[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [釋氏要覽](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2127) › 2.15 # 釋氏要覽 2.15 釋氏要覽 2.15 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [2.15](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2127.2.15) 白虎通云。人之所以相拜者。何以表情見意屈節卑體尊事者也。拜之言服也。俗中兩拜者。蓋法陰陽也。今釋氏以三拜首。蓋表三業歸敬也。智論云。內式禮拜。大約身口業也。佛法以心為本。以身口為末。故三拜為禮數也。 > The Baihu tong states: Why do people bow to one another? It is to express sentiments and show intention, bending their status and humbling their bodies to revere their superiors. "Bowing" \[bai\] means submission. In secular custom, two bows model yin and yang. Now, the Buddhists take three prostrations as primary, representing the devotion and reverence of the three karmas. The \[Dazhi\]du lun states: The internal protocol of prostration generally pertains to the karma of body and speech. The Buddha-Dharma takes mind as root and body and speech as branches; therefore, three prostrations serve as the measure of etiquette. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 2.14](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2127.2.14) - [Next: 2.16](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2127.2.16) - [Up: 2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2127.2) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2127~en-mt.2.15) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2127.2.15](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2127.2.15) · Pramāṇa