法苑珠林 19

English (machine translation) 19

Language: English

19.1

Compiled by the śramaṇa Shi Daoshi of Ximing Temple

19.2

Chapter 8: Veneration of the Saṃgha (This has four sections)

19.3

Section on Expounding the Meaning
Section on Citing Evidence
Section on the Benefits of Veneration
Section on Violations and Harm

Now, to discuss the Jewel of the Saṃgha: it means guarding the truth through prohibitive precepts and transcending the mundane in deportment; aspiring to what lies beyond this realm and establishing the Dharma by abandoning the secular world. Official honors cannot sway their intent; relatives cannot burden their thoughts. They propagate the Way to repay the four obligations, and nurture virtue to benefit the beings of the three realms of existence. Transcending humans and devas, weightier than gold and jade—they are called the Saṃgha. From this we know that the benefits of the Jewel of the Saṃgha cannot be fully recorded. Hence the sūtra states: "Whether they uphold the precepts or violate the precepts, whether they are elders or youths, one must deeply venerate them and must not slight or demean them. If one violates this principle, one will incur severe offenses." If one were to wait for a Taigong before appointing a chief minister, there would be no Taigong in a thousand years; if one insisted on having a Kumārajīva for a master's instruction, there would be no Kumārajīva in ten thousand generations. How could one, seeing a single monk commit an error, implicate the lineage of the Buddha above; or seeing a single person fall short in the precepts, slight the supreme Dharma? One may only dismiss a person on account of the Way, because that person fails to propagate the Way; one cannot dismiss the Way on account of the person, because the Way is the teacher of humanity. Therefore, Śākyamuni and the other Buddhas are the true Jewel of the Buddha. The principles, practices, teachings, and fruits spoken by the golden mouth are the true Jewel of the Dharma. The śramaṇas who attain the fruit are the true Jewel of the Saṃgha. They cause ten thousand entanglements to melt like ice with a single glance and a single prostration, and a thousand calamities to disperse like mist with a single praise and a single recitation. Considering our own meager merit, we have not met with the upright teaching, yet relying upon the traces left behind, we fortunately partake of the remaining shade. Gold, sandalwood, bronze, silk, lacquer, ramie, and mineral pigments fashioned into images of the holy countenance are termed the Jewel of the Buddha. Dark words written on paper, silk, bamboo, and fabric are termed the Jewel of the Dharma. Shaving the hair, dyeing the robes, and holding the alms bowl are termed the Jewel of the Saṃgha. Although the forms of these three are provisional, they serve to represent the true manifestations. Venterating them brings an everlasting end to the long stream [of saṃsāra]; scorning them perpetually incurs bitter retributions. Just as [an image of] wood was not one's birth mother, yet prostrating to it won fame resounding for a thousand ages; an ordinary person is not a holy monk, yet venerating them sheds light surpassing ten thousand generations. From this we know that once this ethos has been set in motion, near and far comply with it together. Imperceptibly aiding sentient beings, its divine efficacy cannot be measured. Should there be any slight, the offense incurred is all the greater. Since renunciation has been granted, it is logically appropriate to cast off secular ways. Consider, for instance, the uninstructed court of the Song dynasty, which initially trusted heterodox delusions, alarming the sentiments of the populace and astonishing clergy and laity alike; later, realizing that disaster was looming, they renewed their respect and veneration. The house of Song was merely a petty regime of the Jing barbarians, nestled amid the rugged terrain of the Jiang and Han rivers; how could it be compared to the holy reign of the Golden Wheel of a great empire? Furthermore, as the Book of Rites says, "One clad in armor does not bow"—how could the errors be equal? Those who have cast off the secular world wear the armor of forbearance; for a white-robed layman to grasp their emblems is logically impermissible. Since the Three Jewels are unified, it is appropriate to venerate them equally; one must not selectively observe the Buddha and Dharma while precipitously abandoning the monks and nuns. Hence, the Dharma cannot propagate itself; its propagation lies with humanity. Because humans can propagate the Way, they must be venerated equally.

19.6

Section 2: Citing Evidence

19.7

As the Brahmā's Net Sūtra states: "The dharma of those who have left home does not permit them to bow down to kings, parents, or the six relations, nor do they revere and serve ghosts and spirits." And the Nirvāṇa Sūtra states: "Those who have left home do not bow in veneration to householders."

19.8

The Four-Part Vinaya also states: "The Buddha ordered the bhikṣus to bow down to one another in order of seniority; they should not bow down to any white-robed householder."

19.9

The Sūtra of the Buddha's Former Deeds also states: "After King Śuddhodana, together with his retinue and the hundred officials, had prostrated to the Buddha in sequence, the Buddha said: 'The King may now prostrate to the bhikṣu Upāli and the other bhikṣus.' Hearing the Buddha's instruction, the King arose from his seat and prostrated with his head to the feet of the five hundred bhikṣus and all the renunciants, bowing to them in sequence."

19.10

The Satyaka-nirgrantha Sūtra also states: "If one slanders the teachings of the śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, or the Mahāyāna, reviling and obstructing them, one commits a root offense." (To instruct monks, in accordance with the Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna sūtras, not to bow to sovereigns and parents is to follow the Buddha's teaching; now forcing them to prostrate, contrary to the Buddha's teaching, and making them kneel before laypersons, constitutes disbelief in the Buddha's words, and therefore is a root offense.)

19.11

The Abhidharma-nyāyānusāra-śāstra also states: "The hosts of gods and spirits do not dare to hope for prostrations from those who maintain the five precepts. Likewise, rulers of states do not seek prostrations from bhikṣus, for fear of diminishing their own merit and lifespan."

19.12

The Nirvāṇa Sūtra also states: "The Buddha addressed Kāśyapa: 'If there is someone who establishes and protects the saddharma, one should make requests of such a person and make offerings to them, relinquishing body and life, just as I have spoken in this Mahāyāna sūtra:'

19.13

"One who knows the Dharma, / whether old or young, / should therefore receive offerings, / respectful veneration, and prostrations, / just as fire-worshipping / brahmins and their kind serve fire; / one who knows the Dharma, / whether old or young, / should therefore receive offerings, / respectful veneration, and prostrations, / just as the host of devas / serve and attend upon Śakra."

19.14

Kāśyapa addressed the Buddha: "If there is a senior elder who protects and upholds the prohibitive precepts, and he inquires about and receives what he has not yet heard from a youth, should this person venerate and bow to him or not? If he should venerate and bow to him, then this is not termed upholding the precepts. If a youth who protects and upholds the prohibitive precepts inquires about and receives what he has not yet heard from senior elders who have broken the precepts, should he again prostrate or not? If a renunciant inquires about and receives what he has not yet heard from a householder, should he again prostrate or not? Yet a renunciant should not venerate and bow to a householder. However, in the Buddha's Dharma, the young and junior should respect the venerable and senior, because these seniors were the first to receive the complete precepts and have perfected deportment; therefore, one should respect them and make offerings to them."

19.15

The Madhyama Āgama also states: "How does one know that a person is superior? That is to say, a bhikṣu knows there are two kinds of people: those who have faith and those who lack faith. Those who have faith are superior; those who lack faith are inferior. Furthermore, of those who have faith, there are two kinds: those who frequently go to see bhikṣus, and those who do not frequently go to see bhikṣus. Those who frequently go to see bhikṣus are superior; those who do not frequently go to see bhikṣus are inferior. Furthermore, of those who frequently go to see bhikṣus, there are two kinds: those who bow down in veneration to bhikṣus, and those who do not bow down in veneration to bhikṣus. Those who bow down in veneration to bhikṣus are superior; those who do not bow down in veneration to bhikṣus are inferior. Furthermore, of those who bow down in veneration to bhikṣus, there are two kinds: those who inquire about the sūtras, and those who do not inquire about the sūtras. Those who inquire about the sūtras are superior; those who do not inquire about the sūtras are inferior." The Old Sūtra of Parables also states: "In ancient times, a king went on an excursion. Whenever he saw a śramaṇa, he would descend from his chariot to prostrate. The monk said: 'Your Majesty, stop; you must not descend from your chariot.' The king said: 'I am going up, not down.' The reason he said 'going up, not down' was: 'Now that I pay homage to the monk, after my life ends I shall be born in heaven; for this reason I say going up, not down.'"

19.16

The Samantapāsādikā also states: "King Śuddhodana, having prostrated to the Buddha, addressed the Buddha, saying: 'I have now thrice prostrated to the feet of the Tathāgata. First, when the Buddha was newly born, Asita examined his marks and said: "If he remains at home, he shall become a wheel-turning holy king; if he leaves home to study the Way, he must surely become a Buddha." At that time the earth shook; seeing this divine power, I then prostrated to him. Second, when I went on an excursion, there were men plowing the fields. The Bodhisattva sat beneath a jambu tree; the time was already late afternoon, yet the tree's shadow remained still without shifting, sheltering the Bodhisattva's body. Seeing this divine power, I then prostrated to him. Third, now welcoming the Buddha's arrival in our kingdom, the Buddha ascended into the air and performed eighteen transformations, just as when subduing the non-Buddhists, with no difference in divine power; I then prostrated to him.'"

19.17

The Madhyama Āgama also states: "At that time, the World-Honoured One addressed the bhikṣus: 'In a past age, Śakra, Lord of the Devas, wished to enter a pleasure garden. He then ordered his charioteer to harness a chariot of a thousand horses. The harnessing completed, [the charioteer reported:] "Only the King knows the right time." Śakra, Lord of the Devas, descended from the Palace of Constant Victory, joined his palms facing east, and prostrated to the Buddha. At that time, seeing this, the charioteer's heart was gripped with terror, his hair stood on end, and his whip fell to the ground. Seeing this, Śakra spoke a verse:'

19.18

"Spirit, why are you so anxious and terrified / that the whip has fallen to the ground?"

19.19

The charioteer spoke a verse addressing Śakra:

19.20

"Seeing you, O King Śakra, Lord of the Devas, / husband of Śacī— / the reason fear arose in me / and the whip fell to the ground / is that I always see you, Śakra, Lord of the Devas, / revered and prostrated to / by all the great earths, / by rulers great and small among humans and devas, / by the four guardians of the world, / and by the hosts of the Trāyastriṃśa heaven. / Where else is there one more venerable, / more venerable than Śakra, / that you now face directly east, / join your palms, and pay respectful homage?"

19.21

At that time, Śakra replied in verse:

19.22

"Truly, among all / kings great and small in the world, / the four world-guarding kings, / and the hosts of the Trāyastriṃśa heaven, / I am their supreme sovereign, / and thus all come to revere me. / Yet there is one in the world / who conforms to equal and complete enlightenment, / whose title is the Perfect Great Master; / therefore I bow my head in homage."

