諸經要集 5.22

5.22

又智度論云。諸佛恭敬法故。供養於法。以法為師。何以故。三世諸佛。皆以諸法實相為師。問曰。如佛不求福德。何故供養。答曰。佛從無量劫中。修諸功德。常行諸善。不但求報。敬功德故而作供養。如佛在世時。阿那律長老得天眼前。盲無所見。而以手縫衣。時針紝脫。便言。誰愛福德為我紝針。是時佛到其所。語比丘言。我是愛福德人。為汝紝來。是比丘識佛聲。疾起著衣禮佛足。白佛言。佛功德已滿。云何言愛福德。佛言。我雖功德已滿。我深知功德恩報力。故令我於一切眾生中得最第一。由此功德。又為欲教化弟子。故語之言。我為作功德。汝云何不作。如伎家百歲老公而舞。有人呵之言。老公年已百歲。何用是舞。老公答曰。我不須舞。但欲教子孫故耳。佛亦如是功德滿。為教弟子作功德故。而作供養。故佛乳母大愛道亡。四天王輿床送。佛在前擎香鑪燒香供養。為報恩故。雖不求果。而行等供養。唯佛應供養佛。餘人不知佛德。如說偈言。

Furthermore, the Dazhidulun states: "Because all Buddhas revere the Dharma, they make offerings to the Dharma, taking the Dharma as their teacher. Why? The Buddhas of the three times all take the true nature of all phenomena as their teacher." Question: "Since a Buddha does not seek merit, why does he make offerings?" Answer: "A Buddha has cultivated all merits and constantly practiced all goods through immeasurable kalpas; it is not merely to seek a recompense, but out of reverence for merit that he makes offerings. For example, when the Buddha was in the world, the elder Aniruddha, before attaining the divine eye, was blind and could see nothing, and was sewing his robe by hand. At that time, the needle came unthreaded, and he said: 'Who that loves merit will thread this needle for me?' At that moment, the Buddha came to where he was and said to the bhikṣu: 'I am one who loves merit; I have come to thread it for you.' Recognizing the Buddha's voice, the bhikṣu quickly arose, put on his robe, bowed at the Buddha's feet, and said to the Buddha: 'The Buddha's merit is already full; why do you say you love merit?' The Buddha said: 'Although my merit is already full, I deeply know the power of the recompense of merit; it is by this that I have attained preeminence among all sentient beings. It is by this merit, and also to instruct my disciples, that I say to them: "I perform merit; why do you not perform it?" It is like a hundred-year-old actor who still dances. Someone rebuked him, saying: 'Old man, you are already a hundred years old; what is the use of this dancing?' The old man answered: 'I have no need to dance, but only wish to teach my children and grandchildren.' The Buddha is also like this: his merit is complete, yet to teach his disciples to perform merit, he makes offerings. Therefore, when the Buddha's foster mother, Mahāprajāpatī, passed away, the Four Heavenly Kings carried her bier, and the Buddha walked before it holding an incense burner, burning incense in offering. To repay her kindness, although he sought no fruit, he practiced equal offerings. Only a Buddha should make offerings to a Buddha; other people do not know the Buddha's virtues. As the verse says: