法苑珠林 89.102

89.102

惟居家持戒凡有四種。一曰下。二曰中。三曰上。四曰上上。若為現樂悑畏惡名。或為家法助隨他意。或避苦役求離諸難。是為下人持戒。若為世間福樂堅持禁戒。是為中人持戒。若為諸法無常欲求離苦無為常樂涅槃。是為上人持戒。若為憐愍眾生。專求佛道了知諸法。深觀實相不畏惡道規招勝樂。是為上上人持戒。故智度論云。下持戒者生人中。中持戒者生六欲天中。上持戒者行四禪四空定。生無色清淨天中。又下清淨。持戒得羅漢道。中清淨持戒得辟支佛道。上清淨持戒得佛道。又正法念經云。若畏師持戒名下持戒。非畏師持戒名中持戒。畏惡道持戒是名上持戒。

Now, among householders upholding the precepts, there are generally four kinds: first, inferior; second, middling; third, superior; fourth, supreme. If one upholds the precepts for the sake of present pleasure, out of fear of a bad reputation, to conform to family customs out of deference to others' wishes, or to avoid harsh labor and seek release from various hardships—this is an inferior person upholding the precepts. If one firmly upholds the restrictive precepts for the sake of worldly blessings and pleasures—this is a middling person upholding the precepts. If, seeing the impermanence of all dharmas, one desires to seek liberation from suffering and the unconditioned, permanent bliss of nirvāṇa—this is a superior person upholding the precepts. If, out of pity for sentient beings, one exclusively seeks the Buddha path, fully comprehends all dharmas, deeply contemplates dharmatā, does not fear the evil destinies, and aims to attain superior bliss—this is a supreme person upholding the precepts. Therefore, the Mahāprajñāpāramitā-śāstra states: 'Those who uphold the precepts in an inferior way are born among humans. Those who uphold the precepts in a middling way are born in the six desire heavens. Those who uphold the precepts in a superior way practice the four dhyānas and the four formless concentrations, and are born in the pure formless heavens.' Furthermore, with inferior purity, upholding the precepts yields the path of an arhat; with middling purity, upholding the precepts yields the path of a pratyekabuddha; with superior purity, upholding the precepts yields the path of a Buddha. Also, the Saddharmasmṛtyupasthāna-sūtra states: 'If one upholds the precepts out of fear of the master, it is called inferior upholding of precepts; if one upholds the precepts not out of fear of the master, it is called middling upholding of precepts; if one upholds the precepts out of fear of the evil destinies, it is called superior upholding of precepts.'