[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [法苑珠林](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2122) › 87.11 # 法苑珠林 87.11 法苑珠林 87.11 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [87.11](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2122.87.11) 又遺教經云。戒是正順解脫之本。又持此戒得生諸禪定。又奉此戒是汝大師。若我住世無異此也。又智度論云。若求大利當堅持戒。如惜重寶。如護身命。以戒是一切善法住處。又如無足欲行。無翅欲飛。無船欲濟。是不可得。若無淨戒欲得妙果。亦復如是。若棄捨此戒。雖復山居服藥食草與禽獸無異。若能持戒。香聞十方。名聲遠布。天人愛敬。所願皆得。持戒之人壽終之時。刀風解身筋脈斷絕心不怖畏。又地持論云。三十二相無差別因。皆持戒所得。若不持戒尚不得下賤人身。況復大人相報。又成實論云。道品樓觀以戒為郭。禪定心城以戒為柱。要佩戒印得入善眾。又薩婆多論云。佛告比丘。戒有四義。故毀者重於餘經。一戒是佛法平地。萬善由之生長。二一切佛子皆依戒住。若無戒者則無所依。一切眾生由戒而有。三戒是趣涅槃之初門。若無戒者則無由得入泥洹城。四戒是佛法瓔珞。能莊嚴佛法也。又何故律初集。以勝故。祕故。但諸契經不擇時人說而得名經。律則不爾。唯佛自說。要在僧中。故勝也。又依涅槃經云。如圓護持戒乃至沒命終不故犯。佛說喻云。如一羅剎隨度海者總乞浮囊。度者答言。寧殺身命浮囊叵得。羅剎復言。不肯全施見惠其半。彼人爾時亦不施與。如是展轉乞微塵許。彼人爾時乃至微塵亦不施與。菩薩摩訶薩持禁戒時亦復如是。煩惱羅剎教化菩薩令犯四重。護餘輕者菩薩不隨。勸犯僧殘菩薩不許。勸犯波逸提菩薩不肯。勸犯提舍尼菩薩不肯。勸犯突吉羅菩薩不隨。故經云。菩薩摩訶薩持四重禁及突吉羅。敬重堅固等無差別。作是願言。寧以此身投於熾然猛火深坑。終不毀犯三世諸佛禁戒。與居士女等而行不淨。復作是願。寧以熱鐵周匝纏身。終不敢以破戒之身受於信心檀越衣服。復作是願。寧以此口吞熱鐵丸。終不敢以破戒之口食於信心檀越飲食。復作是願。寧臥此身大熱鐵上。終不敢以破戒之身受信心檀越床臥敷具。復作是願。寧以此身受三百鉾。終不敢以破戒之身受信心檀越醫藥。復作是願。寧以此身投熱鐵鑊。終不敢以破戒之身受信心檀越房舍。復作是願。寧以鐵椎打碎此身令如微塵。終不敢以破戒之身受信心檀越禮拜。復作是願。寧以熱鐵挑其兩目。不以染心貪視好色。寧以鐵錐遍耳攙剌。不以染心聽受諸聲。寧以利刀割去其鼻。不以染心貪著諸香。寧以利刀割去其舌。不以染心貪著美味。寧以利斧斬斫其身。不以染心貪著諸觸。何以故。以是因緣能令行者墮於地獄餓鬼畜生。又發願言。菩薩護持如是諸禁戒已。悉以施與一切眾生。願令眾生得清淨戒。不析戒。不退戒。隨順戒。畢竟戒。具足成就波羅蜜戒。菩薩摩訶薩修持如是清淨戒時。即得住於初不動地。 > Furthermore, the Yijiao jing states: "The precepts are the foundation that directly accords with liberation. Furthermore, by upholding these precepts one can produce the various dhyānas and samādhis. Furthermore, upholding these precepts is your great master; even if I remained in the world, it would be no different from this." Furthermore, the Mahāprajñāpāramitā-śāstra states: "If one seeks great benefit, one should firmly uphold the precepts as one would cherish a precious jewel, as one would protect one's own physical life. For the precepts are the dwelling-place of all wholesome dharmas. Furthermore, it is like wishing to walk without feet, wishing to fly without wings, or wishing to cross over without a boat—these are impossible. To wish to attain the sublime fruit without pure precepts is just like this. If one casts aside these precepts, even if one lives in the mountains, ingests medicinal herbs, and feeds on wild grass, one is no different from birds and beasts. If one can uphold the precepts, one's fragrance will spread throughout the ten directions, one's fame will extend far and wide, gods and humans will love and respect one, and all that one wishes for will be obtained. When an upholder of precepts reaches the end of life, even though the wind-knife dismembers the body and severs the sinews and veins, their mind feels no terror." Furthermore, the Bodhisattvabhūmi-śāstra states: "The thirty-two marks have no divergent causes; they are all obtained through upholding the precepts. If one does not uphold the precepts, one will not even obtain the body of a base human, how much less the retribution of the marks of a Great Man!" Furthermore, the Tattvasiddhi-śāstra states: "The multistoried pavilions of the bodhipakṣa dharmas have the precepts as their outer city wall; the mind-citadel of dhyāna has the precepts as its pillars. Only by wearing the seal of the precepts can one enter the assembly of the virtuous." Furthermore, the Sarvāstivāda-śāstra states: "The Buddha told the bhikṣus: 'The precepts have four meanings; therefore, violating them is weightier than violating other scriptures. First, the precepts are the level ground of the Buddhadharma; from them the myriad goods are born and grow. Second, all disciples of the Buddha dwell relying on the precepts; if there were no precepts, they would have nothing upon which to rely. All sentient beings exist by virtue of the precepts. Third, the precepts are the primary gateway to nirvāṇa; if there were no precepts, there would be no way to enter the city of nirvāṇa. Fourth, the precepts are the neck-jewels of the Buddhadharma; they can adorn the Buddhadharma.'" Furthermore, why was the Vinaya compiled first? Because it is superior and because it is esoteric. While the various sūtras were spoken without selection of time or audience and thus gained the name of sūtra, the Vinaya was not so: it was spoken only by the Buddha himself, and necessarily within the Saṅgha; therefore, it is superior. Furthermore, according to the Nirvāṇa Sūtra, one should perfectly protect and uphold the precepts, to