法苑珠林 72.53

72.53

Fourth, explaining attachment to precepts and vows (śīlavrataparāmarśa): for those who falsely cling to precepts and vows, according to their distinct attachments there are naturally two kinds: the first is solitary (independent), and the second is based upon a foot (dependent). The solitary refers to directly taking the upholding of precepts as the path, or taking ascetic practices as the path, or taking dāna as the path, and so on up to taking the concrete concentrations of the eight dhyānas as the true path. Directly grasping the concrete practices performed without knowing they are not the path, falsely clinging to them as the path—this is therefore called solitary attachment to precepts and vows. 'Based upon a foot' refers to foolish persons who do not understand the correct principle and falsely establish right and wrong, saying their own view is correct and grasping it as the true path; this is named attachment to precepts and vows. This subsequent attachment to precepts and vows arises depending upon a prior view; the prior view serves as the foundation for the subsequent attachment to precepts and vows, and that upon which the attachment to precepts and vows relies is called the 'foot'. Therefore, the subsequent mind of attachment to precepts and vows is called the affliction of attachment to precepts and vows based upon a foot. Therefore, practitioners should deliberate well: the teaching of the path is difficult to recognize, so one must seek out good friends; one must not trust oneself. With a foolish mind and inverted views, falsely clinging contrary to the correct, it will instead become unwholesome. One should know that the path is solely contemplation through wisdom; good practices such as precepts and concentration are distant supporting conditions. One must contemplate that sentient beings' form and mind are non-self; the wisdom that sees this principle is alone the path of emergence. Other than this, the various [practices] are all not [the path]. Therefore, if one clings to other good practices as the path, one is identical to the foolish person who clings to precepts as the path; on this account, they are equally termed as being subsumed under the affliction of attachment to precepts and vows. Thus the Abhidharmakośa-śāstra says: '[Taking] what is not the path as the path is called the view of attachment to precepts and vows.'