19.23

The charioteer again addressed him:

19.24

"He must surely be the supreme one in the world, / to cause the Deva King Śakra / to join his palms in reverence / and bow his head facing east. / I too shall now bow / to the one whom the Deva King bows to."

19.25

The Buddha addressed the bhikṣus: "That Śakra, Lord of the Devas, is a sovereign of sovereign power, yet he still reveres the Buddha, Dharma, and so forth. Bhikṣus who have left home to study the Way should also revere the Buddha in this manner. That Śakra, Lord of the Devas, the husband of Śacī, pays homage to the Dharma and Saṃgha, and also praises those who pay homage to the Dharma and Saṃgha. Since you have been able to leave home with correct faith to study the Way, you should also praise those who pay homage to the Dharma and Saṃgha."

19.26

At that time, Śakra descended from the Palace of Constant Victory, turned in all directions, and joined his palms in respectful homage. The charioteer saw Śakra, Lord of the Devas, descend from the palace, stand in the courtyard, and join his palms in respectful homage toward all directions. Seeing this, he was astonished and frightened, and his whip again fell to the ground; he then spoke a verse:

19.27

"For what reason, O Kauśika, / do you thus honor the homeless ones? / Expound its meaning to me; / thirsty and hungry, I long to hear it."

19.28

Then Śakra, Lord of the Devas, replied in verse:

19.29

"I am truly revering those / who are able to leave home for the homeless life. / Unhindered, they wander in all directions, / not reckoning their movements or stays. / The forms of cities and kingdoms / cannot burden their minds. / They do not store up the requisites of life; / going forward once and for all, their minds are stilled of desire. / Moving, they have nothing to seek, / finding joy only in the unconditioned. / When they speak, it is surely wholesome speech; / when silent, they abide in calm concentration. / The devas and asuras / are constantly in opposition to one another; / humans among themselves dispute, / their opposition being just the same. / Only those who have left home / have no contention amid all contentions. / Toward all living beings, / they lay down weapons and staves. / Regarding wealth, they are detached from wealth and sex; / they are neither intoxicated nor dissolute. / Far removed from all evils, / therefore do I bow to them in homage."

19.30

At that time, the charioteer spoke another verse:

19.31

"The one whom the Deva King reveres / must surely be supreme in the world; / therefore, from this day forward, / I shall bow down to those who have left home."

