法苑珠林 87.81

87.81

As the Sarvāstivāda-śāstra states: It asks: 'When another person seeks and receives the refuges on someone's behalf, does that person attain them or not?' The answer states: 'There are cases of attaining and not attaining. Like the mute woman of Kāśi who could not speak: when another person received them on her behalf, she attained them. If one can speak oneself, one does not attain the refuges and precepts [by proxy].' Furthermore, according to the Mahāsaṃnipāta-sūtra: 'When a pregnant woman fears that her fetus is unsettled, if she first receives the three refuges, the child will suffer no harm, and even after birth its body and mind will be complete and wholesome deities will protect it.' It asks: 'How are the general and the separate?' The answer states: 'Both kinds are attained.' Therefore the Samantapāsādikā states: 'There are two kinds of receiving: first, separate receiving, saying: "I, so-and-so, take refuge in the Buddha; I have taken refuge in the Buddha" (likewise for the Dharma and the Saṅgha); second, general receiving, which is like the previously explained reception.' If the preceptor instructs, saying 'Take refuge in the Buddha,' and the disciple responds inaccurately, saying 'Take refuge in Fu,' or if the master says 'Buddha' and the disciple says 'Fu', it cannot be accomplished. If the speech of both master and disciple is inaccurate, the three refuges are not accomplished. If the preceptor instructs, saying 'Take refuge in the Buddha,' and the disciple responds 'Yes,' or the words do not come out of the mouth, or one follows the preceptor's words incompletely, or one does not state one's own name, none of these accomplishes refuge. If someone from the central or frontier regions has different speech and pronunciation and they do not comprehend each other, it is not accomplished. If one points to things and instructs them so they understand, it can be accomplished. For example, if a barbarian delights in killing living beings, the preceptor holds a knife in hand, motions toward an animal, and asks, 'From now on, you must never kill like this again; can you keep this?' The barbarian nods his head and answers, 'Good'—this also accomplishes the reception of the precepts.