法苑珠林 85.11

85.11

又大方便報恩經云。菩薩常勤求善知識。為聞佛法乃至一句一偈一義。三界煩惱皆悉萎瘁。菩薩志心求佛語時。渴法情重不惜身命。設踐熱鐵猛火之地。不以為患。菩薩為一偈故尚不惜身命。況十二部經。為一偈故尚不惜命。況餘財物。聞法利益故身得安樂。深生信心直心正見。見說法者如見父母。心無憍慢。為眾生故志心聽法。不為利養。為眾生故。不為自利。為正法故。不畏王難飢渴寒熱虎狼惡獸盜賊等事。先自調伏煩惱諸根。然後聽法。

Furthermore, the Sūtra of Great Expedient Means for Repaying Kindness states: A bodhisattva constantly and diligently seeks good spiritual friends. For the sake of hearing the Buddhadharma—even a single phrase, a single verse, or a single principle—the afflictions of the tridhātu all wither away. When a bodhisattva earnestly seeks the words of the Buddha, his thirst for the Dharma is so profound that he does not spare his life; even if he must tread upon ground of hot iron and fierce fire, he does not regard it as harm. If a bodhisattva for the sake of a single verse still does not spare his life, how much less for the twelve divisions of scriptures? If for the sake of a single verse he still does not spare his life, how much less for other possessions? Because of the benefits of hearing the Dharma, his body attains ease and comfort, and he generates deep faith, an upright mind, and right view. He regards one who preaches the Dharma as he would his parents, his mind devoid of arrogance. For the sake of sentient beings, he listens to the Dharma with dedicated focus, not for profit or support; for the sake of sentient beings, not for his own benefit; for the sake of the saddharma, he does not fear peril from kings, hunger, thirst, cold, heat, tigers, wolves, fierce beasts, robbers, or thieves. First he tames his own defilements and sense faculties, and only then listens to the Dharma.