法苑珠林 23.75

23.75

Indeed, the relationship between teacher and disciple is profound, and the study of wisdom is supreme; one should cultivate it through righteous principles, and broad hearing is superior. Thus, Aśvaghoṣa rallied the nearly severed guidelines, and Nāgārjuna revived debates between the Great and Lesser [Vehicles]. The torch of wisdom shone brightly, and pure discourses stood out preeminently. Truly, they could grasp categories and nomenclatures and wash away ancient doubts. Yet to learn without expounding was the sorrow of the father of the Ni clan (Confucius); to fail to comprehend the meaning was the admonition of the Śākya Honored One. Therefore, the sūtra states: “The offering of the Dharma surpasses all offerings.” Hence, the secular text says: “The good man is the teacher of the ungood man, and the ungood man is the resource of the good man.” When receiving and expounding are not discordant, the principle transcends common feelings. If speaking and listening diverge from the central teaching, it will seldom be possible to attain thorough integration. For this reason, once a single image is flawed, the six lines of the hexagram collapse; if a single word goes awry, one incurs calamity across many kalpas. Thus one knows that transmitting the Dharma is not easy, and receiving and listening to it is exceedingly difficult. This is truly because the time since the Sage departed has grown long, and his subtle words have gradually become obscured, while single-mindedly expounding and receiving is indeed difficult to put into practice. One fears that fame and profit will concern the mind, and the defiled emotions will be hard to purify.