經像之匠莫云客作。造佛布施二人獲福不可度量。欲說其福窮劫不盡。受若約勅是佛真子。如是精誠造少福多。問工匠之法作經像得物。合取直不。佛言。不得取價直。如賣父母取財者。逆過三千。真是天魔。急離吾佛法。非我眷屬。飲酒食肉五辛之徒。不依聖教。雖造經像數如塵沙。其福甚少。蓋不足言。劫燒之時不入海龍王宮。勞而少功。不敬之罪死入地獄。主匠無益諸天不祐。不如不造直心禮拜得福無量。如向所列。造多福少。若像師造像不具相者。五百萬世中諸根不具。第一盡心為上。妙果先昇。

If one wishes to undertake construction and manufacture, in principle it must be done in accordance with the Dharma. Though the production be small, the merit gained is immeasurable; if it is not done in accordance with the Dharma, even if abundant, it brings no benefit. Therefore, the Buddha says in the *Jingfu jing* (Sūtra on Revering Merit from the Golden Coffin): "The patron of scriptures and images must not bargain over prices; the artisans hired for scriptures and images must not speak of it as hire-work. The two people who make Buddhist images and give dāna obtain immeasurable merit; if one wished to describe their merit, kalpas would be exhausted without ending. Those who accept these admonitions are the true children of the Buddha. With such sincere devotion, even making little yields much merit." Question: "According to the rules for artisans, when they make scriptures or images and receive goods, is it permissible to accept payment?" The Buddha said: "They must not accept payment. To take wealth for it is like selling one's father and mother; the offense exceeds the three thousand [great transgressions]. They are truly celestial māras. They must quickly depart from my Buddha-Dharma; they are not my followers. Those who drink wine, eat meat, and consume the five pungent roots, not relying on the holy teachings, though they produce scriptures and images numerous as dust and sand, their merit is extremely slight and scarcely worth mentioning. When the kalpa-fire burns, they will not enter the palace of the Sāgara Dragon King. Their toil brings little reward, and for the sin of disrespect they fall into hell upon death. Both patron and artisan gain no benefit, and the deities will not protect them. It would be better not to make [images], and simply pay homage with a straightforward mind, which obtains immeasurable merit. As listed above, making much yields little merit. If an image-maker makes an image that lacks the complete marks, for five million lifetimes his sense faculties will be incomplete. Doing one's utmost is foremost and supreme; the sublime fruit will be attained first."