19.32

Furthermore, the Sūtra of King Puda states: At that time, there was a king of the country of Fuyan named Puda, who held sway over various kingdoms and received tribute from the four directions. The king personally honoured the Buddha-Dharma and was never biased or unjust. He constantly harboured a compassionate mind, pitying the foolish commoners who did not know the Three Jewels. Whenever he observed the fast, he would mount a high tower to burn incense; returning, he would touch his head to the ground and prostrate in veneration. The ministers and people of the kingdom marvelled at the king acting thus, and conferred amongst themselves, saying, 'The king occupies the most revered position over the myriad people; those far and near revere and submit to him. Whatever he speaks, people follow. What inclination does he have to humiliate his dignified manner and touch his head and face to the ground?' The various ministers conferred repeatedly, wishing to remonstrate but not daring to do so. The king commanded his subordinates to prepare his chariot for a journey. The king then set out from the palace with several thousand officials and commoners. Not far along, he suddenly saw a man of the Way. The king immediately descended from his chariot, put aside his parasol, halted his retinue, and touched his head and face to the ground to venerate the man of the Way. He promptly followed him back and prepared food and drink, so that the journey was ultimately not completed. Thereupon the ministers remonstrated, saying, 'The Great King is supremely venerable; why is it fitting to touch your head and face to the ground on the road for this begging man of the Way? In all under heaven, what is honoured and noble is only the head and face; moreover, as lord of the kingdom, you are unlike others.' The king then commanded his subordinates to seek out a dead human's head as well as the heads of an ox, a horse, a pig, and a sheep. The subordinates immediately went all about searching for them, and only after several days did they obtain them. They returned and reported to the king, saying, 'Previously we were instructed to seek a dead human's head and the heads of the six domestic animals. Now we have obtained them all.' The king said, 'Sell them in the marketplace.' The subordinates then sent people to sell them. The heads of the ox, horse, pig, and sheep were all sold; only the human head was not sold. The king said, 'Sell it cheaply or dearly, just make haste to sell it. If it cannot be sold, then give it away to someone.' In this way, after several days of trying to sell it, it was still not sold; and when giving it away, no one would take it either. The head was completely bloated and stank so foully that none could approach it. The king then feigned great anger and addressed his subordinates, saying, 'You people previously remonstrated, saying that a human's head is most noble and that one must not humiliate oneself by touching head and face to the ground to venerate a man of the Way. When ordered to sell them, the heads of the six domestic animals all found buyers. For what reason is there no one who will take a human's head even when given away?' The king immediately commanded his subordinates to prepare the chariot to go out to the marshes in the wilderness outside the city. The king had questions to ask, and the ministers and people were all terrified. The king then addressed the ministers, saying, 'Do you happen to remember the young boy who used to hold the parasol during the time of my royal predecessor, or not?' The ministers replied, saying, 'We truly remember that he existed.' The king said, 'Where is this boy now?' They replied, 'He has been dead for a long time, indeed through seventeen years.' The king said, 'How was this boy's character, good or bad?' They replied, saying, 'We often observed him serving the late king, observing the fast with reverent solemnity, guarding himself with honesty and good faith, and never speaking what was contrary to Dharma.' The king told the ministers, 'If you were now to see the clothes this boy wore while alive, would you recognise them or not?' The ministers replied, saying, 'Although it has been a long time, we would still recognise them.' The king looked to his attendants and sent them in haste back to the inner storehouse to fetch the former dead boy's clothes. In an instant, the clothes arrived. He said, 'Are these they, or not?' They replied, 'They truly are his clothes.' The king said, 'If you were now to see the boy's body, would you recognise him or not?' The ministers were all silent for a long while, [then said,] 'We are dull and benighted, and upon seeing him abruptly we might not distinguish him.' The king was just about to explain the origin when the man of the Way seen before arrived at the king's place. The king was overjoyed; he stood up and touched his head and face to the ground to venerate the man of the Way. None of the ministers was not delighted. The man of the Way took a seat. The king joined his palms and fully stated the previous circumstances: 'Today I deliberately came forth in procession wishing to reveal the origin and outcome; I pray that you will guide and instruct the ministers and people of this kingdom out of their foolish ignorance, causing them to know the true Dharma.' The man of the Way immediately explained to the subordinates the king's original transformation: 'If you wish to know about the king: originally he was the young boy who held the parasol for the late king, constantly following the late king in observing the fast without violating it for a single day. Afterwards, when he passed away, his consciousness was reborn as the son of the king. Attaining supreme nobility today is entirely due to past deeds.' High and low among the ministers all agreed in unison, saying, 'We have had the fortunate encounter of beholding the man of the Way; we pray that you will extend your pity and compassion, and grant that we may become your disciples.' The man of the Way told them, saying, 'My teacher is named the Buddha. His body is complete with the marks and signs; he walks alone through the three realms, and his teachings are not in vain. The Buddha is now six thousand li away from here.' Within the space of a brief conversation, the man of the Way flew to the kingdom of Śrāvastī and fully reported to the Buddha: 'The people of that kingdom are greatly to be pitied; now they all sincerely wish to see the Buddha. We pray only that you bestow your great compassion and disclose the true path.' The Buddha then granted permission. The next day he arrived in the kingdom of Fuyan. The Buddha expounded the Dharma for the king, ministers, and people, saying, 'Do you wish to know the origin and outcome of King Puda and the man of the Way?' Ānanda said, 'We wish to hear of this matter.' The Buddha said, 'Long ago, in the time of the Buddha Mahāvīra, the king was the son of a great family whose father made offerings to the Three Jewels. The father commanded the son to pass around incense. At that time, there was an attendant who, being slighted in his mind, was not given incense. Because karmic offences and blessings correspond like echoes, he thus incurred this misfortune: although he was temporarily a servant, he honoured the Dharma without falsehood, and now has attained kingship. The man of the Way was originally that attendant. At that time, he did not obtain incense, yet although he did not obtain incense, his mind held no resentment; he immediately made a vow, saying: "If I attain the Way, I shall deliver this person." His merit and vow have borne fruit and united, so today he has come to deliver the king and the people.' When the king heard the Buddha explain their origin and outcome, his mind understood and he immediately attained the stage of srotāpanna. When the people in the kingdom heard the sūtra, they all received the five precepts and the ten virtues as their constant rule.

19.33

Furthermore, the Aśokāvadāna states: In the past, King Aśoka saw a seven-year-old śrāmaṇera, took him to a secluded place, and venerated him. He said to the śrāmaṇera, 'Do not tell others that I venerated you.' At that time, there was a washing vase before the śrāmaṇera; the śrāmaṇera immediately entered into it, and then came out again from within the washing vase, saying to him, 'Take care, O King, not to tell others that the śrāmaṇera entered into the washing vase and came out again.' The king immediately said to the śrāmaṇera, 'I shall openly tell people now; it can no longer be concealed.' Therefore, the various sūtras all state: Although a śrāmaṇera is young, he must not be disparaged; although a prince is young, he must not be disparaged; although a young dragon is small, it must not be disparaged. Although a śrāmaṇera is young, he can deliver people; although a prince is young, he can kill people; although a young dragon is small, it can raise clouds; and because it raises clouds, it brings rain, thunder, and lightning bolts. Considering what is small about them, they must not be disparaged.

