法苑珠林 23.32

23.32

Furthermore, the Vibhāṣā-śāstra says: 'Just as when a person looks at the sun, their eyes are not clear and bright, so when one ponders and seeks non-Buddhist books and treatises, it causes the eye of wisdom to be impure. Just as when a person looks at the moon, their eyes are clear and bright, so when one ponders and seeks the sūtras and treatises of the Buddha-Dharma, it causes the eye of wisdom to be clear and bright. If one ponders and seeks external worldly things, it is like striking a monkey, which only produces filth; if one ponders and seeks the Buddha-Dharma, it is like smelting pure gold: the more it is smelted, the purer it becomes.' Furthermore, the Bodhisattva-śīla Sūtra says: 'If a bodhisattva does not read and recite the correct sūtras of the Tathāgata, but reads and recites worldly classics, literary odes, books, and commentaries, they commit an offense. They do not commit an offense if it is for the sake of debate to refute false views, or if two parts are Buddhist sūtras and one part non-Buddhist books. Why is this? It is so that they may know that external scriptures are false dharmas and the Buddha-Dharma is real; so that they may know worldly affairs; and so that they will not be treated with contempt by worldly people.' Based on this textual evidence, if a learner of the Buddha-Dharma completely abandons the internal to pursue the external, they immediately commit an offense. Even if they understand the principles and practice, they may only study them temporarily; in order to subdue non-Buddhists, they must still feel revulsion and advance in cultivating internal endeavors, striving to make them supreme. If they are exclusively indulged and attached, they destroy the saddharma. Therefore the Bodhisattvabhūmi-śāstra says: 'If a bodhisattva abandons what the Buddha taught and does not study it, but instead practices non-Buddhist false treatises and worldly classics, this is called committing a multiplicity of offenses; this offense arises from defilement. If a person of superior intelligence is able to quickly receive and study them and attain unshakeable wisdom, and in their months and days always uses two parts to receive and study the Buddha-Dharma and one part for external classics, this is called not committing an offense. If toward worldly classics and non-Buddhist false teachings one takes pleasure, does not abandon them, and does not form the thought of casting them aside, this is called committing a multiplicity of offenses; this offense arises from defilement.' The verse says: