諸經要集 3.86

3.86

Fourth, mindfulness of the precepts: from the five precepts, ten precepts, two hundred and fifty, up to five hundred precepts, all restrain body and speech and curb all evil and wrongdoing. They gather and control the six emotional senses and sever all desireful thoughts. Only when internal and external are pure does one accord with the nature of the precepts. Formerly, two bhikṣus went together to the Buddha's place. Their path crossed a desolate wilderness, and they ran completely out of water and drink. At that time there was a small pond of deep water filled with numerous insects. One bhikṣu contemplated deeply the prohibitive discipline, taking non-violation as primary: 'If I drink this water, I will kill very many lives. I would rather preserve the precepts intact and lose my life.' Thereupon, when his life ended, he was immediately born in heaven. The other bhikṣu thought to himself: 'By drinking the water and preserving my life, I can reach the Buddha's place. How do I know what destiny I will be born into after death?' He then drank the insect-filled water, harming very many. Although he got to see the Buddha, he was very far from me. Weeping toward the Buddha, he told him that his companion had died. The Buddha pointed to the sky above and said: 'Do you recognize this deva? This is your companion. Through the merit of preserving the precepts intact, he was immediately born in heaven, and has now come here. Although you see me, you are exceedingly far from me; although he lost his life, he is constantly in my presence. You now see me, but you merely behold my physical body; how could you know the true precepts?' Therefore the sūtra says: 'The Prātimokṣa is your great teacher; if you can maintain the precepts and practice them unceasingly, that is the Tathāgata's dharmakāya permanently abiding and not being extinguished.' Now, there are three kinds of precepts: first, worldly precepts; second, path precepts; third, concentration precepts. The five, eight, ten, and full precepts are worldly precepts. The undefiled Four Noble Truths are path precepts. Samādhi and dhyāna-contemplation are concentration precepts. Directing the precepts with wisdom so as to make them undefiled is what accords with the path precepts. The precepts of the Śrāvakas are like flowers on the knee: if one moves, they scatter. A great being's upholding of the precepts is like wearing flowers pinned upon the head: whether walking or stopping, they do not shift. The Hīnayāna disciplines the bodily form: if one moves, one transgresses etiquette. The great being watches the mind, unconstrained by external rules. The norms of the Great and Small [Vehicles] differ; hence they are distinguished by body and mind. Though the internal and external differ, both reach nirvāṇa. Therefore it is called mindfulness of the precepts.