19.34

Furthermore, the Sūtra on the Transmission of the Dharma Pitaka states: Formerly, one hundred years after the Buddha's nirvāṇa, there was King Aśoka, who faithfully revered the Three Jewels and constantly held the great pañcapariṣad assembly. When the day of the assembly arrived, the king bathed in perfumed water, donned new, pure garments, climbed atop a high tower, and made prostrations in the four directions, inviting the assembly of monks from afar. The noble assembly flew there, totaling two hundred thousand. The depth of the king's faithful mind was difficult to fathom: seeing the various śramaṇas, whether old or young, common or noble, he welcomed, greeted, revered, and prostrated to them all. At that time, there was a minister named Yaśas whose wrong views flared fiercely and who lacked a mind of faith and reverence. Seeing the king make prostrations, he spoke these words: 'The king is extremely unwise, bending his noble virtue to bow to children.' Having heard this, the king then ordered his ministers, sending each to search for hundred kinds of beasts that had died naturally, requiring one head per person, but commanded Yaśas alone to seek a human head. Having obtained them, each was ordered to go to the marketplace to sell them. All the other heads were sold; but as for Yaśas's human head, whoever saw it detested and disdained it, and there were no buyers at all. After several days, it began to stink; when the crowd saw it, they all reviled and abused him, saying to him, 'You are not a caṇḍāla, a yakṣa, or a rākṣasa now; why do you hold a dead human's head to sell?' At that time, having been reviled and abused, Yaśas came to the king's place and reported to the king, saying, 'When I tried to sell the human head, I was instead reviled and abused; no one even wanted to look at it, let alone buy it.' The king spoke to him again, 'If there are no buyers, you should just give it away for nothing.' Yaśas received the command and carried it back into the marketplace, proclaiming to the crowd, 'Whoever lacks money to buy it, I will give it away for nothing now.' When the people of the market heard this, they reviled and abused him all the more, and none was willing to take it. Ashamed, Yaśas returned to the king's place, joined his palms, and reported to the king, 'This head is difficult to sell; when given away for nothing, no one takes it and I am instead reviled and abused, let alone finding any buyers.' The king asked Yaśas, 'What thing is most noble?' Yaśas answered the king, 'Man is most noble.' The king said, 'If noble, for what reason was it not sold?' Yaśas answered the king, 'Although human life is noble, in death it is base.' The king asked Yaśas, 'If my head were dead, would it be just as base as this, or not?' Yaśas was terrified and fearful, not daring to answer. The king immediately told him, 'I grant you fearlessness; you must answer truthfully.' In terror, Yaśas bowed his head and answered the king, 'If the king's head were dead, it would also be just as base as this.' The king said to Yaśas, 'If my head in death would be just as base as this, why do you wonder at my paying reverent homage to the saṃgha? If you were my true spiritual friend, you should encourage me to exchange a fragile head for a solid head; how could you stop my prostrations today?' Hearing these words from the king, Yaśas only then felt regret and self-reproach, abandoned the wrong to follow the right, and took refuge in and revered the Three Jewels. For this reason, sentient beings who hear of this, if they see the Three Jewels, should revere and prostrate with the utmost mind.

19.35

Furthermore, the Dharmaguptaka-vinaya states: The arhat Piṇḍola was originally a minister of King Udayana. Due to diligent austerities, the king permitted him to renounce the householder's life, and he attained the fruit of an arhat. Afterwards, whenever the king went out of the city to pay homage, the monastery was twenty li from the city. The various sycophantic ministers saw that Piṇḍola did not rise to welcome the king, and with evil minds remonstrated with the king. Later, the king accepted the sycophantic ministers' advice, endangered [by their words], and wished to kill him. When Piṇḍola saw the king coming and entering the gate later, he immediately descended from his couch and walked seven paces to welcome him. The king said angrily, 'The Venerable One has always been difficult to move; why do you now leave your seat to welcome me?' He answered, saying, 'Previously the king came with a good mind, therefore I did not rise to welcome you; today you come harbouring an evil mind, and if I did not rise to welcome you, I feared I would be killed.' The king sighed, saying, 'Excellent! I, your disciple, was foolish and muddled, falsely accepting sycophantic words and not discerning between the common and the noble.' Although the king's request for repentance spared him from hell, Piṇḍola nonetheless predicted for the king that because a monk had risen to welcome him, after seven days he would certainly lose his royal throne. It turned out exactly as predicted: a neighbouring country raised troops and came to seize him, and he was chained by the feet and imprisoned for twelve years (and so forth, as detailed elsewhere).

19.36

The commentary says: For this reason, one must especially be reverent and prudent, and not elevate oneself, lest it damage one's future retribution. Recently, I have seen worldly people who, upon receiving a minor official post, do not generate faithful minds, but falsely produce arrogance, scolding and reviling monks and nuns with all kinds of humiliation. Or, having them stand before the court hall while remaining seated on high couches, they dispatch people to drag and pull them, shaming and beating them contrary to principle. In destroying the good and increasing evil, nothing exceeds such acts as these. Even if [clergy] violate royal laws, it must be handled according to principle; although secular law is carried out, internally one must examine oneself with shame. Clergy and laity alike are ordinary mortals dwelling in the three realms; before attaining the noble state, who is without fault? Yet as for those who renounce the householder's life, even if they have no real practice within, outwardly they display shaved heads and bodies clad in the kāṣāya; beholding these forms engenders goodness, and those who see them produce reverence. Monks and nuns who break the precepts are still able to mount the seat and expound the Dharma in diverse ways to benefit the multitudes of sentient beings. When other people hear and see this, they cultivate and uphold the six perfections, successively transforming one another. Because of cultivating good deeds, in their future places of birth they attain rebirth among humans and devas in the short term, and achieve the noble fruit in the long run. Having attained this noble state, they further successively bring inexhaustible benefits. For instance, just as a single lamp lights hundreds of thousands of lamps, its brightness is never exhausted. Measuring this inexhaustible Dharma, all this great benefit is attained through the teaching and converting merits of those former monks and nuns who broke the precepts. Since there is such benefit, each must be prudent. Even if one succeeds in mistreating hundreds, thousands, or tens of thousands of renunciants, one cannot in the present attain the slightest benefit; one only adds to one's bad reputation spreading throughout the four seas, and will undergo calamity across kalpas in future places of birth. Therefore a sūtra says: 'A single thought of evil can open the five gates of unwholesomeness,' as will be recounted below.

