法苑珠林 89.102

89.102

Now, among householders upholding the precepts, there are generally four kinds: first, inferior; second, middling; third, superior; fourth, supreme. If one upholds the precepts for the sake of present pleasure, out of fear of a bad reputation, to conform to family customs out of deference to others' wishes, or to avoid harsh labor and seek release from various hardships—this is an inferior person upholding the precepts. If one firmly upholds the restrictive precepts for the sake of worldly blessings and pleasures—this is a middling person upholding the precepts. If, seeing the impermanence of all dharmas, one desires to seek liberation from suffering and the unconditioned, permanent bliss of nirvāṇa—this is a superior person upholding the precepts. If, out of pity for sentient beings, one exclusively seeks the Buddha path, fully comprehends all dharmas, deeply contemplates dharmatā, does not fear the evil destinies, and aims to attain superior bliss—this is a supreme person upholding the precepts. Therefore, the Mahāprajñāpāramitā-śāstra states: 'Those who uphold the precepts in an inferior way are born among humans. Those who uphold the precepts in a middling way are born in the six desire heavens. Those who uphold the precepts in a superior way practice the four dhyānas and the four formless concentrations, and are born in the pure formless heavens.' Furthermore, with inferior purity, upholding the precepts yields the path of an arhat; with middling purity, upholding the precepts yields the path of a pratyekabuddha; with superior purity, upholding the precepts yields the path of a Buddha. Also, the Saddharmasmṛtyupasthāna-sūtra states: 'If one upholds the precepts out of fear of the master, it is called inferior upholding of precepts; if one upholds the precepts not out of fear of the master, it is called middling upholding of precepts; if one upholds the precepts out of fear of the evil destinies, it is called superior upholding of precepts.'