法苑珠林 89.47

89.47

According to the Yingluo jing, the Buddha said: 'Disciples of the Buddha, now for all bodhisattvas I determine the root of all precepts, which is the so-called three clusters of precepts. Disciples of the Buddha, those who have received the ten inexhaustible precepts cross beyond the four Māras and transcend the suffering of the three realms. From birth to birth they do not lose these precepts, which constantly follow the practitioner even until attaining Buddhahood.' (The Fanwang jing states: 'As for the ten inexhaustible precepts: first, not killing living beings; second, not stealing; third, not engaging in sexual misconduct; fourth, not lying; fifth, not drinking or selling liquor; sixth, not praising oneself and disparaging [others]; seventh, not speaking of the faults of householder or renunciant bodhisattvas; eighth, not being greedy; ninth, not being angry; tenth, not slandering the Three Jewels. These are called the ten inexhaustible precepts.') 'Disciples of the Buddha, if all sentient beings of the past, future, and present do not receive these bodhisattva precepts, they are not called beings possessed of conscious awareness; they are no different from beasts, and are not called human beings. They are constantly separated from the ocean of the Three Jewels, are not bodhisattvas, are neither male nor female; they are called beasts, they are called people of false views, and they are called non-Buddhists who are alien to human feelings. Therefore, know that the bodhisattva precepts have a method of receiving, but no method of relinquishing. If violated, they are not lost, reaching to the end of future time. If there is a person who wishes to receive the bodhisattva precepts, the Dharma master should first explain them to make them delight in them, and only then confer them. Furthermore, if a Dharma master can transform even one person in any land to leave home and receive the bodhisattva precepts, the merit of this Dharma master surpasses building eighty-four thousand stupas; how much more so for two persons, three persons, or even a hundred or a thousand persons? The karmic retribution of their merit cannot be measured. As for that Dharma master, husbands and wives or the six classes of relatives may mutually serve as masters. As for the recipient, they enter among the ranks of bodhisattvas of the Buddha-realms, transcending the suffering of saṃsāra for three kalpas. Therefore, one should receive them: having them and violating them is superior to not having them and not violating them. Furthermore, one who violates them is called a bodhisattva, while one who does not violate them [because of not receiving them] is called a non-Buddhist. For this reason, receiving one portion of the precepts is called a one-portion bodhisattva, up to two, three, or four portions being called fully receiving the precepts. Therefore, when the mind is exhausted, the precepts are also exhausted; because the mind is inexhaustible, the precepts are also inexhaustible. When beings of the six destinies can receive the precepts, as long as they understand the words, they attain the precepts and do not lose them.'