19.37

Furthermore, the Saṃyuktaratnapiṭaka-sūtra states: The king of the Yuezhi kingdom was named Candana Kaniṣka. Having heard that in the kingdom of Kaśmīra there was a venerable arhat named Jñāta who possessed great renown, he wished to meet him. Thereupon, accompanied by his ministers, he set out for that kingdom. Midway on the journey, a thought secretly arose in his heart: 'I am now a king, ruling over all the people beneath heaven, none of whom do not revere and submit to me. Unless he is truly virtuous, how could he be worthy of my offerings?' Having thought this, he then proceeded forward. Someone in that kingdom reported to the venerable one, 'The Yuezhi king and his ministers have come from afar to meet you. We pray only that you will adjust your robes and receive him.' The venerable one replied, 'I have heard the Buddha's words: the path of the renunciant is exalted beyond the secular realm; virtue alone is one's duty. How could I go out to receive him on account of mere clothing?' He then remained silent, sitting upright without going out. Thereupon, the Yuezhi king arrived at his dwelling place. Seeing the venerable Jñāta and beholding his majestic virtue, his reverence and faith doubled. He stepped forward, bowed his head, and stood to one side. At that time, the venerable one wished to spit. Without realizing it, the king of the Yuezhi stepped forward to hand him a spittoon. Then the venerable one said to the king: 'This poor monk is currently not worthy to be a puṇyakṣetra for Your Majesty. Why has Your Majesty personally lowered your divine carriage?' At that time, the Yuezhi king felt profound shame: 'He already knew the subtle thought that secretly arose in my mind earlier. If he were not of divine virtue, how could he do so?' The venerable one then briefly explained the Dharma to the king: 'The way the king came was good; your departing will be like your coming.' Having heard the teaching, the king then returned to his country. When they were midway on the road, the ministers complained: 'We followed the Great King from afar to that country, yet in the end heard nothing, only to return to our kingdom in vain.' The king then told them: 'Earlier, the venerable one spoke the Dharma for me, saying, "The way you came was good; your departing will be like your coming." Do you not understand this? Because in the past I maintained the precepts, practiced dāna, and cultivated merit to plant the seed of kingship, I now enjoy this position. If I cultivate and accumulate goodness again, in future lives I will surely receive blessings anew. Therefore he admonished me, saying: "The way the king came was good; your departing will be like your coming."' Having heard this, the ministers bowed their heads and apologized: 'We, your inferior and foolish subjects, secretly gave rise to mistaken interpretations. The Great King's divine virtue subtly tallies with the profound purport; by planting accumulated virtue, you therefore enjoy this position.' The ministers rejoiced, spoke thus, and withdrew.

19.38

Furthermore, the Daśādhyāya-vinaya states: At that time, the World-Honoured One recounted a story of a past life (jātaka) and spoke to the monks: In a past age, near the Himalayas, three animals lived together: first, a francolin; second, a monkey; and third, an elephant. At first, these three animals treated each other with contempt, having no conduct of reverence. Together they thought: 'Why do we not revere each other? Whichever of us was born first should be provided for, respected, and should instruct us.' Thereupon the francolin and the monkey asked the elephant: 'What do you remember of the past?' At that time, in that place, there was a large pippali tree. The elephant said: 'When I was young and walked, this tree passed under my belly.' The elephant and the francolin asked the monkey: 'What do you remember?' He replied: 'I remember that when I was young, I sat on the ground, grasped the top of this tree, and pressed it down to the earth.' The elephant said to the monkey: 'You are older than me; I should revere you, and you should speak the Dharma for me.' The elephant and the monkey asked the francolin: 'What do you remember?' He replied: 'There was a large pippali tree; I ate its fruit and defecated here, and so this tree grew and became as large as this. This is what I remember.' The monkey said to the francolin: 'You are older than me; I should make offerings to you, and you should speak the Dharma for me.' At that time, the elephant revered the monkey, listened to and received the Dharma from him, and spoke it to the other elephants. The monkey revered the francolin, listened to and received the Dharma from him, and spoke the Dharma to the other monkeys. The francolin spoke the Dharma to the other francolins. (According to the Caturvargika-vinaya, the bird rode on the monkey, the monkey rode on the elephant, and traveling everywhere, they transformed others and spoke the Dharma.) Formerly, these three animals were fond of killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, and false speech; later, they admonished and stopped each other, abandoning these faults, and upon the end of their lives, all were born in the heavens. At that time, the people of the world saw the animals widely practicing good dharmas and not trespassing upon people's crops. They each admonished one another, saying: 'Even beasts can show reverence, how much more so should we!' Thereupon, the people of the world all revered one another and observed the five precepts; after the end of their lives, they all attained birth in heaven. The Buddha said to the monks: 'The francolin of that time was myself; the monkey was Śāriputra; the elephant was Maudgalyāyana.' The Buddha said: 'Even ignorant beasts showed mutual reverence to benefit themselves and others; how much more so should you, having gone forth into homelessness out of faith, not revere each other?' Thereupon, the World-Honoured One spoke a verse:

19.39

"If a person does not revere the Buddha
And the assembly of the Buddha's disciples,
In the present life people will scold and revile them,
And in the future life they will fall into evil destinies.
If a person knows to revere the Buddha
And the assembly of the Buddha's disciples,
In the present life people will praise them,
And in the future life they will be born in heaven."

19.40

After the Buddha, by various causes and conditions, had praised the dharma of reverence, he said to the monks: 'From now on, whoever receives the full precepts earlier, even by a single muhūrta, that person should sit first, receive water first, and receive food and drink first.'

19.41

Section 3: Benefits of Reverence

19.42

As the Ratnagotravibhāga states: The Three Jewels have six meanings, which is why they must be revered. First is the meaning of rarity: just as worldly precious objects cannot be obtained by the poor, so it is with the Three Jewels—sentient beings of meager merit cannot encounter them in hundreds of thousands of myriad lifetimes; therefore they are called jewels. Second is the meaning of freedom from defilement: just as worldly genuine jewels have no flaws or filth in their substance, so it is with the Three Jewels—they are utterly free from all outflows; therefore they are called jewels. Third is the meaning of power: just as worldly precious jewels have great power to eliminate poverty and expel poison, so it is with the Three Jewels—they possess the inconceivable power of the six supernatural knowledges (ṣaḍ-abhijñā); therefore they are spoken of as jewels. Fourth is the meaning of adornment: just as worldly precious jewels can adorn the body and head, making the person attractive, so it is with the Three Jewels—because they can adorn the pure body of the practitioner; therefore they are spoken of as jewels. Fifth is the meaning of supreme excellence: just as worldly precious jewels are the finest among all things, so it is with the Three Jewels—they are the most superior in all the world; therefore they are called jewels. Sixth is the meaning of immutability: just as worldly genuine gold cannot be altered by burning, striking, or polishing, so it is with the Three Jewels—they are not altered by the eight worldly dharmas; therefore they are called jewels. Furthermore, they encompass six intentions, which is why they must be revered: first, the Buddha is able to instruct, the Dharma is good medicine, and the Saṃgha can transmit and circulate it—all bringing benefit to me; thus they are revered to repay their kindness; second, in the evil times of the final age, transmitting the Dharma is difficult, so we request their awe-inspiring protection; therefore we must pay reverence; third, to generate faith in living beings so that they receive and uphold it, they are revered; fourth, to demonstrate the etiquette of reverence for monks and nuns; fifth, to make people delight in offerings so that the Dharma may long endure, they are revered; sixth, to manifest supreme characteristics, they are revered. Therefore, the Tattvasiddhi-śāstra states: 'The Three Jewels are the most auspicious; hence, I place them at the beginning of the treatise.'

19.43

Section 4: Transgression and Damage

19.44

As the Xiangfa jueyi jing states: Even down to all secular people, regardless of noble or base status, they must not beat the slaves, maidservants, or livestock of the Three Jewels, nor receive prostrations from the slaves and maidservants of the Three Jewels; all [such acts] incur calamity and blame. Therefore, the Satyaka-nirgrantha-sūtra states: 'If one destroys stūpas and temples, or takes the property of the Buddha, or teaches others to do so, or rejoices in it; or if there is a śramaṇa whose body wears dyed robes, whether maintaining or breaking the precepts, and one ties them up, beats them, imprisons them, forces them to return to lay life, or cuts off their life—if one commits such root major offenses, one will definitely fall into hell and suffer the torment of Avīci. Because such unwholesomeness is practiced within the kingdom, all the ṛṣis and holy ones will leave the country, the mighty spirits will not protect the realm, ministers will dispute and fight, and uprisings will arise from all four directions. Floods and droughts will be unregulated, winds and rains will lose their season, the people will starve, bandits will run rampant, pestilence and diseases will claim countless lives, and without knowing that this was caused by themselves, they will blame the gods.'

19.45

Furthermore, the Prajñāpāramitā-sūtra for Humane Kings states: 'Kings and ministers rely on their own nobility to destroy and eradicate My Dharma, making prohibitive regulations to restrain My disciples, not allowing them to go forth into homelessness, not allowing them to make Buddha statues, establishing monastic controller systems and the like, and registering and compiling records of monks. The bhikṣus stand on the ground while the white-robed [laity] sit on high seats. Furthermore, kings and crown princes arbitrarily create legal regulations, not relying on the Buddha's teachings of causes and conditions; through conditions that break the Saṃgha, monastic controllers supervise the Saṃgha and manage the registers of monks, harshly constraining them—[thus] the Buddha-Dharma will not endure long.'

19.46

Furthermore, the Mahāsaṃnipāta-sūtra states: The Buddha said: 'All sentient beings in the present age and in future ages should deeply believe in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Saṃgha. Those sentient beings will always receive superior, wonderful retributions among humans and devas, and before long will attain entry into the City of Fearlessness. Thus, down to offering to a single person who has gone forth for My sake, and to those who rely on Me by shaving their hair and beard and wearing a piece of kāṣāya without yet receiving the precepts—making offerings to such people also yields merit, even leading to entry into the City of Fearlessness. For this reason, I speak thus: If there is someone who has gone forth for My sake, does not observe the monastic rules, but has shaved their hair and beard and wears a piece of kāṣāya, if someone wrongfully torments and harms them, they even destroy the Dharma-body and retribution-body of all Buddhas of the three periods of time, and even cause the three evil destinies to be filled.' Therefore, the Buddha said: 'If there are sentient beings who go forth for My sake, shave their hair and beard, and put on the kāṣāya, even if they do not maintain the precepts, they have all already been sealed by the seal of nirvāṇa. If there are those who have gone forth and do not maintain the precepts, and someone wrongfully harasses and disturbs them, scolding, reviling, defaming them, beating, binding, or hacking them with hands, swords, or staves, or seizing their robes, bowls, and various necessities of life—such a person destroys the true retribution-body of all Buddhas of the three periods of time and gouges out the eyes of all devas and humans. Because this person desires to extinguish all the Saddharma and the seed of the Three Jewels of all Buddhas, causes all devas and humans to fail to gain benefit and fall into hell, and causes the three evil destinies to increase and become full.'

