法苑珠林 88.149

88.149

如諸佛盡壽不過中食。我某甲一日一夜不過中食亦如是。我某甲受行八戒隨學諸佛名為布薩。願持是福不墮三惡八難。亦不求輪王梵王世界之樂。願諸煩惱消除逮得薩雲若成就佛道（布薩者秦云共住也）故僧祇律云。佛告比丘。今是齋日喚優婆塞。淨洗浴著淨衣受布薩。又薩婆多論云。必無人受者。但心念口言。自歸三寶我持八戒亦得。又成實論云。有人言。此戒要從他受。其事云何。是亦不定。若無人時但心念口言。乃至我持八戒亦得（女人受戒不假袒髆自外法用並同前說）。

Just as all the Buddhas to the end of their lives do not eat past midday, so I, so-and-so, for one day and one night also do not eat past midday. I, so-and-so, receive and practice the eight precepts, emulating the Buddhas, which is called poṣadha. I vow that by upholding this merit I may not fall into the three evil destinies or the eight difficulties, nor seek the pleasures of the worlds of a cakravartin or a Brahmā king. I vow that all afflictions be eliminated and that I attain sarvajñā and accomplish the Buddha Path.' (As for poṣadha, in Qin it means 'dwelling together'.) Therefore the Mahāsaṃghika-vinaya states: 'The Buddha told the bhikṣus: “Today is a fast-day (poṣadha). Summon the upāsakas to bathe purely, put on clean clothes, and receive the poṣadha.”' Furthermore, the Sarvāstivāda-śāstra states: 'If there is certainly no one to administer them, merely directing the mind and speaking with the mouth: “I take refuge in the Three Jewels, and I uphold the eight precepts,” is also permissible.' Moreover, the Tattvasiddhi-śāstra states: 'Some say: “These precepts must be received from another.” How is this matter? It is also not fixed. If there is no one present, merely directing the mind and speaking with the mouth up to “I uphold the eight precepts” is also permissible.' (For women receiving the precepts, it is not necessary to bare the shoulder; the rest of the ritual method is entirely the same as previously stated.)