the point that even at the cost of life one will never intentionally violate them. The Buddha spoke a parable, saying: It is like a rākṣasa following someone crossing the ocean, begging for their floating raft. The traveler answered, saying: "I would rather lose my life; you cannot have the floating raft." The rākṣasa said again: "If you are unwilling to give all of it, give me half." At that time, that person still would not give it. In this way, \[the rākṣasa\] successively begged down to the measure of a fine dust mote. At that time, that person would not give even a fine dust mote. When a bodhisattva-mahāsattva upholds the prohibitive precepts, it is also like this. When the rākṣasa of afflictions teaches and urges the bodhisattva to violate the four pārājikas and protect the remaining lighter offenses, the bodhisattva does not comply. When it urges violating a saṅghāvaśeṣa, the bodhisattva does not consent. When it urges violating a pāyattika, the bodhisattva is unwilling. When it urges violating a pratideśanīya, the bodhisattva is unwilling. When it urges violating a duṣkṛta, the bodhisattva does not comply. Therefore, the scripture says: A bodhisattva-mahāsattva upholds the four pārājika prohibitions and the duṣkṛtas, revering and maintaining them firmly, equally without distinction. He makes this vow: "I would rather throw this body into a deep pit of blazing fire than ever violate the prohibitive precepts of the Buddhas of the three periods of time, and engage in impurity with women of householder families and the like." He further makes this vow: "I would rather have hot iron wrapped around my body than ever dare, with a body that has broken the precepts, to accept the robes of faithful dānapatis." He further makes this vow: "I would rather swallow hot iron pellets with this mouth than ever dare, with a mouth that has broken the precepts, to eat the food and drink of faithful dānapatis." He further makes this vow: "I would rather lay this body upon great sheets of hot iron than ever dare, with a body that has broken the precepts, to accept the bedding and mats of faithful dānapatis." He further makes this vow: "I would rather endure three hundred spears thrust into this body than ever dare, with a body that has broken the precepts, to accept the medicines of faithful dānapatis." He further makes this vow: "I would rather throw this body into a cauldron of boiling iron than ever dare, with a body that has broken the precepts, to accept the lodgings of faithful dānapatis." He further makes this vow: "I would rather have this body smashed to dust with an iron mallet than ever dare, with a body that has broken the precepts, to accept the prostrations of faithful dānapatis." He further makes this vow: "I would rather have both eyes gouged out with hot iron than, with a defiled mind, gaze covetously upon pleasant forms. I would rather have iron awls pierce and stab completely through both ears than, with a defiled mind, listen to sounds. I would rather have my nose cut off with a sharp knife than, with a defiled mind, crave after fragrances. I would rather have my tongue severed with a sharp knife than, with a defiled mind, crave delicious tastes. I would rather have my body chopped and hacked with a sharp axe than, with a defiled mind, crave tactile sensations." Why is this? Because such causes and conditions can cause a practitioner to fall into hell, the realm of hungry ghosts, or that of animals. Furthermore, he makes the vow: "Having protected and upheld such prohibitive precepts, the bodhisattva gives them all to all sentient beings. May all sentient beings attain pure precepts, unfragmented precepts, non-regressing precepts, accordant precepts, ultimate precepts, and fully accomplish the precepts of the pāramitās." When a bodhisattva-mahāsattva cultivates and upholds such pure precepts, he immediately comes to abide on the first unmoving ground. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 87.10](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2122.87.10) - [Next: 87.12](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2122.87.12) - [Up: 87](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2122.87) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2122~en-mt.87.11) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2122.87.11](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2122.87.11) · Pramāṇa