諸經要集 17.10

17.10

The king said to the Buddha: "Lady Mallikā observes the Buddha's five precepts and keeps the six monthly fasts. Within a single day, of the lifelong five precepts she has already broken the two precepts against drinking alcohol and lying; and among the eight fasting precepts she suddenly broke six precepts. How is this? Is the offense of breaking these precepts light or heavy?" The Bhagavat replied: "Violating the precepts in this way brings great merit, and there is no offense. Why is this? Because it was done for benefit. As I said before, when a lady cultivates goodness, there are in general two kinds: first, contaminated goodness; second, uncontaminated goodness. That in which Lady Mallikā broke the precepts enters into contaminated goodness; that in which she did not break precepts is called uncontaminated goodness. Relying on the literal expression: breaking precepts to cultivate goodness is called contaminated goodness. Relying on the underlying meaning: any goodness arisen from the mind is an uncontaminated act." The king said to the Buddha: "As the Bhagavat has said, Lady Mallikā broke the precepts by drinking alcohol without giving rise to an evil mind, and thus possessed merit without retribution for an offense. All common people are likewise also like this. Why is that? I recall that in recent times, in the city of Śrāvastī, there were various noble clans, kṣatriyas, kings, and dukes, who, because of a small dispute, came to harbor great enmity. Each hatched plots and raised troops to attack one another. Both houses were royal kin and could not be arrested. Embroiled in battle, they would not heed rational admonition, which caused me deep worry. I then thought to myself: 'Formerly, when I was crown prince, I had a dispute with the great minister Devīra. We truly could not be reconciled, and I wished to eliminate him. Because the Queen Mother gave me wine, after drinking it my feelings were harmonized.' Having reflected on this, I immediately ordered the ministers to prepare fine wine and various sweet delicacies. I also sent out a proclamation commanding the noble clans, all ministers, gentry, and commoners of the realm all to assemble, as there was a great state matter to deliberate. Due to the ministers' dispute, the two factions each brought five hundred attendants in response to the summons to assemble. In the royal hall, magnificent music was arrayed. The king ordered a loyal minister to prepare crystal bowls, each holding three shêng. The precious bowls were filled with fine wine. Before the assembly, I first gulped down a bowl. The king said: 'Today we discuss state affairs, and I presume there are no divergent minds. Now, each person must finish this bowl of sweet dew and fine medicine, and only then shall we deliberate matters.' All agreed, saying, 'Yes.' Magnificent music was performed and sung. When the people obtained the wine and heard the music, their minds were delighted and they forgot their feud and hatred. Due to the wine, the dispute was ceased, and peace was attained. Is this not indeed the efficacy of wine? Furthermore, I observe in the world that impoverished and lowly persons, slaves, servants, and barbarian peoples, either on account of festivals or in taverns, gather together to drink wine. Because of their joyful minds, without needing anyone to instruct them, they each get up and dance. Before obtaining the wine, there was nothing of the sort. Therefore, one should know that it is on account of drinking wine that people attain joy. When the mind is joyful, it does not give rise to evil thoughts. Not giving rise to evil thoughts is indeed a wholesome mind. With a wholesome mind as condition, one should receive a wholesome retribution. Even a monkey, when it gets wine, can get up and dance, how much more so people of the world? As the Bhagavat has said: 'Bestowing good brings a good retribution; bestowing evil brings an evil retribution.' Lady Mallikā, entirely because in a former life she gave generously to others, has now obtained a good retribution. Why then does the Bhagavat have her observe the five precepts and keep the six monthly fasts? On the days of the six fasts, she must not adorn herself with fine ornaments, fragrances, flowers, and fine clothing, nor perform or sing instrumental music; furthermore, she is not permitted to approach her husband. Her loving and pleasing charms—to what end are they applied? If it is merely said to be meritorious, is it not indeed suffering?" The Buddha told the king: "What the Great King challenges is not incorrect. When Lady Mallikā was young, had I not instructed her to receive the precepts and cultivate wisdom, how could she have today's virtue so as to be able to attain deliverance and further deliver the king's own person? To whom else would such merit belong?" (The above briefly explains the provisional teaching.) Daoshi says: The following second part explains according to the real teaching: not violating the light or the heavy is truly called upholding precepts. Therefore, the Great Sage knows the proper time and measures the faculties to determine what is permissible and what is barred. Permissibility means lifting prohibitions in accordance with the occasion, weighing preceding loss and benefit. It is like King Prasenajit wishing to kill the kitchen supervisor, or the crown prince wishing to harm his father: both forgot their wrath because of wine, preserved lives, and avoided great offenses, escaping heavy retribution through a light act without suffering accumulated disaster. Yet this does not mean there is no fault in drinking wine, nor retribution for the offense in the future. One must not, seeing that there was a previous exemption, blindly follow suit and violate it universally. Each person must measure the intention of the teaching and examine the superiority or inferiority of their own conduct and virtue, considering whether they qualify for the lifting of prohibitions granted to the sage Prasenajit and Mallikā. Since one is not like them, one must rely on the sūtras not to violate even the slightest hair, which is most excellent. Thus the Dharmaguptaka-vinaya says: "Those who are my disciples shall not even place a drop of wine into the mouth with the tip of a blade of grass, how much less drink abundantly! Therefore, with every swallow, a pāyattika is incurred."