19.47

At that time, the lord of the Sahā world, the Great Brahmā King, addressed the Buddha: 'If someone shaves their hair and beard and wears the kāṣāya for the Buddha, yet does not receive the precepts, or having received them, violates them, and a kṣatriya king harasses, reviles, beats, or binds them, how much sin does he incur?' The Buddha said: 'Great Brahmā, I shall now briefly explain it for you. If someone were to cause the body of a Buddha to bleed at the places of tens of thousands of koṭis of Buddhas, what do you think? Would the sin incurred by that person be great or not?' The Great Brahmā King said: 'If a person sheds the blood of only one Buddha's body, he incurs the retribution of the Avīci torment, which is already immeasurably countless, causing him to fall into the great Avīci hell; how much more so shed the blood of tens of thousands of koṭis of Buddhas? There is no one who can fully describe the retribution for that person's sinful karma, except for the Tathāgata.' The Buddha said: 'Great Brahmā, if someone harasses, reviles, beats, or binds one who has shaved their hair and worn a piece of kāṣāya for My sake, whether not receiving the precepts or having received them and violated them, the sin incurred is greater than that. Why is this? Because this person can still show the path to nirvāṇa to devas and humans. This person has already generated reverent faith in their heart toward the Three Jewels, surpassing all ninety-five [non-Buddhist] paths. That person will surely be able to quickly enter nirvāṇa, surpassing all householders and laypeople, except for householders who have attained patience (kṣānti). Therefore, devas and humans should make offerings to them, how much more so to those who can fully uphold the precepts and whose three activities (karma) are in mutual harmony! If any kings and all their ministers and judges see one who has gone forth in My Dharma commit major sinful karma—great killing, great stealing, great defilement of celibacy, great false speech, and other unwholesome deeds—they should only expel them from the country, not permitting them to stay in the monastery or share in the communal affairs of the Saṃgha. They must not whip or beat them, nor should they use verbal karma to scold or revile them, or inflict physical punishment upon their bodies. If they deliberately violate the Dharma and punish them, those people will fall back from liberation, receive inferior rebirths, be estranged from all good destinies of humans and devas, and will definitely head for the Avīci hell. How much more so if they whip and beat those who maintain the precepts fully for the Buddha's household!'

19.48

Furthermore, the *Daśacakra-sūtra* states: The Buddha said, “Son of good family, there are four kinds of saṃgha. What are the four? First, the saṃgha of ultimate meaning; second, the pure saṃgha; third, the mute sheep saṃgha; and fourth, the shameless saṃgha. What is called the saṃgha of ultimate meaning? The buddhas, bodhisattvas, pratyekabuddhas, and the four fruits of the śramaṇa—these seven kinds of persons are called the saṃgha of ultimate meaning. Laypersons who attain the noble fruits are also called the saṃgha of ultimate meaning. What is called the pure saṃgha? All those who are able to uphold the complete precepts are called the pure saṃgha. What is called the mute sheep saṃgha? Those who do not know what constitutes an offense or non-offense, whether an offense is grave, light, or subtle, or whether it can be confessed; who are foolish and without wisdom, do not draw close to good spiritual friends, and cannot inquire into the profound meaning of what is good and what is not good—such characteristics are called the mute sheep saṃgha. What is called the shameless saṃgha? If someone enters the Buddha's Dharma merely to sustain their own livelihood, transgresses all [the precepts], breaks the harmonious saṃgha, does not fear future lives, gives free rein to the six passions, and is greedily attached to the five desires—such persons are called the shameless saṃgha. (All four of these kinds of saṃgha must be revered.)”

19.49

Furthermore, the *Mahākaruṇā-sūtra* states: The Buddha told Ānanda, “In my Dharma, so long as someone is a śramaṇa by disposition, defiles the conduct of a śramaṇa, calls himself a śramaṇa, looks like a śramaṇa, and comes to wear the kāṣāya robe—in this Bhadrakalpa, beginning with Maitreya and ending with the final Tathāgata Vairocana, across these one thousand buddhas, all those śramaṇas will successively enter parinirvāṇa in the realm of nirvāṇa without remainder, without exception. Why is this? Among all such śramaṇas, even if they have only once invoked the Buddha's name and once given rise to faith, the merit they have created will ultimately not be in vain. Ānanda, by the Buddha's wisdom I fathom and know the Dharmadhātu; there is nothing I do not fathom and know. Ānanda, all white karma receives white retribution, and black karma receives black retribution. If there are living beings of pure mind who invoke and say, ‘Namo Buddhāya,’ by virtue of that root of goodness they will certainly draw near to nirvāṇa—how much more so if they encounter a buddha and attend upon and make offerings to him in person!”

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法苑珠林 — 道世, Classical Chinese