法苑珠林 85.11

85.11

Furthermore, the Sūtra of Great Expedient Means for Repaying Kindness states: A bodhisattva constantly and diligently seeks good spiritual friends. For the sake of hearing the Buddhadharma—even a single phrase, a single verse, or a single principle—the afflictions of the tridhātu all wither away. When a bodhisattva earnestly seeks the words of the Buddha, his thirst for the Dharma is so profound that he does not spare his life; even if he must tread upon ground of hot iron and fierce fire, he does not regard it as harm. If a bodhisattva for the sake of a single verse still does not spare his life, how much less for the twelve divisions of scriptures? If for the sake of a single verse he still does not spare his life, how much less for other possessions? Because of the benefits of hearing the Dharma, his body attains ease and comfort, and he generates deep faith, an upright mind, and right view. He regards one who preaches the Dharma as he would his parents, his mind devoid of arrogance. For the sake of sentient beings, he listens to the Dharma with dedicated focus, not for profit or support; for the sake of sentient beings, not for his own benefit; for the sake of the saddharma, he does not fear peril from kings, hunger, thirst, cold, heat, tigers, wolves, fierce beasts, robbers, or thieves. First he tames his own defilements and sense faculties, and only then listens to the Dharma.