諸經要集 2.76

2.76

夫論僧寶者。謂禁戒守真。威儀出俗。圖方外以發心。棄世間而立法。官榮無以動其意。親屬莫能累其想。弘道以報四恩。育德以資三有。高越人天。重逾金玉。稱為僧也。是知僧寶利益不可稱紀。故經曰。縱有持戒破戒若長若幼。皆須深敬。不得輕慢。若違斯旨交獲重罪。如釋迦佛等。是真佛寶。金口所說。理行教果。是真法寶。得果沙門。是真僧寶。致令一瞻一禮萬累氷消。一讚一稱。千災霧卷。自惟薄福不逢正化。賴蒙遺迹。幸承餘蔭。金檀銅素漆紵丹青。圖像聖容。名為佛寶。紙絹竹帛。書寫玄言。名為法寶。鬀髮染衣。執持應器。名為僧寶。此之三種體相雖假。用表真容。敬之永絕長流。蔑之常招苦報。如木非親母。禮則響逸千齡。凡非聖僧。敬則光逾萬代。是知斯風已扇遐邇共遵。冥資含識神功冈測。儻有所虧獲罪彌大。既許出家。理宜革俗。且如禮云。介者不拜。為失豈同。去俗之人。身被忍鎧。屈節白衣。理所不可。三寶既同。義須齊敬。不可偏遵佛法頓棄僧尼。故法不自弘。弘之在人。人能弘道。故須齊敬也。

Now, discussing the Sangha Jewel: this refers to guarding truth through the prohibitive precepts, and leaving the worldly through comportment; forming intentions to attain the realm beyond the world, and abandoning the mundane to establish Dharma. Official glories cannot sway their intentions; family relations cannot burden their thoughts. They propagate the Way to repay the four debts of gratitude, and nurture virtue to assist the three realms of existence. Lofty beyond humans and gods, weightier than gold and jade—this is termed the Sangha. Thus we know that the benefits of the Sangha Jewel cannot be fully recorded. Therefore a sūtra says: Even if there are those who maintain the precepts or break the precepts, whether senior or junior, all must be deeply revered and must not be treated with slight. If one violates this principle, one will directly incur grave offenses. For instance, Śākyamuni Buddha and others are the true Buddha Jewel. The principles, practices, teachings, and fruits spoken by his golden mouth are the true Dharma Jewel. The śramaṇas who attain the fruits are the true Sangha Jewel. These cause a single gaze and a single bow to melt away ten thousand burdens like ice; a single praise and a single recitation to roll away a thousand disasters like fog. Reflected on one's own slight merit, not meeting with the true transformation, one relies upon his remaining traces and fortunately inherits the lingering shade. Gold, sandalwood, bronze, silk, lacquer, hemp, and pigments portraying the sagely countenance are called the Buddha Jewel. Paper, silk, bamboo, and silk writing the mysterious words are called the Dharma Jewel. Shaving the hair, dyeing the robes, and holding the alms bowl are called the Sangha Jewel. Although the substantial forms of these three kinds are conventional, they serve to represent the true presence. Revering them puts a permanent end to the long stream [of saṃsāra]; scorning them constantly incurs bitter retribution. Just as wood is not one's biological mother, yet bowing to it sends resonance across a thousand years; ordinary monks are not sagely Sangha, yet revering them shines beyond ten thousand generations. Thus we know that once this custom is fanned, near and far follow it together. Unseen, it assists sentient beings with divine efficacy that cannot be measured; if there should be any deficiency, the offense incurred will be all the greater. Since one has been permitted to leave the household, it is principle that one should reform worldly ways. Furthermore, as the Book of Rites says, 'An armored warrior does not bow'; how could their omissions be the same? One who has abandoned the worldly wears the armor of patience upon his body; bending his knees to laypersons is unprincipled. Since the Three Jewels are identical, in principle they must be equally revered; one cannot exclusively follow the Buddha and Dharma while utterly discarding monks and nuns. Therefore the Dharma does not propagate itself; its propagation depends upon humans. Humans can propagate the Way; thus they must be equally revered.